Thursday, February 07, 2013

Will Maverick Fans Cheer the National Anthem Chicago Style?

Jim Cornelison, who sings the national anthem prior to Chicago Blackhawks games, will be reprising that role on Saturday afternoon just prior to UNO's "Battles on Ice" outdoor game against North Dakota at TD Ameritrade Park.
You may not have seen Cornelison sing at a Blackhawks game, but you may have caught him on the tenth anniversary of 9/11 when Fox televised the pregame ceremony at Soldier Field.
So that raises the question...will UNO hockey fans stand and cheer during the anthem, Chicago style? That is the tradition whenever Cornelison sings it, such as in 2010 at Wrigley Field.

My thought is absolutely YES.  Some may feel it's disrespectful, but it's anything but.  Remember the 1991 NHL All-Star Game, just days after the first Gulf War began?  That was probably the first time most Americans had heard of this tradition, and nobody thought badly of it.  Most people probably had chills running through their spines.

That being said, if only 30 people cheer during the anthem, it won't have near the impact of thousands of fans.  And those 30 people will probably feel a little silly if they are the only ones doing it.

So what do you think?  I plan to clap and cheer; what about you?

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