We should be more respectful when the National Anthem is sung. Taking off your hat is the right gesture. NOT screaming “RED” or “O” is also the right thing to do. Placing your hand on your heart or giving a military salute is also appropriate.
The only thing that I would love to see and hear is what happens in Chicago is the deep and roaring applause all the way through the National Anthem as a true sign of encouragement and respect. That would be a great thing for our fans to do. Let us start a new tradition, what do you say?
This entire topic is ridiculous. I am a veteran, which includes being a veteran of a foreign war. We fight to bring freedom to this country so that people can express themselves in manors such as this.
No one is disrespecting our National Anthem, their country, or being unpatriotic just because they pronounce “O” or “Red” in during the anthem. For those of you who are telling others to stop is what actually offends me. Who are you to tell them they can’t do this? You are silencing others, which is a violation of our first amendment.
More to the point, if you want people to applaud throughout the anthem, wouldn’t that require two hands? How can we have our right hand on our heart if we are applauding? Why don’t people have problems with that? This would actually be a direct violation of US Code Title 36.
There is NO harm with what is being done here, and to be honest, I truly enjoy it.
Ted, if you REALLY want to support our national anthem, how about putting a flag up so EVERYONE in the arena can see it. I’m in section 413 and I can’t see the flag.
Wow, what amazes me is that 40 or so will wine and moan about the nation anthem, but only 4 have sent well wishes to Chris Clark. So sad.
who are these “Baltimore idiots” y’all keep talking about? y’all do realize that yes, while named the Washington Capitals, this team represents the entire state, right? you must be talking about the idiots like me who’ve come down all the way from Ellicott City on several occasions to see my favorite hockey team, and i plan to continue doing so, and i yell O! every time. i don’t see a problem with this. i don’t think it’s disrespectful (the O, i don’t think i’ve ever heard RED, that just sounds like it’d sound stupid). it’s a Maryland tradition. doesn’t make me less of a fan because i do it. i’m the only one of my friends who even likes hockey, and i try my best to turn them all into Caps fans.
sorry y’all are still salty about the just getting the Nationals, but i’d hope you realize that after 34-something years w/o a baseball team, there are still plenty of people who cheered for the only team in the area (the Orioles), so to suggest that we drop it because DC has its own team now is just silly. it’d be the same if Baltimore got its own hockey team. i don’t think every single Caps fan north of PG would drop their affiliation with the Capitials; i sure wouldn’t, and i hope Baltimore doesn’t get its own hockey team.
I totally agree with you Ted. Now what can we do about getting Jose Theodore to remove his helmet during the anthems?
How about we just do away with the whole antiquated idea of playing the anthem at sporting events?
I’m from Chicago and haven’t been to a Hawks game in decades. Last one was at the old Chicago Stadium. What a life experience! It is absolutely deafening! Would love to see the same here. What a way to Rock the Red and set the tone even before the puck drops!
Ted, I’m with you!
Thank you Ted! (and also sending a big THANK YOU from Nancy L.) One and a half minutes of respectful silence or singing along with the anthem isn’t too much to ask at the start of the game — there’s plenty of time for shouting later. It would be one thing if the people shouting out the “O” and the “red” were just putting more emphasis on those words as they sang the REST of the anthem, but they’re not, they’re just shouting at the designated spots because they can — after all, they’ll tell you it’s their right. My counter to that is from a quote I recently read: “the right to do something doesn’t always equate to doing the right thing.” As a retired military member, anthem etiquette is well ingrained with me, but it’s not that difficult to learn — I think Caps fan can rise to the occasion and do the right thing. Yes, it’s a patriotism thing, but more importantly, it’s a respect thing.
Agreed.
1. Make Telescreen announcement before anthem to not say “O” or “red”.
2. Invite fans to sing along AND put words (i know, i know) on the Telescreen. It will encourage singing, even if they (hopefully) know the words.
Ted, people respect YOU and will follow your lead so spread the word and ask people to nix the “O” and “RED”. I, too, cringe at the “O” and it’s spread like a cancer to “RED”. With some gentle encouragement, I think you’ll be able to banish this inane habit forever.
However, I’m not sure cheering through the anthem is an appropriate substitute, in fact, why do we need to substitute anything? If cheering is unique to Chicago, keep it that way. People will either sing or start cheering with “land of the free” like they do already. This is a belief we can all embrace.
I disagree…. I don’t think the anthem is hard to sing if its done all together in a crowd. LET IT BE SUNG!!!
