Why are sports, nationalism, patriotism, and militarism so connected – and should they be? What purpose does it serve to play the national anthem or display the American flag at sporting events? Should overt displays of nationalism, patriotism, and militarism be removed from sports within the United States? Be sure to offer specific examples to support your points. Limit: 13 responses
I think that sports, nationalism, patriotism, and militarism are so connected because they all have symbolic notions of competition and love among their countries. In sports, fans wear their favorite team’s colors and merchandise with pride despite their team’s statistics. There is a sense of belonging when a fan feels so connected to a team. I remember in high school sports games, players would line up with their teams facing the American flag while the national anthem would echo throughout the field and a crowd of overprotective parents shaking in the stands. I never thought about why everyone was always silent during the national anthem, but I believe it is because we are all taking a genuine moment to honor our country and those who have served. Recently there has been speculation about whether or not we should play the national anthem supporting a country with so many political, social, and economic issues. Erik Brady wrote in the article, “Why is the National Anthem Played Before American Sporting Events? And When Did It Start?” stating that “Colin Kaepernick, then of the San Francisco 49ers, began a protest movement in the NFL in 2016 that used the anthem as a moment of maximum impact to call attention to social injustice” (Brady). Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem, leading to other players from many different sports joining the movement, kneeling as well. I think that in some ways, this movement can display nationalism as it provides unity among Americans fighting for freedom in their country. Mark Cuban also recently decided not to play the national anthem before games. According to the article “Do the Olympics Promote Nationalism — and International Conflict? Here’s the Research” written by Kathleen E. Powers, nationalism can spread peace among countries. Powers wrote, “Even if some Olympic-inspired nationalism discourages simmering tensions from boiling over, reducing conflict and promoting diplomatic cooperation are other matters entirely. Nationalists can oppose war without submitting to international organizations like the U.N., for example.”
ReplyDeleteIn recent times with the Russia and Ukraine conflict, the US has shown its support for Ukraine by protesting, posting online, and donating. My church in Guilford, CT has a giant Ukraine flag out front with a sign saying “Peace for Ukraine”. On another note, there are many cases of over patriotism in sports and whether or not it should be allowed in sports. I believe that patriotism in sports shows unity and love for your country, however, after reading the article “Many Americans don’t see sports as promoting love of country,” by Jeff Grabmeier, I am not so sure. Grabmeirer stated that “Only about half of Americans (47%) surveyed in 2018-2019 agreed that sports teach love of country, according to a new study. Even fewer believed sports teach respect for the military (34%) or teach people how to be an American (33%)” (Grabmeier). These numbers are a lot lower than I thought, especially since America is known for its patriotism. I think that people should have the choice to be patriotic as long as they are doing it with respect towards others and themselves.
ReplyDeleteBrady, Erik. “Why Is the National Anthem Played before American Sporting Events? and When Did It Start?” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 10 Feb. 2021, https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2021/02/10/national-anthem-sports-why-played-mark-cuban-colin-kaepernick/6702871002/.
Grabmeier, Jeff. Many Americans Don't See Sports as Promoting Love of Country, The Ohio State University, 6 Dec. 2021, https://news.osu.edu/many-americans-dont-see-sports-as-promoting-love-of-country/.
Powers, Kathleen E. “Analysis | Do the Olympics Promote Nationalism - and International Conflict? Here's the Research.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 26 July 2021, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/07/26/do-olympics-promote-nationalism-international-conflict-heres-research/.
Ethan Carrion
ReplyDeleteNationalism has been part of American sports for as long as there have been American sports. I mean, globally we call Football “American Football”. Granted this is due to the contradicting names of American Football and World Football, but still the fact that America decided to dig in their heels and stick to the name gives some indication as to the typical American perspective in relation to sports from other places. Another emphasis on America as a nation in American sports in the tradition of playing the national anthem and waving the American flag at sporting events.
First, I would like to look at the history of this tradition. According to the National Flag Foundation, “…the tradition started as part of the war effort, sports fans continue to sing the anthem and recognize the American flag before competition. The American flag represents enduring principles of this country and the sacrifices that men and women have undertook to make these principles a reality.” (American Flag Foundation) It appears from this statement that the singing of the national anthem at sporting events started as a wartime ritual and over time became tradition.
