On December 2nd I attended the Redskins Bills game, this being the first game the skins would play after the life of their former teammate Sean Taylor was taken, mistakably by some young african american males, there was oviously some ceremonial things taking place. The National Anthem was sung by an officer of our Armed forces with a full color guard present, then a video was played over the jumbo tron, a highlight reel basically dedicated to Taylors life as a Redskin, at the end the final scene was Taylor standing with a backdrop of the American Flag flying behind him maybe to signify him some sort of National hero. I'm a Redskins fan, people but really a professional football player is no American hero, he's just a person that is doing his job while playing a game he loves. Save those theatrics for one of our boys who's been killed over seas. Another thing that was done at the game, was that #21 towels were passed out to everyone as they entered the stadium to remember Sean, and the Redskins started on defense with 10 men to leave Taylors spot on the field open for him. What happened when the ball was snapped however I thought was tasteless and wrong, the Bills ran a play to his side knowing that side was short a man, knowing that, that was where Taylor played, why would you desicrate a memorial to someone by exploiting a weak area on the field why not just take a knee on the first play to support the momorial or the territory.Again Taylor was no American hero but he was a role model, and even though another who was killed in Pat Tillman, I think the American flag backdrop would have been appropriate but because he gave up his life to fight for our country.

What makes nationalism so important to be be observed at sporting events is its large audience, both from fans in attendance and the millions of viewers watching from their homes, bars, or wherever they may be. Sporting events represent a time when people of all race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, and creed can come togther in one place and enjoy a common interest(s) together. Within this common interest (hopefully) is the sense of nationalism that is portrayed dering games. For example, the national anthem is played before every game, in which the crowd is silenced and directs their attention to the giant American flag that is hung somewhere in the stadium. After the the Star Spangled Banner is played, the fans clap their hands, cheer, and sit back down ready to watch the game. Another celebration of nationalism would be jet fly-bys. This is not an occurrence at every sporting spectacle, but during big games, i.e. the Superbowl, there are jet fly-bys to signify America s strong military and sense of freedom. Another example can be seen before every baseball game. The first pitch is a strong tradition of baseball s pastime. Usually the first pitch is thrown out by a guest of honor, and is a symbol of tradition. Patriotism and nationalism were especially important post 9/11. In game 3 of the World Series President Bush through out the first pitch of the game, which was held at Yankee Stadium, in New York City, where some of the devestating terrorist attacks had occurred.Upon doing so he invoked a sense of unity, fellowship, and patriotism into Americans. And during the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City he framed them as a statement of peace and unity in re-establishing the nationhood and a chance to move beyond the evils� (Falcous & Silk).
The worst part of nationalism being celebrated at games is how corporations try to take advantage of that celebration for a chance to get in advertisements and put their product on the market.Sometimes an executive from a company that sponsors the team (especially when that company has sponsored that night's promotional giveaway) throws out the ceremonial first pitch at a baseball game. This is merely to make an announcement that their company supports the team, so fans should support the company and buy their product. A high percentage of commercials during sporting events is for automobiles, particularily trucks. This is proabbly due to the fact that the majority of viewers watching sporting events are males. Chevrolet, a company of General Motors, has a slogan for their trucks that goes, Chevy: An American Revolution�. So of course it would make sense to show that Chevrolet supports nationalism and the United States of America. According to the Television Bureau of Advertising, General Motors had the #1 Spot for the Top 25 Local Broadcast TV Advertisers, with $96, 285,100 (TVB).

Nationalism is the love of country and willingness to sacrifice for it. The story of Pat Tillman showed his dedication to his country and his love for football. Pat Tillman s enlistment grabbed the attention of the nation and the highest levels of the Bush administration� (Collier 2005). Sport and political nationalism has had a long history of existence in the United States, and indeed, throughout the world. I learned the first class that every time we stand up for the Star Spangled Banner at a sporting event it was Adolph Hitler that started this.
The United States celebrates sport through six traditions which are symbols/flags, anthems, costumes, institutions, rituals/ceremonies, and sporting pastimes. All of these traditions can be seen by watching a football game. You can see that we celebrate America, its military and corporate capitalism (signage, commercials, etc.) which demonstrate the power of the neoliberal corporate capitalist moment.
Some may say that the NFL as well as many other American Sports are heavily involved in promoting a form of Nationalism. We see symbols and flags at every football game. The symbols can be seen on jerseys and through out the stadium with the team s logo. Flags are seen when the national anthem is sung before the kick off. Costumes are the player s uniforms and can be seen by looking in the stands at the fans. One of the oldest rituals in a football game is the coin toss. As you can see sport is also used as a more official forum for the advancement of national political agendas.

I completely agree with Mike Manley when he says that he thinks that "every sporting event in our nation has the American flag somewhere in the stadium, as well as our National Anthem being sung." You really just can't get away from it.

It has become very commonplace for our nation to be celebrated through our sports. I do not think you can watch a game without talk of our nation, whether it be from the anthem or just symbols around the stadiums. This emergence came after September 11, 2001. In the aftermath of the attacks [9/11/01] US sporting events were cancelled. Upon their resumption shortly afterwards they became key sites for national unity� (Falcous & Silk, 2005, p.60). Since sports are so prominent on our society, it would make sense that our nation would use them as a tool to bring about unity.

It never occurred to me how often nationalism is portrayed in our everyday sport watching. Since I am a part of the men s basketball team, it made sense to start examining our games and how nationalism was portrayed through them. The national anthem is played before every game we play and it always seems as if it is a hindrance instead of a help. (In high school I would try to walk out of the gym right before the anthem was played because it was always hard for me to stand still for that. It sounds bad, but now I understand why we should celebrate the land of the free and the home of the brave.�) Another thing I noticed was that on the left arm of each of the referees shirts was an American flag. I am pretty sure that before 9/11/01 there were not American flags on the referees shirts. Not only that but many of the teams we have played have an American flag somewhere on their uniform. Many have them it on their left or right shoulder. With this said, I examined out uniforms and there is no American flag to be found, however, there is a Maryland flag on the right side of our shorts. So, not only is America being glorified, but Maryland is also showing their unification.

These symbols, anthems and costumes are subtle reminders that we are Americans and should always be united through the good and the bad. Also, if I would have watched these games on television, there would probably have been many more instances of nationalism in the commercials and signage.

I found what MoConn7 to be very interesting. The fact that the New England Patriots, a team that 100% symbolizes our country, with their name, and their colors, are the best team in football. It could not get any more symbolic than that.

