[npa589]

Doug, that's an awesome and very funny story.


Ben: I've been mulling that decision. I'm engaged, so, maybe once I'm more settled, I'll begin to pursue it a little bit.

I did send in an audition to the Cubs, but, they apparently enjoy choosing people who can't sing. I watch practically every game, and just sit there shaking my head when they get someone who can't sing. Some of them are really really bad... I think you all have probably seen the evidence of people having no idea what they're doing when they pick someone to sing the anthem. The biggest events in the world still manage to have people that can't sing at all, yet are famous. Usually hockey is the only sport that gets it right...

By the way, I really dislike when the anthem is sung with an incredible amount of melismas. IMO, it should be sung with respect, in a traditional, straight-forward manner - so that the point of the song is not trivialized. Very rarely does someone depart from that and still keep it special. There are very few Marvin Gayes. His was awesome. The focus should be on the country, on the flag, not on the person singing the song. When it is ""popularized"", that focus becomes misplaced and distracts from the purpose of the song. I grew up singing stuff like Boyz II Men, and teach at an inner-cities school where I thoroughly enjoy teaching and singing songs that require popular, melismatic singing - i just don't think the national anthem is the place to do it.

Anyways - I'll get off my soap box. Oh, and Leon, I was hoping someone would pick that up! "Before we're done here, you'll all be wearing gold-plated diapers!"