The tribalism of American sports is also a large part of why I believe American values are so deeply ingrained in American sports. Sports have, and I believe, always will be an emotional endeavor. Two groups with strong feels towards opposing sides watch as their teams engage in a test of strength and skill until one comes out superior. If this description sounds familiar, that is likely because this definition also fits the description of war. Sports have always been a sort of pseudo-warzone, for all the reasons I just listened. With this in mind, it makes sense that nationalist traditions are so pervasive in American sports. A quote from Former President Eisenhower articulates this idea quite well in Serazio’s book “The Power of Sports” in which he says, “The true mission of sports is to prepare young people for war” (Serazio 254). I find this quote relevant for a couple reasons. One, Eisenhower said this in 1952, shortly after the end of World War II, a war in which Eisenhower was president. My only claim here is that the context adds a layer of validity to Eisenhower’s statement as he said this after being the head of the US military during one of its largest conflicts.
Sports have always been a part of war. One of the most blatant examples of this is during the 1980 winter Olympics. I believe Kathleen E. Powers puts it best in her article “Do the Olympics promote nationalism — and international conflict? Here’s the research.” In which she says, “The 1980 Lake Placid Games put the Cold War on real ice”. (Washington Post) That was arguably the most important hockey game in American history, which is impressive of course, but it begs the question, why are sports so important to war? Tribalism and morale appear to be the answers. We’ve established that sports emulate war, so what better way to get Americans feeling tribalist than making them want to support a group they can in no way impact but still tie their self-worth to. For this reason, I personally dislike sports teams based on location; it forces a degree of tribalism into the sport that isn’t necessary. For example, the UFC is one of the sports with the least tribalism in each competition and I believe this is largely due to the fact that the athletes are individuals rather than a team representing a location. Though I do not see how it would be done, I think all parties would benefit if sports were focused less on representation and more on the sport and the athletes directly.
ReplyDeleteCitations:
Lapham. (n.d.). Eisenhower. Lapham's Quarterly. Retrieved April 18, 2022, from https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/contributors/eisenhower
Serazio, M. (2019). The power of sports: Media and spectacle in American culture. New York University Press.
Unknown. (2021, March 2). The American Flag & sporting events. The National Flag Foundation. Retrieved April 18, 2022, from https://nationalflagfoundation.org/etiquette/the-flag-sporting-events/#:~:text=Although%20the%20tradition%20started%20as,make%20these%20principles%20a%20reality.
Powers, K. E. (2021, July 26). Analysis | do the Olympics promote nationalism - and international conflict? here's the research. The Washington Post. Retrieved April 18, 2022, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/07/26/do-olympics-promote-nationalism-international-conflict-heres-research/
Sports, nationalism and patriotism are very connected and present throughout one another in the United States. These three things should be intertwined because of how it brings people in the country together and the United States is united in their love of sports. This goes far back in history back to when sports were thought to be a way to train people to fight in the army. In The Power of Sports written by Michael Serazio, he discusses how political and historical figures regarded sports in their sense of nationalism and patriotism, “George Orwell coined it ‘war minus the shooting,’; Ronald Reagan likewise viewed it as ‘the human activity closest to war that isn’t lethal,’” (Serazio, 254). Sports reflected the future militants of the country and resembled the athleticism and dedication that went into fighting the war. Of course, in time this has changed, but the reflection of the United States in sports is still very much prevalent.
ReplyDeleteAt every sporting event in the United States, the National Anthem is played before the game begins. This can be seen at your home town's football game all the way to professional sports. It is something that is very common and has been a part of our lives and something that has become a sort of pattern for people who attend sporting events. In an article from USA today titled Why is the National Anthem Played Before American Sporting Events? And When Did it Start? written by Erik Brady, it takes a look at what the National Anthem stands for and why it is incorporated into the world of sports, “The song is about a battle in the War of 1812. The first documented time that it was played at an American sporting event came at a baseball game in 1862, during the Civil War. ‘We’re a patriotic country and we’re different from the rest of the world in that respect,’ Ferris says. ‘As we grew and as we prospered, people wanted to show their patriotism,’” (Brady). The National Anthem holds some debate as to whether or not this kind of patriotism and nationalism should be involved in sports, but in its purest form, it is a way to remember where we were and how far we have come.
