Teams leaving court for National Anthem?

Don't want to clutter the USD or SMC threads with this rant, but after two teams, two games in a row LEFT THE COURT when the National Anthem was performed, I'm confused. To me it's one thing if you're in the locker room and the anthem is played due to TV schedule. But leaving the court? Show some respect! As a musician (I sing, too), I have a lot of pet peeves with the anthem (don't change the fracking key, or the words, etc)...but not respecting the song is just beyond me.

The event staff workers are somewhat heavy-handed when fans attempt to enter and keep walking during the anthem. Maybe the same treatment is needed the next time USD and SMC come to town.

I really wanted to get a chant going that SMC hates America but I didn't think people would understand why. I'm also not that clever on the fly.

PilotDrummer wrote:Don't want to clutter the USD or SMC threads with this rant, but after two teams, two games in a row LEFT THE COURT when the National Anthem was performed, I'm confused. To me it's one thing if you're in the locker room and the anthem is played due to TV schedule. But leaving the court? Show some respect! As a musician (I sing, too), I have a lot of pet peeves with the anthem (don't change the fracking key, or the words, etc)...but not respecting the song is just beyond me.

The event staff workers are somewhat heavy-handed when fans attempt to enter and keep walking during the anthem. Maybe the same treatment is needed the next time USD and SMC come to town.

Maybe you should have played 'Advance Australia Fair' to keep SMC on the court.

Purplegeezer wrote:

PilotDrummer wrote:Don't want to clutter the USD or SMC threads with this rant, but after two teams, two games in a row LEFT THE COURT when the National Anthem was performed, I'm confused. To me it's one thing if you're in the locker room and the anthem is played due to TV schedule. But leaving the court? Show some respect! As a musician (I sing, too), I have a lot of pet peeves with the anthem (don't change the fracking key, or the words, etc)...but not respecting the song is just beyond me.

The event staff workers are somewhat heavy-handed when fans attempt to enter and keep walking during the anthem. Maybe the same treatment is needed the next time USD and SMC come to town.

Maybe you should have played 'Advance Australia Fair' to keep SMC on the court.

Same for San Diego?

I mean, if at the World Cup, what would happen if some team walked off during the other team's anthem? Or during a medals ceremony up in Vancouver? Just because it's not yours doesn't mean don't have to respect it.

PilotDrummer wrote:Same for San Diego?

I mean, if at the World Cup, what would happen if some team walked off during the other team's anthem? Or during a medals ceremony up in Vancouver? Just because it's not yours doesn't mean don't have to respect it.

exactly my point. They play both anthems at internationals. When SMC comes to town next time, you should play their National anthem and we can respect that, too.

with San diego you culd play the "Hino Nacional Brasileiro" or maybe "Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika"

Both are nice tunes.

Come to think of it, maybe we should do a round of 'Oh Canada" for Jasonn when his Senior day rolls around. and the Japanese National Anthem for Taishi.

PilotDrummer wrote:Don't want to clutter the USD or SMC threads with this rant, but after two teams, two games in a row LEFT THE COURT when the National Anthem was performed, I'm confused. To me it's one thing if you're in the locker room and the anthem is played due to TV schedule. But leaving the court?

Yeah, I don't get this either. I like the way the Pilots line up for the anthem, then go back to whatever pregame routine they do. I don't know if other teams are being disrespectful intentionally; it's more like they don't know how that looks to some people.

PilotDrummer wrote:As a musician (I sing, too), I have a lot of pet peeves with the anthem (don't change the fracking key, or the words, etc)...but not respecting the song is just beyond me.

I'd say it's more like knowing the words in the first place. I think some singers add a key change in the middle of the song to spice it up a little. Or maybe their intonation just sucks, I'm not sure.

I like playing it nice and quick like the English drinking song it is.

PurplePrideTrumpet wrote:
I like playing it nice and quick like the English drinking song it is.

It must be pretty entertaining to watch someone sing these lyrics quickly after a few pints.

"And long may the sons of Anacreon intwine the myrtle of Venus with Bacchus' vine."

PilotDrummer wrote:Don't want to clutter the USD or SMC threads with this rant, but after two teams, two games in a row LEFT THE COURT when the National Anthem was performed, I'm confused. To me it's one thing if you're in the locker room and the anthem is played due to TV schedule. But leaving the court? Show some respect! As a musician (I sing, too), I have a lot of pet peeves with the anthem (don't change the fracking key, or the words, etc)...but not respecting the song is just beyond me.

