I watched the beginning of the Daytona 500 auto race on yesterday. Harry Connick, Jr. sang the National anthem (he did a really good job). As he finished two F-16 fighter jets flew over the race track. I've seen the same thing at football games.
What do fighter jets have to do with a sporting event? Do war and sports go together? Do other countries do this too? It just seems kind of weird and out of place. War means death and destruction. Sports are supposed to be entertainment. So what's up with that?
13 comments:
To me sports have always seemed kind of like a war because they have fierce competition, winners and losers,and a prize of some sort.So an analogy beween team and country can be made. As a health professional I have seen many,many severe injuries resulting from sports, particularly the head traumas. My thoughts are that sports are a kind of training or facsimile of a war, and hence the warplanes at games..just a thought...
@cactusrose
You make really good points. I guess I've just always thought of sports as entertainment. But I'm sure many people, especially the people who participate, could see it as a sort of war or battle.
And more to your point I've heard sports announcers use war analogies when talking about sports.
After reading your post I now wonder the meaning of fighter jets flying over a sporting event. Hmm. Maybe the CIA knows something. Off top, I imagine there are more than a few threats being made by "terrorist" looking to cause chaos.
Who knows?
@Don
That could def have something to do with it. I had not thought about that.
So is the fighter jet thing something that's started since 9/11? I don't remember if they used to do it before then.
In the past I've wondered the same thing Val. I wonder just how much that costs us as taxpayers?!?
But hey, I'd rather my tax dollars went to that, than our dropping million dollar bombs on two thousand dollar buildings in the middle east.
@Reggie
I didn't even think of how much it must cost to fly 2 F-16's like that. I bet it cost at least one hundred thousand in fuel and pay for the pilots and support personnel. I bet the military puts it under recruitment.
Many sports were created as training exercises for soldiers.
@UBJ
Really? Which ones?
I have something for you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4q2KxvtbWQ&feature=player_embedded
@Don
Now that was classic Sade! Thanks for that. I don't have cable so that was the performance that I missed and it was better than any of the others. She looked like she was really into it.
You're welcome. Thought you'd enjoy it.
@ Val - The Olympics were started as men showing their skills in warcraft.
@UBJ
Very interesting, thanks.
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