Brianna Gonsalves
DeleteThere is some criticism to the idea of the intertwinement of sports and patriotism. Some of these concerns include that sports do not show patriotism or that the country is not a place we should necessarily be supporting when there is so much work to be done. In an article from Ohio State News titled Many Americans don’t see sports as promoting love of country written by Jeff Grabmeier, it discusses how the patriotism found in sports, like the National Anthem, salutes to military personnel, and patriotic displays, is not justified to a lot of Americans but was still appreciated by some, “‘We have the singing of the national anthem, the giant flag, the military flyovers – it is part of our culture and people accept it as normal – so much so that it is often not even noticed,’ Davis said.’But can you imagine going to a theater and having everyone stand up before the movie and sing the national anthem? It is really a unique part of sports in the United States.’ Results showed that while many people didn’t see sports as promoting patriotic messaging, some groups were more likely to see such messages,” (Grabmeier). He explains how we tend to overlook the messages and just enjoy the sports for what they are. Groups like heterosexuals and white men are more likely to see that the love for sports is also the love for the country but other groups see that there is a difference in the two entities. In my opinion, nationalism and patriotism should remain in sports but people should be allowed to decide whether or not they want to participate in these activities.
Works Cited
Brady, Erik. “Why Is the National Anthem Played before American Sporting Events? and When Did It Start?” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 10 Feb. 2021, https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2021/02/10/national-anthem-sports-why-played-mark-cuban-colin-kaepernick/6702871002/.
The Ohio State University. “Many Americans Don’t See Sports as Promoting Love of Country.” Many Americans Don't See Sports as Promoting Love of Country, The Ohio State University, 6 Dec. 2021, https://news.osu.edu/many-americans-dont-see-sports-as-promoting-love-of-country/.
Serazio, Michael. The Power of Sports: Media and Spectacle in American Culture. New York University Press, 2019.
Brandon Krikorian
ReplyDeleteProfessor Burns
18 April 2022
Weekly Blog #9
I think that sports and nationalism are so closely related because it is the one time where everyone in the building is united and can stand for one reason. Just going to games across all sports over the years, everyone stands for the national anthem and you get the singalongs and the cheers before they finish which hypes up the crowd. It is a time when no one cares about anyone else’s political biases or about what is going on in the outside world. That time before the game starts is really one of the best moments from the event in my opinion because of the collectiveness and comradery that goes through the entire building during that song. Nowadays, having the national anthem being performed is commonplace and happens just about every single game, but this only started about 100 years ago. According to the HuffPost, this was something that started during the World Series during World War I, “During the seventh-inning stretch, however, the band lifted spectators’ spirits with a powerful performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner. The performance was so well-received that bands played the song during the subsequent games in the World Series that year. And from then on, “The Star-Spangled Banner” was a regular feature of special baseball occasions like opening day, national holidays and the World Series” (Bologna). The reason that it was so well perceived was because the country was not in a good mood because of the war effort in Europe and a performance like this sparked life in people’s hope and made them feel good about their country. Similarly enough, after a huge tragic event happened on U.S. soil, talking about 9/11, brought back that patriotism and nationalism that started with sports.
The New York Times talked about the first game back from 9/11 that happened with the Mets in New York, “Shea Stadium in Queens, then the home of the Mets, had been transformed into a staging area. Valentine, then the Mets’ manager, assisted there. On Sept. 21, 2001, the Mets hosted the Atlanta Braves in their first game in New York since the attacks. Mike Piazza smacked a home run in the eighth inning that lifted the Mets to a 3-2 victory, providing a level of catharsis for many in a reeling city and country” (Abrams). This game brought back that patriotism that we had seen when the national anthem was first introduced at sporting events. Again, having the ability to bring tens of thousands of people in the stadium together is something that does not happen very often and especially when it is about the country. One thing that Mavs owner Mark Cuban has started doing has been to not play the national anthem at home games. Personally, this is something that I do not agree with and I do know that Cuban is a very progressive owner and changes with the times, but I feel like this is a negative as a whole. USAToday detailed Cuban not playing the anthem and what may happen as a result, “Now, with the Dallas Mavericks not playing the national anthem at home games this season, there is a new national debate stirring. Some believe the melody means respect for the fallen among our military and police. Others believe it means the entirety of the American experience. The answer often depends on the ear of the beholder” (Brady). Another part of the equation is that it will bring controversy for something that is not on the court and will take away from what they players are doing. When you make such a dramatic change, it will bother people and create unwanted drama that also debates nationalism and patriotism because there will be people on both sides of the topic. At the same time, both of those groups of people, supporting the national anthem or going against it being played before games, would both stand up, put their hands over their hearts, and cheer when the anthem is done if they were to attend a game where the anthem was being played.
