So...

The Super Bowl is over for another year. As a die hard Steelers' fan, I was disappointed in their performance, to say the least, but I am still a die hard fan. That loss won't change me. I won't jump onto another team's bandwagon.

Lately, on Facebook, I have seen a lot of people who can be just plain UGLY when it comes to professional sports. I actually had one person say, "PACKERS WIN THE SUPERBOWL! HA, LINDA!"

Really.

But here's the kicker - she (and her husband) are not Packers fans. They were pulling for Green Bay simply because the Steelers beat their team, the Patriots. Really? And then to get ugly about it, well...as I put in my status, "Steeler Nation means DEDICATION"...I'll stay dedicated to them.

The rest of the Super Bowl? GAH!

To have someone like Christina Aguilara sing our anthem...I was disgusted to just SEE her there. IN MY OPINION (and people forget that I am entitled to my own opinion, particularly in my status or on my blog!), she is not talented. It doesn't take a lot to scream and twist notes...I can do it. One of my friends called it "talentless vocal gymnastics" and I totally agree with her! You see, those of you who are still hanging on to reading this blog KNOW, KNOW, KNOW that I am a military spouse. Many of you know that I am also a veteran of the U.S. Air Force (and if you didn't, well, now you know!). I am also a naturalized citizen, having become an American in 2003. My nation's anthem means a LOT to me. I have stood up in theaters when the Anthem is played (on military posts, they don't do this anywhere else anymore, lest we offend someone). I CRY almost every time I hear it. I have a hard time playing it, because I always have tears in my eyes. As a musician, I know this song means a LOT to so many people!

I even stood up straight and put my hand over my heart when CA started to sing it...but turned in disgust when she started with the whining and moaning...singing the song not only with those disgusting vocals, but in the wrong TIME (again, the musician in me can't STAND when the song is sung other than how it was originally written). But then, to MESS UP THE WORDS??? TWICE? REALLY????

Okay, okay...the argument has been laid out so many times since Sunday - she was NERVOUS. I know, I get it. But guess what? She is a PROFESSIONAL performer. She should have had this song backwards and forwards in her SLEEP, for crying out loud. I hear tell she "got caught up in the moment". *I* think that she was too busying trying to slide the notes around to make the anthem a pop tune...she didn't care to perform it properly, and this is what resulted.

I will state, as I stated on FB (so I apologize if you've read it there already): There are two things you just do not mess up: TAPS at a funeral (and I've played many), and our National Anthem. It is a song that should be performed with dignity and grace. The song is written in a specific time and should be performed as such. This isn't a song that you should take "artistic liberty" with. And I'm going to show my prejudice here. As an American, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and the proud wife of a U.S. Army Soldier (and even more prejudice, a BANDMASTER with the Army Band program), I think that the National Anthem should be performed by the U.S. Armed Forces Military Bands. There are enough Service Bands out there that could perform this song at the Superbowl...and it would be done with dignity, respect and grace that is befitting the song of our Nation.

Someone actually replied: The super bowl is about "entertainment". In my opinion, the military is not for entertaining our country.

Last I knew, the Super Bowl was supposed to be about FOOTBALL. And the military? well here was my reply to that: The mission of military bands is not only for the military, but they are musical ambassadors for the USA. They perform for more civilians than military. They do community outreach by performing in schools, offering master classes to student...s, perform in concerts and parades across the nation. The military is indeed involved in entertainment!

Have you never been to a military band concert in your community? Have you not seen the flyovers by jets, seen the Golden Knights Parachute team jump? That's ALL entertainment? How about the U.S. Army Soldier show? These are NOT Army bandsmen, but talented soldiers who go around performing? NOT FOR ENTERTAINING our country? sheesh.

THIS is how it should be done:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ETrr-XHBjE