"God Bless America"--MFY Stadium--Every Game

[bmfc1]

I'm not being political here, really I'm not, I just want to ask if anybody can see the value in the MFYs performing "God Bless America" every game before the bottom of the 7th inning. I can see doing it this Sunday, and perhaps on national holidays, but every night? Last night, it was about 2 AM and everybody had to be in the rain for an extra two minutes while Miss America dragged out the song:

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=18929477

(note the Teixeira constipated face... or is that his normal look?)

What do you think? A proper way to honor America? A redundant and pompous act in the midst of a game when we've already sang the National Anthem?

[Ceetar]

I hate God Bless America. Mainly because of the non-secular nature of it, and because it's forced down my throat. I hate that the Mets seem to play it (or did) every Sunday, which is obviously prompted by religion.

The Yankees (well, YES) force it down your throat further, by not cutting to commercial. (I don't think they stay around for the Anthem do they? I don't think I've caught the beginning of a Yankees game this season)

I did get yelled at by a fan once at Yankee Stadium last year when I didn't feel like removing my cap for it. Oops.

I'm not going to complain about the time thing though, cause I love Lazy Mary and love in some perverse way when it's an ESPN game or a long break and we get the English verses that follow the Eye-Talian.

[metsmarathon]

i think it's silly.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

It would be great to sneak into the control room at MFYS and play "America F Yeah!" just once.

[Guest sharpie]

The trapping people in their seats for that awful song is what really gets me. The last time I was at a MFY game (about four seasons ago) I left for a bathroom break with 2 outs in the top of the seventh so that I wouldn't be around for that song. Also try to remember to leave on Met Sunday games.

Why should people take off their hats for that song anyway?

[metirish]

I can forgive the young girl not sounding any good at that hour of the morning, but Jesus ,Mary and Joseph why the fuck the yankees feel they must play that ell the time is unforgivable.

At home for All-Ireland Final day the National Anthem is played , for international games the home and visiting anthems are played, that's it IIRC. God Bless Ireland is an old rebel song and is not played.

[Frayed Knot]

George always liked to act as if he invented patriotism* and this was one of his ways of showing it. Now, of course, no one has the guts to pull the plug on it.
I think he took that born on the 4th of July** thing a bit too seriously.




* Indeed hIs main reason for accepting the "life-time ban" from Fay Vincent was that he felt having the facts come out in a protracted legal fight would jeopardize his spot on the U.S. Olympic committee and that, he thought, was going to be too big a blow to his reputation. He changed his mind almost immediately after signing the papers of course but his initial reaction showed where his priorities were.

** That is his officially listed birthday, and while there's no evidence to suggest this isn't true it also wouldn't surprise me a bit if it turns out to be made up to fit the image.

Edited September 7, 2011 by Guest

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

This almost feels too easy to say, but hey, let's call it what it is: it's lots more about the MFYs branding themselves as quintessentially American (see also: Dallas Cowboys, Chevy trucks, Giuliani) than it is about honest tribute to anything real. "We're pausing to honor America... by interrupting a Yankee game. Feel privileged."

I surprise myself a little by saying this, but I actually kinda like the Metly take on this*, which puts the focus squarely on a person who's served and their very specific personal achievements/travails; I'm a lot more comfortable with honoring Americans than ineffable, infallible "America."

And yeah, fuck you, hypothetical MFY fan. In recognition of the fact that it isn't the national anthem-- and in tribute to the freedoms enshrined in the Constitoosh-- the hat's staying on. Might just finish my hot dog, too, in tribute to Kate Smith.


*Minus the Lee Greenwood earcheese. Although... sometimes you need a calcium supplement, I suppose.

[DocTee]

I like it. It should be our national anthem, in my opinion. No more religious, in my mind, than the Pledge of Allegiance or our currency.

It's better by far than Sweet Caroline, the Curly Shuffle, or anything else they might play in that spot (other than "Take Me Out to the Ballgame", of course).

So you don't stand for the Seventh Inning stretch? Or are you making some overt statement by remaining in your seat for this song, and then getting up? And would you do that at Citi Field, too?

God Bless America. There I said it.

[Ceetar]

well yeah, the Mets 'quietly' honor a serviceperson every game. (And they always say "seated in Section 1, Row A" etc like he just happened to randomly get those seats. it's the same seat very time)

The Mets have quietly invited 9/11 families to the park 5x a year for 10 years and players come in and talk and sign and take pictures. Yet the yearly trip to Walter Reed only has 97% attendance and people throw hissy fits.

That's honoring America. rebranding yourself by forcing a song down fans throats is not.

[MFS62]

In the case of the Yankees, its over-compensation, to try to proove how patriotic they are to their bleacher fans with the flag tattoos.
Sort of like the guys with small dicks buying big cars.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

I think the Yanquis also believe it gives them an added home-field edge (not the players necessarily but the dolts in the front office) both by reminding those poor saps in the non pinstriped unis that they're in a house of royalty and by making their pitcher stand around and wait just when he's getting ready to go.

[seawolf17]

Frayed Knot wrote: I think the Yanquis also believe it gives them an added home-field edge (not the players necessarily but the dolts in the front office) both by reminding those poor saps in the non pinstriped unis that they're in a house of royalty and by making their pitcher stand around and wait just when he's getting ready to go.

I think there's a decent amount of truth to this.

I think it's schmaltz and needs to go. I have nothing against America, or the song, but it's unnecessary.

[Benjamin Grimm]

DocTee wrote: I like it. It should be our national anthem, in my opinion. No more religious, in my mind, than the Pledge of Allegiance or our currency.