The event staff workers are somewhat heavy-handed when fans attempt to enter and keep walking during the anthem. Maybe the same treatment is needed the next time USD and SMC come to town.

I don't want to change the topic...but you know who's Grandfather goes ballistic if he hears( barely at 76,lol) a singer try to in his words "Hollywood up" the National Anthem. He does have a good point too in being disrespectful to his service during the Korean "Conflict" and his buddys lives lost over there...... Believe me this old dude listen, stands , and comands respect during each playing of the National Anthem for the American Flag and the song.

Thus, I suggest we post 3-5 service veterans at the exit of the floor in full uniform in front of the oppositions locker room.....Ok, so it may sound somewhat radical but hopefully somebody like Bill Grier or Randy Bennett are classy or mature enough to realize what the true spirit of the anthem is. Or there is another solution, lock the visitors out of their locker room before the national anthem :face: , heh, heh, but that would create to much controversy. It sure would be entertaining to you guys fortunate to go to every home game, especially the guys with visuals of that whole "incident".

I prefer "America the Beautiful" it represents our country so much better and its not like "Lil" Wayne or Carl Lewis could make too much of a joke out of its lyrics like they can the the Star Spangled Banner.


How bout them Pilots, How bout that Nancy Ross..



MesaPilot1

MesaPilot1 wrote:How bout that Nancy Ross..

and her sister, Betsy?

MesaPilot1 wrote:I don't want to change the topic...but you know who's Grandfather goes ballistic if he hears( barely at 76,lol) a singer try to in his words "Hollywood up" the National Anthem.

I hear you, Mesa. I watch other sports (soccer, hockey, etc) and EVERYBODY sings their anthem. Then ours starts and everybody's quiet. I think the "hey, it's my big chance for a solo" is part of the reason most crowds won't sing it.

Best fans I've ever heard sing the Star Spangled Banner? Ottawa Senators fans.

mattywizz wrote:

MesaPilot1 wrote:How bout that Nancy Ross..

and her sister, Betsy?

MattyWhizz-I bet you didn't realize that was her sis helping out with the sewing,lol. You got the ol turkey, with my middleage mind kicking right into to place.....I'm better now though I had my vitamins and my Sunday morning yardwork.

BTW Basketballhead told me its Krunktime in Vegas this year for the tourney. I'm gonna have to be like Geez and GOOGLE that now that we don't have leatherbound encyclopedia's anymore (do you think Google will show me a pic too).

PilotDrummer wrote:

MesaPilot1 wrote:I don't want to change the topic...but you know who's Grandfather goes ballistic if he hears( barely at 76,lol) a singer try to in his words "Hollywood up" the National Anthem.

I hear you, Mesa. I watch other sports (soccer, hockey, etc) and EVERYBODY sings their anthem. Then ours starts and everybody's quiet. I think the "hey, it's my big chance for a solo" is part of the reason most crowds won't sing it.

Best fans I've ever heard sing the Star Spangled Banner? Ottawa Senators fans.

Back when Edmonton was playing Carolina in the Stanley Cup Finals, Edmonton brought in an opera singer to sing the anthems. For both of them, he sang the first line, held up the microphone, and the whole arena sang. It was beautiful.

Not to change the subject but, I hate when rappers try to turn the National Anthem into this big party. In fact, the whole Super Bowl is just this big party. We have this Eagle fly across the field. We have to have legendary football players do the coin toss. We have to have a special coin for the coin toss. Can we just play the game, people.

Just sent this e-mail after tonight's game:

To: Mark Orr, Ky Snyder, Dan Coonan
CC: Jamie Zaninovich, Larry Williams
Subject: Lack of respect during National Anthem in Portland

Gentlemen,

I'm writing to express my displeasure with the actions of your respective school's men's basketball teams (St. Mary's, San Diego, and Santa Clara) during their visit to the Chiles Center in Portland this year. All three of your teams left the court during the National Anthem. As a member of the Pilot Band--and musician in my own right--I find that to be extremely disrespectful to those performing the National Anthem, the University of Portland and its fans, and, most importantly, to the United States itself. If your teams want to hustle off the court during the National Anthem in your own arenas, that is fine. I hope that next season they will show some respect to their hosts and their country when they are our guests and remain on the court.

Should any of you wish to discuss this with me further, feel free to e-mail me or approach me in Las Vegas - I'll be the drummer wearing the purple wig in the University of Portland Band.