DeleteAbrams, Jonathan. “Sport's Post-9/11 Patriotism Seen as Unifier, and 'Manipulation'.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 10 Sept. 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/09/10/sports/sports-patriotism.html.
Bologna, Caroline. “Here's Why We Sing the National Anthem at Sporting Events.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 26 Jan. 2022, www.huffpost.com/entry/history-national-anthem-sports_n_5afc9bcfe4b06a3fb50d5056.
Brady, Erik. “Why Is the National Anthem Played before American Sporting Events? and When Did It Start?” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 10 Feb. 2021, www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2021/02/10/national-anthem-sports-why-played-mark-cuban-colin-kaepernick/6702871002/.
Blake Guerriero
ReplyDeleteNationalism and Patriotism has been a huge part of American culture for decades, and there is so exception for sports. Sports are a huge part of American culture; we idolize these athletes on the daily and make them into mega celebrities. Americans love their sports and a lot of them also love their country. We literally have the Olympics that gives us a chance to cheer people representing the United States, there is no question that there is patriotism in sports and why that is. Once victory was evident during World War I for the U.S. and its allies, patriotism soared. Sporting events became the perfect place for the song to reach audiences and promote U.S. allegiance and loyalty (Conti). Nationalism is the one time during a sporting event where everyone in the building or nearly everyone could rise to their feet and be united. When 9/11 occurred, the nation came together and huge part of that was sports, where sporting events brought the crowd together to honor those we lost and expressed immense patriotism.
There is a huge purpose to play the national anthem and display the American flag at sporting events. It is not just about honoring the nation we live in but honor those who have lost their lives and risk their lives every day fighting for this nation and giving us a chance to even attend these sporting events. Without these brave soldiers, there is no million-dollar athletes in this nation, no freedom, no sporting events, none of it. People however view the flag in different ways during sporting events, Colin Kaepernick, then of the San Francisco 49ers, began a protest movement in the NFL in 2016 that used the anthem as a moment of maximum impact to call attention to social injustice (Brady). His view of bringing people in the nation together was to inspire change within our society.
Whether you agree with it or not that just shows how important the national anthem and the flag are at sporting events. Sports are more than just a game and people are seeing that. Sports can bring together a nation as the 1980 Lake Placid Games put the Cold War on real ice (Washington Post). The United States was playing against the best Hockey team in the world during the time of the cold war and tensions with the soviets were obviously high. This brought together the nation, beating the communists in a miracle win. Patriotism within sports brings us together, whether for honoring the brave soldiers, or social justice movements it is essential to have the flag and national anthem present at sporting events to remind us of our freedoms.
DeleteWorks Cited
Powers, K. E. (2021, July 26). Analysis | do the Olympics promote nationalism - and international conflict? here's the research. The Washington Post. Retrieved April 18, 2022, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/07/26/do-olympics-promote-nationalism-international-conflict-heres-research/
Brady, Erik. “Why Is the National Anthem Played before American Sporting Events? and When Did It Start?” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 10 Feb. 2021, https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2021/02/10/national-anthem-sports-why-played-mark-cuban-colin-kaepernick/6702871002/.
