Oh! How doing that during the anthem rankles some people

[Scrat1]

I agree that "Burning Down the House" would be quite wonderful, except for the mere fact that it is just not a "sing-along" song...

"Country Boy," as inane as it is, is a part of the culture. Revel in it! We're

Agreed. I'm a huge Talking Heads fan. And I hate John Denver. But "Country Boy" has to stay. I'll boo my face off if they try replace it.

And to the people that say it doesn't represent Baltimore: Pick another sing that does. I bet you can't. "Country Boy" represents Baltimore better than any other song simply because it's a tradition that we associate with the Orioles. Who cares how or why the tradition got started. I don't think that's important.

[orayole]

Agreed. I'm a huge Talking Heads fan. And I hate John Denver. But "Country Boy" has to stay. I'll boo my face off if they try replace it.

And to the people that say it doesn't represent Baltimore: Pick another sing that does. I bet you can't. "Country Boy" represents Baltimore better than any other song simply because it's a tradition that we associate with the Orioles. Who cares how or why the tradition got started. I don't think that's important.

The theme song to "Cops".....

[Guest JChav]

You know what rankles me? When people think they're above others.

Shouting "O" is showing support for the team. It's no disrespect to our country.

And the hat thing. It's a freakin HAT. A HAT. Wearing a hat isn't disrespect. IT'S A HAT. I do remove mine but only because people like you make a such a huge freaking deal about it that I don't feel like dealing with it. IT'S A HAT.

I agree that shouting the "O!" doesn't exactly diminish anyone's patriotism. But I agree with TonySoprano on the hat issue. "It's a freakin HAT. A HAT," holds just the same amount of water as "It's a small sign of RESPECT. RESPECT." Is it so much to ask to remove your hat in light of the fact that it's a well-known custom? You remove your shoes in a person's house when they ask you to take them off at the door. You know that those shoes probably aren't going to dirty up their beloved carpet, but you do it out of respect and because they simply ask it of you in the same way they ask you before the National Anthem to "Please remove your hat."

[orayole]

I agree that shouting the "O!" doesn't exactly diminish anyone's patriotism. But I agree with TonySoprano on the hat issue. "It's a freakin HAT. A HAT," holds just the same amount of water as "It's a small sign of RESPECT. RESPECT." Is it so much to ask to remove your hat in light of the fact that it's a well-known custom? You remove your shoes in a person's house when they ask you to take them off at the door. You know that those shoes probably aren't going to dirty up their beloved carpet, but you do it out of respect and because they simply ask it of you in the same way they ask you before the National Anthem to "Please remove your hat."

How is taking off a hat respect? Who is the "owner of the house" ,as you used in the shoe example, to tell me to take off my hat? You? Get over yourself.

[Guest JChav]

How is taking off a hat respect? Who is the "owner of the house" ,as you used in the shoe example, to tell me to take off my hat? You? Get over yourself.

It's respect because it's recognized by and large by society as respect. Pushing the envelope and distorting an equivalent analogy doesn't further your argument, more so it just kind of shows you don't have one.

[orayole]

It's respect because it's recognized by and large by society as respect. Pushing the envelope and distorting an equivalent analogy doesn't further your argument, more so it just kind of shows you don't have one.

You're the one that used the analogy. Don't make one if you don't want to back it up. I used your analogy perfectly. I take off my shoes because the owner of the house that I am entering asks me to. If I don't he kicks me out. Who kicks me out for wearing a hat?

A hat is a hat is a hat. It is nothing more than a hat. It's material. It has no super powers to do any harm.

Who are you to say it's recognized by and large by society as respect? Do you speak for everyone? I would guess most people could not care less. It's the annoying minority with a loud voice that make it a big deal that keeps anyone doing it.

[Guest JChav]

I've heard the "Oh" in one place I wasn't really expecting it. During Penn State games in Beaver Stadium you can usually hear enough students in the student section emphasing the "Oh" to make it noticable.

Now that I think about it, one of the better things about the "Oh" in the national anthem is that's there's no real way for opposing fans to retort.

What are they going to do? They can't exactly boo someone for doing it during or immediately after the national anthem.

Only thing they can really do is give you a dirty look after the anthem.

That or write an opinion piece in the a newspaper.

I took the "O!" to the ultimate test a few years back at the WBC in San Diego. There I was in the upper deck...three time zones away, surrounded by a congregation of worldwide baseball fans, yelling the "O!" Thankfully there was no international incident afterwards, but I did get my share of confused looks:D .

[Guest JChav]

You're the one that used the analogy. Don't make one if you don't want to back it up. I used your analogy perfectly. I take off my shoes because the owner of the house that I am entering asks me to. If I don't he kicks me out. Who kicks me out for wearing a hat?

A hat is a hat is a hat. It is nothing more than a hat. It's material. It has no super powers to do any harm.

Who are you to say it's recognized by and large by society as respect? Do you speak for everyone? I would guess most people could not care less. It's the annoying minority with a loud voice that make it a big deal that keeps anyone doing it.

Well if you really want me to further down the analogy alone, you wouldn't necessarily get kicked out for it. Larry David sure didn't...

And if you don't believe hat removal is really a known custom...well...I'd say all hope is lost on this argument with you.