Last week I went to a Ravens game and not because I am a Raven s fan but because I love football and I got offered tickets by my friend. Considering I am a Jet s, I was still excited to go to the game because the experience of being at a game is great, and besides I had nothing better to do that day. As bandwagon� as this sounds, I put on a Raven s hat, ordered a hot dog and a beer and watched the game. I was no longer a Jet s fan but a Raven s fan in a Raven s Nation.� After our lecture on nationalism I was able to identify certain aspects of the game that I never paid any attention to previously. For the most obvious representation I stood up for the Nation Anthem and took off my newly purchased hat. I watched the American flag flap in the wind as well as notice other American flags throughout the stadium. Even looking at the aluminum bottle of Bud Light in my hand I felt a sense of national identity. It seemed like an American Tradition to go to a football game and drink a beer. It made me feel part of the rest of the society within the football stadium. I did not necessarily even need to buy a beer and I wasn t very hungry, but I bought these items anyways to feel like my fellow Americans. I felt a need to live the national pass-time. On a more serious note, nationalism is not always positive. Although it is important to love your country it is also important to not have dangerous feelings of American superiority. In the one video we saw in class, the little league world championships, it showed American flags flying high in the sky while other flags were represented on trash cans. Without even realizing it, you are receiving subconscious messages about other nationalities. Even one of our national heroes, Pat Tillman, who was killed in Iraq, was considered An American original--virtuous, pure and masculine like only an American male can be (Zirin, 2005, p.1). � What does that say about non-American males? Sport definitely corresponds with the nation, national identity, and nationalism. Sporting events are a way to bring the community together and allow people to find identity or some sort of relationship within their community. Your age, ethnicity, gender or class does not matter because sports can bring the most diverse group of people together. Sports are easily intertwined with nationalism which being born in the United States you are easily accepted in to.

While being a fan and spectator of sporting event one can see a nation s display of nationalism; whether it is a competition between teams of one s own nation or of two different nations. Existing nation-states have frequently been shown to use sport for a variety of purposes, including enhancing prestige, securing legitimacy, compensating for other aspects of life within their boundaries, and pursuing international rivalries by peaceful means (Hargreaves 1992). The best example of different countries using sport to promote nationalism can be seen in the Olympics, every nation competes to prove their country is the best through their athletes. The best paradigm of a single nation s nationalism was the baseball World Series in October 2001, featuring an opening pitch from President Bush and symbolic pre-game ceremonies featuring military and service personnel prominently (Falcous and Silk, 2005, pp. 60).
Every sporting event is started with the playing of the national anthem and display of the nation s flags. I watched this happen on television at a Redskins game. The crowd rose and pledged their love of country and cheered for our nation. God Bless America was also played and again the crowd sang along and cheered. Songs representing our nation to promote a sense pride for it. Then commercials came on for Army and Marines wanting Americans to represent and protect our nation. I witnessed also that the player s jerseys have a small American flag on them to subliminally reinforce to Americans to have national pride. There were also corporate sponsors whom promote their products by use of American flag colors red, white, and blue. Having national pride is important but it should not be a practice that is forced in sporting events. I have no problem with national anthems or flags. However, when corporate sponsors make people think that they are un-American by not purchasing certain products, then I have a problem.

I agree with Jenna 0414 the National Anthem being played before each game gives each player a sense of pride for there team and country. I also agree the National Anthem is a great way to incorporate race and different ethnicities in America.

This holiday weekend I was able to watch the NFL football games. Each game showed American flags. The announcers also talked about each town and how they supported their home team. Before each game the national anthem was played. This is to remind us that we are Americans during this holiday weekend. You also see a lot of commercials to show a strong sense of capitalism. Commercials are ready for the next day sale after Thanksgiving to go shop on Black Friday. The football games also show American soldiers wishing their families a Happy Thanksgiving from Iraq. This shows our military soldiers celebrating American traditions even away at war. The article from the San Francisco Chronicle� Family demands the truth� about Pat Tillman. He had this great energy. Everybody loved him. His former comrades and family recall Tillman as a born leader yet remarkably humble.�(San Francisco Chronicle 2005 September) Reminded me of my good friend Austin Koth who was killed in Iraq last July he was a US Navy EOD. Austin disarms all the roadside bombs. He was much like Pat Tillman well loved and a hero. The media uses holiday football games to reach out and make us feel a part of something. Each game plays the national anthem. The announcers talk about how Thanksgiving is the American Holiday�. The holiday football games are for people to celebrate good times with their loved ones, and for big business and politics to grow stronger.

I have been able to attend many of the Washington Redskins games this season and patriotism in football is very apparent. As most sports in our country the national anthem is played before the game and most participate and show respect by standing up. Also most of the games have the blue angels fly over the stadium after the anthem. In my opinion the blue angels are hugely symbolic for patriotism as we have talked about in class. The American flag is displayed in numerous places around the stadium including on the big screens for everyone to see. This past weekend was the first game the redskins played after the death of Sean Taylor. Before the game they had a film and remembrance ceremony to honor Taylor. Even during this video to remember a great football player the American flag was displayed and even shown in the video. Though it was a great thing to remember him and to show respect to him and though he may have been a good American it still is slightly ironic to remember him with an American flag.

I don t think showing patriotism at the games is necessarily a bad thing but I have started to think of it in a more critical way. After 9/11 I think we have become more aware of the amount of patriotism is shown at events especially sporting events or NFL football games. Even though we attend the football games to watch football not be patriotic it has turned into a way for more people to be united in one common thing therefore more people are reached when trying to portray patriotism.

I agree with the comment moconn left, when they discuss how it was wrong to use Pat Tillman to promote the war against terror when he really was against the war.

Since September 11th, our nation has made an effort to show their patriotism to our country by either enlisting as Pat Tillman did or by simply just hanging an American flag outside of their home. In sports many teams have made an effort to show their love for their country with the National Anthem being sung before the start of the event.
After watching many different sporting events, I have found that it seems like football and baseball are the most patriotic sports. In football, the American flag is on almost every helmet along with numerous patriotic flags around the stadium. Like we discussed in class, almost every baseball team has some form of red, white, or blue in their team colors. The logos of organizations like the NFL, NBA and MLB are all red, white, and blue as well as a way to show support for our country. I believe that the NFL does the most to promote our nation in a good way, and is expressed through the following quote. Fox televisions Super Bowl pre-game show was based around the narrative: Hope, Heroes and Homeland (Falcous/Silk, 2005, 60). This is a perfect example of how the NFL has contributed to supporting our nation through sport.
During the game was not the only time that our nation s patriotism is being displayed. The use of the American flag and patriotic songs is also used in commercials and as a way to sell things. Many commercials have songs like Born In the USA� or
This is Our Country� as a marketing mechanism in hope that consumers will purchase their goods.

It is not very often that I watch a sporting event that is American based because generally when I am watching a sporting event it is usually a soccer game being played in another country. That being the case at the time when football games are being played on Sunday and Monday I have been forgetting to tune in so I will be able to write this piece. So instead of waiting for the next game to come on I will just use my memory to recall some of the things that we saw at sporting events early after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
Around that time there was a very interesting thing happening. The dominant baseball team was called the Yankees and the dominant football team was the Patriots. Both teams made it to their respective championships. It was a dream situation for the media and the government. With two teams with names with such American ideological connotations the media must have salivated at the chance to use the two teams to promote nationalism. This highlights the interwoven nature of major sporting events and their media representations as significant in cultural politics, notably constructions of a nation.� (Falcous and Silk) I remember how the media basically used the World Series and the Super Bowl as propaganda tools to push the American ideals and promote the war on terror.� Unless you were a fan of the opposing team it became patriotic to root against the Patriots or the Yankees because they were America s teams.

I agree with many that it is nice to se everyone pay respect to our country when the national anthem is played. It gives a sense of togetherness.

I also never thought about the NFL logo having red, white, and blue in it. I'm sure they probably did that on purpose.