Conti, K. (2022, February 9). Why is the national anthem played at sporting events? NBC 6 South Florida. Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/sports/super-bowl-2022/why-is-the-national-anthem-played-at-sporting-events/2685480/
Robert Fritz
ReplyDeleteSports is connected to nationalism and patriotism because it is seen has the one thing that can unify people that crosses party line that breaks racial barriers an everything else in between. It is one of the things that no matter the background people can come together on. Why it connects to nationalism and patriotism is because these sports are global, and we have things like the Olympics and other events like the World Cup which countries compete against each other to see who is the best at a particular sports. Playing the national anthem before sporting events has become a bit of a hot button issue in recent years but why is it being played before games in the first place? The answer is not too surprising “The first documented time that it was played at an American sporting event came at a baseball game in 1862, during the Civil War. The tradition of playing it at sports events got a dramatic boost at the 1918 World Series, during World War I. And the tradition of playing it before games was popularized during World War II.” (Brady). Why the national anthem is being played before sporting events makes sense in the Olympics but not for an MLB game. Representing your country is huge and the Olympics is all about displaying nationalism so I can understand it but as far as playing the national anthem before games here it doesn’t make much sense. The anthem only seems to cause controversy now adays whether it was Colin Kaepernick kneeling for the anthem and subsequent other NFL players or in the bubble when Meyers Leonard and Jonathan Isaac we’re the only ones who stood. The national anthem is political and some in this country will say they want politics out of sports, and this might have to go. I have attended sports games since I was little and being at a Yankees game standing for the anthem you’ll see people “disrespecting” the flag every time whether it is having their hat one or eating or whatever the case maybe not many in the stands seem to care so why should the teams. When you watch the games from home and the show someone singing the national anthem do you get up out of your seat for it? The national anthem is for show, and it has no real meaning or use to be used at sporting events here in the US. The same goes for any over top show of patriotism, militarism, or nationalism. No need to have fighter jets flying over a football field before games it means nothing.
Brady, Erik. “Why Is the National Anthem Played before American Sporting Events? and When Did It Start?” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 10 Feb. 2021, https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2021/02/10/national-anthem-sports-why-played-mark-cuban-colin-kaepernick/6702871002/.
Powers, Kathleen E. “Analysis | Do the Olympics Promote Nationalism - and International Conflict? Here's the Research.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 26 July 2021, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/07/26/do-olympics-promote-nationalism-international-conflict-heres-research/.
Rita Sherban
ReplyDeleteAll sporting events are simply games, but when they’re infused with American nationality, patriotism and militarism, they take on an entirely new meaning. American presidents like Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, and even John F. Kennedy, made the correlation between sports and the art of war (Serazio 2019). The idea that sports helped prepare men for war was further entrenched when “military academies positioned sport as a critical part of the college experience: “The better the sports program, they reasoned, the better the soldier”” (Serazio 2019). The Department of Defense also uses sports to promote and recruit the U.S military (Serazio 2019). “The Department of Defense paid more than $10 million to sports teams over the years to honor service members” (Serazio 2019). The DoD also uses it as a way to promote the military with veterans being honored at games (Serazio 2019). However, honoring service members and veterans are for While the DoD has directed their marketing to sporting events, wars have also exacerbated the patriotism. During the Civil War, the song was played before a baseball game and it increased in popularity at the 1918 World Series, amidst World War I (Brady 2021). The correlation between sports and militarism is so strong that a survey found that many fans could not identify military displays like overflying jets and flag waving, rather it was just a part of culture and tradition (Anderer 2021). September 11, 2001 solidified the association between patriotism and sports. After the 9/11 attacks, the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves played in New York and “Mike Piazza smacked a home run in the eighth inning that lifted the Mets to a 3-2 victory providing a level of catharsis for many in a reeling city and country” (Abrams 2021). Despite all this, sports should not be entrenched in nationalism and militarism.
It’s already established that men’s sports perpetrate the harmful stigma that in order to be successful there needs to be a rough and tough attitude. Emotions are to be bottled up and left on the field and any sign of femineity can and will be used against players. It’s this harmful ideology that eventually gets passed onto children and promotes the idea that only men have the physical prowess to excel in athletics. Over the years, many players and teams have shown their protest of the National Anthem. While many say it’s a disservice to veterans and active soldiers, isn’t it also a disservice to all the black, indigenous, and people of color to stand for the flag? The same people who are systemically denied opportunities are forced to stand at attention and respect a flag that in most ways, does not respect them back?
