Oh say can you see

One of the few times I didn't mind not hearing Wayne Messmer

 

and this is the one I wish I could find the full version of...

 

I remained seated once, just for the hell of it, at a game I was covering. I was conducting my own little sociology experiment at the ballpark. After standing for every single anthem playing in my life for 20 years, I figured I'd see what it felt like to remain seated one time.

I felt really pressured to stand up even though no one in the box (there were only 3 or 4 of us in this particular section) said or did anything except for maybe a couple of glances my way. It was a neat experience. I might try it again sometime at a larger venue to see what kind of reaction there is. It made me wonder how Sasha Cohen must feel when he's doing Borat or whatever and is about to get his ass kicked. I can only imagine what it would be like not standing up for the anthem at one of those small towns where the entire population comes out for the game.

Anyway, I've probably been through about 700 anthems in my career, but that is one of the few I will ever remember.

 

Which do you think would draw the most response (more than likely all negative): at a high school football game or a large-college (SEC, Big Ten...) football game?

 

I love taking photos of athletes, coaches, police officers, whoever. You get great shots.

 

The high school game would probably be more likely to draw a big reaction. I liken it to someone falling in public. The more people around, the less likely you are to offer assistances (thinking someone else will do it.)

 

This isn't one of my better ones, but the guy staring at the flag caught my attention.

 

I know it's not, but from the back, it looks like Vartan Kupelian.

 

Remind me to introduce you to my old drill sergeant, Staff Sergeant Johnson: "PRIVATE, when the national anthem is played, you will stand at attention, address the flag and salute! You will do this every time the national anthem is played! You will do this when the flag passes by you in a parade! You will do this when the colors are presented at any event you attend when you are in this Army's uniform! You will stand at attention, address the flag and salute! Do you understand, PRIVATE?!?"

Hotdamn right I understood (right quickly, thankyaverymuch), and so did every other recruit in Charlie Company, 4th Battalion, 3d Basic Training Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, MO (and every damned one of us was named PRIVATE!, unless our name turned out to be IDIOT! or AN EMBARASSMENT TO THIS FINE UNITED STATES ARMY!).

 

Can I be patriotic and respect our servicemen AND think the NA is old and stale and a nuisance at most events?

Also, the Miami Dolphins do some sort of pre-game prayer over the PA.

 

I always stand but if I'm in a press box opposite the benches I always try to count the players on the bench to make sure each team has 20. Never know when a kid isn't ready for the start of the game because of an injury (either an old one or one during warmup) or an equipment issue. Got that tip from my boss and it pays off a few times a season.

 

Good reasons not to play it:

1) - In any given basketball, hockey or baseball there will be a significant minority (majority in hockey's case) of players that aren't American.

2) - Sometime in this NHL playoff, and likely during a Raptors playoff game, some yahoos will boo the Canadian anthem. Then some yahoos in Canada will think that the appropriate response will be to boo the American. Then....

3) - Games are too damn long already. Kill the anthem and you could gain as much as 10 min.