Greenes Put Brotherly Love Aside for Army-Navy Game

Some time Saturday in Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium, when the Navy football team kicks off to Army during the 93rd meeting of these service academy rivals, Gil Greene will do his best to knock Gaylord Greene’s block off.

And vice versa.

“If I get the chance, I’ll hit him right in the mouth if I have to,” said Gil Greene, an Orange Lutheran High School graduate who is a sophomore reserve defensive back at Navy.

Countered older brother Gaylord Greene, an Orange Lutheran graduate and senior wide receiver at Army: “I’d like to get a nice little pop on him.”

And they call Philadelphia the City of Brotherly Love?

Not when Army and Navy are playing. Family loyalties take a back seat to this long and storied series, which dates to 1890 and has only been interrupted by an occasional world war.

“Ever since I got here it’s been, ‘Beat Army, beat Army, beat Army,’ ” Gil Greene said. “Those were the first words I learned to say here. I can take out two birds with one stone by beating Army and my brother.”

There may not be many chances for Gil to actually “beat” his older brother. Gil, a 5-foot-11, 200-pounder, is a second-string defensive player with two good cornerbacks in front of him on the depth chart, so the chances of him covering Gaylord on a pass play are slim.

But Gil does play on Navy’s kickoff and punt return teams. And Gaylord, a 6-3, 205-pound part-time offensive player who has nine catches for 97 yards in the Cadets’ run-oriented wishbone attack this season, is a member of Army’s kickoff return team.

So whenever Navy kicks off, the brothers will be on the field at the same time, each with intentions of inflicting bodily harm on the other.

And that will be kind of strange.

The brothers were always teammates in youth leagues, and when Gaylord was a senior and Gil a sophomore at Orange Lutheran in 1987-88, they played on the same football, basketball and track teams.

There always was a sense of cooperation between them. They had the minor tussles that brothers normally have but were more like friends growing up. And on the athletic fields and courts, they were more of a tandem than rivals.

In fact, midway through the 1987 football season, the Orange Lutheran offense was struggling with Gil Greene at wide receiver and Gaylord at the more glamorous tailback position.

So when a coach had the brothers switch positions--Gaylord seemed to have better hands and Gil was a better runner--and the move sparked the offense, both were happy.

“I’ve been at wide receiver ever since, so the move turned out to be OK,” Gaylord said.

The only time they competed against each other was in track because they both ran the 200-meter dash.

“That was the only real competition between us--we’d even avoid being in the same heats together,” Gaylord said. “We were competitive, but to be in such a big game against Navy and have a brother on the other team is exciting.”

For their parents, it will be a bit confusing. Jim and Josie Greene, Santa Ana residents who are members of both the Army and Navy parent booster clubs, are traveling to Philadelphia for the game, but who do you root for when your two sons are going into battle against each other?

Even though Gil wasn’t a member of the Navy varsity last season, Jim Greene wore an Army sweat shirt and Navy cap when he attended last year’s game, won by Navy, 24-3.

“This year, I’m going to switch sides at halftime,” Jim Greene said. “Whoever wins the coin flip, I’ll sit on their side of the field for the first half. Then we’ll go to the other side for the second half.”

Jim said he’ll search for a two-billed cap at the game, one with the Navy and Army logos. But no matter how objective he tries to be, he can’t hide his true feelings.

“Deep down I want Army to win because it’s Gaylord’s last game and Navy won last year,” he said. “I’d like to see Gaylord go out a winner. I hate to see either one lose, though. . . .”

How about a tie?

“I don’t know, I don’t like ties,” Jim said.

Gil and Gaylord have no doubt who’s going to win. Navy has had a rough season, going 1-9 with losses to national powers such as Notre Dame, North Carolina, Virginia, Rutgers and Boston College, but Gil still likes the Midshipmen. Gaylord, of course, favors the Cadets (4-6).

“I had a lot of good times playing with Gaylord in high school and I’d rather play with him than against him, but I’m willing to go ahead and beat him anyway,” Gil said. “I wish my brother luck, but no hard feelings if he loses.”

And if Gaylord wins?

“I don’t see that happening,” Gil said.

Gaylord does. “He thinks he’s going to win, but reality will strike soon enough,” Gaylord said. “You’re not just playing for a team, you’re playing for everyone whoever put on an Army or Navy jersey.

“And it’s also for bragging rights when we get home for Christmas.”