This weekend I watched the Steelers and Jets game. Like all games military personal carried out the American flag and someone sang the national anthem. I feel that the national anthem is the one time before the game where everyone has respect for each other no matter what team they are cheering for. As we all know fans can be vicious towards fans of opposing teams. Overall the most nationalistic event throughout the game was the national anthem. However; as the year goes on and we get closer and closer to the Super Bowl you start to see more nationalism throughout the game. It was said in our slides from class that it is football which is the sporting practice that best embodies American national identity.� I think this is a very true statement. As far as the nationality of players and the amount of Americans who watch football, it certainly takes an American identity. Continuing with the subject of the Super Bowl, it is practically a national holiday in America. There are more people who watch the super bowl than people who vote for the President of the United States. A sad, but true fact. In Super Bowl XXVI Fox Television s pre-game show was based around the narrative: Hope, Heroes and Homeland �. (Faclous and Silk, 2005, pg 3) They had sections that went back and forth from the Super Bowl to Afghanistan, where US troops on active duty were gathered to watch the game�. (Faclous and Silk, 2005, pg 3) Obviously this was showing Nationalism and was an act to try and rebuild� America. Along with all of this they had graphics throughout the Super Bowl that tied American football with militaristic metaphor�. (Faclous and Silk, 2005, pg 3) It seems that football games are not only a time to enjoy the game, but also a time to show our Nationalism.

Sporting events are an integral part of how our society promotes the idea of nationalism and pride. Any sporting event whether it be one or nation is competing in as a whole (Olympics) or on a domestic scale has some sense of national pride. The Olympics, brings about the largest sense of national pride, which is not surprising. When the Olympics are taking place it is relatively impossible to not see a commercial with an American flag in it, a person wearing red, white, and blue, or anything else associated with the United States. No matter what sporting event one attends or participates in the idea of nationalism is present.
Recently, I attended a New York Giants football game at the Meadowlands. There are several instances that they idea of nationalism was presented throughout the event. From the first arrival into the complex the celebration of America begins with the parking ticket booths. They are not just painted one color, but instead are painted red, white, and blue. Right off the bat the idea of America is put into one s head because of the association of red, white, and blue with our nation. Upon entering the game I was asked by the public address announcer to please rise for our national anthem.� Then four national guards marched out into the center of the field holding the American Flag. The national anthem was sung and everybody cheered. Unfortunately, all I could think about was Hitler. As I looked around the stadium it was apparent that there were other notions of nationalism presented around the stadium. There was the American flag that was high above the stadium waving and most importantly the jerseys or costumes� of the New York Giants. Taking a deeper look at the jerseys of the Giants, the primary color is blue, the numbers and logo are white, and the outlines are red. Thus, even the Giants jerseys promote the idea of America, if even it is subconsciously.
The last place I found the integration of nationalism into the New York Giants football game was on the concessions that were given out during the game. There was a little American flag that was printed on the back of the cups and food wrapping. This was the most interesting out of all the places I saw the American flag. When a person is at a sporting event a buys either a soda or a hot dog, they eat the item and then what do they do with it? They crumple it up and throw it on the floor. An American flag is being placed on an item that is enviably going to be thrown on the floor. Therefore, I find it inherently interesting that an American flag that is supposed to represent our great country is being placed on an item that is going to turn into something being thrown on the floor and stepped on.
American nationalism has increased at a rampant pace after the attacks of 9/11. It has been seen that throughout history after a tragedy involving our country, a new sense of nationalism is developed. As Jonathon Hymen states, people began hanging store-bought flags and decorating both private and public property with memorial artwork and displays, handmade bags, and slogans�. (Hymen, 2007, 183). This was not only seen in everyday life, but in sports as well. Before 9/11, God Bless America� was rarely played and now after 9/11 it has become a staple in sporting events across the board. American flags are not placed on jerseys, tickets, and many other sporting properties. As Mark Falcous and Michael Silk state, post 9/11, observations of the role of the U.S. corporate media is echoing and amplifying�. (Falcous, Silk, 2005, 59). After 9/11, the media and primarily sports are a way to promote this sense of nationalism and ensure the masses that America is still strong. By incorporating the idea of American nationalism into sporting events, corporate America is achieving their goal of gaining the consent of the masses.

I found it interesting that some people talked about nationalism and even how the NFL logo has the red, white, and blue of America incorporated into it. Before reading it here, I never actually thought of the symbol as something representing the U.S. and I am sure there are many other little things like that that go unnoticed by many people every day.

One of the posts before mine said that announcers were saying that Thanksgiving was "the American Holiday." This is just another good example of media forcing the issue of American Pride, because last i knew July 4th (Independance Day) was America's Holiday.

This past weekend I was down in Oxford, Ohio to watch the #1 Miami (Oh) Redhawks take on the Canisius Golden Griffins. Before the game started they did the starting lineups and introductions and then they did the national anthem. Although, this time something was different, they just played the American National Anthem. Growing up, I have always gone to hockey games and have always heard both the Canadian and American national anthems and became accustomed to that, but this time it was different. Why? I dont really know, maybe it is because I live closer to Canada than Miami or could it once again be the goverment/Bush supporters trying to ram American Pride into our heads. I would really hope that scenario is not true and is a long shot, seeing as it really is not that big of a deal but I would not put that past some people in todays society. As Mary Tillman said, "There have been so many discrepancies so far that it's hard to know what to believe." Funny, Me either! For the rest of the game I really did see that many things that stood out as American Pride and different than usual. There were the American Flags on the Jersey's, the larger American Flag hanging on the wall and the US ARMY (recruiting) slogan on the dasher boards. There may have been more but who knows, I may have just missed them because we see them all the time. They are constantly thrown at us for reminders that we are Americans and should be proud of it. So in conclusion, my feelings towards the war are mixed (which is a whole other topic) but i do not see why we are changing the littlest details, like the tradition of both anthems at a hockey game, for that extra boost of American Pride? If it is just for us wanting just the American Anthem then I guess I can see the change, but if it is for reason's dealing with gaining support for the war, then I am totally against that.

L. Palmer makes a good observation that the Patriots are the number one nationalistic team, through colors and mascots. It is also very true when he stated that the camera man finds that one fan decked out in red, white, and blue.

I decided to wait and write about the three games played on Thanksgiving because I knew there would be increased nationalistic pride displayed through sport. There are essentially six traditions of celebrating the nation through sport which include symbols/flags, anthems, costumes, institutions, rituals/ceremonies, and sporting pastimes. I combined ideas and things I witnessed through the three games and this is what I came up with.

