To Kneel, or not to Kneel?

The "Star-Spangled Banner" is as much a part of sports in America as tailgating, "Fenway Franks," and overpriced ballpark beer.  It has consistently been played or sung before sporting events since the days of Babe Ruth and World War I.  When sung correctly (Whitney Houston), it can bring people to tears of joy and national pride.  When sung in mockery (Roseanne), everyone is horrified and Francis Scott Key rolls in his grave (which is just a few blocks from where I'm typing this).  Sports sociologists (yes - that's a thing!) defend this practice by saying that our National Anthem is a battle song (there's that line about rockets glaring and bombs bursting and what-not), and it should motivate athletes to perform their best while in "battle."  It's supposed to get them pumped up and basically ready to kick some ass, and since sports are a microcosm of society and all we want to do in life is kick ass, then it's OK.  But not everyone agrees.

From Colin Kaepernick and Jeremy Lane in the NFL to several members of the Virginia Tech women's volleyball team and even some football players from nearby Watkins Mill High School, many athletes at all levels have decided to "take a knee," give their backs to the American flag, or not stand up at all while the National Anthem is being played.  The first Major League Baseball player to express public opposition to the National Anthem was Oakland A's Bruce Maxwell, who this past weekend decided to kneel while holding his ball cap to his chest while the song was being sung.  As a result of this, Maxwell's team posted the following statement on their scoreboard immediately after, which I thought was appropriate and diplomatic and very cool and California-ish: "The Oakland A's pride ourselves in being inclusive.  We respect and support all of our players' constitutional rights and freedom of expression."  Why are athletes protesting the National Anthem?  Some of them feel like not all their liberties are being protected in this country, while others protest as a way to promote positive changes for the betterment of the country.  Whatever their reason is, they have the constitutional right to express their beliefs, and I'm totally ok with that (especially since I myself always stand for the Anthem but choose not to put my hand over my heart.  I personally think that's silly but I stand up out of respect, kind of like "when in Rome...").

Without getting political (Barack Obama referred to Kaepernick as “exercising his constitutional right to make a statement" while Donald Trump said "maybe [Kaepernick] should find a country that works better for him," but no - I'm not going to get political here!), I'm wondering if the solution to this controversy is to get rid of the National Anthem at sporting events altogether.  I personally don't think it's necessary to play the National Anthem before EVERY sporting event in America.  Do I have to wait for the National Anthem to play in order to run a local 5K race?  Can a Little League baseball game begin without a pitchy ten-year-old singing the Anthem while unable to hit the high notes?  Before you start saying that I'm not patriotic and that I need to go back to my country (which is actually a territory of the US), just hear me out.  Singing the "Star-Spangled Banner" at Yankee Stadium on September 17, 2001 on the first baseball game being played since the 9/11 attacks, with President Bush throwing out the first pitch?  Totally appropriate.  Playing the National Anthem when an Olympic athlete is receiving his/her gold medal?  Super cool and emotional.  Having the "Star-Spangled Banner" played or sung 162 times during the baseball season?  Completely unnecessary.  Why not save this song for special occasions, like a presidential inauguration, a championship game between the US and another country, or some sort of important military thing (whatever those may be)?  Don't complain that baseball games take too long when you're spending five minutes having the colors presented, having giant flags being unfurled, and listening to an "American Idol" reject trying to belt out a song that was meant to be an ode to Fort McHenry.

So if the athletes want to keep protesting, I say let them (because they have the constitutional right to do so).  But they should do it nicely and respectfully (removing your cap and "taking a knee" is way more appropriate, in my opinion, than not standing up at all), and they should be prepared to get some flack for it (especially if they sound like ignorant illiterates when they Tweet their reasons for their protest; that's another thing - athletes who Tweet!  A blog topic for another day!).  Keep "God Bless America" during the seventh-inning stretch - it's a nicer and more positive song anyway.  And we can appreciate "the land of the free and the home of the brave" without having to sing about it every day before the start of a baseball game, marathon, or local baton-twirling competition.  Those of us who live here truly appreciate our rights and freedoms - we don't need a tedious and outdated song to remind us of it.

