Valpo vs Detroit, 2/7/2014

[HC]

Not only do we get to #BeatDetroit, we get the Jim Cornelison to sing the anthem!

[vufan75]

Not only do we get to #BeatDetroit, we get the Jim Cornelison to sing the anthem!

That will be exciting and great to hear at the ARC. He does just a great job at Blackhawk games. Now if we can just keep the snowstorms away for awhile.   

[valpotx]

Detroit always plays us well at our place, but without mini-Ray or mini-Wrath, they just aren't the same:

Valpo 77
Detroit 64

[a3uge]

Not only do we get to #BeatDetroit, we get the Jim Cornelison to sing the anthem!

Oh god, please just respect our country and sing along during the national anthem....

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[classof2014]

If you've never heard Jim Cornelison sing the National Anthem, be prepared to be blown away. If there were rankings on best National Anthem singers he'd be number 1.

___

Anyways, I think Valpo wins this one. Still a game with 10 minutes left but nobody on their team really scares me. We win by 12.

[StlVUFan]

Not only do we get to #BeatDetroit, we get the Jim Cornelison to sing the anthem!

Oh god, please just respect our country and sing along during the national anthem....

There is very little chance of that happening, I'm afraid.

Then again, I don't happen to think it disrespects the country at all.

I think it respects the country *too much*.

I'm not quite sure why I think that, it's just a feeling I have.  I have reached the point in my Blackhawks hockey watching where I mute whenever the anthem comes up at the United Center.  Then again, I've never experienced it in person, so this weekend will be a first for me (assuming mother nature cooperates).

[SanityLost17]

Not only do we get to #BeatDetroit, we get the Jim Cornelison to sing the anthem!

Oh god, please just respect our country and sing along during the national anthem....

There is very little chance of that happening, I'm afraid.

Then again, I don't happen to think it disrespects the country at all.

I think it respects the country *too much*.

I'm not quite sure why I think that, it's just a feeling I have.  I have reached the point in my Blackhawks hockey watching where I mute whenever the anthem comes up at the United Center.  Then again, I've never experienced it in person, so this weekend will be a first for me (assuming mother nature cooperates).

I will take his national anthem over the pledge of allegiance.  A private flag making company writes a commercial chant, lobbies state governments to require it in schools, and then makes a fortune selling flags to schools.  Genius on the part of that company, but in my opinion, not really based on patriotism.  Plus, forcing elementary kids to pledge allegiance seems very fascist to me.

[HC]

I love the whooping and hollering during the anthem, whats wrong with cheering for your country?! I've only witnessed him in person one time, and it sent chills down my spine (granted this was in a full United Center).

[classof2014]

I really don't see why people are upset with this. He does a phenomenal job and sings it how it's supposed to be sung. He's not a pop-star that makes it his own, now that's disrespecting the country. He's an opera singer that does a great job and everybody cheers. What's the problem with that?

I've been to many Hawks games and it really is a great moment and everybody is cheering. I hope the same happens Friday, it really makes the atmosphere electric and it is no way it disrespects our country.

[Kyle321n]

As someone who is both a Blackhawks fan and a Valpo fan, I honestly hope it doesn't happen.  I understand how people think its a Jim Cornelison thing, but it's really not since it started before he started singing the anthem for the Blackhawks.  This is a Blackhawks home game thing that gets done to applaud the men who are being honored on the ice before the game, veterans and current military members they have standing next to the anthem singer.

Even if Valpo has a member of the military on the court during the anthem, I will still stand there, as I normally do during the national anthem. This isn't a Valpo thing, let some teams have their home traditions, just because someone who is a part of those traditions is coming to your building, don't try make a sad facsimile of it.

I also get upset when I hear Blackhawks fans do it at opposing arenas, since it's most teams don't have military members on the ice while the anthem is played.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Not too many other boards would divert a game thread to debate anthems, pledges, fascism...

On the other hand, I think this means Detroit's officially not a rival any more.  When your rival's up you don't bother with that stuff.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Could someone please explicate the subtext here for me, please?

I've read and reread and my interpretation is that when this Cornelison guy sings, people don't sing along but just stand and listen.

Is that what's going on here?

[StlVUFan]

Not only do we get to #BeatDetroit, we get the Jim Cornelison to sing the anthem!

Oh god, please just respect our country and sing along during the national anthem....

There is very little chance of that happening, I'm afraid.

Then again, I don't happen to think it disrespects the country at all.

I think it respects the country *too much*.

I'm not quite sure why I think that, it's just a feeling I have.  I have reached the point in my Blackhawks hockey watching where I mute whenever the anthem comes up at the United Center.  Then again, I've never experienced it in person, so this weekend will be a first for me (assuming mother nature cooperates).

I will take his national anthem over the pledge of allegiance.  A private flag making company writes a commercial chant, lobbies state governments to require it in schools, and then makes a fortune selling flags to schools.  Genius on the part of that company, but in my opinion, not really based on patriotism.  Plus, forcing elementary kids to pledge allegiance seems very fascist to me.

