Patriotism in Sports...

[Guest Juvydriver]

CNNSI article by Frank Deford

 

"It is ironic that the United States, which places less emphasis on international sports than any other large nation, probably most connects patriotism to sports. Of course, the sincere demonstration of national feeling has been outsized throughout our culture since Sept. 11th. Nevertheless, we often overdo our expressions of American pride at sporting events. Sometimes this is merely too much of a nice thing. Other times it verges, almost tactlessly, on the kind of chauvinism that irks other peoples.

 

The Super Bowl, for example, proved that while patriotism may be the last refuge of a scoundrel, its most cloying address is always the 50-yard line. Football is the most martial of sports, and with its attendant marching bands, the association to the parade ground has been too much for gridiron Ziegfelds to pass up. Cue the flyover jets.

 

It is baseball, though, which is responsible for the unique American custom of playing our National Anthem before everyday games. Other countries only trot out their anthems for major championships. The Star-Spangled Banner debuted in the stadium during World War I at the 1918 World Series. It was only during World War II, however, that it became ritual, remaining so ever since, in peace and war, so that now everyone knows the last two words of our anthem are "play ball." Moreover, in recent years, in all sports, it has become nearly requisite to announce, in stentorian tones, precisely why the anthem is played. It is . . . "to honor America." Why do they have to explain that to us?

 

It is revealing that while the flag became a disputed icon during Vietnam, the anthem was never so controversial. Can it be that The Star-Spangled Banner was, by then, more associated with games than nation? Repetition cheapens, even patriotic repetition. Anyway, it is true that the flag first came back into all our good graces because of a game -- the U.S. hockey team's defeat of the Soviets in 1980. So it was, in an arena, that the Vietnam War finally ended at home.

 

Alas, we often show our most insensitive face during Olympics. All nations cheer their own athletes, of course, but we are so large, so blessed -- and so often the host country -- that our patriotic boisterousness -- "U!S!A!, U!S!A!" -- often comes across as smug superiority. NBC has promised to go easier on the jingoism and even -- gracious sakes -- to actually showcase the names and faces of those underprivileged winners who are not so fortunate to be American citizens.

 

Well, don't ask me. How do you think NBC is doing as our Olympic concierge?

 

The network has acknowledged that the dreadful attacks of Sept. 11th will help its ratings. We have tended to come together more since then, watching wholesome television as whole families. Furthermore, the Olympics graciously allowed us to bring our flag of tattered glory from the World Trade Center into the opening ceremony, and that made for a precious moment indeed. It should also serve as the right time for all our sports events to stop commemorating that sad day. We don't have to feel guilty about enjoying games anymore than we should feel the need to be braggadocio about winning them."

 

So what do you guys think?  Personally, I agree with a lot of what he says.  I've always thought that we were a little over patriotic at sporting events as it compared to other areas.

 

Juvy

[Guest jonstreich]

I don't think that we are overly patriotic at sporting events, unless it's at an international competition.  Then we seem to over do it.  The first hat CNBC showed after John LeClair's third goal had the USA Hockey logo on it, and I am pretty sure that it was chosen by the production truck to be the first shown.

[Guest DrTom]

I don't think we're over-patriotic in general at sporting events, but we've certainly cranked the dial up since September 11th.  Entirely expected, of course, and while I don't have a problem with it, it's getting to the point where normalcy should take over again.

 

"Furthermore, the Olympics graciously allowed us to bring our flag of tattered glory from the World Trade Center into the opening ceremony, and that made for a precious moment indeed."

 

There's no way in thr world they weren't going to let us bring that flag out.  If we weren't the host country, maybe their response would have been different, but I can't imagine a body, even one as stupid and corrupt as the IOC saying we couldn't fly that flag.

[Guest Juvydriver]

"There's no way in thr world they weren't going to let us bring that flag out.  If we weren't the host country, maybe their response would have been different, but I can't imagine a body, even one as stupid and corrupt as the IOC saying we couldn't fly that flag."

 

I agree with you there.  My opinion of the IOC has them just below most Enron execs on the "guys who's asses need to be stomped" list, they made a good decision.

 

I guess my beef is that we only seem to be patriotic at sporting events.  It's disheartening to see 40,000 people waving flags and chanting at baseball/football/basketball/Olympic games and then have a 40% voter turnout.  That's what bothers me the most.  When Americans have a chance to be truly patriotic and exercise their right to vote, they pass.

 

Juvy

[Guest Kinetic]

I guess my beef is that we only seem to be patriotic at sporting events.  It's disheartening to see 40,000 people waving flags and chanting at baseball/football/basketball/Olympic games and then have a 40% voter turnout.  That's what bothers me the most.  When Americans have a chance to be truly patriotic and exercise their right to vote, they pass.

 

Juvy

That's just our newfound "sense of community" or mob mentality at work.  It's rather easy to wave a flag or tie one to your car when everyone around is doing it.  But to actually pay attention to issues and develop opinions...well.  Most people can't be bothered.

[Guest TheMikeSC]

"There's no way in thr world they weren't going to let us bring that flag out.  If we weren't the host country, maybe their response would have been different, but I can't imagine a body, even one as stupid and corrupt as the IOC saying we couldn't fly that flag."

 

I agree with you there.  My opinion of the IOC has them just below most Enron execs on the "guys who's asses need to be stomped" list, they made a good decision.

 

I guess my beef is that we only seem to be patriotic at sporting events.  It's disheartening to see 40,000 people waving flags and chanting at baseball/football/basketball/Olympic games and then have a 40% voter turnout.  That's what bothers me the most.  When Americans have a chance to be truly patriotic and exercise their right to vote, they pass.

 

 

 

 

Well, when you consider how few people actually have a clue what's going on, low voter turnout might be a GOOD thing.

 

Do we really want to double our current electoratal participation if the new voters we get are drooling morons?

 

I mean, we could have people who make Palm Beach county voters seem like the most intelligent, "with it" people in the world.

                          -=Mike

 

...Who seems to remember the Democrats vowing to make the 2000 election a major issue in the 2002 campaigns.

[Guest Frank Zappa Mask]

"That's just our newfound "sense of community" or mob mentality at work.  It's rather easy to wave a flag or tie one to your car when everyone around is doing it.  But to actually pay attention to issues and develop opinions...well.  Most people can't be bothered."

 

-Amen, man.  As for patriotism in sports, it's something that is just part of the game, and it's perfectly natural in an international competition.  The glory and prestige of Olympic sports comes from the spirit of competition as much as anything else, espiecally when MOTHER RUSSIA~! is on the hockey rink....

[Guest TJH]

If you look at Bush's speech from the opening ceremony (and I as an Australian noticed this in particular) it was just going on about the Americans. That is fine up to a point, but the olympics are an international event, something that seems to have been neglected by Bush in particular and the Americans in general.

And also, the opening ceremony was a complete rip-off of Sydney 2000.