[BeaverFever]

$1:

The central pre-game ritual in the CFL, following introductions, is the playing of O Canada. Twice that ritual has been delayed by the Eskimos’ curious decisions, which were made for no apparent reason.

Last week, in Ottawa, the nation’s capital, in front of a full house that included Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the Eskimos didn’t line up for the anthem at all.

Depending on your sensibility, this is either insignificant or, for those who take such rituals to heart, a high-schoolish gesture, inappropriate for professional football. Not to mention disrespectful.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/f ... story.html

[PublicAnimalNo9]

I never understood the idea of playing the national anthem before sporting events. It's sports, not going to friggin' war.

[Freakinoldguy]

PublicAnimalNo9 PublicAnimalNo9:

I never understood the idea of playing the national anthem before sporting events. It's sports, not going to friggin' war.

Cause the Americans did it and not be left out we do it to.

Actually it started during the Second World War as a way to instill patriotism in the populace. Up that point the players just came onto the field warmed up and then played.

[PublicAnimalNo9]

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

PublicAnimalNo9 PublicAnimalNo9:

I never understood the idea of playing the national anthem before sporting events. It's sports, not going to friggin' war.

Cause the Americans did it and not be left out we do it to.

Actually it started during the Second World War as a way to instill patriotism in the populace. Up that point the players just came onto the field warmed up and then played.

Sadly, it now seems to be more about jingoism than patriotism.

And this idea that some performers have to make the anthem "their own" just drives me nuts too. It's the goddam national anthem. If we're going to be forced to listen to it being sung before every friggin' game, then find people who know HOW to sing an anthem properly, not some bimbette who won a singing competition and feels compelled to put some "soul" into it.

/end GOM rant

[Freakinoldguy]

PublicAnimalNo9 PublicAnimalNo9:

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

PublicAnimalNo9 PublicAnimalNo9:

I never understood the idea of playing the national anthem before sporting events. It's sports, not going to friggin' war.

Cause the Americans did it and not be left out we do it to.

Actually it started during the Second World War as a way to instill patriotism in the populace. Up that point the players just came onto the field warmed up and then played.

Sadly, it now seems to be more about jingoism than patriotism.

And this idea that some performers have to make the anthem "their own" just drives me nuts too. It's the goddam national anthem. If we're going to be forced to listen to it being sung before every friggin' game, then find people who know HOW to sing an anthem properly, not some bimbette who won a singing competition and feels compelled to put some "soul" into it.

My favorite National Anthem fuck up is still the Robert Goulet screw up during the Clay Liston fight in Lewiston Maine. People claim he didn't know the words to the American anthem because he was Canadian. Pleeeease. He likely knew the words but forgot them because he was pissed as a nit and slurring everything he said anyway so even had he remembered the words nobody else would likely have understood them.

And then we have Rosanne Barr.

[BeaverFever]

You don't remember this US lounge singer butchering O Canada at a Las Vegas Posse game back in 1994?

[Freakinoldguy]

BeaverFever BeaverFever:

You don't remember this US lounge singer butchering O Canada at a Las Vegas Posse game back in 1994?

Must have been payback for Bob Goulet's version of their Anthem. FFS it took them long enough.

[PublicAnimalNo9]

Wrong league

[Jabberwalker]

Eskimos absent during pre-game O Canada; Coach fined

They were still back in the locker room teaching the words of "Oh Canada" to all those good 'ole boys from Nebraska.