I won't argue that, but I think I'm talking about something slightly different, though it could always turn into that same thing someday, I'll grant you.

For now, I think the anthem is not overtly coercive, even when Cornelison does it.  I think everybody gets willingly swept up in it because it makes them feel good.

What bothers me is the potential for breaking the 2nd (?) commandment.  Don't assume the Golden Calf wasn't inspirational in a very similar way.  This is different, nobody's worshiping a statue (because that's not how we roll in the 21st century), but it can be intoxicating all the same.

[StlVUFan]

I really don't see why people are upset with this.

Just to clarify, I'm not upset by it.  And you're right, it's not disrespectful.  I part company with that argument.

I'm just concerned, that's all.

[StlVUFan]

Could someone please explicate the subtext here for me, please?

When he sings (and he sings very appropriately, but very enthusiastically, pointing in the air on "... still there", I think?), the entire United Center cheers loudly and enthusiastically all throughout the anthem.  Sends shivers up your spine, so I'm told.

[agibson]

Plus, forcing elementary kids to pledge allegiance seems very fascist to me.

It grates on my nerves, for sure.

[valpopal]

For those who haven't seen or heard him sing the national anthem:

http://youtu.be/aJT9K2APvas

[wh]

Plus, forcing elementary kids to pledge allegiance seems very fascist to me.

It grates on my nerves, for sure.

How privileged we are in the United States of America that we can invent problems that aren't and debate them as if they are. God bless us all. 

[valpo84]

The Blackhawks tradition goes way back -- the articles say 1985. But, I recall it starting earlier and only towards the end of the song and then somewhere around 1991 (Gulf War I), there was a special occasion (All Star game?) and the place went nuts from start to finish. According to the first article my memory is hanging in there. (Mrs 84 would ask how can you remember some of that meaningless stuff....?) Wayne Messmer is still one of my all-time favorites doing the anthem and his dueting with his wife was always some of the best harmonies for the old bar tune that is our national anthem. Unfortunately, Wayne had some vocal surgeries that reduced his ability and Chicago fans (especially Cubs fans) miss his simple, dignified renditions.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/11/sports/hockey/how-the-national-anthem-turned-into-a-blackhawks-rallying-cry.html?_r=0

Second article is not quite as in depth. But there is nothing like it at the Stadium. When we watch at home, we crank the stereo to fire up for the games. With our slow starts, maybe this will help a bit.
http://blackhawks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=530513

Yes, you all are right, this is clearly not the rivalry games of the past 3 years. Still, must win game for Valpo!

[VUfan]

Valpo Plays good Defense tonight wins and runs the table
VU 73 DMU 65 (the Game)

[FWalum]

For those who haven't seen or heard him sing the national anthem:

http://youtu.be/aJT9K2APvas

Watched this one and his rendition from 9/11/11 at the Bears game and I have to admit it was very emotional.  Hope they do the same as the Blackhawks game and honor some from the military and veterans.  It should fire everyone up!

[a3uge]

The issue isn't with the way he signs the national anthem - it's the pretense that most of the cheering and hollering is done to respect America or something like that. After attending many games in Milwaukee with a Chicago opponent (Bulls/Cubs), and a couple Blackhawks games at the United Center, I refuse to believe yelling "Dddddd Rrrrooossseee" or "F*** EM UP HAWKS" during the national anthem is actually respecting our country.

[a3uge]

Anyways, RPI forecast came out with a cool Wizard today that lets you input wins and losses of past and future games and runs their forecasting based on the inputted games:

http://www.rpiforecast.com/wizard/Valparaiso.html

For kicks, I had us win out and the result was a 98 RPI. This doesn't include a road win vs Green Bay and a neutral game in a semi-final matchup.

[StlVUFan]

The issue isn't with the way he signs the national anthem - it's the pretense that most of the cheering and hollering is done to respect America or something like that. After attending many games in Milwaukee with a Chicago opponent (Bulls/Cubs), and a couple Blackhawks games at the United Center, I refuse to believe yelling "Dddddd Rrrrooossseee" or "F*** EM UP HAWKS" during the national anthem is actually respecting our country.

And that right there points to one of my concerns.  Even if every last fan was yelling "U! S! A!" or something like that, I would be concerned.

I'm also not sure what my 80+ year old Dad is going to think of it when I take him to the game Friday night.  He served in the Navy between WWII and the Korean conflict.  I'm guessing it might not sit well with him (he doesn't like hockey, so I assume he's not seen this rendition on TV, though now that I think of it, he may have seen it the couple of times it happened at a Bears game -- it also happened prior to the Bears-Seahawks playoff game in Jan. 2011 too, I think).

[valpo64]

I believe the Jim C/cheering thing started to happen at the first game after 9/11 when our Country took on some pride and increased love for the USA.