The Anthem

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Other than the day that we seemed to have had a monsoon (don't check the news...it wasn't really one), the last little while has been marked with beautiful sunny days here in Tennessee. So nice in fact that baseball season started here last week! I know...a little early, right? I might not even have known that it had started except the baseball field is right next to my building and their first game was mid-afternoon on a weekday. Still could have missed it though. But I didn't because loud and clear on a crisp sunny day came a live rendition of the US national anthem. Now, some of the Americans reading this are probably like - yeah, so what? Well, let me put this into my perspective. My undergraduate degree took place at the University of Calgary, in Canada, where as of 2003 there were 28,635 students. I don't think I ever heard "Oh Canada" being sung before a game....hmmm, EVER. Just not done before university/college-level sports. (Ok...I could imagine it happening for hockey...but still didn't experience it!) So here I am minding my own business in Maryville, TN at a college (a great one...) with only 1080 students this year. And not only is there an anthem being played, but it is a LIVE version...meaning much more effort went into making it happen.

Needless to say I had to go check out the game for awhile. Unlike football, there weren't millions of fans. So what was my reaction to this you ask? Well, I liked it! I know I usually cringe at outward signs of nationalism, but this was great. If it brought me over to the game, it probably brought others. And athletes of any sport deserve all the recognition they can get for the hard work they put in every single day...not just on game day. What a way to make every athlete feel like they are on par with all the professional athletes who hear the national anthem before their games! Ok, so maybe a slightly warped view of it all, and not likely the actual rationale for it...but I'm going to continue to like it.

Now, I would be curious to know from the non-US Americans out there, if you have experienced any great school/sport spirit lately?

Oh - and in case you are all saying ...well it is baseball, and that is a tradition...they do it for basketball too. And we are Division III.

Miss you all...look forward to hearing your comments!

K.

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Photos

Indy
This is my new kitty, named Indy, and he has nothing to do with the text!

Comments

[anonymous]

The National Anthem in the US is sung (or played)at almost every sporting event from High School on up to the professional levels. It is nice to see people standing quieltly listening to the Anthem, it makes me feel somewhat proud to be a citizen of the United States. I do however feel that there are better choices for a song which represents this country. Perhaps "God Bless America" or some other song that doesn't sound as war mongering as the national anthem. On another note, it was good to see Daren this week. He appears to be doing well and enjoying Tennesee and all the culture it has to offer. Hopefully Katie and I will get to so you soon as well. Take Care, Mike - Mike (the one from Boston)