Bib Baby was off key. Anyway, the best anthem moment for me didn't actually involve any singing, but happened at the NHL All Star Game right after the beginning of the first Gulf War: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvpxVE_kQXg"]YouTube - US National Anthem drowned out by cheers at 91 NHL All Star Game[/ame] "No flag burners here".
Everyone has failed to mention one thing I have never seen at MLS games on FSN or ESPN. It was broadcasted on national TV. Find me another instance where the channel didn't cut to a commercial during a league game instead of showing the National Anthem and I'll gladly agree Portland's Timbers Army singing the National Anthem was nothing special. Going A capella was slightly unique, but having it shown on national television certainly was. As for the Heat 'copying' Portland? Don't buy it completely in the sense that they want to emulate Portland. Pat Riley has been honoring the armed forces at the beginning of each game for years. Finding some inspiration in letting the crowd sing it? Sure, Portland among many others.
this thread was not meant to promote the originality of the TA singing the national anthem, obviously that is nothing new at all, i was really wondering what the media would think of the heat fans as I stated when talking about Bob Ryan calling the TA version a joke I was simply wondering if he would feel the same about a "Big 4" sport doing it and since I havent seen (and hardly ever watch) any of ESPNs daily talk shows lately im not sure what the reaction was by the media
This song goes out to all the ppl who think that the Heat copied Portland. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56Dc8m06tUs&feature=related"]YouTube - Dee Dee Dee song by Carlos Mencia[/ame]
You'd have probably gotten better responses if you'd made your intent clearer in the title and the opening post. That said, there was really only the one (maybe one or two others who weren't as publicized) idiot who went there. Most ppl were on board with it. Did you see PTI? Besides which in the aftermath of the Bin Ladin killing, your local lacross club's crowd could have sung the anthem and noone who doesn't want to be ripped will call them, or the Heat fans or whoever else should take to singing the anthem, on anything they do there. Different time, different situation. I'm sure that if Portland had done it for the first time this week, Ryan would have kept his thoughts to himself. So you're not going to get your apples to apples comparison. Either way, it's hardly worth worrying about.
That's classic. I'm sure the rest of the stadium cared or even noticed that they weren't "invited". There's another guy in the thread who thinks the TA were the "actual and only singers". How do you figure? Did they have ushers perform their ancient function and go around trying to hush everyone else? Or were you thinking maybe the Army had songsheets, whereas noone else knew the words?
Truth. It's America's song, no team should ever lay claim to it. To imply that a team is copying another for singing our country's anthem is kind of ridiculous.
This thread has turned the grand corner of worthless, particularly since the Heat did not even do what Portland did, but just got the crowd to sing with an accompaniment like many other teams have done before. I would like to say something about Portland's version of this in their home opener. Some people were not impressed by it, and I believe that is because they never took into account the fact that it was done a capella. In other words, they didn't pay much attention to it, and instead focused on the fact that ESPN was paying what they thought was too much attention to it. If these people were to re-watch the video of this, and focus squarely on the fact that there is no background music to guide the singing, I believe they would be far more impressed with it. The example of the Edmonton Oilers is the only one I can find of this being done; this was very clearly a unique occurrence in North American sports.
Well gee, that's weird... that is exactly what many sports-show hosts and sports blogs said about the Timbers event. But hey, what do they know. They got nothing on BigSoccer posters.