Weird, I always use that time to go to the bathroom. I wasn't aware of a no-moving policy. Is that even legal?

Jesus Christ, it's a ####### pop song. It's not the national anthem, It's Kate freaking Smith. There is 100% ZERO reason to treat GBA the same as "The Star-Spangled Banner," and I'm pretty glad I haven't been to Yankee Stadium in the last few years, because I NEVER sit still during the 7th inning stretch.

There is 100% ZERO reason to treat GBA the same as "The Star-Spangled Banner."

True, although I'd like to point out that even ignoring the national anthem isn't an excuse to bring out the jackboots. I watched a guy get tossed from Safeco in Seattle for daring to enter the aisle during the song. He had an armful of precariously balanced concessions and was trying to get to his seat just two rows from the concourse.

I respect the flag, the anthem, and all that jazz, but these alleged patriots should remember that the principles for which these symbols stand include the right to ignore and even disparage them.

This story is so ridiculous I don't beleive it. You telling me that nobody else has ever tried to go to the bathroom during "God Bless America?" If thise was really going on the Yankees, NYPD, and MLB would be in court right now.

If I was able to get to Yankee stadium for a game I would make sure as soon as they started to play the song I'd get up to go to the bathroom.

That's totally inappropriate. It's lewd, vesivius, salacious, outrageous!"

What if the guy had there with his 8 year old kid? Pop gets up to go to the bathroom and never returns.

I figure we're not getting the full story here, so nothing to see here (unless Scott Boras was behind this!!!!).

I liked the comment where they said his bladder hates America. If this story is really true, then I'm sure we will see something about it on the 24-hr news channels until they interview the guy and he ends up being a loon.

Evil, I'm with you - I'd be going to the washroom on the first note. And personally, I would want to sue, but then again, I could never have held for that long.

i don't understand the police involvement. i can understand yankee stadium security, but not the police, ejecting this guy.

it's a stupid policy and actually contrary to the principles of democracy in the united states. major league baseball owners get to make their own rules about whatever they want, i guess (see gwb), and nobody can stop them.

Didn't this same story come out last year?

Didn't this same story come out last year?

Yeah, though it was buried pretty quickly after Big Stein had the guy executed.

Didn't this same story come out last year?

Not quite. Last year the story was that they chain the fans in, which you see in the picture. In this story, a Red Sox fan is physically restrained and thrown out of the ballpark.

The most disappointing part here is that the fan missed a perfect opportunity to whip it out and piss on a security guard.

As if singing the idiotic song every damn game isn't bad enough ...

Are there any other sets of lyrics that use the same tune? That'd be hilarious, too, to show up and sing all the wrong words...

i don't understand the police involvement. i can understand yankee stadium security, but not the police, ejecting this guy.

There are police around the stadium in the concourses and the stands for every game. There are double or triple the normal number for Red Sox games. My guess is that the cops were just standing there when this guy tried to get up.


As to the song and the ridiculous policy, I almost always get up to go to the bathroom as soon as the top of the 7th is over. If I do stay in my seat, I stay there for the duration of the song. It's a shitty song and I don't believe in god, so I see no reason to stand up for it. Occasionally, someone will say something to me. I generally just ignore them.

Anyone else find it odd, and somehow apt, that the ad to the left of the story appears to involve a young woman hiking up her skirt in order to urinate on piano keys?

I'd sat this is pretty minor in terms of state power. Massachusetts makes you pay for health insurance, for gosh sake. Or, you know, the former draft. I think being forced into protecting your freedom has a bit on this in the irony department.

Stupid policy though, obviously.

In Oakland, there is an official stadium policy that the food and beer vendors pause from doing business during the National Anthem. But that is the extent of it. There is no regulation of the customers' behavior, except we can't buy beer for that 2 minutes.

Perhaps this fan was wearing Red Sox gear?

Do they pass out toys at Yankee Stadium, towels for the fans to wave, or such?

A few years ago I was at an A's playoff game, at a time when there was a lot of patriotic fervor going around. I think it was 2003 or 2004. They passed out Oakland A's hand towels to the fans on our way in. So they play the National Anthem, the USAF does a flyover, and everyone is going beserk waving their hand towels. I look, and the small tag on the towel says, "Made in Pakistan".

I certainly hope there aren't any "Made in [not America]" products being distributed at super patriotic Yankee Stadium.

I certainly hope there aren't any "Made in [not America]" products being distributed at super patriotic Yankee Stadium.

Well, Robinson Cano was made in the Dominican Republic....

But Hideki Matsui's wife was made right here.

23,
And all of his favorite DVDs were made in Van Nuys.

In Oakland, there is an official stadium policy that the food and beer vendors pause from doing business during the National Anthem. But that is the extent of it. There is no regulation of the customers' behavior, except we can't buy beer for that 2 minutes.

Yes, and when I went, there was a further wait until the Canadian National anthem was over, I seem to recall (it was Toronto visiting). And then they asked for ID (I was 27 and looked older), and then they sold me beer :)

I guess this kind of thing is to be expected from a Nixon supporter: weird, authoritarian perversions of patriotism

Do they own the stadium, or does the city own it?

So, you are ordered to be "patriotic" in Yankee Stadium?

I had a lot of doubts about submiting this, but I decided too, if not because I knew it would provoke discussion.