Anderer, J. (2021, December 1). Do pro sports promote patriotism? most Americans say no. Do pro sports promote patriotism? Most Americans say no. Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://www.studyfinds.org/patriotism-sports-america/
Brady, E. (2021, February 10). Why is the national anthem played before American sporting events? and when did it start? USA Today. Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2021/02/10/national-anthem-sports-why-played-mark-cuban-colin-kaepernick/6702871002/
Serazio, M. (2019). The power of sports: Media and spectacle in American culture. New York University Press.
Sports, nationalism, patriotism, and militarism go hand in hand. They all have the same love and support from their countries. Sports teams know that they play for themselves and their country as a whole. The support and fandoms of these teams have impacted the players tremendously. I believe that how much these things intertwine impacts how they all work separately. Being part of a sports fandom makes you feel connected to that team and country. It brings people together from all over the world. People show their support in various ways, but attending the games is one of the most important. When attending these games, you get to wear your team colors, cheer, and battle for a win. One of the first things that the whole stadium takes part in is the country's national anthem. As the stadium gets silent, the anthem is the only thing you can hear. This shows the team's respect and loyalty to their country.
ReplyDeleteThe playing of the National Anthem started decades ago, and up until Colin, Kapernick kneeled, everyone took part in saluting their flag. Due to the meaning behind the national anthem, some people thought it was wrong to play this. In the article Why is the national anthem played before American sporting events? And when did it start? By Erik Brady of USA TODAY, he writes that the National Anthem is about our country's history of war and the horrible things that happened. The article states why people think it is both necessary and unnecessary for the National Anthem to play, “Sports are a kind of bloodless warfare,” Ferris says, “a sort of war without death.” (Ferris). Sports should not start with something that represents war and bombs but something that deals with how when our nation started. It has been seen that more and more players, sports, and teams are not honoring the national anthem the way they once did. According to NFL, over 200 players decided to kneel during the National Anthem. This caused pro-leagues to revise their rules in 2020 so that the players could decide whether or not they chose to stand. Players have explained their reasons for what they choose and honor everyone’s decision.
Policy brutality and racism are two of the main reasons for kneeling. We have been seeing this a lot for the past couple of years. These players feel as if the national anthem is corrupt and does not indicate an equal life for everyone but more of a divide. According to the article Do the Olympics Promote Nationalism — and International Conflict? Here’s the Research by Kathleen E. Powers. She looked into nationalism in the Olympics. The article states that Americans should be alike, “But ardent nationalists placed more value on claims that Americans should have common traits, like language or Christianity. Ardent nationalists, the research found, supported pursuing U.S. interests using war at greater rates than creedal nationalists — who pair national pride with liberal democratic principles and inclusive views about what makes someone a “true” American.”(Powers). People all over will continue to create a divide between sports and nationalism so that we can be seen as equal.
ReplyDeleteBrady, Erik. “Why Is the National Anthem Played before American Sporting Events? and When Did It Start?” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 10 Feb. 2021, https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2021/02/10/national-anthem-sports-why-played-mark-cuban-colin-kaepernick/6702871002/.
Powers, Kathleen E. “Analysis | Do the Olympics Promote Nationalism - and International Conflict? Here's the Research.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 26 July 2021, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/07/26/do-olympics-promote-nationalism-international-conflict-heres-research/.
“What Is the NFL's National Anthem Protest Policy? Here Are the Rules for Kneeling in 2020.” Sporting News, https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/nfl-national-anthem-policy-2020-kneeling-protests/1o88fwivdxvqu1d8nnbiw5dw3z.
