Does the Army like ruining positive stories?

Good lord.

Here's the way it breaks down because I know some are too lazy to just click the link. The Military Academy at West Point has an "alternative service option" for those with "unique talents." Basically, it means that if an Army player gets signed into the NFL, he doesn't have to be deployed. He'll most likely just serve as a recruiter for the area he was drafted to. In the seventh round of this year's draft, the Detroit Lions selected Caleb Campbell, and there was much ado about how he will be able to pursue pro football instead of being presumably sent somewhere like Iraq or Afghanistan.

Yesterday, the day before training camp began with the Lions, the Army changed their minds. Isn't the Army supposed to instill values into the minds of young men (while training them for active combat)? I mean, was it all just a big game of "Gotcha!"? Here's a guy who would represent the biggest recruiting tool they could ever hope for. His draft day was one of THE stories of that weekend, and any time he'd make a play, I'd guarantee the announcers would make note of his military past.

Shoot, we have a 30-some-odd year old defensive end on our football team here, and I'd be damned if I didn't hear about his military service ever single defensive series. I mean, having Campbell on the front lines might be a good thing as he's been through the training at West Point. However, how many soldiers would him playing professionally help bring in? I think that's a notion worth considering.

Now, I've got some beef with the Army over some family things, and there are certainly other negative Army stories floating around. I just don't see why they would willingly deprive themselves of another good story. It doesn't make sense. It's kind of like the dad on Talladega Nights, once things start going well, he needed to be kicked out of Applebee's so they could be bad again.