Football and Militarism

swmohusker said:
I love football, I love our country, and I have the utmost respect for anyone who is or has served in the military.  I see no problem with the military embedding itself into football.                USA!!! GBR!!!
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I love football and I love our country too. But I don't think those things go together. 

We sing the national anthem before every. single. game. College, Pro, High School.  Before every baseball game, every basketball game, blah blah blah. But while I love those games and I love my country - and I actually like singing the anthem - the anthem doesn't go with sports.  It doesn't belong, and is a weird add-on.

If we sing the anthem before games because we love our country, why don't we sing it before we do other things that are equally unrelated to football?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we eat dinner?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we have sex?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we mow the lawn?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we start our work day?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we change our oil?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we go to bed?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we vote?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we buy a car?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we watch a movie?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we start church service?

Think about how weird it would be to do that before any of these events.  But they're all as unrelated to the anthem as sporting events.

 
knapplc said:
I love football and I love our country too. But I don't think those things go together. 

We sing the national anthem before every. single. game. College, Pro, High School.  Before every baseball game, every basketball game, blah blah blah. But while I love those games and I love my country - and I actually like singing the anthem - the anthem doesn't go with sports.  It doesn't belong, and is a weird add-on.

If we sing the anthem before games because we love our country, why don't we sing it before we do other things that are equally unrelated to football?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we eat dinner?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we have sex?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we mow the lawn?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we start our work day?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we change our oil?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we go to bed?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we vote?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we buy a car?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we watch a movie?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we start church service?

Think about how weird it would be to do that before any of these events.  But they're all as unrelated to the anthem as sporting events.
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Dinner- Pray and thank the Lord

Don't love mowing the yard- Always celebrate with a beer

Work Day- Pledge of Allegiance

Dont love changing oil

Vote- Pray before voting

Dont enjoy buying a car or movie.

Church service always involves thankings emergency services and service troops around the world in our prayer time.  

Sex is always Neil Diamond Coming to America!!

 
khaake said:
Two questions:
1. Why are football games deemed appropriate venues for military recruitment?
2. I'm a little puzzled by your comment that one can't enjoy football if you don't like military advertising, unless you mean that because the military spends a lot of money on marketing for football games, etc., you can't get away from it? There isn't anything intrinsically militaristic to the game itself, other than what it being injected by the Department of Defense, is there? 
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1. The large number of young males who watch/are involved in the sport. Their target demographic.

2. I was making a sarcastic joke referencing how heavily advertised the game of football is today. The military is hardly an offender compared to the soft drink companies and breweries for comparison as far as advertising goes. 

3. your second question had a third one tucked in it. The game of football has a considerable history with the military. One of college football's first dynasties is the military academy at west point (Army) who was dominant during WW II and the Korean war as well as being strong for a long time after. both institutions share similar values. Work ethic, discipline, goal driven, and a team oriented atmosphere. Thus football,  in their eyes produces ideal recruits as they share/are taught similar values. 

Add on this too this the state's and regions historically significant contribution in men and material in times of war, (the university does some small research jobs for the DOD, focusing on helmets for troops last I heard) and you can see why the military investment is so heavy in football. Especially at Nebraska and other states in out area who have a similar situation too our own.

 
knapplc said:
I love football and I love our country too. But I don't think those things go together. 

We sing the national anthem before every. single. game. College, Pro, High School.  Before every baseball game, every basketball game, blah blah blah. But while I love those games and I love my country - and I actually like singing the anthem - the anthem doesn't go with sports.  It doesn't belong, and is a weird add-on.

If we sing the anthem before games because we love our country, why don't we sing it before we do other things that are equally unrelated to football?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we eat dinner?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we have sex?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we mow the lawn?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we start our work day?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we change our oil?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we go to bed?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we vote?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we buy a car?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we watch a movie?

Why don't we sing the anthem before we start church service?

Think about how weird it would be to do that before any of these events.  But they're all as unrelated to the anthem as sporting events.
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It's not "weird" to me.  I think its great to have a time honored tradition that reminds us our great county and the sacrifices that have been made.  If not at a sporting event, then when?  You eliminated almost everything looking at your list.  Perhaps never?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/08/30/a-brief-history-of-the-star-spangled-banner-being-played-at-games-and-getting-no-respect/?utm_term=.f41f74b04199

http://time.com/4955623/history-national-anthem-sports-nfl/

 
adc7236 said:
It's not "weird" to me.  I think its great to have a time honored tradition that reminds us our great county and the sacrifices that have been made.  If not at a sporting event, then when?  You eliminated almost everything looking at your list.  Perhaps never?
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Why would anyone advocate never singing the national anthem?  It's perfectly appropriate for things like Veteran's Day events, Inaugurations, Independence Day events, Memorial Day, President's Day events, international sporting events like the Olympics or the World Cup, when foreign dignitaries visit... there are hundreds of times when the Anthem is appropriate.

By playing it before every single game it loses its meaning to many Americans and that's a shame. It shouldn't be this rote thing that we mouth the words to and forget, it should be reserved and special.  Look around at a baseball game, or a football game, when the Anthem is played.  Especially before this huge uproar was created over kneeling, you could easily see half the crowd looking at their phones, talking, staring off into space...

It may seem like I'm saying the Anthem isn't special.  It's actually the opposite.  I'd like to see it become something more special.

 
knapplc said:
Why would anyone advocate never singing the national anthem?  It's perfectly appropriate for things like Veteran's Day events, Inaugurations, Independence Day events, Memorial Day, President's Day events, international sporting events like the Olympics or the World Cup, when foreign dignitaries visit... there are hundreds of times when the Anthem is appropriate.

By playing it before every single game it loses its meaning to many Americans and that's a shame. It shouldn't be this rote thing that we mouth the words to and forget, it should be reserved and special.  Look around at a baseball game, or a football game, when the Anthem is played.  Especially before this huge uproar was created over kneeling, you could easily see half the crowd looking at their phones, talking, staring off into space...

It may seem like I'm saying the Anthem isn't special.  It's actually the opposite.  I'd like to see it become something more special.
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I certainty hope that no one would advocate for never singing it, but I am sure there are those that would. I understand your point that it may be over done and has lost it meaning to many. Your suggestion of national holidays and other special events is good, but can be left up to event organizers to choose if they want it or not.  I fear it it would die over time.  The game time anthem is a tradition that is embedded into the fabric of our society, and even though some don't care, look at their phones etc etc, its still means something to many.  If we start giving up our traditions in the county, what is next?

 
khaake said:
Is anyone else uncomfortable with how much the DoD seems to be embedding itself into athletics, particularly football, on both the collegiate and professional levels? It isn't healthy. Who at the university is responsible for things such this past weekend's Veteran and Military Appreciation game?
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I just see it as the University wanting to recognize Veteran's Day (which is Nov 11th). I don't think recognizing the 5% of the population that have gone off to fight our wars is that big of a deal, but then again I'm a veteran. To be honest, I wouldn't have cared if they didn't have an appreciation day scheduled.

 
Easily some of the worst posts I have ever read on this forum.  Regardless of who agrees or disagrees, why isn't it in Politics & Religion?  I have seen Mods come down quicker on less obvious examples that needed to be placed into their correct category.  

 
HuskerPowerVA said:
Easily some of the worst posts I have ever read on this forum.  Regardless of who agrees or disagrees, why isn't it in Politics & Religion?  I have seen Mods come down quicker on less obvious examples that needed to be placed into their correct category.  
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Because sometimes politics and football overlap

 
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