The National Anthem at Sporting Events

This post is about 20 years overdue.

One of the greatest traditions of sporting events across the United States of America is the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner before the start of a game. It's a way to show respect for our country and  remember what it took to allow us to enjoy such events. It is one of the most important parts of a game.

It is also one of the most embarrassing and disgraceful parts of a sporting event.

Too many fans are entirely too disrespectful during the playing of our National Anthem, and it makes me go crazy.  And I'm not talking about hockey fans booing the Star-Spangled Banner or O Canada.  That's another big issue. Worse than disrespecting somebody else's national anthem is bad enough, but what really angers me is disrespecting your own. 


SING? WE SCREAM AND SHOUT! - 2 STARS

Let's start with the group of fans that has spurred me to post this: Chicago Blackhawk fans.  During the National Anthem, it is their "tradition" not to sing and not to stand there respectfully. They cheer. They scream. They clap. They shout. They say it's showing support for our country. I say it's a travesty. They literally drown out our country's song; how is that showing support?  And watching live footage from this on Sunday night, I took notice of a couple individual faces in the crowd.  The fans were just hollering and clapping. I saw at least five people just look up and just scream. And then I see (apparently non-regular Blackhawk) fans looking around in disgust and disbelief. This tells me that Chicago fans don't all like this "tradition" and it's because people are simply trying to be loud, not applaud our country. At the very least, it tells me Chicago fans don't know the words to the most important song in America. I respect your ATTEMPT to honor America, but it just fails.

THEY'RE ONLY WORDS RIGHT? - 1 STAR

Speaking of not knowing the words...Christina Aguilera's performance at Super Bowl XLV shows the role the performer plays in singing the National Anthem. She's too busy turning a 70 second song into a 2.5 minute spectacle that she forgot what verse she was on. Or she just doesn't know the words. Either way, performers care about sounding good rather than knowing what to sing. And for Christina, it's at the biggest single-day event in the world. Pitiful. 

"HOME OF THE...INDIANAPOLIS 500" - 1.5 STARS

Here's another national anthem performance that left fans shaking their heads. In 2001, less than four months before 9/11, Steven Tyler sang the anthem at The Greatest Spectacle in Racing: The Indianapolis 500. I can't even describe how bad it was (just listen for yourself).  Here's what I see from Mr. Aerosmith, and frankly from just about every famous singer who is asked to perform the anthem. I see a star trying to put his signature on an otherwise bland song. And by bland, I mean that it is heard more than any other song (even the new, can'tgetyououtofmyhead Rebecca Black song "Friday") and thus singers want to shake it up a bit.  But you can't turn a national song into an Aerosmith scream-fest.  And then ending it by saying "Home of the...Indianapolis 500" just further showed how dumb it was to invite this type of performer to sing the most important song of our nation. Just glad this happened BEFORE 9/11, because even though it should never happen in general, it even more shouldn't happen after September 11th.

Roseanne... -    -74,932,144 STARS

This is one I'll never understand. Roseanne Barr sings the national anthem at a baseball game (20 years ago now?)  I read somewhere that she was invited to sing AS A JOKE! ...as a joke people? The only good thing about Roseanne's performance was that it was over in 45 seconds, not 3 minutes like some national anthems. She laughs in the middle of singing (if you can call it that). A sad day indeed....

"Oh!" -    3 STARS

I'm torn on this one. Penn State students, during the line "oh say..." will scream a big "OH!" I don't find too much issue with this one, I don't think...I don't know. What bothers me more is two separate instances where students would "sing along" and at "and the rocket's red glare..." start to "sing" in a high pitched voice (I'm sorry for all of the scare quotes). When I tell them to show respect, they say "I'm sorry, I'm tone deaf."  No, you're not tone deaf, you just have no respect for the country you live in. Don't. Mess. With. The. Anthem.

Actual Sing-Along! -    4.5 STARS

I loved seeing this happen! First of all, Jim Timney, a member of the US Army National Guard, is singing, not some pop superstar. Second, he sings it normally, not taking three minutes to sing or adding unnecessary inflections. Then, all of a sudden, he pulls the mic away from his mouth and stops singing. The crowd joins in, complete unison, and helps finish the anthem 18,000 strong.  Everybody singing along respectfully to a song we can all understand. The crowd loved it so much, they requested Timney return for the Game 2 anthem.

 
Pure and Simple -    50 STARS

When all else fails and when in doubt, just stick with the simple. The instrumental version is the best rendition of the National Anthem, pure and simple. The fans can sing along properly, if they desire, or can stand there with respect and not have to worry about some pop diva or rock legend butchering the song.

Follow the KISS principle people: Keep It Simple Stupid.  I've had enough of having to shake my head or look away in disgust during the Anthem, whether due to the performance or the crowd's behavior. My brother is currently overseas fighting for our freedom, and we're apparently tone-deaf and sing the National Anthem as a joke. I'm ashamed. My fellow Americans, let's grow up.