At the outset, I should say that I think playing the National Anthem before
sporting events is silly to begin with.  The practice dates from World War
II, and under those circumstances, the logic of playing the anthem was
obvious.  After the war, it just kind of stuck for no reason.  Regardless
of the merits of the Star-Spangled Banner (I agree that the words are
inspiring, if a bit bellicose, while the tune is too difficult for the
average person to sing), I fail to see the connection between it and a
sporting event.  If anything, the association cheapens the symbol (as
evidenced by the willingness of hockey fans at *several* schools to use
various parts as a "fight song").
 
Having said this, I feel that if they're going to play the American anthem,
they might as well play the Canadian one as well.  Doing so recognizes that
many of the players (sometimes even a majority) are Canadian, and also
serves as a tribute to the country that invented the sport we love.  During
my first couple of years at Brown, they played both anthems, and the
students loved it.  After they stopped playing "O, Canada" we students even
began to sing it on our own -- it just didn't seem right to start the game
without it.  I've always thought Canada had the nicer anthem anyway.
 
Carl Sussman
Brown '96
Harvard Law '99
 
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