Sports, patriotism, nationalism, and militarism are connected mainly because the sports world wants to honor and support this country's goals, achievements, loyalty, and so on which basically is the same thing for every team getting their support from their fans for example, wearing their merch, players jersey, and so on. In other words, the sports world is being grateful to this country and will always have its back. They are also connected because of financial reasons. “Sports and patriotism have permanently merged, not only as part of the event but also financially. In a time of fear, nationalism and patriotism sells. Car companies sell patriotism, as do banks and insurance companies and beer distributors. Sports fans and sports' corporate overlay have a handshake deal to separate patriotism from politics, but it doesn't completely work. The selling comes with the same subtle, customary intimidation that permeated the aftermath of 9/11: anyone who disagrees with this trend is immediately branded as unpatriotic. Fans are the target demographic and patriotism is part of the sales pitch.” ( Bryant 2013). This is also one of the reasons that every sports team plays the national anthem before every game. The main reason why sports plays the national anthem before every game is to show patriotism to this country. However, there have been several situations regarding the national anthem like not playing it or kneeling. These situations include the Dallas Mavericks no longer performing the national anthem before every of their home games and former San Francisco 49ers quarterback and now activist Colin Kaepernick who “began a protest movement in the NFL in 2016 that used the anthem as a moment of maximum impact to call attention to social injustice. In 2017, former President Donald Trump called for firing players — he called them SOBs — who protested during the anthem” (Brady 2021).
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I think the national anthem should be played before every game to recognize mostly the military and other armed forces and also to increase unification but it shouldn’t be politicized and if things get too political then they shouldn’t play it. In my opinion, I do not think that nationalism, patriotism, and militarism should not be removed from sports completely in the United States but like I said before for the national anthem if things get too political, then they should either remove it or use limited use of it. The reason that they shouldn’t remove nationalism, patriotism, and so on is mainly because to increase unification in order to beat other teams and also if things get too political. Another reason that militarism shouldn’t be removed is to remember the fallen soldiers that risked their lives to save this country, for example, 9/11. “Twenty years after Sept. 11, the United States is at another moment of crisis, but the ties between sports and patriotism have severed for some, and tightened for others. The jingoism at sporting events that temporarily surged during the Gulf War and roared back after Sept. 11 now often drives wedges, after the largest social protests in history against systemic racism during a politicized pandemic. The playing of the national anthem and “God Bless America,” giant American flags, military flyovers and patriotic ceremonies are as ubiquitous at sporting events today as first downs, home runs and slam dunks. But the end of the war in Afghanistan, against a backdrop of social change and reflection on the dynamic between this country and its people, stokes debate on how or even whether such displays should continue.” (Abrams 2021).
ReplyDeleteWork Cited
Bryant, Howard. “Sports and patriotism”. ESPN. Jul 3, 2013. Visited Apr 19, 2022. Retrieved from https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/9449554/sports-patriotism
Brady, Erik. “Why is the national anthem played before American sporting events? And when did it start?”. USA Today. Feb 10, 2021. Visited Apr 19, 2022. Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2021/02/10/national-anthem-sports-why-played-mark-cuban-colin-kaepernick/6702871002/
Abrams, Jonathan. “Sport’s Post-9/11 Patriotism Seen as Unifier, and ‘Manipulation”. New York Times. Sept 12, 2021. Visited Apr 19, 2022. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/10/sports/sports-patriotism.html
Gage Kilborne 1
ReplyDeleteSports and nationalism have always worked well together and have done a great job connecting Americans together. The main reason why it works so well to represent patriotism in sports is because anyone can be a fan of any team regardless of their political affiliations and what they believe in, it brings a sense of unity to the country. This should always be because a perfect example is how the country revolved around baseball following the attacks on the Twin Towers. The first Mets game in New York after the attacks saw future hall of famer Mike Piazza hit a go-ahead home run in the bottom of the 8th to defeat the Braves. This home run helped put New York back on its feet and ready to take on its next battle (Abrams).
Nationalism serves a strong purpose in sports because it helps remind fans the reason why they are able to go out and watch a sporting event, it is because of the military who fight to defend the flag. The history of performing the national anthem before games started in 1862 at a baseball game during the Civil War, it didn't become officially put into the beginning of every game until the 1940s during World War II (Brady). This clearly shows how impactful the military has been towards sporting events and is a big reason why this tradition still exists today.
Gage Kilborne 2
DeleteMany Americans now want to end this tradition because they feel that the flag does not fully represent their country. During the 2019-20 season, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban announced he will stop playing the national anthem before NBA games throughout the remainder of the season (Brady). The reason for this is because he wants to acknowledge the Black Lives Matter Movement in the United States and what it stands for. I for one, don't full agree with this idea because the national anthem represents the military who fought for their right to protest and protesting the flag is very unpatriotic.