Ted, I usually agree with you, and I love what you have done for the team, but can’t disagree with you more here. I think everyone should at least be in agreement that no ofense is intended to the anthem by screaming of O or Red. Creating or enforcing a ban on these traditions strikes me at the kind of thing they do in China, North Korea or Cuba.
please.
We all love this country, but people are really taking this waaaaaaaay too seriously. Suggesting people should be escorted out for practicing the freedom of speech that the flag and its anthem celebrate? Get over yourselves. There is far too much patriotic one upsmanship out there these days about meaningless stuff like who respects the anthem enough- real patriotism is respecting your neighbors right to their basic freedoms.
If you don’t like it, stand silently, clap, whatever, but don’t make out a light-hearted moment to be some kind of high treason.
From some of the comments posted here, it appears that some of the Baltimore fans are insecure. They bring their “O’s” scream into the Verizon Center so that they can continue to force their Orioles down Washington’s throats. They want to be represented in what they perceive as a “foreign” city. That attitude is galling here in Washington because those same Baltimore Orioles kept Washington from regaining MLB for many years. Many of these same Orioles fans desperately want Baltimore to have its own arena and hockey team. I wish that they could get their wish fulfilled but that is out of my control. So they scream “O’s” at the worst of times when they should be silent and respectful. Oriole fans please save your O’s scream for OP@CY and M&T Bank Stadium. It doesn’t belong here in Washington.
I think the current announcement is too subtle for the average “O” yeller. “Respectfully join ____” doesn’t do the job. You need to have an announcement that flat-out asks people to refrain from interjecting such things into the National Anthem.
I sing along with the anthem at every game. I think having the entire arena singing is better than applauding throughout the anthem.
I’m with everyone calling for respect, but everyone else who is talking about the freedom we have to do whatever we want during the anthem is also right.
Braver men and women than me have fought and have died under that flag so that folks could be disrespectful at sporting events if they want to. People can be as disrespectful as they want. It reflects poorly on them and we should probably just leave it at that, though I’d love to see an encouraging video or something from Ted. Maybe some clips of the Edmonton crowd singing their anthem. Isn’t their one of them singing BOTH the Canadian and US national anthems? I recall having seen that.
I’m firmly in the sing along camp, but there isn’t much I can do about it but encourage those around me to do the same. It’s a free country, and that’s why we have the anthem in the first place. I definitely tell people it’s obnoxious but there isn’t much else I can do.
wow 35 comments and growing—ted i think you hit a chord here–so to speak.
No applause. No screaming. Just singing, hats off and hands over hearts. In the Nations Capitol more than anywhere else.
My season ticketholder cronies and I were JUST discussing this on Saturday and we all cringe when the “Oh” approaches. This “tradition” needs to go.
I always take my hat off during the national anthem and have never yelled “O” once. However, the fact that everyone is in total agreement that in the United States of America we should all be required to take off our hat and be quiet is ridiculous. As a proud season ticket holder since 1976, I will now be wearing my hat and screaming “O” during the national anthem at every game.
You Patriots sound like Communists.
O!!!
I agree with Joe that it would be great if everyone just stood silently.
Yeah, good idea. We are so secure now in our status that we would like to alienate our Baltimore fan base.
The O is a tradition. I always hate when people qualify a statement with one of these, but here it goes.. As a service member myself, it doesn’t offend me at all. I think it is quite cool actually.
Being called disrespectful and low class for having fun and having my patriotism questioned for shouting O is deeply offensive.
We SHOULD do a lot of things in this country, but the great men decided it was our freedom – some folks burn flags, and I disagree with that….not the right, the act.
I agree 100%. The Baltimore idiots who started screaming the O brought their stupidity to Verizon Center.
The Caps’ fans who started screaming RED are just as stupid and unpatriotic.
I realize that they think they’re showing support for their teams, but it is impolite and unpatriotic.
I agree with the earlier poster who suggested that you make an announcement before the playing of the anthem.
You should do so for several games, then again if it starts up again. You might have a uniformed member of the armed stand next to you when you make the announcement.
When it gets to a handful of violators, they should be removed from the arena.
I disagree with your suggestion that Caps’ fans should applaud throughout the National Anthem.
Singing the anthem is fine; otherwise silently standing is the absolute minimum requirement.
I agree with more respect is needed. I stand at attention and it bothers me when the gang behind me is more concerned with yelling RED and OH, than what the anthem stands for. Any chance they could bring back more of the videos of America while playing it? In the USAF, one site I was at had a great one that ended with showing a shuttle launching from the Cape. Goosebumps.
