Going into last nights Flyers / HABS game I was concerned about how my fellow FLYERS fans would react during the Canadian National Anthem after hearing the rumors going around the internet, talk radio, and the news papers about how in games one and two the US National Anthem was booed by the Montreal faithful. I say rumors because I was not in the Centre Bell and they did not show the US Anthem on TV here.
Give credit to the FLYERS organization for playing a brief video of Danny Briere on the "jumbotrone" requesting that everyone respect BOTH anthems.
While there were a "splattering" of boos at the start of the Canadian anthem they were quickly silenced by fans in the vicinity and at the close of "Oh Canada" the (already standing) crowd of 20,000+ gave a thunderous applause that delayed the singing of "God Bless America".
I know that most of these things are perpetrated by a handful of "knuckleheads" but it has always bothered me when any FANS disrespect a countries national anthem (any anthem).
The National Anthem is played prior to the start of sporting events (at least in the US) to honor the soldiers who have risked and often given their lives for the freedoms we have. WARS are not started by soldiers, they're started by politicians…the playing of the anthem is to acknowledge and honor the sacrifice of the soldiers, not the politicians. I wish people would try to remember that…and show some respect.
Give credit to the FLYERS organization for playing a brief video of Danny Briere on the "jumbotrone" requesting that everyone respect BOTH anthems.
While there were a "splattering" of boos at the start of the Canadian anthem they were quickly silenced by fans in the vicinity and at the close of "Oh Canada" the (already standing) crowd of 20,000+ gave a thunderous applause that delayed the singing of "God Bless America".
I know that most of these things are perpetrated by a handful of "knuckleheads" but it has always bothered me when any FANS disrespect a countries national anthem (any anthem).
The National Anthem is played prior to the start of sporting events (at least in the US) to honor the soldiers who have risked and often given their lives for the freedoms we have. WARS are not started by soldiers, they're started by politicians…the playing of the anthem is to acknowledge and honor the sacrifice of the soldiers, not the politicians. I wish people would try to remember that…and show some respect.