First and foremost, the NFL symbol alone displays stars and the patriotic colors of red, white and blue. There is nothing more nationalistic than the American Flag. This is visible at all sporting events, whether it be high school games or professional leagues. In one specific instance on
Thanksgiving, a large group of people held an American Flag that extended the entire length of the field. A flag that is 100 yards long makes a very powerful statement of how much we love America. Not only do we celebrate the American Flag but I took notice of other flags that represent the state in which the teams play. For example, at M&T Bank Stadium, the large logo at midfield incorporates the Ravens, as well as, the Maryland State Flag. To go along with the American Flag, the National Anthem is played while the players and fans stand in silence, some hold hands or hats over their hearts, and watch as the flag waves in the wind. This is yet another significant reminder of nation in sport, as thousands of people remain in complete silence and cheer once the anthem is completed. I believe it was the last game on Thanksgiving that I witnessed a man in the stands, dressed up as Uncle Sam and handing out American flags to other fans as they walked up the stairs. This emphasizes the aspect of costume by celebrating the nation through sport. The largest ritual/ceremony that football offers is the halftime show, evident at Thanksgiving and the Superbowl. This is where they bring famous singers to perform on stage with accompanying dancers and special effects. The last two traditions I would like to combine, which include institutions and sporting pastimes. All around the stadiums are replica football jerseys with famous players names or banners with past won division titles or superbowl championships. These lead to institutions such as the Football Hall of Fame. Besides the game itself, other things are used to celebrate America.

Through sporting events, celebration of America, its military, and corporate capitalism is not solely done by the event itself. Celebration is done by the accompanying signage and commercials viewed. All over the stadium are signs, signifying a specific product (i.e. pepsi) sponsors that team. A very common sign visible at stadiums is the Army. On Thanksgiving, almost every commercial break incorporate a segment that sponsored the Army or Marines (military). At this stage, our nation is in need for recruitment of troops to aid in the War against Iraq�. However, I found this very interesting because of the related topic dealing with Pat Tillman.
When the Pro Bowler joined the Army Rangers, the Pentagon brass needed a loofah to wipe their drool: He was white, handsome and played in the NFL. For a chicken-hawk Administration led by a President who loves the affectations of machismo but runs from protesting military moms, this testosterone cocktail was impossible to resist. The problem was that Tillman wouldn't play their game. To the Pentagon's chagrin, he turned down numerous offers to be its recruitment poster child� (Zirin, 2005, p.2).
Not only does our commercials celebrate the military but they promote corporate capitalism. This is most evident in the commercials trying to sell American made cars such as Ford, Dodge, and Chevy, as well as, domestic beers such as Budweiser and Coors Light. The celebration of our nation is accomplished through sport in many ways.

I agree with Jenna 0414 the National Anthem being played before each game gives each player a sense of pride for there team and country. I also agree the National Anthem is a great way to incorporate race and different ethnicities in America.

This holiday weekend I was able to watch the NFL football games. Each game showed American flags. The announcers also talked about each town and how they supported their home team. Before each game the national anthem was played. This is to remind us that we are Americans during this holiday weekend. You also see a lot of commercials to show a strong sense of capitalism. Commercials are ready for the next day sale after Thanksgiving to go shop on Black Friday. The football games also show American soldiers wishing their families a Happy Thanksgiving from Iraq. This shows our military soldiers celebrating American traditions even away at war. The article from the San Francisco Chronicle� Family demands the truth� about Pat Tillman. He had this great energy. Everybody loved him. His former comrades and family recall Tillman as a born leader yet remarkably humble.�(San Francisco Chronicle 2005 September) Reminded me of my good friend Austin Koth who was killed in Iraq last July he was a US Navy EOD. Austin disarms all the roadside bombs. He was much like Pat Tillman well loved and a hero. The media uses holiday football games to reach out and make us feel a part of something. Each game plays the national anthem. The announcers talk about how Thanksgiving is the American Holiday�. The holiday football games are for people to celebrate good times with their loved ones, and for big business and politics to grow stronger.

Over break I had alot of time to just sit and watch the many sporting activities that took place between Thursday and Sunday. Of all of the non-sporting events that take place during sports, the playing of the National Anthem before every game, with coaches, fans and players all standing facing the flag, seems to unite us as a nation more than any fly-overs or halftime shows ever will. Another thing that I noticed while watching different football games was that the commentators always highlighted what makes each
city great. It is the cities that the games are held in that make up the nation in which we live, and without the various attractions each one offers to its residents and visitors there would not be anything to draw people together. We love our country because of what it can offer us and what better time to point out the good things about our country than while the Goodyear Blimp is flying above filming skyline pictures and showing off the cities of America. Not only is America being celebrated with its anthem or
by showing off its cities, we also celebrate the dominance of American capitalism by way of advertising and commercials. One of the most common commercials aired during an NFL game is by the American company Chevrolet. Thier slogan is "An American Revolution" with a blue background, white letters, and the 'E' in revolution is made to resemble the red stripes of
the flag. Finally, the presence of a few people from the United States military is enough to trigger nationalistic feelings in any American citizen. No matter how people feel about the way that the military is used, those who wear an Armed Forces uniform represent the freedoms that we as American citizens are able to enjoy everyday and seeing those people in those uniforms at our sporting events again conjures up nationalistic sentiments.
Ever since 9/11/01, there has been a significant increase in the showing of national pride at sporting events. I think that one of the strongest showings of nationalism, in the sense that America is superior to any other countries was Bob Costas' commentary at the Parade of Nations, opening the 2002 Winter Olympics. His comments concerning the Iranian athletes entrance and the inferiority of Iran due to thier seemingly rising threat to the United States mirrored what many in our country were also thinking (Falcous, p62-63)

I agree with Andrew Offsey. In all four years of my high school, every uniform I wore had an American flag ironed on the sleeve. It went with our patriotic theme of being red, white and blue. Even our mascot was a Bald Eagle.

After watching an overload of College and Professional Football games this weekend it was quite easy to see the many expressions of Nationalistic Pride through these sporting events. We convey this pride through flags, anthems, rituals, etc. The New England Patriots go without saying that every aspect of there uniform, mascot, and colors hold this tradition to be true. Whenever a Patriots game is on television the camera breaks to the one fan in the crowd that is covered in the most red, white and blue paint. Not to mention there winning record, it makes them appear invincible. In looking at College Football the big Virginia, Virginia Tech rivalry was this weekend. To both teams it represented more than just a long standing tradition. Since the shooting at Tech this past April, Tech has shown more pride than ever. After the game you could see fans waving American flags and Virginia Tech flags with an awareness ribbon embedded on it. Displays such as this demonstrate how much we take pride in celebrating America, and why we are all so grateful just to be American. Pat Tillman a pro NFL player was considered a great hero who took pride in his country. Instead of earning millions of dollars playing pro football he enlisted in the military to fight the war in Afghanistan. Pat Tillman s enlistment grabbed the attention of the nation and the highest levels of the Bush administration� (Collier, 2005). Despite his controversial death due to friendly fire and his real views politically, we still view Tillman as a great story of being a real patriot.
Whether on or off the field nationalism is prevalent most anywhere you go. Sporting events are just another way we can promote this pride. After all who doesn t feel proud for there country when they hear the National Anthem being played.

Every sport has a nationalistic team whether it be their uniforms, or team name. Almost every football and soccer game begin with the National Anthem prior to the start of the game. When I played soccer in college they played the National Anthem before every game. I think this is very supportive of our country and helps promote America by including it in what almost every individual is interested in. I think it also gives the players a sense of prestige and an honor to represent their country, team, or whoever they are playing for. At a sporting event, no matter what team you are rooting for, everybody is a part of the American community just by displaying the American flag, and singing the National Anthem. I think it is a great way to incorporate everyone and avoiding conflicts with race, ethnicities, etc. To me football is the most patriotic game, they have the planes fly overhead and they usually make a big ordeal about the National Anthem, there are also US flags flying about in the crowds and tailgaters. I think it really helps unite the country as a whole. I think Nationalism is a huge ordeal because without it everybody would be of different perceptions, and beliefs. Although, there are diff. beliefs now, we are all under the same umbrella.

