BTW, I have a pet peeve which perhaps others share: the "singing" (really the wailing) of the National Anthem before every match. Could the PA announcer at least say "Here with his/her rendition of the NA?" Let's face it the NA isn't a great tune, and I think there are several contenders that eclipse it for beauty and lyrics , e.g., "America the Beautiful," My Country 'tis of Thee," but at least sing it straight. I remember when Placido Domingo (who once owned a bit of the team) sang it at RFK, and some awestruck young'uns in front of me looked at one another and said "who is this guy? He sang it as written, powerfully and beautifully. Now we can't expect one of the Three Tenors at every match, but please weed out those singers who make one (me) want to emigrate.
"I remember when Placido Domingo (who once owned a bit of the team) sang" The heck with him. I remember when Enrico Palazzo sang!
The only reason to play it is if we are playing a non-US team. So for MLS that would only be games with Canadian teams and then international tourneys.
I agree. The US has gone overboard in playing the NA before almost all sporting events. Yes, reserve it for international matches, please. And please audition the performers - otherwise, just have the PA say "And now (singer) will give you his/her unpatriotic and unmusical version of the song vaguely recognizable as our National Anthem." And isn't it a bit odd that the two teams listening to our anthem usually are heavily populated with the foreign-born? In the glory days of Marco and Jaime wouldn't the Bolivian anthem been appropriate?
Canada plays their national anthem before sporting events, too, even if it's just a pair of Canadian teams playing. Formula One has multiple national anthems each race (the national anthem for the home country of the race, the national anthem of the winner, and the national anthem of the constructor winner). It's not a uniquely US thing.
The F1 anthems are a bit contrived. The race winner’s NA is played (although most of them live in Monaco for tax reasons, save LeClerc who is Monegasque.). The constructor is even more contrived because except for Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Alpha Tauri, all the teams are based in England. In Miami they played the Austrian anthem for Red Bull even though the factory is in England and they use a Honda designed engine now made in England under license,
I'd be fine if they just put D.C. Washington on contract to sing it for every match -- or every other match. And God forbid those mouth breathers from up North bring their "O" bullsh!t and ruin it for everyone, LOL IIRC, Placido sang it for an MLS Cup -- and I got to see him do the sound check as well. Awesome.
Completely forgot about them. They do provide comic relief with the Rich Energy fiasco and the subsequent hook up with a Russian oligarch and his talentless driver son. They also buy as much off the shelf parts as is permitted under the rules. Sort of like half a team. Can’t see them around much longer.
I LOVED DC Washington's rendition--he always did it straight, didn't drag it out, and nailed it every time.
I have no recollection of what year it was (early aughts?), but my all-time favorite was when they had Bleeding Gums played it on a saxophone. No singing, just beautiful.
Other good notable anthems I remember from RFK Eddie From Ohio (after a free show near Gate B) Hootie and the Blowfish We always judge the anthems, mostly now for NASCAR ... at least while they are generally butchering it, there is a fly-over to look forward to. Just have to remember to get a little behind on the live broadcast so you can FF thru the "prayer" before the anthem. Be thankful they don't do that at most sporting events. I try to be respectful of others within reason, but after a while I would be compelled to boo. I can deal with my one or two races a year.
I do like the song, but I am also glad we don't sing G-d Bless America at half-time a la the way "Murica's past-time" does....
Wow. I guess it has been a long time since I've watched any team sports except soccer and basketball since I didn't know this. The one anthem that may be worse than the Star Spangled Banner.