Do you remember this story from January?
I do, I think about it almost every day.
If not let me remind you a little about what happened.
A Marine Mom and friend of this blog, who by the way passed away earlier this year, sent me an email from another Marine Mom explaining that her son was being honored to serve on the Intraservice Color Guard at the beginning of the Super Bowl in Tampa, but that after presenting the colors, they would be escorted out of the stadium to a large tent on the stadium grounds to watch the game on TV.
The hired help, that's all we were to them, not the special guests that Mallory Steinberg states in her emails to those of us that questioned their motives.
We were successful in getting the NFL to reconsider their stance on the importance of these fine young men and women who place their lives on the line in service of their Country, but that was January 2009.
How are they going to treat us this January?
Just as I stated last January, this is NOT about getting something just because we wear the uniform of our country, on the contrary it is all about respecting those that wear the uniform of our country. As I stated in January, we are not asking for any special treatment, we are however, asking to be treated like the heroes you claim we are. You support the military? Great, but don’t invite us to dinner and then make us sit at the children’s table in the other room while all the “adults” go off to the dinning room for wine with their meal. More importantly, don't wrap your self in the mantle of our protection and bask in the "aura" of our heroics in public but ship us off to the servant's quarters as soon as the cameras are turned off.
The NFL has always been a proud supporter of our men and women in uniform, just recently the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders participated in a USO show, something they have been doing since 1979, for the troops and players and league leaders regularly visit the troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and where ever they are forward deployed, but treating us like the hired help just to maximize your profit margin is simply wrong.
I hope the NFL takes a moment to remember the outcry concerning their policy about the color guard, and realizes that the lost revenue of twelve seats is a drop in the bucket compared to the cost our men and women pay everyday in their sacrifices while serving our country.
I'm placing the NFL on notice, I'm going to be watching you, please don't make me come after you again this year.
Showing posts with label Super Bowl XLIII. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Super Bowl XLIII. Show all posts
December 29, 2009
January 26, 2009
Military Color Guard Gets to Stay!
Big thanks to every one who forwarded their reply from Mallory Steinberg of the NFL. Here is what Ms. Steinberg had to say to our inquiry - her email to me in it's entirety.
Give me a break. I know the real estate in a stadium is at a premium, and when all you are seeing are dollar signs instead of people, I guess it is just “good” business to try and suck up as much money as one can at your venue. What really pisses me off are the e-mailers who are slamming us because they think we are asking for something special simply because we are in uniform. We are not, let me reiterate this, we are not asking for any special treatment, we are however, asking to be treated like the heroes you claim we are. You support the military? Great, but don’t invite us to dinner and then make us sit at the children’s table in the other room while all the “adults” go off to the dinning room for wine with their meal. Are we sounding whiny? You’re damn right we are, it’s our right to complain when we come up against a policy we don’t like, isn’t that what all the protesters say? I thought dissent was patriotic?
As I stated earlier, this policy wasn’t all about the Super Bowl it went deeper. It encompasses the prevailing belief in this country being held by men and women in uniform that they are only appreciated when they go off to war, and you get to stay home. “Thank God for men like them.” I hear when we talk of the troops in the box, but not once will you stand up for us when the time comes. Kipling said it best:
To all those haters out there because we were able to get the NFL to change their policy this week and 12 drunken civilians can’t get into the event, “BITE ME!” because I’m not going away. I’m going to keep fighting for my brother’s and sister’s in arms as long as I can, because you surely aren’t and for that you should be ashamed of yourself. They deserve better than being treated like Tommy.
[Ed Note: Some minor gramatical corrections have been made.]
So it appears that the NFL has changed their policy and has agreed to make an exception and will allow the color guard to stay for the big game. However, allow me to point out that this is not a standing NFL policy for all games, when the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants played in their historic game in the UK at the start of this season the honor guard took front row end-zone seats for the game after presenting the colors. The key graph from the USAFE press release:Thank you for your email.
Our longstanding support of the military is a proud NFL tradition, including numerous NFL players and coaches traveling overseas with the USO to visit troops. Last summer, Commissioner Goodell, Drew Brees, and Osi Umenyiora went on a USO trip to Iraq and Afghanistan with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike
Mullen.
