Oh! How doing that during the anthem rankles some people

[Cokeman]

When people look at me funny, I just tell'em the story. In my personal experience, it leads to smiles and new friends.

They don't mind missing the first 2 or 3 innings while you relate that story?

[RShack]

I wonder if there is a way to count which poster is most subject to the "ignore" feature?

Join the crowd of people who threaten to. If hating that gawd-awful fake-hillbilly song helps you want to put me on ignore, be my guest.

(I wouldn't mind a *real* hillbilly song, some good bluegrass song. I've got nothing against hillbillies. It's just awful songs I hate.)

That "O" in the anthem brings me home every time I hear it. I married a fellow Marylander, and whenever we're at any sort of (non-Orioles) event where the anthem is performed, we look at each other and mouth the "O." When we see the Orioles play - Texas, Florida, wherever - we scream it at the top of our lungs. People look at us like we're nuts. I always think... "Wait 'til October. They'll hear it on TV and know what we were doing."

I agree completely with that. But, ooops, I guess you missed it since I'm on ignore ;-)

[Skipjack33]

I'm pro "O" and the fact that it irks other people just makes me shout it louder.

I'm also pro Country Boy and the fact that take me out to the ball game is even played at Camden during the 7th inning stretch is such a slap in the face to the O's rich tradition that I refuse to stand until they play Country Boy. (Isn't take me out to the ballgame a Cubs thing anyway?)

[PaulFolk]

When people look at me funny, I just tell'em the story. In my personal experience, it leads to smiles and new friends.

That surprises me. I would've thought there'd be more eye-rolling involved. But I'm glad to hear to that. Maybe I'm just speaking for myself, but I wouldn't have the guts to shout "O!" knowing that I'd be the only one in the entire crowd making any noise.

[square634]

That surprises me. I would've thought there'd be more eye-rolling involved. But I'm glad to hear to that. Maybe I'm just speaking for myself, but I wouldn't have the guts to shout "O!" knowing that I'd be the only one in the entire crowd making any noise.

I don't have the guts to do it in Philadelphia, that's for sure. I just mutter it to myself.

[blakesta]

I don't have the guts to do it in Philadelphia, that's for sure. I just mutter it to myself.

Not even if you were packin heat?

[Boy Howdy]

However, I don't agree with doing the "O" chant anywhere else. If you're an Orioles fan at a visiting ballpark, there's no reason to do it. It'll just seem out of place and jarring for you to shout while everyone else is silent, and nobody will know what the heck it means anyway. They'll just think you're being a jerk.

Well, I might as well just cheer for Jeter and root for the Yankees too then, so people won't think I'm a jerk, or out of place.

I don't drink, curse or make people get out of their seat to let me through while the action's going on. I show up in visiting ballparks in an Orioles jersey & holler "O!" and spell out "O-R-I-O-L-E-S" if I'm feeling frisky.

I haven't been able to attend a game at OPACY since I moved out of the area 8 years ago, but it burns me to the core to read & hear about Red Sox fans taking over the Yard. I still remember what it was like to "host" the Yankees fans during the 1996 ALCS.

The Star Spangled Banner & the Red, white & blue stand for a lot of things. One of them just happens to be my right to go into a visiting ballpark and cheer like heck for my team with a clear conscience.

I love Dominican beisbol, but this makes me say "Thank God I'm a Country (called the USA) Boy"!

[Trinidad]

I know I'm a little late, but I am a season ticket holder at Carolina Hurricanes games, and every game, I hear(and proudly shout) the "O" during the anthem. And it can be pretty loud. No one had a problem with it when we weren't losing 85+ games a year.

[RShack]

They don't mind missing the first 2 or 3 innings while you relate that story?

It only takes a few sec's. Sometimes we'll wind up talking about Ft. McHenry and stuff, but that only happens when somebody starts asking questions. But that happens more than you might think.

Personally, I find fans-in-general to be mostly-great. Especially baseball fans. I get along fine with MFY fans and BOS fans. Last game I went to was the one where the O's wore Black Sox uniforms. I was cheerfully giving crap to about 50 BOS fans, we all had fun. I made a big deal about how I really like the Real Red Sox fans, it was just new phony ones I couldn't stand. I even got *them* giving crap to one of their own who unwisely admitted that, not only did his GF have a pink B-hat but that she also gave him a green one ;-)

[weams]

Thank God I'm a commie boy!

Listen, I'm a traditionalist, but I'm also old enough to remember how this tradition got started. There was one year where they started playing this in the 7th inning stretch and it seemed the Orioles always rallied in the bottom half of that inning, so they just kept doing it. And the O's were a very good team then and so they just kept at it and it was kind of a good luck charm (why change what's working?).

Well, it hasn't worked in a long time. The O's have been terrible at coming from behind late in games for many years now. They are the team that blows the leads, not the one that overcomes deficits.

To me, the song is just a reminder that the team isn't what it used to be.

I am old enough to remember the origins as well.

As I railed about in several game threads...the song definitely stopped being a good luck charm when that homemade plane came apart.

We have a different stadium since the Country Boy days.

Cal doesn't play here anymore.

We should try a new song, how about something Joan Jettish?

[tennOsfan]

I am a country boy, I know lots of country boys, and I can tell you Camden Yards is not full of country boys.

It's really an inappropriate song for the city. I don't hate it, but it's out of whack with today and what Baltimore is. Of course, I'm not in touch with its history as many of you, but neither are the legions of Baltimorians who seem uninterested in an evening at OPACY.

Perhaps rethinking the whole presentation of baseball at OPACY will make a positive impact on attendance. It can't hurt. Just because something is a "tradition" doesn't mean it's great.

But the "O" is priceless and must stay. It's a defiant cry of strength in the face of the opposing team and its inane fans. Just like we Tennesseans strainingly scream out the words to "Rocky Top" just to tick off the Bama people, et al.

[Cokeman]

It only takes a few sec's. Sometimes we'll wind up talking about Ft. McHenry and stuff, but that only happens when somebody starts asking questions. But that happens more than you might think.

Personally, I find fans-in-general to be mostly-great. Especially baseball fans. I get along fine with MFY fans and BOS fans. Last game I went to was the one where the O's wore Black Sox uniforms. I was cheerfully giving crap to about 50 BOS fans, we all had fun. I even got *them* giving crap to one of their own who unwisely admitted that, not only did his GF have a pink B-hat but that she also gave him a green one ;-)

That's hard to imagine...but, ok.

[TakebackOPACY]

I'm pro "O" and the fact that it irks other people just makes me shout it louder.

I'm also pro Country Boy and the fact that take me out to the ball game is even played at Camden during the 7th inning stretch is such a slap in the face to the O's rich tradition that I refuse to stand until they play Country Boy. (Isn't take me out to the ballgame a Cubs thing anyway?)

The O's have been playing 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' since 1954, and 'Thank God I'm a Country Boy' started following it in 1975, so I'm not sure why it would be a "slap in the face to the O's rich tradition," to play "Take Me Out to the Ballgame", now.

[PaulFolk]

Well, I might as well just cheer for Jeter and root for the Yankees too then, so people won't think I'm a jerk, or out of place.

That's not at all the same thing. While the game is going on, cheer as hard and as loud as you like for the Orioles. That's part of the game. You're supporting your team.

But the national anthem is a different story. It's not about supporting one team or the other. It doesn't have anything to do with the actual game. And shouting something out while everyone else is being respectfully silent just doesn't jive with me. Again, it's okay if you're at Camden Yards, since everyone knows and embraces the tradition. But on the road...I'd just keep my mouth shut.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Am I the only person here that has "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" on their iPod?