Militarism has been in sports for a long time now and the military have been well-represented in sports by sports fans. I don't believe we should take this out of sports because there have been many athletes who served in the military to defend our country. Some players who served our country are: Yogi Berra, Roberto Clemente, Ty Cobb, Joe DiMaggio to name a few (Pelonero). This clearly states that if people disrespect the military, they are also disrespecting some legendary athletes.
To sum it all up, nationalism and pride for one's country is something that seems to have gone by the wayside and now it should recognized once again. Unfortunately, many people today are looking at the negatives of this country, but hopefully sporting events will keep the national anthem regain the sense of unity within the country.
Gage Kilborne 3
DeleteAbrams, Jonathan. “Sport's Post-9/11 Patriotism Seen as Unifier, and 'Manipulation'.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 10 Sept. 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/10/sports/sports-patriotism.html.
Brady, Erik. “Why Is the National Anthem Played before American Sporting Events? and When Did It Start?” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 10 Feb. 2021, https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2021/02/10/national-anthem-sports-why-played-mark-cuban-colin-kaepernick/6702871002/.
Pelonero, Steve. “The Greatest Athletes to Serve in the U.S. Armed Forces.” Yardbarker, Yardbarker, 8 Dec. 2020, https://www.yardbarker.com/general_sports/articles/the_greatest_athletes_to_serve_in_the_us_armed_forces/s1__20973418#slide_1.
Joey O’Donoghue:
ReplyDeleteSports are incredibly connected to the ideas of nationalism, patriotism, and militarism. From athletes being referred to as soldiers, from the American flag and national anthem present in every stadium, it is evident the emphasis that professional sports has placed on patriotism, nationalism, and militarism. According to The Power of Sports by Michael Serazio, “Yet the way that we talk about sports routinely serves to ‘fuse (and confuse)’ any such distinctions between “athletic aggression [and] military destruction” (Serazio, 2019). Clearly, sports, particularly American football, have been associated with military language for years. Football players use blitzes, have scouts, and do a salute to service campaign every November. There are copious examples of patriotism, nationalism, and militarism present in modern sports. But, maybe it is time to change that.
Joey O'Donoghue Continued:
DeleteThere was a bill passed in Dallas requiring that the national anthem be played before every sporting event after the Dallas Mavericks refused to do so. According to an article from the “New York Times” by Jonathan Abrams, owner Mark Cuban said, “We also loudly hear the voices of those who feel that the anthem does not represent them. We feel that their voices need to be respected and heard, because they have not been” (Abrams 2021). The purpose of the flag is to display nationalism and patriotic support for our country of America. While it may be a nice idea to have everyone support our country, there are times when change is needed and there are certain individuals who do not feel they have witnessed the ideals that the flag is meant to represent, or that the ideals in this country do not resonate with them. Who are we to judge? According to an article from Britannica, “When one believes the United States is not living up to its ideals of freedom, liberty, and justice for all, kneeling during the national anthem is appropriate and justified” (Britannica, 2022). Essentially, people should be entitled to their opinions and there are people who have felt horribly discriminated against living in this country. When an athlete or a staff member of a sports organization sees a need for change in our country or to spread awareness toward an issue, they should absolutely have the right to not play the national anthem before every game or to peacefully protest to spread awareness for change. In fact they do, as peaceful protests are a first amendment right. It is not healthy to forcefully instill ideas of patriotism and nationalism into athletes through sports by requiring expressions of America. If someone does not resonate with the flag or the anthem, it is their choice to kneel and it should be an organization’s choice to play the anthem. If we could eradicate judgments, and that goes for the person standing and wearing America’s colors to the person kneeling and closing their eyes during the anthem, and let people feel how they feel then that would create a much more beneficial environment in sports. But as of now, there is still an evident connection between patriotism, nationalism, and militarism in sports.
References
Abrams, J. (2021, September 10). Sport's post-9/11 patriotism seen as unifier, and 'manipulation'. The New York Times. Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/10/sports/sports-patriotism.html
Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Pro and con: Kneeling during the national anthem. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://www.britannica.com/story/pro-and-con-kneeling-during-the-national-anthem
Serazio, M. (2019). The power of sports: Media and spectacle in American culture. New York University Press.