Nation Anthems

I'm just guessing here, but I believe leaving your hat on is technically more "unpatriotic." Yelling that is technically being a douche, and doesn't necessarily fall within the constraints of patriotism. But I'm no expert.

 

You're a bigger douche if you leave your hat on.

In my opinion, you're an even bigger douche if you stay seated/don't salute (or at least stand with your arms folded behind your back) when the anthem's played.

 

FWIW, the anthem was sponsored on Giants' radio broadcasts the last few years.

I think the biggest problem I have with the anthem is that sporting events are singled out. One does not hear it/them before a theatre performance, or a concert? Or maybe, because of the number of playoff events I've been covering of late, I tire of hearing it every day? At one event, I heard a team mo who was doing the announcing say, "we don't have a flag, so we'll pretend the scoreboard is our flag." I refused to stand for that one on principle. I think that was the day I also asked someone if we were going to stop between the third and fourth quarters for "GBA."

Don't get me wrong, I know what the anthem stands for and what it means to some folks. But I also get the feeling that some are engaging in a patriotism competition with others instead of really wanting to honor the U.S. or Canada.

 

I enjoy the anthem before games, and I always get a kick out of my dad yelling "Play ball!" when he hears it away from a ball game. Good for a laugh.

And I really enjoy the Canadian anthem, before hockey games. Just sounds right.

God Bless America? I'm tired of it, especially with the Yankee games. Although I'm sure they'll never have the guts to stop playing it.

 

Oh, Canada? Oh, sign me up for that. I don't think the GBA thing at Yankees games is a matter of guts. It's what the diehards have come to expect, so they keep doing it.

 

I can't imagine watching a Boston Bruins' game without Rene Rancourt singing the National Anthem, so I'd keep the anthem in.

 

"I'm listening to the fucking song!" --- Steve Hanson

 

Oh, yes, indeed. We were at the home opener, and Steven Tyler did it, and I didn't think he was bad, despite what the Globe said the next day. It certainly got everybody in the mood (as if they needed it, anyway, including us, who made our ritualistic stop at Sully's before the game).

 

I still remember reading negative comments about his changing the last line to "and the home of the Indianapolis 500" when he sang the national anthem for that.

Sing it, be quick and be off the stage. Don't alter it. Period.

 

Yeah, and especially don't pander to the audience.

 

Amen.

 

Never not awesome.