Since we had not heard about this directly from the military, we contacted our military liaison for the color guard immediately to discuss the issue. After speaking with our military liaison for the color guard, we will host the members of the color guard (12 people) in the stadium.
The background is this:
The members of the color guard have always been our guests at a Super Bowl party in a compound on the stadium grounds where they watch the game on big-screen TVs and enjoy food and beverage.That is how we have done it every year. The military provides an intra-service color guard as part of our pre-game tribute to the military that also includes the military fly-over of the stadium. Then we arrange a place for the color guard to watch the game along with other pre-game and halftime show participants (more than 2,000 people).
We appreciate your commitment to the NFL.
Best,
Mallory Steinberg
NFL Communications and Public Affairs
An ecstatic Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Marlon E. Vega summed it up as they left the field after the performance: "We were awesome! - No ifs, ands, or buts." Seats in the front row in the end zone for the game, and photos with the Miami Dolphins cheerleaders and sports broadcast personalities like John Salley of the "Best Darn Sports Show" capped an impressive day for the JAC team.As Lex noted when I broke this story, it appears to be just another business decision, the game played between the Giants and Dolphins at London’s Wembley Stadium, despite the historic significance wasn’t the money generator that the Super Bowl is. Despite his obvious love for the NFL Florio hit the nail on the head when he stated that the real reason they can’t stay in the stadium is because of the lost profit margin the NFL would have to endure. I know its tough to make ends meat when you are charging $3 Million US for a 30 second commercial spot, and have absolute control on how many of those 30 second spots you want to cram into your 6 hour production.
Give me a break. I know the real estate in a stadium is at a premium, and when all you are seeing are dollar signs instead of people, I guess it is just “good” business to try and suck up as much money as one can at your venue. What really pisses me off are the e-mailers who are slamming us because they think we are asking for something special simply because we are in uniform. We are not, let me reiterate this, we are not asking for any special treatment, we are however, asking to be treated like the heroes you claim we are. You support the military? Great, but don’t invite us to dinner and then make us sit at the children’s table in the other room while all the “adults” go off to the dinning room for wine with their meal. Are we sounding whiny? You’re damn right we are, it’s our right to complain when we come up against a policy we don’t like, isn’t that what all the protesters say? I thought dissent was patriotic?
As I stated earlier, this policy wasn’t all about the Super Bowl it went deeper. It encompasses the prevailing belief in this country being held by men and women in uniform that they are only appreciated when they go off to war, and you get to stay home. “Thank God for men like them.” I hear when we talk of the troops in the box, but not once will you stand up for us when the time comes. Kipling said it best:
I went into a theatre as sober as could be,Let me ask again: Is Bruce Springsteen being charged for his $1000+ seat? Of course not he is a celebrity, and a supporter of the new Administration to boot, we can’t have him in with the hired help watching the game on a TV waiting for his stage call. He is important, not like those 12 men and women in uniform who are guarding and presenting not only our country’s flag but our country!
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.
To all those haters out there because we were able to get the NFL to change their policy this week and 12 drunken civilians can’t get into the event, “BITE ME!” because I’m not going away. I’m going to keep fighting for my brother’s and sister’s in arms as long as I can, because you surely aren’t and for that you should be ashamed of yourself. They deserve better than being treated like Tommy.
[Ed Note: Some minor gramatical corrections have been made.]
January 23, 2009
Super Bowl XLIII and the "Hired Help"
I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has chimed in on this policy fiasco with the NFL.
Granted this may be as someone else has already said, a simply policy snafu, concerning floor space. And wearing the uniform of one’s country does not grant you special privileges, or guarantee you free stuff. However, in this case it simply is the thought that counts.
But, and there always seems to be a but in there these days, what really is a kick in the pants for me is that the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corp is most likely planning on spending millions of dollars to advertise during that game, and the NFL and NBC are going to take that money and run!
I don’t know who to be more angry at, the NFL who is using our guys and girls in uniform to present the colors and then hustling them out of the stadium, or the PR execs of the Armed Services.
