The Sports Informant

I turned on the Oakland Raiders’ game right now and they were playing the national anthem. While I prepared to puff out my chest with pride, an attractive woman started singing the wrong song!

While the Raiders-Ravens game was actually being played in Baltimore, the video feed we watched was of the Chargers-Saints pregame in London, England. I’d forgotten they were playing there until that reminder. Now I wish I’d have turned on the TV 10 minutes later.

The camera scanned a crowd of seemingly aloof fans wearing Pittsburgh Steelers jerseys, soccer jerseys, New York Yankees hats and more. I didn’t catch on Chargers or Saints jersey. The majority of the crowd butchered their sing-along, several obviously botching the words to their own national anthem as they tried to join the tune. It was embarrassing, but not just for the crowd, but for us in the states, too.

Why? Because here was what I like to call “our sport” being plastered by images of people who have no idea what they’re cheering for and represented by a country who has witnessed an official NFL game now… twice.

What is the NFL thinking? I was insulted as I watched this, wondering what fans in San Diego and New Orleans were thinking as one of the team’s home games was played in an entirely different continent.

This is a slippery slope, my friends. Much like businesses fleeing California to avoid state taxes and make more money, so is the NFL exploiting an American-made product to earn a few extra bucks across the pond at our expense. Soon, a game a week will be played in some other country, as the American league tries to become a “worldwide establishment.” Does this, in turn, lead to franchise teams being opened up in other countries, becoming part of the regular league? With NBA players going to play in Europe instead for more money, is it entirely ridiculous to think the NBA will try to combat this by selling a spot in the league to one of these countries?

A disturbing trend is building, one that’s changing the very few things our country has left to be proud of into something that won’t even be ours anymore. These are our toys commissioners, and we don’t want to share.

What’s the solution? Only a complete boycott will suffice. As long as Saints fans continue to buy season tickets with one of their games circled on the schedule in London, owners will agree to the NFL’s request and the NFL will keep shipping our guys overseas. Only when American fans boycott teams willing to play their games in other countries will we see owners tell the NFL an emphatic “no.” Until then, things are only going to get worse. Just like we’ve got the power to vote our next president into office, so do we, as Americans, have the power to tell the NFL where OUR games will be played.

Bring our boys home. Keep American sports American, before it’s too late.