VR/
snowman
I’m in a similar situation as 10, a lifelong Blackhawks fan who spent a lot of time in DC and picked up a love for the Caps and I would hate to see DC fans copying the Hawks. That tradition goes back to the mid 80′s and is unique in all of sports and to copy it would be kind of lame. However I am with you that more respect needs to be paid and the O and Red stuff need to be done away with.
Thank you for bringing this up as an issue, because quite frankly it’s annoying, disrespectful, and is getting out of hand.
I don’t understand the point of screaming ‘OH’ at all (I read somewhere that this is a reference to Orioles fans/games?), the ‘RED’ I get, but still don’t approve of it.
If you have that much energy to scream during the anthem, could you at least save it until after it is over and horn guy starts the “LET’S GO CAPS” cheer?
I will try a new experiment by actually singing the national anthem in my section and see how many follow the lead… I’m guessing this will be a solo project for a while…
MENC(Music Educator’s National Conference) should consider applying it’s National Anthem Project to adults. Bring it to hockey games. If music teachers are required to teach the National Anthem to all of their students, why not teach it to some adults as well?
Then again, this comes from someone who knows multiple national anthems, coming from another country originally. I still sing my German national anthem when it is played, and I sing the American one when I go to Caps games. Singing it is, in my opinion, the best way to eliminate any “disrespect” issues. I mean, I’m sure Wes would say “Please rise, remove your hats, and join *insert name here* in the singing of our national anthem”
Just two cents.
i hate the O and RED shout out during the national anthem. I mean it really bothers me. however, as a person who has dedicated almost 30 years of my life to public service, including representing our country overseas at public events where I have sometimes been the only person who knew the words to our national anthem when it was playing, i have to say that true patriotism can never be imposed it has to be felt in each individual’s heart and love of country. it also seems to me that it goes against some of the very principles of what our country stands for to limit the free speech and/or expression of how a fellow American “chooses” to sing the national anthem. this too is the price of freedom we pay–tolerance for each other’s freedom. want to change the tradition–encourage everyone to sing along but accept that in our country we all have the freedom to celebrate our patriotism in whatever form we choose, even if it means tolerating that some will choose to express it in idiotic or unappealing ways. to me respecting that freedom is one of the highest forms of honor we can pay those who have sacrificed so much for our country.
Thanks, Ted. My vote (and my custom) is singing along; it’s a good warmup for all the yelling I’m about to do. -JW
The reason more people don’t sing along with The Star-Spangled Banner is that it’s a tough song to sing. It’s got an octave and a half of range, which isn’t easy. And if, say, you’re a natural bass, but the singer’s a countertenor who’s sadistically keyed his rendition up to D major, forget it. Generally, if you’re not warmed up, and it’s not in your range, it’s a tough song to sing along with from a cold start.
I do agree, Ted, that the O’s gotta go. Is it asking too much of sports fans to shut their traps for a minute and a half and pay their respects to a country that gives them, you know, the opportunity to go to sporting events on a regular basis?
I agree completely. Singing is the way to go, and especially since Caps get such really good renditions, we should cut out the yelling. And the whole O thing is from Baltimore anyway.
Lets Be DC! And Lets Go Caps!
Amen, Ted! I don’t know what’s happened over the years, but I never heard that “O” nonsense when I was growing up. I cringe when I hear that at games.
Thank you, sir! Please put an end to RED and O! But I agree with those who object to the clapping and cheering — aside from being a Chicago tradition, I also find it inappropriate.
How about a tradition of everyone singing and saluting during the anthem? If it’s not disrespectful to the military, maybe we could have a tradition of the Caps’ “army” of fans saluting the flag military style.
Or, we could all throw our hats in the air after the song ends.
Or, something…
I don’t care if you live in VA, MD, or DC, I wish fans would stop with yelling “O” or “Red” during the anthem. I no longer care what what you yelled out at the Caps Center, the team has been in DC for ten years and it is NOT the Orioles. Depending on who is singing, I wish more in the crowd would join in and sing. For awhile after 9/11, it seemed that folks were more respectful, but that has stopped. We still have men and women in our military fighting overseas so the anthem should mean something to those of us is our nation’s capital. At the very least, you could be quiet for less than five minutes during the anthem. I do admit to some pleasure when that one group sang it in a manner that did not allow for the “O” to be shouted.
Ted, you are spot on. Shouting RED and O during our National Anthem is disrespectful and frankly embarrassing, both toward our nation and our flag. In fact, US Code, TITLE 36, Subtitle I, Part A, Chapter 3, § 301. National Anthem, specifically states:
“(a) Designation.— The composition consisting of the words and music known as the Star-Spangled Banner is the national anthem.