Sincerely,

Pilot Drummer

You should have signed it Kyle Stonehouse.

You can't stand in a straight line for a couple minutes before going in? Is that time in the locker room really going to make the difference in the game? I wasn't even close to being a college athlete. If I was maybe I would get it...

PurplePrideTrumpet wrote:You can't stand in a straight line for a couple minutes before going in? Is that time in the locker room really going to make the difference in the game?

Clearly the 2 extra minutes didn't help. All three teams lost! Karma's a bitch.

Is that a new wig, or am I just getting older and checking out my future. Seriously, I enjoyed your letter,I doubt you will get a response. But, maybe you will get a form letter response.


MesaPilot1

MesaPilot1 wrote:Is that a new wig, or am I just getting older and checking out my future. Seriously, I enjoyed your letter,I doubt you will get a response. But, maybe you will get a form letter response.

Same wig, I think it's the lighting. Dude that takes the photos uploads them straight from the camera, so they can be a little on the lighter side.

I'm with you on the responses - Larry might say something about it, but I'm uncertain that any of the other ADs/the commish will. I invite them to prove me wrong, though!

USF did it on Thursday too.

I would point out one thing though... teams only do this when the game is televised. When a game is on TV, the anthem is performed at the 12:00 mark instead of right before the starting line-ups.

What I don't know, though, is if that is done only at Portland or if that is standard procedure at other arenas as well. If it is unique to Portland, then I suppose I could understand it, since having it at the 12:00 mark interferes with the normal pre-game routine of teams.

However, if it's done at all other venues, well... that's a bit sketch.

Another thing to ask... does Portland leave the court when it's on the road? I honestly have no idea.

Stony - USF just wasn't out there. That's annoying, but not disrespectful to the degree that leaving during the anthem is.

I realize that this only happens with TV games but I don't feel like that excuse holds any water. Even with the game on TV, is it so disruptive to your pre-game routine that you HAVE to get off the court right at the 12 minute mark?

Oh, I agree with you. I was just pointing out that for the TV games they do the anthem at a different time and I don't know if doing that is exclusive to UP or not.

As for interfering with routines... pretty much any coach at the college basketball/football level and higher is anal retentive and hyper-controlling. Remember, these are guys that schedule litereally every second of practice, spend countless hours scouting and working up game plans, and whose jobs depend on winning... these are not normal men. So given that context, I can understand how a coach would not want anything - not even the national anthem - to disrupt their normal routine.

Still... I agree... two minutes for the anthem isn't the end of the world, and it's a sign of respect to stay.

Stonehouse wrote:Oh, I agree with you. I was just pointing out that for the TV games they do the anthem at a different time and I don't know if doing that is exclusive to UP or not.

As for interfering with routines... pretty much any coach at the college basketball/football level and higher is anal retentive and hyper-controlling. Remember, these are guys that schedule litereally every second of practice, spend countless hours scouting and working up game plans, and whose jobs depend on winning... these are not normal men. So given that context, I can understand how a coach would not want anything - not even the national anthem - to disrupt their normal routine.

Still... I agree... two minutes for the anthem isn't the end of the world, and it's a sign of respect to stay.

I know you're just playing devil's advocate, no big deal.

I can't speak for the rest of the WCC, but PSU always (even yesterday when they were on TV) does it right before player intros.

I will say I'm fairly impressed with the turnaround, SCU's AD has responded already. An excerpt:

...I do know that there isn't necessarily consistency amongst schools about when they play the anthem in the order of events - and sometimes it is affected by television as well, making it hard to maintain a consistent pregame routine. I don't offer that as a justifiable excuse, only as a way of understanding how this might happen...

He went on to say that he'd address both of their programs. I will say that after having some time to think further I'm not sure why we need to do the anthem earlier than normal when we're on TV.

I believe that would be so that the TV announcers aren't doing their intro material with the anthem playing in the background. I have seen/heard that a few times, and it is disconcerting.

up7587 wrote:I believe that would be so that the TV announcers aren't doing their intro material with the anthem playing in the background. I have seen/heard that a few times, and it is disconcerting.

Yep. That's definitely part of it.

Also, because the clock is normally at 0:00 when the player intros and national anthem happen, it's very hard to accurately say how long it will take. Sometimes the anthem can last 45 seconds... sometimes 2 minutes. Depends on who is singing, if they have to walk out onto the court, etc etc.

And definitely kudos to Dan Coonan for responding to your email... I've met him and he definitely seemed like a good guy.