I think that retz23 had a really interesting point, "It is like when the announcers used the Super Bowl and Winter Olympics in February 2002 to promote America and tear apart Middle Eastern countries (Falcous, Silk; 2005). " It is so easy to see the commercialism once you really start paying attention.

It is easy to see that as you watch any of the games shown on television for the week, there are many traditions and celebrated events during any given broadcast. Being at any Ravens game makes you feel like you have been there for your whole life and the fate of cheering rests in your hands. It is hard to explain if you have never flet it before, but the second every person around you starts chanting each individual players' name so loud you can feel it in your veins. The amount of prestige that is given to these players that walk on the field each and every week is undescribable. These players do something they are paid to do and something they are good at, and we treat them as gods. The rituals we go through before every game as the starting team runs to take the field bring you can the person next to you together as you realize that you're both rooting for the same thing. Like we have talked about before, the patriotism oozes from each game you see. Everything from the high flying flag at each game, to the Star Spangled Banner at the begining of each game to the awful commercials that play so called patriotic songs to make you want to buy a new car or truck. The military is thanked in every broadcast, there are videos played in stadiums and commercials with tributes. All of these are symbols of what someone has chosen for us all to do, a system to follow and a person to listen to.

Also, after September 11th, there was a rise in support when it came to showing your patriotism. Advertising even took a turn in focusing on a more united society. Flags were shown on almost every car and home, and during football games the fans and everyone in those stadiums showed their support with symbols, colors and many would have a moment of silence. Since then, it may have decreased a bit, but it still has massive amounts of American celebration.

While watching my weekly football games, I took note of many traditions shown that celebrate our nation. Throughout all the games, red, white, and blue is prominent. For example, the New England Patriot s jerseys and symbol are all the nations colors. People in the crowd dress up to support their team painting their faces red, white and blue. It is a tradition and a ritual of a way to celebrate your team is to dress up and/or wear the jersey of the team. On every jersey there is the NFL logo in the front of the jersey on the neckline. The NFL logo has red, white, and blue in it with stars as well which very much symbolizes the American Flag. Something I also know that may not be shown on television is the massive patriotic celebrations in the pre-game and half-time show. Also, the world wide known song, Star Spangled Banner, is performed before every game. People stand with respect and that is in itself one of the most ritualistic celebrations of our nation. Also, something that everyone sees but may not take notice of is all the advertising that goes on. Advertising is extremely saturated in our American culture and is shown heavily during sports because sports are such a major aspect of our culture. When Pat Tillman went into the military, people all over the world supported and thought very highly of him and definitely showed their support at Cardinals games with signs and very patriotic memorabilia. On a cover of Sports Illustrated, he was shown in his red and white jersey with a smaller picture of him in his military uniform with an American Flag behind him. This definitely supports the fact that America celebrates the nation through sport. While Tillman was still alive, symbols and flags increased massively at all the Arizona games. He was widely respected as a football player and as an American. With all the controversy about what his beliefs were and what happened to him, he was still seen as an all-American hero� (Collier, 2005). The point I am trying to make is that he was respected and looked up to in sports and as an American and people showed their support at the games and generally speaking, people show their love for America in sports.

I agree with Marc Ingerman sports ties in patriotism. sports was a way people used to forget the horrifying things of 9-11. People are interested in going around the t.v to forget about problems and life and enjoy their time together. American flags are everywhere to remind people of it

I can see where xterra03 is coming from with saying that in football games especially acts of patriotism are very obvious. I think part of the reason for this though is because football games draw such a huge crowd that patriotic acts are easy to pick out. It is nice how even at a High School soccer or lacrosse game, you will see people supporting our country through things like the national anthem, though it may just be done by smaller gestures.

I dissagree with Mike Manley Sports are more than just a game. They have a symbolic sports meaning to people and more importantly to the country a symbolic meaning in life. They use it as a way to unite people, to use it to support ideas or what not. Sports is one reason that makes this country good. They try and tie anything into sports as sports are important in life

This being Thanksgiving day, of course I watched the multiple football games that were on. The common trends throughout the different games were the acts of patriotism that are prevalent in almost all sporting events these days. To start there was the traditional playing of the national anthem. What I loved about the games played today though was that the national anthem was sung live by famous singers. I think that by having someone who is famous come out and sing our nation s proudest song before a game, it promotes unity that stretches from the common man to those who are well-known. There was also a huge American flag present on the field before the game was actually played. I think that as Americans, on this day of thanks, there were exaggerated acts of patriotism to unite all those watching the games and those present. I noted also, that in every game I watched, the camera would zoom in on the crowd and there would be signs supporting the troops in Iraq. After September 11th I feel like we as a nation, regardless of skin color or beliefs, etc, came together to support those who are fighting for our country. To be reelected, Bush needed a major victory and symbolic triumph over terrorism in order to deflect from the failings of his regime both domestically and in the realm of foreign policy.� (Kellner, Pg. 329) Having come together as a nation, even President Bush understood the importance of coming out with some sort of victory or proving that he supports the United States like everyone else does. He needed to show true patriotic feelings that we as Americans have begun to feel more and more since 9/11.

I love sporting events for these types of reasons; that no matter which team you are cheering for, we all are silent to show respect for our country during the National Anthem. As a nation we stand proud even if you are sitting next to a rival fan, and it seems like only during a sports game can this really happen.

i agree with G. Shaw that the military is important view by the government with people hoping to support them. I believe there is no reason not to support them for fighting for the rights we need. They may not belive in what they are fighting for but they are there fighting for us. I think its one thing the government does that people cant argue with

I was able to catch of course the Jet versus the Cowboys. It had interviews with the dallas cheerleaders, and asked them what thanksgiving meant for them. What they did on it annually. And this was supposed to be symbolic as they represent the most famous cheerleaders for a team also known at one point as America's team. They had the well known flyby of the planes over the stadium in Irving Texas. The theme obviously with commercials, backgrounds of the game itself during graphics and anything else seen on the television was having a turkey or leaves falling symbolically representing thanksgiving. This was one way of reminding everyone to gather around the television and eat on the holiday and watch the various football games. The cowboys have a mascot but besides that i didnt see any mascots. I saw the usual patriotic ideas of singing the national anthem and god bless america. Also during certain intervals you had players wishing shoutouts to people. The most famous story within the game was it was a game uniting 2 brothers and a whole family. Thomas Jones from the jets and Julius Jones of the cowboys were competing against each other in a game that brought their parents together rooting for them making it a family affair. It tried showing this game can bring families together. They used this a way for people to view it as propaganda that way. They also thanked the troops who were overseas and unabe to enjoy it here in America. Also many buisnesses used the neological idea knowing people would see their advertisements and paid for the time to get their companies put in the national audiences faces.