UPDATE:
Mike Florio at ProFootballTalk.com is writing that in an email to him from NFL Spokesman Greg Aiello, that this is not a new policy of the NFL:
Well Mike, I don’t think anyone has ever thought this was due to a sagging economy but rather due to a pervasive belief by our men and women in uniform that our men and women in uniform are quite regularly being expected to act like perfect little children, and that being that they should be seen but not heard. It is a well known fact that the NFL is a big supporter of our Armed Forces, their sports figures and cheerleaders regularly make trips overseas to support the men and women in uniform, but if this is how they really show their appreciation, then please lets be upfront about it and not try to sugar coat it. Corralling the color guard into a compound on the grounds so that they can watch the game on a big screen TV, with the rest of the hired entertainers, isn’t much of a gesture of support.
The Color Guard are not hired help nor are they entertainers; they are honored guests presenting our nations colors, a symbol of the nation that they serve and sacrifice for on a daily basis. As I stated earlier, the wearing of our country’s uniform should and does not guarantee upon you special benefits, nor should it guarantee you admission to any special event, but these men and women are being invited to be there in the course of their duty. Yes seating for this game is not cheap, where tickets have a face value of between $800 and $1000 each, but with ad revenue streaming in at $3 million for a 30 second spot, $12,000 of lost ticket revenue, so the Color Guard can stand on the sidelines, is a drop in the bucket, especially when the NFL and NBC can agree to insert as many commercial breaks as they see fit.
More to follow….
Granted this may be as someone else has already said, a simply policy snafu, concerning floor space. And wearing the uniform of one’s country does not grant you special privileges, or guarantee you free stuff. However, in this case it simply is the thought that counts.
But, and there always seems to be a but in there these days, what really is a kick in the pants for me is that the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corp is most likely planning on spending millions of dollars to advertise during that game, and the NFL and NBC are going to take that money and run!
I don’t know who to be more angry at, the NFL who is using our guys and girls in uniform to present the colors and then hustling them out of the stadium, or the PR execs of the Armed Services.
UPDATE:
Mike Florio at ProFootballTalk.com is writing that in an email to him from NFL Spokesman Greg Aiello, that this is not a new policy of the NFL:
“The members of the Color Guard have always been our guests at a Super Bowl party in a compound on the stadium grounds where they watch the game on big-screen TVs and enjoy food and beverage…”Florio continues:
“That’s an important point, in our view. Because the outrage is being stoked by the contention that something has changed, presumably due to the economy. Well, nothing has changed. Per the league, this is the way it has always been done.
‘The military provides an intra-service Color Guard as part of our pre-game tribute to the military that also includes the military fly-over of the stadium,’ Aiello said. ‘Then we arrange a place for the Color Guard to watch the game along with other pre-game and halftime show participants (more than 2,000 people).’
Aiello added that the league has heard no complaints or concerns from the military, and that the league will contact the military liaison for the Color Guard to discuss the situation, if there are any concerns about it.
For now, however, the league office seems to be surprised by the contention that it isn’t adequately supporting the military.
‘Our longstanding support of the military is a proud NFL tradition,’ Aiello said, ‘including numerous NFL players and coaches traveling overseas with the USO to visit troops. Last summer, Commissioner Goodell, Drew Brees, and Osi Umenyiora went on a USO trip to Iraq and Afghanistan with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen.’”
Well Mike, I don’t think anyone has ever thought this was due to a sagging economy but rather due to a pervasive belief by our men and women in uniform that our men and women in uniform are quite regularly being expected to act like perfect little children, and that being that they should be seen but not heard. It is a well known fact that the NFL is a big supporter of our Armed Forces, their sports figures and cheerleaders regularly make trips overseas to support the men and women in uniform, but if this is how they really show their appreciation, then please lets be upfront about it and not try to sugar coat it. Corralling the color guard into a compound on the grounds so that they can watch the game on a big screen TV, with the rest of the hired entertainers, isn’t much of a gesture of support.
