As yesterday's SuperBowl opened with the gospel hour.... and our national anthem was desecrated by Aaron Neville and Aretha Franklin...(sometimes lip-syncing is a "good thing")... As two of history's influential ladies were honored, Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King....As we all laughed at the ridiculous commercials that companies paid exorbitant amounts of money to present....and as we all sat and watched these two teams battle it out on the field while eating our hot wings and sloshing down our brewskies... something was obviously missing....
Where were the troops? Where was the honoring of our brave men and women who watched the game from some makeshift building in metal chairs lined up as if they were at a elementary school assembly out in the middle of a desert thousands of miles away from their families and soft recliners?
There was no reference made to those who fight everyday for our freedoms and liberties that allow us not only to watch such a spectacle but to even put on such a show.
ABC was so worried about the lyrics in Mic Jaggar's songs....but it just doesn't look they were worried about honoring those who matter the most....our troops.
Lisa
You mean lip-SYNCHING...sometimes spelling is a good thing.
Posted by: T | Monday, February 06, 2006 at 12:17 PM
Well actually T, it's syncing... there's no "h"... but I knew what you meant.
I have corrected my horrible error and have moved on.
Thanx.
Posted by: Lisa | Monday, February 06, 2006 at 12:20 PM
Also: is a crass, purely commercial thing like the Super Bowl really a venue at which troops should be honored?
Think about it: we have troops dying by the thousands in two different countries, a "war on terror" in nearly every country in the world (we can add denmark to the list now, right?), and you would be happy if football players who are grossly overpaid and overcelebrated took a minute from their big game to say "hey, thanks" to toops who put their lives on the line every day?
No wonder we're losing.
Posted by: T | Monday, February 06, 2006 at 12:25 PM
T: "you would be happy if football players who are grossly overpaid and overcelebrated took a minute from their big game to say "hey, thanks" to toops who put their lives on the line every day?"
Me: Yes T, I would be happy... But you see T, it's not the players who make these decisions. It's the producers of the broadcast of the game. Those are the ones who are responsible for this gross negligence, not the football players.
The Superbowl is broadcast all over the world... it would have been nice for ABC to show the world that we, as a country, honor our fighting men and women every opportunity we get.
Posted by: Lisa | Monday, February 06, 2006 at 12:31 PM
T: "you would be happy if football players who are grossly overpaid and overcelebrated took a minute from their big game to say "hey, thanks" to toops who put their lives on the line every day?"
Me: Yes T, I would be happy... But you see T, it's not the players who make these decisions. It's the producers of the broadcast of the game. Those are the ones who are responsible for this gross negligence, not the football players.
The Superbowl is broadcast all over the world... it would have been nice for ABC to show the world that we, as a country, honor our fighting men and women every opportunity we get.
Posted by: Lisa | Monday, February 06, 2006 at 12:31 PM
How can you say that Aaron Neville and Aretha Franklin "...desecrated the National Anthem..."?. They sang it with a "soulful", and respectful, gospel bent. Apparently for those like you, The National Anthem must be sung in a "Euro/Anglo, (or boring) arrahgement, or with a twangy Country & Western sound,(which appeals to the white supremacists in our society), to be acceptable.
Posted by: Lee | Monday, February 06, 2006 at 12:53 PM
Lee - Ummm Skuz me! But wasn't Aerosmith called out for their version of The National Anthem a few years back? I think they were, but regardless it SUCKED The big one!
When you're called upon to sing at such a public event as the Superbowl, it would be nice to keep it as close to the version as it was intended. Don't disrespect those who wrote something that stands for the very freedoms that allow you to throw such garbages as your rantings.
I'm sick to death of so many making everything out to be about Black and White. Get over yourself already and stop fanning the flames of racism - or are you on the heals of old Jesse in that if racism dies you are out of a job?
Posted by: Iggy | Monday, February 06, 2006 at 01:02 PM
No Lee.... I love the anthem being sung with a soulful bent. Yesterday's version was just bad all the way around. Now.. I will say that Aretha wasn't as bad but it wasn't one-tenth of what I have heard from her before. As for Aaron...babe, there's no doubt about it...he sucked...PERIOD.
And wow Lee...thanx for telling me what the white supremacists are listening to these days... I had no idea.
Posted by: Lisa | Monday, February 06, 2006 at 01:03 PM
Great post. I couldn't agree more.
BTW Lee, sucking has nothing to do with race whatsoever.
It has to do with sucking (really bad in this case).