When I played baseball or any sport in high school, our uniforms had the American Flag all over it. The coaches wanted us to be thankful that we had the oppertunity to play sports. Rituals were similar in some of the same ways, such as singing the national anthem are the most popular . Sports is very important especially for a way to have fun. During the holidays it is a bit more symbolic since the games have a history and you know that you are representing a community. Holidays make games have more importance.

Most if not all sporting events have some aspect of the military involved, whether it be a simple color guard at the beginning of a sporting event or if it is a fly over with live video feeds from Iraq with fans of the sport commenting on the city and how much they wish that they were home. Recently I attended a Baltimore Ravens game and was amazed of the reactions to the soldiers talking on the video screens. It is a clear example of how the public is being flooded with the ideas that the military is strong and fighting through everything that is going on back here in the United States. In the months following the events of September 11, 2001 the super bowl was held in New Orleans. Coverage opened with a live satellite image of the globe, with two points marked: Afghanistan and the Louisiana Superdome (the super bowl site).� (Falcous, Silk 2005) Essentially this is relevant due to the fact that even in today s world, which is six years later, they (being the government) is still shoving the fact that we need to support our troops by going to sporting events. Along with a live satellite feed at most sporting events there is always The Star Spangled Banner� and at baseball games the play Lee Greenwood s Proud to be an American.� Another key aspect that is involved with every sporting event from little league to professional sports is the use of the American flag to provide comfort to the public. When at home viewing a sporting event there are many uses of the Marines and Army to portray that they are tough like football players and such which is a clear use of their power in the neoliberal corporate capitalist moment.

I agree with dyee223 in that it is a bad thing and wrong to incorporate songs that promote national unity into domestic beer and automobile commercials. These songs should be used to build a stronger national identity and not to fatten a given manufacturers pockets.

I am in attendance at every Baltimore Ravens home game. Almost everywhere you look there is an example of different forms of nationalism whether it be through symbols/flags, anthems, costumes, institutions, rituals/ceremonies, or sporting pastimes. Football is arguably the sporting practice that best embodies American national identity. On the walk to the stadium, many tailgaiters have American flags raised high in the air to represent their patriotism. As it is before every sporting event in America, the National Anthem is sang as a ritual. While the anthem is being played, I get the feeling that no matter what team any given fan there is rooting for, we are all part of the American Natonal community as a whole which means more in the bigger picture than the game. Sometimes there is a military fly-over as the National Anthem is ending, as was the case in last weeks game in honor of veterans day which was the next day. Football and the NFL have nothing to do with veterans day, but they choose to point it out for the sake of Nationalism. There are flags everywhere when inside the stadium. A few flags are flown on top of the stadium. Military officals carry the flag out during the Natonal Anthem. There is a small flag on the back of every players helmet just as there is in collegate sports as well as on the high school level. This is seen in just about all sports even though it is breaking one of the rules of the flag. Even the NFL offical logo is red, white, and blue with stars as are most offical logos for all professional sports in America. After 9-11-01 this nation's national identity grew more defined as the country's unity and patriotism got stronger. "God Bless America" is played during the seventh inning stretch of every professional baseball game and at half-time of all NFL football games. If you are not already, these gestures or rituals during sporting events in America are in an effort to make you proud to be an American and proud to support the 'land of the free". Although some believe the increaced nationalistic impulses after 9-11-01 are used through the media to achieve a different outcome. Mark Falcous and Michael Silk feel "These brief observations highlight the seductive place of mediated sport, as an element of the cultural terrain, as an affective economy for the mobilization of the organization and discipline of daily life, in the service of particular political agendas. Such an approach locates mediated sport within a wider cultural politics- a conjecturally specific economy of affect".(Falcous_Silk 2005, 63)

Francesca terrano makes a good point about the feeling that patriotism can give people. At a certain point it just feels good to have everyone in agreement and being proud of the country.

Sports everywhere are rife with the American flag. Every game, football, baseball or otherwise either shows the American flag or plays patriotic music at some point. Even have the commercials try to play up to patriotism. Chevy is the king of it by talking about how they have been there forever while showing pictures of the Midwest and playing music that sounds patriotic so you will love America enough to buy Chevy. Using patriotism to sell a product or to keep people watching a game is pre-made advertising. There is no work involved, patriotism comes pre-wrapped into making people want to be a part of something.
The games are also full of commercials trying to recruit people into the military. The navy, air force and army have their demographic sitting in front of the television and they even sponsor portions of the game so the name is there more and more.
Using sports as a mediator for the country s political and military ideas and wants is almost pre-made for it. The number of people that watch those games and only half pay attention to those commercials far outnumbers those that pay attention to political speeches and debates. It is like when the announcers used the Super Bowl and Winter Olympics in February 2002 to promote America and tear apart Middle Eastern countries (Falcous, Silk; 2005). It is perfectly possible that more people watched the Olympics and the Super Bowl than would watch any one of George W. Bush s speeches, so using the entertain industry of athletics to promote your cause is simple and brilliant.

I agree with Big cougar0000 about the NFL symbol. I never realized until just now that it was red white and blue, the colors of our nation! That was pretty cool to point out!

I agree with Mike Manley in that since 9-11 patriotism has increased and more people in sport have become interested in it. He also made a good point in regarding Pat Tillman in that sports are just sports and Tillman proved that.

This weekend I watched numerous NFL and college football games along with college and NBA basketball games. With having the topic of nationalism fresh in my head, I noticed the strengths of our country s American pride. A lot of fans rather than waiving around a Redskins flag or a Ravens flag, they are proudly waiving the American flag. It is a great couple of minutes when our National anthem is being played in front over tens of thousands of fans all listening carefully to the important lyrics of the song. American flags are everywhere in sports. Most teams have one on their helmets and jerseys, they are everywhere in the stadiums today, and even fans tailgating have American flags somewhere in the tailgate. Obviously our nation and its patriotism have increased significantly since September 11 because we have realized how lucky we are to live a country with so much freedom. Now we show our thanks to our military in all these ways of patriotism throughout sport because it has such a great influence on millions on Americans. I believe it is important to have these breaks in games like baseball where I m Proud to be American� is played because it shows sports are just games and we can t forget to honor our country in every way we can. Look at Pat Tillman for example. He obviously thought of sports where he made millions in wasn t as important as defending his country to the best of his capabilities. Pat Tillman s enlistment grabbed the attention of the nation and the highest levels of the Bush administration. A personal letter from Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, thanking him for serving his country, now resides in a storage box, put away by Pat s widow, Marie.� (Collier, 2005)
This was amazing story and it s good to know there are people out there still like Pat Tillman. I also watched college games including the military schools and it is amazing how proper and devoted these men and women are to their academies and country. Overall, natioanlism in sport is very important and fans love it, players love it, and promoting it works well in sports, commercials, etc.

I believe dye223 brings up an excellent point when talking about the logos of our professional sports. They all seem to have red white and blue in them, like our flag. I think this symbolizes how appreciative we are. We are blessed to be in this country and it is only right to be grateful.

