Updated throughout the day with quick takes from staff.
Have you ever noticed the amount of American flags you see on an NFL broadcast? It seems like they cut away to soldiers like once-a-quarter. Do you ever find yourself wondering whether it’s all a little bit overdone? Like, do we really need a 100-yard flag* covering the field during each team’s national anthem?
If you’ve ever wondered, you’re not alone. This article traces the longstanding correlation between football and what the article calls “super-patriotism.” And it’s a pretty interesting history. Almost since inception, football’s been closely tethered to our flag, military rhetoric, and soliders. None of which is a bad thing; it’s part of what makes football so awesome.
It’s AMERICAN, damnit! But doesn’t it start to feel a bit contrived when fans are inundated with ads like this anytime they turn on a game?
Maybe, maybe not. But there’s no question, when it comes to loving America, the NFL’s got the (free) market cornered.
(*How do they transport that flag? Is it one big piece of fabric, or a bunch of velcro pieces? Does the flag have its own truck? Does it ever touch the ground? We need answers!)
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