(b) Conduct During Playing.— During a rendition of the national anthem—
(1) when the flag is displayed—
(A) all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart;
(B) men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold the headdress at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart; and
(C) individuals in uniform should give the military salute at the first note of the anthem and maintain that position until the last note; and
(2) when the flag is not displayed, all present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed.”
As our nation’s capital, we should be setting an example for other cities to emulate. I also agree with Brendan Jones’ comment above – a positive comment about the importance of showing respect in this way from you prior to the games would go a long way toward curbing this boorish behavior.
Finally, kudos also to Caleb Green and Bob MacDonald for their talented professionalism. enthusiasm, and excellence in singing the National Anthem, as well as the chorus groups and other ensembles from the local area who periodically do the honors as well. Class act one and all.
Amen, Ted. Unfortunately, it’s been going on for far too long here, first with the O signifying the Orioles (yeah, that was a good idea – celebrate the team that kept Washington from having a MLB team for so long), then it shifted to O for Olie and now O for Ovechkin. Whatever it’s for, it’s inappropriate. Same with the RED. The most memorable National Anthem I have heard at a Caps game was shortly after 9/11, when the PA system was cutting in and out as the Anthem was being sung. As it cut out, the voice of the crowd filled in the amplified gaps in a dignified manner. As was said before, let the National Anthem (both the US and Canadian) be performed by the artists, singing along if you will, but stop the obnoxious Red and O shouts. Save it for during the game.
I totally agree that the RED and O need to go, it seems so disrespectfulto the national anthem. I’m not familar with this applause that chicago does, it seems like it would be hard to keep up for the whole thing but i’ll try it-its much better than the current system.
I went to the game in Toronto back on December 6th. Everyone in attendance sang “Oh Canada” and it gave me goosebumps. Why don’t more Americans sing along with the national anthem?
It’s sad when this has to be said. I think the coolest thing I’ve seen done during a national anthem was during the NFL game between the Chargers and the Saints at Wembley Stadium and everyone was singing “God Save the Queen.”
What about a small note to all the fans as they come into the Verizon Center for a few games asking them to start a new tradition of Singing along, loudly, to the National Anthem. After all, its the Nation’s Capital and I think it would really set a great tone to have the whole crowd sing. I think you might be surprised at how people will take to the idea. Just a thought, Colin
As a transplanted Blackhawk fan who is also a Caps fan snce DC is now my home, I say pass on the cheering during the anthem. As it is an awesome sight and sound, it would be very lame if other cities started doing it. It is a uniquely Chicago tradition, one that goes back WAY before I was born or became a hockey fan.
I stay stick with the quiet. And make sure to have the PA guy ask for complete respect and none of the lame RED or O sounds during the anthem. Nice post, Ted.
I disagree. At Stars games, they yell Stars when it comes up in the anthem, and I think it is an awesome team tradition. It isn’t disrespectful, not like when Montreal fans booed the anthem at a Habs-Bruins game (the next game in Boston the Bruins fans cheered through the Canadian national anthem).
I agree that screaming anything during the National Anthem is disrespectful and low class. But I also think what they do in Chicago is disrespectful and low class. How about just standing respectfully and either singing the song or being quiet while it is played?
Sir,
You’re Ted Leonsis! If you make an announcement at the stadium, people will listen. As caps fans, we love you. You can change this easily. On The Saturday game against Florida,which will certainly have a high attendance, make an announcement before the anthem.
I completely agree. Punish the offenders by putting them in a Sydney Crosby jersey and sending them into a men’s room in the 400 level after the second period.
Do what they do in Canada. Sing it!!!
Ted I am with you 110%. Too many have sacrificed too much to do anything but honor them and our national anthem with reverence. I think the applause and cheering in Chicago, while not understated, definitely shows love of country and says thanks to those who have given their service to our nation. It mystifies me that so many young fans do not understand the significance of removing their hats, and that the PA announcer has to remind them to do so. In that vein, perhaps you can use your position/ownership as a bully pulpit and lead change on this issue at future Caps games.
THANK YOU! Having season tickets (first time for me) has been great, but I definitely cringe every time people yell “O!” and “RED!” during the performance. It’s undeniably inappropriate. What are people thinking??
Amen.
Thanks for sayin’ it.
Amen, brother! Anything would be an improvement over the current state of disgrace.
Perhaps we could forcibly eject those who scream ‘O’ – or better, yet, we could tar and feather them at intermission. Sure, it could be considered cruel and unusual… but just think of the publicity!