Loser wasn't wearing his flag lapel pin either. And I swear I sam him fist bump his wife outside the stadium. He was probably even secretly raised a Muslim.

Of course, George Carlin's take was best:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuOBf-39t64

Do they force you stand as well?

We've mentioned this in other threads, but press-box behavior during the Star-Spangled Banner is interesting: if you are in the box itself and can be seen by the public, you snap to attention, but if you are behind the scenes, you pay no attention at all and go about your business, taking a leak or grabbing a hot dog or chatting with other writers, whatever. I imagine the same is true of God Bless America, unless jingo-groupthink has spread widely through the press corps in the past seven years. I haven't been in a press box since the start of the GBA era.

If I was able to get to Yankee stadium for a game I would make sure as soon as they started to play the song I'd get up to go to the bathroom.

You can do that, or you can change the lyrics to "Allah bless America..." and see what happens. Sing it real loud so everyone can hear.

There is no regulation of the customers' behavior, except we can't buy beer for that 2 minutes.

Now that is an outrage.

I hope that this is a joke article or someone making a deal about nothing.

it's god bless america, it's a meaningless song that has the emotional stirrings of freecreditscore.com song.(and not nearly as catchy) Do jumping jacks during the song. I mean seriously as a former member of the military I have strong feelings for the National Anthem, and Marine Corps Hymn, but nobody is disrespecting the country by actively ignoring a song which has about as much patriotic punch as a Barney tune.

My experience at Yankee Stadium has been that "God Bless America" is preceded by a moment of silence for fallen soldiers. I hate the song, but I've viewed the whole bit as the team's tribute to the troops, and if they want to ask me to stand up for a minute (at a time when I would otherwise likely be standing anyways) to pay this tribute, and it means something to the people in the stadium (whether they are troops, veterans, family members of such, or just patriotic), I am happy to oblige. You never know who's looking.

Regardless of how anyone feels about this song, or the troops, or the country, going to the bathroom at this moment doesn't seem to me to be very polite or civil. It feels a bit like going to a dinner party, and when, after the meal, the host suggests the party adjourn to the parlor for a rousing game of Pictionary or some ridiculous thing, responding "Screw that, I'm gonna go see what's on the tube." The parallel, of course, isn't perfect, because you generally don't pay $300 to go to a dinner party, but showing a little decorum seems like a reasonable expectation, if not out of respect for the host team putting on the event, at least for the other patrons who also paid their $300 for whom the event may have some meaning. Getting up to go to the bathroom, especially in the upper deck where it's virtually impossible to get out of the row without crushing everybody else's feet, comes across as pretty disruptive and disrespectful of the other patrons at that time.

The policy as stated here, though, is ridiculous. Showing disapproval is one thing, but forcibly throwing people out of the stadium is an absurd reaction.

But Hideki Matsui's wife was made right here.

Well, the drawing of her anyway...

Anybody have a picture of her yet, proving her actual existence?

Absolutely. Mrs. Matsui is all too real.

Bastard!

If I do stay in my seat, I stay there for the duration of the song. It's a shitty song and I don't believe in god, so I see no reason to stand up for it. Occasionally, someone will say something to me. I generally just ignore them.

I do the same. Only I stand up and sing take me out to the ballgame after the GBA ######## is over.

well at least im not the only one who fell for it, bravo boots.

oh and i could careless about GBA if i gotta pee then im going to go pee, im not going to wait for it to be over. hell if i was ever at a yankees game i would probly go walk around just to see what there going to do to me. would they really kick out a member of the military for it? i doubt it

I dunno, this doesn't pass the smell test. He mentions having contacted the ACLU and Norman Siegel, and if he was thrown out just for walking out during GBA, I'm betting they would be all over this right quick. My guess is he used some more, uh, creative language with the security folks than he suggests.

I agree aleskel. I think the enforcement of standing and paying attention is abominable, but I doubt they'd throw you out just for that. However, if, when they keep you from heading to the loo, you scream, cuss and get anywhere close to a physical confrontation they might.

All else being equal, I'd probably stand and, if not at attention, be quiet and respectful for GBA. Until, taht is, I learned they were forcing people to do it at which point I would pointedly not be respectful. No one who has to force you to respect them deserves your respect.

Anybody have a picture of her yet, proving her actual existence?

It was a hoax. Matsui's sole intent for the press conference and the sketch was to fake his way into winning a bet.

Absolutely. Mrs. Matsui is all too real.

I knew what it was and I clicked anyway. That joke still isn't old.

It's about respect, people. I don't believe in God either, but I stand out of respect for the people that do. I don't believe in Santa Claus either, but you can bet that I snap to attention any time I hear that beautiful song about him coming down Santa Claus Lane.

It's about respect, people.

Take care, T.C.B., yo.

Bradford Campeau-Laurion

I'd say that's reason enough for an ejection, no need to trump up something bogus.

It was a hoax. Matsui's sole intent for the press conference and the sketch was to fake his way into winning a bet.

This would be totally awesome if true.

I'm sad to read this. At Orioles games the past ten years, I've been guilty of yelling out "O's" during the "Oh" in the Star Spangled Banner. Sadly, my daughter has picked up the habit. It's even spread to Ravens games. I guess the terrorists have won.

I think the enforcement of standing and paying attention is abominable, but I doubt they'd throw you out just for that.

You're right, cops and security people never relish the opportunity to brandish power and act like complete ####### ########.