This past Sunday I attended the Steelers vs. Jets game at the Meadowlands. I got there right before kickoff and got to see the pre-game festivities. During these pre-game festivities, the Meadowlands really showed their nationalism. They sang the national anthem while having military personal carry out American flags. Everyone was quiet and respectful during the singing. It did not matter if you are a Steelers or Jets fan, everyone stayed silent. The national anthem is the only time I can remember a crowd of more than hundred thousand being quiet. After the national anthem was sung, everyone cheered and clapped as if their team just scored. All the fans cheered to show their appreciation and nationalism of America. To me, our national anthem lets all fans come together and realize we are in a country that allows us to enjoy our beloved sports.
Before the game was not the only time that the Meadowlands portrayed their nationalism. During halftime the New York Jets recognized Curtis Martin as one of the great Jets. While this ceremony was all about number twenty eight, I noticed that America was being saluted at the same time. To the left of Mr. Martin was New York Jet flags. To the right of him there were those military men again holding our countries flag. While celebrating an NFL great, the NFL also recognized the country where this great got to play. I thought that this exemplified that the NFL is the most patriotic professional league in this country. Every game I have been too or watched I have always noticed some kind of nationalism. Here is an example of how the NFL seems to be the most patriotic professional league: Fox Television s Super Bowl pre-game show was based around the narrative: Hope, Heroes and Homeland� (Faclous and Silk, 2005, pg. 3). It seems to me that besides national holidays, the Superbowl is a day to celebrate our nationalism.

I agree with J Hyson, about how the broadcasting company's pick certain colors and also say certain things when broadcasting, to promote and show patriotism.

Like most people in the class I watched the football games this weekend, but I didn t notice anything unusual. At a lot of major sporting events they start off with our army s color guard marching the American Flag in, and having some celebrity or special person sing the national anthem. Where in the past it was just a ritual or a tradition but now I feel as if it has gained more meaning with the 9/11 attack. Watching our color guard march the flag out brings joy and tears to some peoples eyes, as a behind the scenes reminder that we are still out there fighting for out country. But some ask well what exactly are we fighting for, peace, oil, power, maybe even revenge for the attack on us. You can have your own opinions about what we are over there for, and the government will tell you some story that doesn t makes sense and then will change it a week later. When it comes right down to it you have to believe that we are over there for a reason and that reason is for peace and for good. When take a second and look around and all that we as American have its amazing how we forget how lucky we are to be Americans. And sports and sporting events and is one big way to show us how lucky we are. As Americans we have so many possibilities in life, and can virtually be anything we want to be. We forget that there are so many countries out there that are born a poor person or a slave and will always be that way. For example the people of La Zurza in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic the little boys of that town harbor dreams of playing professional baseball, and hopefully with enough work play in the major leagues in America�. Now at first that doesn t sound like a crazy dream half the little boys here in American have that same dream, the difference is that the little boys don t dream of playing baseball because of the fame, or the lights, or the crowds, or because they want to grow up to be just like Cal Ripken Jr.. They want to play so they can make money and provide for there families back home (Mosher, 2007). When I hear that it really hits home, to think that a communities only real way to survive is to play professional ball in America. Aside from that during the games commercial every commercial break once if not twice had some U.S. Army, Marines, Air Force, or Navy commercial basically saying hey we are still out here fighting and we could really use your help. As Americans we are very aware that there is a war going on, it is made very clear to us as citizens. I do think we need to be more appreciative of what we have as Americans.

dyee223 makes a good point about the Ford, Chevy and Cadillac all have commercials about being American. Like the American dream includes owning a Ford or a Chevy. Another good point was what a few people said about how the logos of the NFL, MLB, NBA, WNBA and a few other leagues are all red, white and blue. I think the MLB and NFL are the most patriotic because they are the most watched sports in America.

I unfortunately did not have a chance to watch any sporting events this weekend because I was away. But I do go to Ravens games regularly so I thought I could talk about my experiences there. I think every element of the game has something to do with American pride or wealth or power, and it starts as soon as you walk into the stadium. You have this huge building that cost millions of dollars to make and it is covered in advertisements for everything from beer to museums. These things make you feel good. But there is much more going on to be occupied with. Much of which happens before the game even starts.
Everything starts with the marching band. One of the formations that they have spells out USA.� This is of course a tribute to the nation and its greatness. This is followed by groups of soldiers from different corps. They come marching out to God Bless the USA� and everyone stands and claps and cheers for them while they hold up the state and national flags. Now if that is not a statement of American pride and power then I do not know what is. Then everyone is forced to stand for the national anthem. This is just another show of American pride and nationalism by the people who live here. Then, on special occasions, the next thing that happens is actually quite a sight. Either helicopters or bombers or some sort of jet plane will fly overhead and get the crowd really excited. This is an obvious show of military power but it is done in a way that is entertaining and exciting. And that is the thing about all of this. They may be blatant shows of American power but they are done in ways that are appealing to people. Everything is done with flare and drama. Falcous and Silk point this out in their paper. The examples that they use are the Super Bowl and the Salt Lake City Olympic Games. They discuss how the media used things like the flag from the September 11, 2001 attacks and having firefighters and police officers carry it out (2005, 61). The media adds a flare to everything so it does not seem overdone or boring. Now do not get me wrong, I get just as excited as the next person for these things. I am just saying that all of this is done as a show of American power and to illicit a response of national pride from people. And in most cases, it works.

J Hyson brought up a good point about the little details that go into broadcasting games. Looking back at those 80's and 90's sports games, colors on the screen were plain and usually were bright just to get the audiences attention. Now these colors seem to have an underlying American tone, instead of just representing the sports that are covered.

This weekend I flipped through various college football and professional football games while at a soccer tournament in Florida. After reading this post, I tried to look deeper into the nationalistic details that go overlooked most of the time by the action on the field. At the start of the games, I saw players run onto a field, surrounded by cheering fans wearing their team s colors and cheerleaders waving the flags of the team and of the United States. Followed by this, the cameras zoomed out, the teams exchanged pleasantries, and the Star Spangled Banner was played. Announcers wore little American flags on their neatly pressed suits, proudly stating they are American. These somewhat minute patriot tendencies are normal to me now, since national anthems and flags have always been on display throughout my experiences with professional sports.
However looking back on all of this, why do we need to always associate our patriotism with sports? Are we eventually going to have all uniforms contain Old Glory� or have our fans and players bow and salute our president? I certainly hope not because sports in my opinion are the entertainment we came to watch, and are not just another foreground to show American pride. If I wanted to scream I m proud to be an American� in my leisure time, I ll do it on the fourth of July, not during the 7th inning of another Baltimore Oriole loss. Sure, some may brand this as unpatriotic, but why does disagreeing with a silly country song make me unpatriotic? Pat Tillman for example was idolized as a patriot by many in the country after he left the NFL to join the military, but even after his publicized death, members of the right wing wrinkle their nose at the late Pat Tillman upon hearing about his distaste for the war in Iraq (Collier, 2005).
I don t mind a national anthem or the waving of the American flag before a game. But as soon as I have to start singing songs and watch the flag all over Chevrolet or Spider Man commercials, enough is enough. It seems to me patriotism is being used now not to celebrate our national identity or culture at the beginning of a particular game, but to further press the superiority of our country above our others (Ironically though, only Americans watch American football).

mgennl makes a good point how the flag and national anthem represent American as strong and one which is why is it displayed at the beginning of each and every sporting event. Especially since football is an Americanized sport it is even more symbolic to our country.

