Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!yale-com!death From: death@yale-com.UUCP (Doctor Death) Newsgroups: net.misc Subject: Re: National Anthem at Sporting Events Message-ID: <1758@yale-com.UUCP> Date: Fri, 15-Jul-83 10:52:27 EDT Article-I.D.: yale-com.1758 Posted: Fri Jul 15 10:52:27 1983 Date-Received: Fri, 15-Jul-83 20:07:12 EDT References: ihuxw.409 Lines: 25 Last year at the Yale/Dartmouth game ( i think ) we were graced with the ABC television crew covering our wonderful game. We received from ABC-On-High the command that we were to play the national anthem early, at 12:00 instead of 12:30 when coverage started (sorry, "we" being the Yale marching band). I was extremely annoyed at ABC's attitude (among other things), but especially about the way they made us play the anthem so early. Now, I don't particularly care whether we play the Star Spangled Bananna or not, it's usually just a nuisance anyway, but I think we either should have played it at the right time or not at all. Either the Bananna is an integral part of the sporting event, in which case it deserves hearing, or it's dull and time-consuming and silly and should be eliminated. A number of articles so far have suggested that "a little patriotism is good for us" but perhaps playing the national anthem at sporting events in effect "sanctifies" the event by invoking patriotic blessings. ESPECIALLY at Ivy League events, for pete's sake. God, you can barely call them sports, sometimes, and besides everyone's usually too trashed to walk by the third quarter anyway, and no one even remembers the first half, much less pseudo-patriotic fooferah before the game even starts. it's hard to sing anyway -=- death -=- announcer & Loud Drum Player, YPMB