I agree. The song resides in the hearts of the people more than the Star Spangled Banner does. When Congress gathered on the Capitol steps after September 11, they didn't sing the actual anthem, they sang God Bless America. If the national anthem is supposed to reflect the spirit of the people, then God Bless America fits the bill.

And I'm saying this as a committed atheist. If you don't believe in Yahweh (and I don't) then look at the God in the song as an allegorical God. I'm not the least bit offended by it.

Singing about "land that I love" and "my home sweet home" is much better than ramparts and gleaming and stuff like that.

[metirish]

No , no , no.....Star Spangled Banner to me is very inspiring , no sarcasm here, I really like it.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: DocTee wrote: I like it. It should be our national anthem, in my opinion. No more religious, in my mind, than the Pledge of Allegiance or our currency. I agree. The song resides in the hearts of the people more than the Star Spangled Banner does. When Congress gathered on the Capitol steps after September 11, they didn't sing the actual anthem, they sang God Bless America. If the national anthem is supposed to reflect the spirit of the people, then God Bless America fits the bill. And I'm saying this as a committed atheist. If you don't believe in Yahweh (and I don't) then look at the God in the song as an allegorical God. I'm not the least bit offended by it. Singing about "land that I love" and "my home sweet home" is much better than ramparts and gleaming and stuff like that.

Leaving aside what god-fearingTM members of Congress sang during a very visible moment... both in terms of melody/lyrics and sentiment, it's "America the Beautiful" over "God Bless America."

All day. Every day.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'm down with that, but I think if it were up to the people (as it should be) then God Bless America would beat America the Beautiful.

But America the Beautiful would probably get my vote. Especially if it was sung by Ray Charles.

[Ceetar]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Benjamin Grimm wrote: DocTee wrote: I like it. It should be our national anthem, in my opinion. No more religious, in my mind, than the Pledge of Allegiance or our currency. I agree. The song resides in the hearts of the people more than the Star Spangled Banner does. When Congress gathered on the Capitol steps after September 11, they didn't sing the actual anthem, they sang God Bless America. If the national anthem is supposed to reflect the spirit of the people, then God Bless America fits the bill. And I'm saying this as a committed atheist. If you don't believe in Yahweh (and I don't) then look at the God in the song as an allegorical God. I'm not the least bit offended by it. Singing about "land that I love" and "my home sweet home" is much better than ramparts and gleaming and stuff like that. Leaving aside what god-fearingTM members of Congress sang during a very visible moment... both in terms of melody/lyrics and sentiment, it's "America the Beautiful" over "God Bless America." All day. Every day.

Indeed. I'm not sure God Bless America is 'the song' in the eyes of the people, or at least, not sure that it was in 2000. Maybe it is because it was forced our throats, and not vice versa.

And not just that. If you want to play up the patriotism (and go for it. In fact, maybe they should start jamming the National Pastime thing down peoples throats _more_ and stop lettin football try to claim that throne. ) have some guts and play whatever patrotic song you want. I'm sure Billy Joel has a couple, and you know how the Mets love him. Leave God Bless America for the Padres or something.

Or hell, embrace the regional nature of it and play New York, New York.

[G-Fafif]

Ceetar wrote: Or hell, embrace the regional nature of it and play New York, New York.

As was done 9/21/2001, led by Liza Minnelli herself (whose version I always liked better than Sinatra's).

"Oceans white with foam" rhyming with "my home sweet home" has struck me as something Felix Unger would have come up with after taking that writing class.

[Ceetar]

I think you could argue Take Me Out to the Ballgame is patriotic too.

[G-Fafif]

Ceetar wrote: I think you could argue Take Me Out to the Ballgame is patriotic too.

I wasn't sure ten years ago why it had to be pre-empted as opposed to supplemented.

[Willets Point]

Ceetar wrote: I think you could argue Take Me Out to the Ballgame is patriotic too.

It's a song about where a girl wants her beau to take her on a date.

[Guest sharpie]

I rank them this way:

This Land Is Your Land
The Star Spangled Banner
America the Beautiful
God Bless America
My Country 'Tis Of Thee (which is really God Save the Queen/King)

[Ceetar]

Willets Point wrote: Ceetar wrote: I think you could argue Take Me Out to the Ballgame is patriotic too. It's a song about where a girl wants her beau to take her on a date.

to watch America's national pastime.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

I like "America the Beautiful" better, but I don't mind singing "God Bless America." I like "Stars and Stripes Forever" better than both, for some good old-fashioned American bombast -- Sousa kicked butt! But, hey, I'm one of those people who flies a flag on the front of the house.

[Guest sharpie]

"Stars and Stripes Forever" -- didn't include it since it's rarely sung but yes, it rocks.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Ceetar wrote: Ceetar wrote: I think you could argue Take Me Out to the Ballgame is patriotic too. It's a song about where a girl wants her beau to take her on a date. to watch America's national pastime.

I never knew that song was about football.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I'd take my hat off for "Living in America."

I'd drop trou for a live version of, say, "Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off the Sucker)."

[Lefty Specialist]

I'm actually surprised the Yankees don't play it EVERY inning.

I prefer 'America the Beautiful' as it's less overtly religious or militaristic than the others. I don't like patriotism forced on me. One of the bad legacies of 9/11 is that for a while there if you didn't stand at attention for every patriotic song you were viewed as un-American. I do not stand at attention nor do I take off my hat for God Bless America- in fact that's usually my bathroom break. I do stand for the National Anthem, because that's traditional and wasn't grafted on afterwards to prove we can sing louder than the terrorists.

[Fman99]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: It would be great to sneak into the control room at MFYS and play "America F Yeah!" just once.

I read this and immediately started looking for the "Like" button.