In any sporting event, America and the many aspects of it are celebrated throughout. This is done so in many aspects. While attending the Navy football game this past weekend that was extremely prevalent. Since it is a military type school, America and the military are especially heightened. Before the game, they have the march on where the streets in route are shut down for the companies to march down as they march into the game as they are called. This is particular to this school and most people who attend the games are aware of it. Much like the national anthem, many people stop and watch the march on out of respect. The jets that fly over the stadium and the national anthem then follow that. As this is presented in any sport, it holds a new meaning in the Navy Stadium as everybody removes their hats and stops everything to pay respect to the flag and our country.

Throughout the game, acknowledgements are paid to those in the military attending the game and returning academy alumni. Another thing the academy does is have all the plebes run on the field to do push-ups for the number of points they have every time they score a goal. This is another way to celebrate America and the power held using the Navy, as every time they have to do push-ups as their victory and power over the other team much like America is viewed as powerful over other countries. As President Bush states, If the games were held it would be a victory for the terrorist and we are not going to then have any victories� (Faclous, 2005, pg 3). It is symbolic and a ritual held at the academy.

The color blue of their costumes are much like the blue on a flag representing patriotism. There is always a flag brought in during the march on and displayed beside the scoreboard. Lining the top of the stadium seating are little Navy flags. Both of these are celebrating America and the military where the sponsorships can display signs along the stadium wall. One in particular that had good placing one the same side of the scoreboard is Geico. With it being a large company with influence over the public, by showing their sponsorship to the academy is associating them with America and in turn, they are viewed even better.

Watching the Redskins vs Cowboys game yesterday, I noticed a lot of American Nationalism being displayed, which is not a bad thing. Except when it comes to commercials. For the first three quarters, all there were was American made car commercials; Ford, Chevy, and Cadillac, and domestic beer commercials; Bud and Miller. Not only that, but I had also noticed the American flags on the Redskins' helmets and the red, white, and blue banners placed around the stadium. "Upon to their resumption shortly afterwards they became key sites for displays of national unity" (Falcous and Silk, 2005, p.60). I remember in high school, after each football game, they would play "Proud to be an American." It was interesting to see that directly after 9-11-01, that not only televised sporting events had taken part in this display of nationalism, but local sporting events as well. I agree that is it great to have a sense of national unity, I just think it's interesting to see that it has gotten so far as to incorporating it into commercials during sporting events. Again, I do not see this as necessarily a bad thing, but is it getting too excessive?

I agree with moconn7 it is very interesting how the symbols of the NFL, MLB, and even NBA are all red white and blue. It really makes you think and hope they are doing this to be patriotic. I do believe that the NFL is the league that has the most devotion to our country in how it presents itself as a whole league.

While watching the football games this past weekend along with the one basketball game that I did watch I could help but recognize the colors used by the different networks. In watching the Michigan vs. Ohio State game I could help but notice at every time out that the colors they use are red and white. The colors are either red boarders with white letters or for Comcast sports net watching the Arizona Virginia basketball ball game the colors were blue boarder with white background.
I have never really looked that closely at the colors of the text that comes up during the games. It really strikes me as either a coincidence or that the networks actually did the color schemes of the text purposely to be patriotic. I hope that they are doing to put the colors of our country out there and to display that we are proud of our color and we will show are colors proudly. I think that is very good of out major corporations to show are colors and in hope that they are doing this for the right reasons.
After seeing this and recognizing it for the first time I then saw a clip of some old football and basketballs games from the early 90 s. I came to my attention that the text and boarders were not in the colors of our country. This makes me wonder were the major corporations i.e. Fox, ABC, NBC; just to get more attention to their broadcasts by using the colors of our country. It might even be that they didn t even recognize that they were using those colors. I highly doubt that though.
It was brought up in the readings this week by Mark Falcous that Fox did the pre-game show for the Super bowl. Fox Television s Super Bowl pre-game show was based around the narrative: Hope, Heroes and Homeland.� Coverage opened with a live satellite image of the glove with two points marked: Afghanistan and the Louisiana Superdome.� It later goes on to say by President Bush the games must go on. If the games weren t held it would be a victory for the terrorists, and we are not going to let them have any victories (Faclous, 2005, Pg 3). The Fox Corporation did a very kind hearted thing in doing this and to show that before the Super bowl was ever better. However looking at the other angle why did they do this? Were they doing it just for the country or for more viewers because they knew even more people would watch because it was the Super bowl?

I also agree with Francesca and Ingerman, in that the NFL has a great deal of devotion to its nation, with the presense of the American flag, the national anthem, and the signing of other songs such as "Proud to Be an American". This is how our nation brings its self together.

I agree with francesca becaseu she was at the reavens game to and she saw exactley what I saw. The flags hanging proud from the top of the stadium. She also sees that the NFL is a great promoter for the nation

This weekend while I was at the Ravens game I saw many representative themes of nation. Right in the begining of the game they do the national athem and bring out the flag of the United states. When I was walking aroung the parkking lots I saw some men dressed in uniforms playing music in the parking lot. I think it may have been the marine corps band. The NFL in heavily involved in promoting nationalism. Just a look to the top of the stadium you will see the american flag. Also during the national anthem they bring out the flag and some other flags with men dressed in unifrom. As you walk throught the parking lot you will also see flags up on peoples trucks along with the ravens flag. This is an absolute great show of nationalism. All throught the game you can see nationalism whether it is through the rituals anthems or flags there is a great support for our nation. I didnt get to take a look while I was there but I would assume that there is the flag on the uniforms. When I played high school football I had a flag of the united states on my uniform. I feel sports is a great representation of our nation. Every Nfl team has the same rituals and ceremonies before the game. I also got a chance to catch the virginia tech football game. They have an extreme devotion to the nation becaseu when the team comes out the players leading the pack carry out the flag of the united states and a couple other flags. This is the biggest show of support for the nation.

This weekend I watched a few of the football games on Sunday, one of which was the Raven s game. During the game there were many instances where it was easy to see our nationality being celebrated. Some of which are the American flag which is probably in almost if not all professional sports stadium along with college and highschool programs as well. Just the NFL s symbol, along with the MLB, and the NBA contain the colors that represent our nation flag(red, white, and blue). This shows a strong passion for our country in many aspects of sport. Ever since 9/11 our country has come together and shown how much we all love and care for our nation. Every where you go you can see American flags all over the place. One of the best teams in football, the Patriots, share the colors of our nation flag as well, and their name alone makes them the icon of the NFL. What could be better then to have the best team in football s name be the Patriots�, you can not get more patriotic then that.

In the case of Pat Tillman, sports and the military are not always as patriotic as they seem. Pat Tillman an Army Ranger who was kill in Afganistan in 2004 was totally against the war on Iraq and thought it was illegal. The Abu Ghraib scandal was about to hit the press, so the President found it especially useful to praise Tillman as "an inspiration on and off the football field, as with all who made the ultimate sacrifice in the war on terror.� (Zirin, 2005) Pat Tillman was an icon for the US Military. A well respected athlete in the NFL choosing to go and fight for his country, later finding out it was a fight he would not believe in and discovering how he so greatly disagreed with Bush.