[orayole]

Well if you really want me to further down the analogy alone, you wouldn't necessarily get kicked out for it. Larry David sure didn't...

And if you don't believe hat removal is really a known custom...well...I'd say all hope is lost on this argument with you.

If it really is a sign of respect you would kick them out of the house. If someone didnt follow one of my house rules they would most definitely be out.

I actually had no idea until I went to a game and someone nearly took the hat off my head. That is disrespect. Maybe it's not as wide known or "held to heart" as you think.

Get over yourself seriously.

[Guest JChav]

If it really is a sign of respect you would kick them out of the house. If someone didnt follow one of my house rules they would most definitely be out.

I actually had no idea until I went to a game and someone nearly took the hat off my head. That is disrespect. Maybe it's not as wide known or "held to heart" as you think.

Get over yourself seriously.

Taking off your hat has been a customary tradition for a while. Church, school, dinner, national anthem/pledge of allegiance. Sorry you somehow missed the memo on that one...

I don't think anyone would disagree that if someone tried to take your hat off for you that he was definitely disrespecting you.

Do you tell everyone that doesn't agree with you to get over themselves? I don't really recall riding into this thread on a high horse...

[RShack]

It's respect because it's recognized by and large by society as respect. Pushing the envelope and distorting an equivalent analogy doesn't further your argument, more so it just kind of shows you don't have one.

Well, here's the problem: it's not the HAT, it's the symbol of what it represents. And symbols mean different things to different people. With the flag and related matters, it's changed a whole bunch. There used to very strict rules that everybody went by. For example, there were only a couple or three places that could fly the flag 24/7. Ft. McHenry was one. Maybe the Flag House was another. Plus a couple places in DC and that was about it. Everybody else had to take the flag down when it got dark. Now, flags fly 24/7 all the time. It used to be that if a flag touched the ground, you had to do a ritual ceremony and burn it because it was now tainted and ruined. Really. Almost nobody thinks like that anymore. They changed the rules. And, apart from the formal rules, people get raised with different informal rules. Everybody used to learn this stuff, just like everybody used to know where Cleveland is. Not anymore. It used to be that everybody was on the same page. Now, nobody's on the same page, everybody's fussing at people who are on a different page. It's because nobody agrees about anything much anymore, especially symbols. I just hope we can get back to being on the same page about more and more things. This divisive stuff has gone on way too long.

As for the HAT, I wouldn't get mad about it myself, but I also think it's a simple enough thing to be considerate about. If you know it matters to somebody else, and if it doesn't hurt to respect that, why not take off the hat? Nothing wrong with being neighborly about it. If everybody would just be neighborly a little bit, and think about the other guy instead of just worrying about #1, lots of stuff would be better. Depending on how much everybody did that, almost everything would be better.

[Guest JChav]

Well, here's the problem: it's not the HAT, it's the symbol of what it represents. And symbols mean different things to different people. With the flag and related matters, it's changed a whole bunch. There used to very strict rules that everybody went by. For example, there were only a couple or three places that could fly the flag 24/7. Ft. McHenry was one. Maybe the Flag House was another. Plus a couple places in DC and that was about it. Everybody else had to take the flag down when it got dark. Now, flags fly 24/7 all the time. It used to be that if a flag touched the ground, you had to do a ritual ceremony and burn it because it was now tainted and ruined. Really. Almost nobody thinks like that anymore. They changed the rules. And, apart from the formal rules, people get raised with different informal rules. Everybody used to learn this stuff, just like everybody used to know where Cleveland is. Not anymore. It used to be that everybody was on the same page. Now, nobody's on the same page, everybody's fussing at people who are on a different page. It's because nobody agrees about anything much anymore, especially symbols. I just hope we can get back to being on the same page about more and more things. This divisive stuff has gone on way too long.

As for the HAT, I wouldn't get mad about it myself, but I also think it's a simple enough thing to be considerate about. If you know it matters to somebody else, and if it doesn't hurt to respect that, why not? Nothing wrong with being neighborly about it.

My point isn't really in contrast with much of what you say, and I do agree that in the end, yes, it is just a hat. Don't get me wrong, I don't create any public displays when someone hasn't taken off their hat and I'll even admit I've kept it on before myself. But to intentionally say "No!" for no real reason besides not feeling like it is arrogant. Rebel without a cause.

In THOSE cases, I think it's very suitable to tell someone to "get over themselves."

[Cakes2Kakes]

For those who find "Country Boy" inappropriate and silly I suggest we bring back "The Mexican Hat Dance" song that was the standard for many years before that!

I wonder how that would go over?

[Cakes2Kakes]

How about a Talking Heads song. David Byrne grew up in Arbutus.

Wild Wild Life

Take me to the River

Burning Down the House

Great idea! I would vote for "Wild Wild Life" and they could show people in the stands doing their best lip-sync on the new jumbo tron like in his movie "True Stories", or if they want to stay country they could play the John Goodman version of "People Like Us" from that movie! Now that's real country!

[mikezpen]

I think the National Anthem is too serious of a thing to be punctuated with that ridiculous "OH". It's totally inappropriate.

But, it's not going to change, either, which is too bad.