The Color Guard are not hired help nor are they entertainers; they are honored guests presenting our nations colors, a symbol of the nation that they serve and sacrifice for on a daily basis. As I stated earlier, the wearing of our country’s uniform should and does not guarantee upon you special benefits, nor should it guarantee you admission to any special event, but these men and women are being invited to be there in the course of their duty. Yes seating for this game is not cheap, where tickets have a face value of between $800 and $1000 each, but with ad revenue streaming in at $3 million for a 30 second spot, $12,000 of lost ticket revenue, so the Color Guard can stand on the sidelines, is a drop in the bucket, especially when the NFL and NBC can agree to insert as many commercial breaks as they see fit.
More to follow….
January 22, 2009
Are You Ready to Get Angry?
Welcome Instapundit, Pat Dollard, Blackfive, Ace of Spades, and The Tank Readers updates to this story can be found here.
~~~
Gen. Ray Odierno, commander of Multi-National Force–Iraq, recently issued an expanded waiver to the policy issued earlier allowing beer to be served for troop stationed in Baghdad last week, according to military officials the expanded waiver allows all units in Iraq to serve two beers per servicemember during the big game.
I'm referring to the Super Bowl of course.
What a change from years past, when only near beer was allowed. But … and there is always a but, not everything is coming up roses for military units in all things Super Bowl related
Since 9/11/01 it has become quite the event to have military color guards present the colors and be present during the singing of the National Anthem at sporting events of all kinds, and at Super Bowl XLIII this will also take place. So to say I was surprised when I received this email from a distraught Marine Mom would be an understatement:
What? The Super Bowl won’t let the military color guard stay and watch the big game? Yes you read that right. Was I skeptical? At first, but after I contacted the Tampa Bay host Committee through their official website and spoke to Katie Wagner, I was assured that yes in fact her email inbox is full of emails from upset Marine Mom’s all asking for an explanation. To Ms. Wagner’s credit, who by the way was extremely gracious during my questions the Host Committee has no control over game day decisions; that authority rests solely with the NFL.
What has become a common yet gracious act of allowing a military color guard to stay and watch the game from the side lines, in honor of their service to our country, this time has them being treated as if they are the unwelcome guests, common servants to be whisked away as soon as their task is completed.
Up next: We'll see if I receive a reply to my inquiries for more information from the NFL.
~~~~
~~~
Gen. Ray Odierno, commander of Multi-National Force–Iraq, recently issued an expanded waiver to the policy issued earlier allowing beer to be served for troop stationed in Baghdad last week, according to military officials the expanded waiver allows all units in Iraq to serve two beers per servicemember during the big game.
I'm referring to the Super Bowl of course.
What a change from years past, when only near beer was allowed. But … and there is always a but, not everything is coming up roses for military units in all things Super Bowl related
Since 9/11/01 it has become quite the event to have military color guards present the colors and be present during the singing of the National Anthem at sporting events of all kinds, and at Super Bowl XLIII this will also take place. So to say I was surprised when I received this email from a distraught Marine Mom would be an understatement:
My youngest Marine called me this morning. In the course of the conversation he made mention of being part of the Color Guard for the ceremonies at the Super Bowl. He has been part of other Color Guards at other games and has been able to enjoy the entire game after presenting the Colors. HOWEVER, this will not be the case this time. The 12 man/women color guard will be presenting the Colors and then will be escorted out of the stadium and therefore not allowed to see the game. Steven and the 11 others are quite upset about this and have asked that I see if I could contact someone and have that changed.
What? The Super Bowl won’t let the military color guard stay and watch the big game? Yes you read that right. Was I skeptical? At first, but after I contacted the Tampa Bay host Committee through their official website and spoke to Katie Wagner, I was assured that yes in fact her email inbox is full of emails from upset Marine Mom’s all asking for an explanation. To Ms. Wagner’s credit, who by the way was extremely gracious during my questions the Host Committee has no control over game day decisions; that authority rests solely with the NFL.
What has become a common yet gracious act of allowing a military color guard to stay and watch the game from the side lines, in honor of their service to our country, this time has them being treated as if they are the unwelcome guests, common servants to be whisked away as soon as their task is completed.
Up next: We'll see if I receive a reply to my inquiries for more information from the NFL.
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