My experience with Al Cantello, United States Naval Academy Coach from 1963-2018

Yes, and we all know the full story of Bobby Knight. Nothing wrong with sharing the full story of Bobby Knight? Then nothing wrong with sharing the full story of Cantello

Doesn't matter if it was now, or 10 years ago, or 10 years before that, people will always say just suck it up and move on instead of speaking out. Well not knowing how to speak out is one of the reasons my friend and army officer chose to end his life instead of asking for help.

well so far it's either

(1) seek help, this wasn't that bad and it was a long time ago

(2) seek help, these are terrible accusations that couldn't possibly be true

This 👆🏼

Your thirst and the frequency with which you reply to everyone in this thread and the manic amount of words you use suggest you may need some time on the couch.

I am going to guess you and the OP have a lot in common. You are right, my not having heard anything is not proof, yet you take someone who will not identify himself and makes accusations without proof or backup as gospel. Sounds good to me. Thank you for setting me straight.

Re: #2 I never said anything like that? In a shocking twist you morphed what someone else said into something completely different & much more sinister than the original comment. #1 is certainly accurate though. Sorry it impacted you so deeply - prayers up!

OP, I hope you are okay. It is human to have a large response to certain things. Not everyone can imagine that a fun colleague can act differently when they have control in a closed environment. I had parents who were insanely violent inside the house, but were always calm outside of it. People are complex. Take care of yourself. Consider what you need to feel better and whether continuing to engage here is in your best interest. Good luck.

Again you're making a personal attack comparing me in a derogatory manner to the OP, when actually we have nothing in common.

Also you're falsely and abusively accusing me of taking the accusations as gospel, when I have done no such thing.

It is obvious why you're so intent on denying the OP's account of what happened, even though you admit knowing nothing about it.

Ok, I will bite one more time and then I must get my sleep, being an old guy. Who is attacking whom? How am I making a personal attack. I said you and the OP have a lot in common. Both of you are attacking me and what I have expressed. How come the OP is allowed to write something that happened 20 years ago and you support that, while I write what I have experienced over 50 years and you attack me, because I have not had the same experience as the OP. Hmm. You don't need to get back to me, because I understand. You want to control this and that is fine. I expressed my own experiences regarding Al Cantello and I get slammed. Hey, fair is fair. You got me. Feel better. Good.

Actually you've been attacking the OP, and then you started attacking me, so it's obvious you must have done the same thing as a coach. Then you try to blame both of us for you attacking us, because somehow you attacking us is us attacking you.

That seems to me to be the reason you keep trying to cover up the abuse that's alleged by the OP, even though you say you know nothing about it (but I think you do) and the only way you know how to do that is to intensify your abuse, which is exactly what you've been doing on this thread.

The OP wasn't abusing you and didn't even know who you were, and I've never heard of you either. Plus I've already told you that I have nothing in common with the OP, which is true, and you keep insisting that I do. That's abuse. Good grief did you coach the same way, by making false allegations and calling the young people liars.

That you and Cantello were buddies is another red flag that's not in your favor.

Is this guy in the athletic Hall of fame for throwing the javelin or just a mercy opportunity as a coach. True or not true I don't see any reason for this guy to be in the hall of fame as a coach. Don't just put him in for timed served if he didn't do anything during that time. He got his paycheck for coaching.

I read your initial post a couple times. 1963 to 2018 puzzled me at first. There was no draft when you entered U.S. Naval Academy, 2003.

I don't give a sh!t if there is a modern way or not to be a commissioned officer. You are supposed to be trained for combat. You are supposed to be trained for possible capture. If in combat, you are supposed to be more intellectually and emotionally strong than the enlisted men (mostly men) you lead. If captured as prisoner of war, you are supposed to be stronger than the enlisted men you lead.

You signed up for Naval Academy after September 11th, 2001. By late 2001, C.I.A. officers and U.S. S.F. were on the ground in Afghanistan. By 2003, U.S. was on the ground with troops in Iraq. If you wanted a different experience in college, that's on you. I have posted for about 13 or 14 months under this username. Have you noticed I have never whined about anyone I served with or served under in U.S. military?

Only a certified wimp speaks like this.

Okay, I'll share. When I was in HS I was recruited by several of the military academies. Cantello and I had several conversations. At the end of it I decided to attend USAFA (a superior program and closer to home). When I told Cantello, he yelled at me for a good 5 minutes. I ended our conversation by thanking him for confirming that I wanted nothing to do with him or his school. I went on to do okay for USAFA (class of '96) and still serve. One of the best decisions of my life. OP's post does not surprise me at all.

Peter Shudder, some coach or whatever, claims that this story is false and that you are a terrible person

what was USAFA's coach like?

also, do you think that Cantello being "tough" would have better prepared you to be a military officer?