Posted by: jimmyb | Monday, February 06, 2006 at 01:37 PM
The Cleveland Browns association donated their Superbowl tickets to military veterans recovering from their wounds.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=dw-winnerslosers020506&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
Posted by: Half Canadian | Monday, February 06, 2006 at 02:47 PM
Perhaps the military was at fault for the "wardrobe malfunction." The last big hoopla put out for the military by the networks/superbowl execs was when it was on CBS for SB 38. See: NFL salutes U.S. military during Super Bowl XXXVIII
http://www.superbowl.com/news/story/7046382
Posted by: S. Walker | Monday, February 06, 2006 at 03:12 PM
Can't say that I loved the anthem either. I would prefer if it was always done the way it was written so we could all sing along with our hands over our hearts. That's the way I was brought up and I was proud to sing it. I can't do that anymore since I have no idea what the tune will be when anyone sings it or plays it on a musical instrument (i.e. the trumpet). It's disappointing overall.
Also, they did mention a welcome to all the military and their families at the Superbowl. They didn't make a big production (right or wrong) but they did mention the Military and spoke an appreciation for the men, women and their families.
Posted by: Becca | Monday, February 06, 2006 at 08:45 PM
Becca...Our troops deserve more than just a mere welcome... they deserve much more.
Posted by: Lisa | Monday, February 06, 2006 at 09:21 PM
I am with you that there should have been acknowledgment of our troops in the opening ceremonies, and I too don't like over-the-top renditions of the national athem, but...
Do not use the word DESECRATE to describe the performances of Aretha Franklin, Aaron Neville, and Dr. John for singing and playing the national anthem in the style they are known for and hired for. That harsh word should be used for flag burners or edgy artists who do desecrate American symbols, not singers who perform a style you may not care for. They also should not be blamed for the bad sound mixing that is out of their control. They are the top performers in their field.
Posted by: Michael Carr | Tuesday, February 07, 2006 at 01:17 AM
I do not watch professional football. I assume I must have missed another "artists" rendition of the National Anthem. Good. Plus a badly played game on both sides according to some who watched it and told me that the game was poorly played, poorly officiated and according to the ratings poorly watched.
BAN PRO SPORTS! Well, with the exception of women's beach volleyball. That is extremely exciting and highly watchable.
Posted by: jestplainol'bill | Tuesday, February 07, 2006 at 02:54 AM
Apparently, it wasn't ABC who objected to the mouldy old Stones lyrics, it was the NFL - and apparently Mick Jagger & Co. were happy to go along with it so long as they got their payola.
Other than that, for once I've got to say Bill hit this one out of the park. Way to go Bill!
Posted by: Dimmer | Tuesday, February 07, 2006 at 06:28 AM
Ah...excuse me...Dimmer and Dawg... I'm all warm and oozy inside over the fact that ya'll agree on this and that I have been able to bring a liberal and conservative together.... but why is it that ya'll get to watch babes in bikinis but we shouldn't be able to watch hot dudes in tight shiny pants?
Just why is that... huh.. huh?
Anybody else have a craving for a Coke and a song?
Posted by: Lisa | Tuesday, February 07, 2006 at 06:37 AM
Very well stated Becca!
If the anthem were sang the same way every time - everyone could join in.
It's the one point of any game or event that every single person can participate in - no matter what.
I REALLY like that statement!
Posted by: Iggy | Tuesday, February 07, 2006 at 07:26 AM
you watch the males in shiny pants (did that also go for the Refrigerator when he played?). I will watch the bikini wearing females.
Posted by: jestplainol'bill | Tuesday, February 07, 2006 at 08:24 AM
Actually Dawg, I focus more on Jon Janzen, offensive lineman for the Redskins... I've seen him upclose in camo... delicious.
;o)
Posted by: Lisa | Tuesday, February 07, 2006 at 10:28 AM
Lisa,
One more thing that hasn't gotten a lot of play (and good for you for highlighting this ridiculous omission by the NFL) is that of all the places for them to decide not to acknowledge the troops, Detroit is particularly bad, because remember that metro Detroit has a community of Iraqi expats and other people of Iraqi descent that numbers between 105,00 and 130,000.
These are people who VOTED in the recent Iraqi elections as a direct result of the actions of the troops whom the NFL chose to ignore.
Paul Tagliabue should apologize on behalf of the league. I'm sure the league takes no responsibility for this, though. They claimed ignorance about the Janet Jackson thing, too.
Here's where I got the number on the size of the local Iraqi community: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051214/METRO/512140330/1003
Posted by: Alex Nunez | Tuesday, February 07, 2006 at 12:01 PM
I could care less if any mention of "supporting the troops" was present at the Super Bowl. It would be just another example of people making trite, meaningless "We Support the Troops!" statements whose only purpose is to make the statement-utterers feel good about "supporting the troops".
Posted by: Akinoluna | Tuesday, February 07, 2006 at 02:23 PM
Dimmer, One thing about the Stones:
They didn't get paid. They worked for free, and even picked up the tab for some of the things they needed for part of their act 9which I did not watch).
No payola. Just publicity.
Posted by: Alex Nunez | Tuesday, February 07, 2006 at 04:38 PM