Of all the aircraft carriers in the U.S. military's fleet, the USS Carl Vinson is shaping up to have one hell of a year.
In May, the 31-year-old Nimitz-class warship had the unique honor of casting off the body of Osama bin Laden after U.S. forces killed him in Pakistan. Now, it appears that serendipity more than scheduling could lead to hosting the first-ever Carrier Classic this Nov. 11.
The ESPN-produced game will feature two college basketball powerhouses, North Carolina and Michigan State, playing each other on the deck of the Carl Vinson while some 7,000 special invitees -- mostly military personnel and their families -- watch from specially constructed bleachers on the flight deck of theUSS Carl Vinson, currently docked in the waters off San Diego.
In fact, it was a just a few days after bin Laden's death that the plans were somewhat finalized for the Carrier Classic, although U.S. officials said they weren't yet sure which aircraft carrier would be in San Diego at the time and would have a freed-up schedule for the lead time necessary to undertake such an unprecedented construction project. Sure enough, the USS Carl Vinson rolled into San Diego Harbor just a few days ago, and while it could be back into service by the end of the calendar year, all signs indicate that its presence for the Carrier Classic is a go.
In the event of inclement weather -- on average, San Diego gets about five days of measurable rain a month -- the game will be moved down below the deck, although logistical details on how that would work with the crowd and the TV broadcast are not as widely known.
Still, if any ship in the fleet is going to top the USS Carl Vinson this year, it had better step up its game fast.
Top photo: usnavy/Flickr/CC
