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So poor Ron Gonzales, mayor of San Jose, had to say he was sorry because a bunch of Sharks fans booed “O Canada” before a second-round playoff series game against the Edmonton Oilers. It's funny, actually, because ten members of the Sharks are, well, Canadian. Disrespecting a national anthem is not, of course, a new pastime in professional sports arenas, but usually it's the athletes doing the affronting, and usually it is the U.S. anthem that is insulted. In 1998, the NBA, for example, suspended Mamoud Abdul-Rauf for refusing to stand for the anthem, and the U.S. Olympic Committee sent Tommie Smith and John Carlos home after they raised their gloved fists in civil rights protest in 1968. Of course, Abdul-Rauf claimed he took his stand, or lack thereof, in the name of Islam and Smith and Carlos took theirs on behalf of Black Power, so they weren't really Americans anyway, right? The emergence of the anthem at professional sports venues can be traced to World Wars I and II, but we really don't think much about it until its presence is jeopardized, especially in time of war, or when Roseanne sings it or Hendrix strums it out. It is not a song for amateurs, except perhaps in Maryland, when the Frederick Keys, the class Single-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, play opponents just a stone's throw away from where Francis Scott Key, who practiced law in the small city, is buried. This means his dead body listens to the anthem every time the team is home at Harry Grove Stadium, and I highly doubt that the fine folks of Frederick are any better at singing the damn thing than the rest of us. Because that “rockets red glare” part? It's a killer. But I have no problem with people in Frederick singing their hometown boy's song. It's about their history, and local history at that. But isn't it kind of silly to be playing national anthems in the increasingly international world of professional sports? In the midst of the mayor's fine apology, did anyone bother to find out if the San Jose fans offended the Canadian members of their team with their booing? If so, I propose an alternative plan, one that would definitely perk up beer sales because it would keep fans in their seats a good hour or so longer: Let's play the anthem of each players' country of origin. So which anthems would that entail? Well let's start with the most patriotic of team names, the Washington Capitals, located in – fittingly enough – the capital of the United States of America. Probably just Keys' tune will do, yes? No? Why not? Well, we can begin with goalie Olie Kolzig, who was born in South Africa. Except that he plays for Germany in the Olympics. And he lives in Washington (the state, not the D.C.), in a suburb of Vancouver, which is, of course Canada. And under “personal” in his team bio, he lists Mexican and Italian as his favorite kinds of food. That's a lot of anthems to play before a Caps game. But to that we need to add the Russian anthem for phenom Alex Ovechkin, “O Canada” for a bunch of players, “Nad Tatrou Sa Blýskafor” for Ivan Majesky, and “Tautiska Giesme” for Dainius Zubrus. Whew. And don't think it's just hockey. When Toronto hits a baseball diamond, the Canadian anthem is the last of the team's worries, especially because not a single member of the team's active roster hails from the Great White North. But pitcher Guastavo Chacin might appreciate it if someone would play “Gloria Al Bravo Pueblo,” and Francisco Rossario might enjoy hearing “Quisqueyanos Valientes.” And don't forget "Kimi Ga Yo" for when the Yankees' Hideki Matsui is in town, although with his newly fractured wrist that can likely wait until next season. Basketball games would be a complete nightmare: Tony Parker would need “La Marseillaise,” which really does sound better with a fully live symphony orchestra, and we should probably throw in “Yellow Rose of Texas” for his girlfriend, Eva Longoria, considering that Texas really is its own country. Of course, she talks a lot about being of Mexican descent, so maybe – just to be safe – “Mexicanos, Al Grito De Guerra” could be put on the menu. Other cagers to consider? Dirk Nowitzki, Peja Stojakovic, and Pau Gasol, to name only a few. Indeed, the NBA boasted of 82 international players from 38 countries on its 2005-2006 team rosters. That's a lot of anthems. But in the meantime, San Jose is the new hotbed for national anthem antics. The Sharks' fans' booing, apparently, was either some weak protest regarding Canada's lack of support for the U.S. war in Iraq, or something in retaliation for Edmonton fans booing Joe Thornton. I hope it was the latter, because if we're going to boo the national anthems of people who disagree with Bush's war, then the “Star Spangled Banner” is going to hear some noise. I mean seriously -- have you seen the polls? |
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When Sharks Attack! "If we're going to boo the national anthems of people who disagree with Bush's war, then the 'Star Spangled Banner' is going to hear some noise" (Photo: AFP/Getty FIle)
