Grey cup attendance worries

[PullTogether73]

Not that it would be any factor in attendance, but I've been on this bandwagon for years. There is no reason to play a national anthem at a pro sporting event.

Completely agree.
Why was this tradition even started?
What is the rationale for this practice?

[AngeloV]

Completely agree.
Why was this tradition even started?
What is the rationale for this practice?

Just out of curiosity, does anyone actually stand during the anthem when they are at home If not, that says all we need to know about the importance of it during a sporting event. I know I don't stand at home. The only reason I do at live events is to not look like a douche.

[gilthethrill]

The fact that you typed (sarcasm) made it pretty clear to me. And I've been known to misread a post of two.

True, we all have....poor 1971greycup does not know my dry sense of humor so I can totally see where he could misinterpreted my post!

[ArgoGabe22]

Completely agree.
Why was this tradition even started?
What is the rationale for this practice?

It may be linked to when soldiers left for WW2. In the US, that's when the playing of the national anthem become popular in baseball and then spread to other sports and probably spread to Canada.

I understand the opinion of some that sports doesn't need to be as political or as nationalist as it currently is. The Super Bowl is much worse for this than the Grey Cup is but what the author suggested was to drop the anthem in order to support a political movement. And that's where the author loses credibility IMO.

[1971GreyCup]

True, we all have....poor 1971greycup does not know my dry sense of humor so I can totally see where he could misinterpreted my post!

i'll make a special note and keep it in mind for the future!

[Ron]

I know that I will get roasted on a spit for saying this but I also agree with Bidini about the excessive military tie-ins we have seen since 9/11. I appreciate the work the military does as much as the next person but we seemed to have two months of constant Military Appreciation Nights this season. There are lots of people, including the military, who are doing great things in this country who could also be appreciated.

And btw, I have never been keen on the comparisons between football and military service. One is a game and the other is anything but.

Agreed. I sometimes find it funny where fans just give a standing O to the military guy automatically and don't listen to what he/she has done. There was one in Hammer where the crowd is cheering a guy who just worked at a recruitment office. No tours of duty at all.

[AngeloV]

I know that I will get roasted on a spit for saying this but I also agree with Bidini about the excessive military tie-ins we have seen since 9/11. I appreciate the work the military does as much as the next person but we seemed to have two months of constant Military Appreciation Nights this season. There are lots of people, including the military, who are doing great things in this country who could also be appreciated.

And btw, I have never been keen on the comparisons between football and military service. One is a game and the other is anything but.

Ravi, I'm glad you said what you did. Fact is that a very high percentage of military people act in ways that would have them locked up in society. Glorified criminals. It's way overblown how they are so unselfish to make "our" lives better. That may have been the case 70+ years ago, but I don't buy it today. Just saw this piece a few minutes ago.

http://www.680news.com/2016/11/28/vi...ary/?show_id=0

[Argocister]

Just coasting through these threads as damn life gets in the way for reading regularly .....

The relatively full Grey Cup was awesome! I look forward to this type of fan experience as the on field product improves.

As for the national anthem ..... During the Grey it was great, and I had goosebumps .... Mind you I can be sentimental at times. I don't mind it at sporting events.