Truthfully, I have always wondered what the point of the/any National Anthem was at a sports event, maybe with the exception of the Olympics. What's the point? Outside of the old joke about the last two words of the Star Spangled Banner being "Play Ball," I can't see it. Have we researched this before? Where did this start?

Every damn sports event in the US begins with the SSB. I can understand some local tune thing like "Back Home Again in Indiana" at the Indy 500 or "My Old Kentucky Home" at the Kentucky Derby, but what's with the SSB? Every high school football game and every pro ball game begin with it. You go to some third mile dirt track in the sticks and they play the damn thing. Why do I need to verify my patriotism to watch 40 shitkickers in half-assed jalopies while choking on dust on a 95 degree afternoon? Do I need to be a patriot to see a ten year old drop a fly in short right?

What IS the point?

Spaw