That, my friends, is just my opinion. :-)

WHO is Pitching on Opening Day???!

Beware, Mudville Mom readers – I am in a bad mood.  I am usually a sunny disposition-type of person, but today I’m not, mainly because I got to work early for a meeting that ended up being canceled and no one told me.  But that’s neither here nor there – I was in a bad mood to begin with, since Max Scherzer was announced as the starting pitchers for the Washington Nationals on opening day this year.  I know; it's only baseball and I should not let baseball matters get me in a bad mood.  I'm trying to work on that.

So what’s the big deal – it’s only the first game out of 162 – why does it really matter who pitches on opening day?  Well first of all, I paid a pretty penny to be at Nationals Park on opening day, so in a way I’m glad they didn’t select Stephen Strasburg to pitch the first game of the season (yawn!).  However, I thought Jordan Zimmermann was a shoo-in for the position, since he’s the best pitcher in the Nationals’ rotation (in my opinion, and as you all know, I have lots of opinions!).

Yes, Max Scherzer signed a gazillion-dollar contract with the Nats this off-season.  Yes, he won the Cy Young award in 2013 when he was with the Detroit Tigers. Yes, Scherzer has a lifetime record of 91-50 with a 3.58 ERA – he’s no slacker.  But Jordan Zimmermann has been the quiet voice of the Nationals’ pitching staff for the past few years, recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2009 and compiling a respectable 57-40 record with an ERA of 3.24 (slightly lower than Scherzer’s).  He pitched a no-hitter in the Nationals’ last game of the regular 2014 season, and pitched 9 2/3 innings in game 2 of the NLDS (which he should have been allowed to complete – I’m still bitter about that one!).  What better way to start what promises to be a successful season for the Nationals than by starting their workhorse on the mound?  He may not even be around to do so next year, since his contract is up at the end of this season.

Jordan Zimmermann is not flashy.  He was not a #1 draft pick like Stephen Strasburg or Bryce Harper.  He is not known for driving fast cars, ranting tweets, or clubhouse antics.  Zimmermann is a quiet and shy midwestern guy who works his ass off and can be counted on every fifth day for a good quality start.  He never complains (even when he gets no run support), and is the most dependable pitcher the Nationals have.  Yes, Scherzer makes for bigger hype ESPN-wise, but true Nationals fans would rather see a familiar face on the mound than some new guy who still needs to prove himself in the National League.  I’m still going to go to the opening day game (since I paid an arm and a leg for good seats), and I’m going to hope that Scherzer doesn’t disappoint, but a part of me is going to wish that I was there watching Zimmermann pitch instead of the new guy.

You know what else disappoints me about opening day?  The ceremonial first pitch will be thrown by the new Commissioner of baseball, Rob Manfred.  Nothing against the guy (even though he took a job that was clearly meant for me!), but I think the first pitch in our nation’s capital should be thrown by the President of the United States.  Regardless of your political views, you have to admit it’s pretty cool to watch the POTUS throw out a first pitch.  I was there in 2012 when Barack Obama threw a terrible first pitch, but that’s probably the closest I’ll ever be to a US President, so I thought it was cool.  It’s no secret that Obama is not a baseball fan, but just like pardoning a turkey at Thanksgiving and having to put up with John Kerry, there are certain things a President must do that he doesn’t like.  Throwing out a first pitch on opening day should be one of them, and it’s not as exhausting as putting up with the Secretary of State (I'll have to share my personal  Kerry story with you all at some other time).  Heck, I'd even take crazy Joe Biden - he would at least be entertaining!

OK, enough ranting for now.  It’s time for me to embrace this Scherzer guy, try to get an updated list of Puerto Rican players in the Majors this year,  and get my curly “W” jersey out of the bowels of my closet in preparation for opening day just 12 days away.  Let’s hope for a great baseball season – there sure has been a lot of hype to live up to, my friends!