Annapolis Page #4

Midshipman Fourth Class Huard.

Ma'am, Midshipman Fourth Class Huard

is present and accounted for, ma'am.

- In case you forgot, we wear uniform here.

- Sir, yes, sir.

- Put yourself on report.

- Sir, aye aye, sir.

- Memorial Hall in ten, Huard.

- Sir, aye aye, sir.

Dead at 23.

The best officer I ever served under.

I'm sorry about your friend, sir.

Why? He's not.

Why are you here, Huard?

To serve my country, sir.

You say that here...

where people actually died

for their country.

You don't think I took Psych 101?

You're here to answer the question

that's gnawed at you

ever since you saw this place

from across the river.

Well, let me spare you the suspense.

You ain't good enough.

I've heard that my whole life.

But I'm still here.

All the other company commanders here,

they're playing soldier.

But I've been a soldier, Huard.

I've seen what good officers are like.

And I know what bad officers are like.

So there ain't no way

I'm letting someone finish this year

who's not worthy of this academy.

I'm not quitting.

(Whitaker) Wakey wakey!

Come on, Loo. Move, butterball!

(Cole) Plebe Huard.

How many missiles are the Ohio class

of ballistic missile submarines

capable of carrying?

Sir, I'll find out, sir.

Who was the youngest midshipman,

and how old was he?

Sir, I'll find out, sir.

I'm sure you will, Huard.

Keep filling.

(whispers) Stop.

Congratulations, Loo.

You can join Huard

on marching tours this weekend.

Carry on.

Understand this.

When Plebe Huard

doesn't know his rates, none of you do.

A company is only as strong

as its weakest plebe.

You should get out too, Nance.

He's just gonna drag you down.

He's right, you know.

Can I borrow your starch?

Look, I don't get it.

Why are you still here?

- You want to know why I stay in this room?

- Yeah.

'Cause, Jake, you're my Mississippi.

I'm your what?

People who live in Arkansas,

you know what their favorite state is?

No.

Mississippi. 'Cause Mississippi's

the only thing that keeps Arkansas

from being the worst state

in the whole country.

- I'm Mississippi.

- Well, you sure as hell ain't California.

Listen, Cole and Whitaker

are so busy trying to run you out

they forgot all about me.

As a matter of fact, they've forgotten about

every other plebe in this whole company.

That's why I stay in this room, Jake.

'Cause if Mississippi quits,

then all of a sudden Arkansas

is the worst state in the whole country.

Hey, where's my starch?

- All right.

- Come on, chop chop.

You're looking good, Huard.

Pretty soon you'll be able

to keep up with my six-year-old daughter.

When can I start boxing again, sir?

When I make admiral.

You knew better than to pull

that mess you pulled in my ring, son.

Eyes on the ring.

Brigades Tournament

begins in eight weeks.

Training starts this Friday.

Brigades is the biggest event

in this academy all year. You know why?

Because the boxing ring is the only place

in this academy where everybody's equal.

Doesn't matter what your rank is,

how many stripes you got,

the only thing that is guaranteed

when you step inside these ropes:

you're gonna find out who you are.

This doesn't look like your room.

What are you doing here, Huard?

I'm training for the Brigades, sir.

All right, Huard.

Let's see how you're doing.

Sir?

Show me how

you're gonna win the Brigades.

(Burton) Ding ding.

Don't worry, Huard.

I'm not your company officer in here.

I'm just a guy

looking to punch you in the mouth.

Well, you can take a punch.

I guess we knew that already, didn't we?

You can actually land a punch, too.

- You're pretty good, Huard.

- Thanks.

Against a 36-year-old

out-of-shape lieutenant.

Not bad, Huard.

You know, most of the boxers in the

Brigades are nationally ranked amateurs.

Think you're gonna beat 'em

by hitting the bag for a couple hours?

I'll do what I have to.

Really? Without anyone training you?

You think you're gonna be the first plebe

to get through here without anyone's help?

I don't need anyone's help.

No one thinks I'll make it anyway.

Who do you think convinced the board

to take a chance on you?

This ain't the shipyard, Huard. You can't

just will yourself through this place.

Sorry. I'll be done in a minute.

Here. Recent studies show that auditory

retention surpasses that of visual retention.

OK.

OK. Turn off the light

so I can get some sleep.

(Nance's voice)

What is the latitude of Annapolis?

The latitude of Annapolis is 38.58 north.

Thanks.

- Ma'am.

- Plebe Huard.

- Everything OK?

- Yes, ma'am.

You know I'm training for the Brigades.

That's great, Huard. Good luck.

Maybe we could work out together.

Uh, no. I think I'm already

in pretty good shape, thanks.

Ma'am.

I need your help.

What? Think you're gonna be

all alone in that ring?

Come on. Come on.

- Let's go.

- Come on.

- Damn it.

- Come on.

Before you achieve, you must believe.

Let's go, Arkansas.

Come on, Huard.

I've seen better footwork at Payless.

Come on, get back in there.

Better footwork at Payless?

- Jake.

- What?

You're trying to get into

Cole's weight class, right?

Yeah.

What's this?

Well, you're not gonna get there

by just eating the stuff they serve you here.

What you need, my friend, is the patented

Marcus Nance North Beach Diet,

which, I'm proud to say,

has been perfected

after 18 years of dedicated research.

- So you're gonna get me to 185?

- Hey.

I'm not only the president

of the Marcus Nance North Beach Diet,

I'm also a client.

Come on, get down in the mud.

Come on. Come on, buddy.

Up, up. Over, over.

Go, Arkansas. Come on.

Let me see you run.

(Nance) How long have you been

in the Navy? All my bloomin' life.

Just hook it over and we're done.

Hook it over and we're done. Here we go.

What happened to all my ball machines?

- Come on, Huard. Dance for me.

- Hit me once and you can talk like that.

- I have. I think I hit you about five times.

- Ooh!

Make that six, Huard.

Three. That's three. Gimme one more.

That was for momma.

Gimme one for daddy. Get up there.

How bad do you want it?

How bad do you want it?

Not quite there, huh?

Come on. How bad do you want it?

OK, that's good. Stop.

I never could have done it.

What?

Made it through plebe year

if I could see my home every day.

Well, if I couldn't see it every day,

I probably would have quit a long time ago.

You know, my mom

used to take me out here.

We had a Sunfish.

We'd park it down there.

She was the only person

who ever believed I'd make it here.

She must be very proud of you.

She would be.

I'm sorry.

She's what's getting you through?

Well... She's what got me here.

But she's not the one

who's getting me through.

Matt Cole, 197.

All right, Midshipman. You step down.

Anybody else for heavyweight?

- All right, I guess that's it, then.

- (Nance) One more heavyweight.

- Huard, what are you doing?

- Weighing in.

Jump rope contest is next week.

My daughter's looking forward to it.

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