American national anthem at WSOP main event???

[Philuva]

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However, it is pretty stupid to play any national anthem at all imo (not offensive...just stupid).
Have they always done this?

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It started after WWII. I agree that it is one of the stupidest traditions. It always amazes me how people get so fired up over it too.

Why do it for sporting events? Should companies play it before work begins? Should restaurants play before serving meals? I understand it at international sporting events, but it just makes no sense for national and collegiate sports, but whatever.

I am sure people in 40 years will wonder why God Bless America is played during the 7th inning stretch at baseball games too.

The World Series of Poker was created by Benny Binion. At the time the only participants were Americans, I doubt Benny considered it an international event. He was just a showman and smart businessman. He used the term "World Series" to make the tournament sound important and prestigious, not due to it being an international event.
FWIW, I do think siging the anthem in a casino is a bit extraneous. It reminds me of when they telecast horse races in the simulcast area of a bar and all the drunk horse players get up when the anthem is played, it always seemed funny to me.

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I don't like to go to other countries and behave in a manner to cause offence so I probably would've quietly slipped outside. But how +EV and tilt-inducing would it be to simply ignore everyone standing up singing and mutter anti-American slogans?

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Let's all join hands and share a Coca Cola. Or do you have a problem with that because it is an American product?

Would you have felt better if the Horseshoe flew the UN flag? Probably. To take "offence" with a host country playing their anthem is either a joke or an indication of a mental condition. Deal with it!

[cogger]

Here Here!! -- well said.

And what about the WORLD Series of Baseball?? What is this liberals view on that?

[Leaky Eye]

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It seems incredibly inappropriate for a supposedly international event (World != America) whatever country it's held in. And how did non-US participants react?

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Whatever you stupid pinko.

[valenzuela]

I only read the first 6 posts but isnt it funny that the event wasnt even won by an american...

[Hotel Detect]

I could care less whether the anthem was played or not, most Americans view it as standard before major competitions. What I find hilarious is the pathetic obsession Europeans have with our country. The WSOP is named the WSOP for no other reason than that it was named after the WSOBaseball. There is no nazi-esque nationalistic intention here. Also the WSOP is not the G8 summitt, its a ***King poker tournament. Americans are way less nationalistic than you think. I personally would've like to hear the Australian anthem when Hachem won.

To get hung up on this is simply juvenile and ridiculous, will you ever stop complaining about your invented oppression under the US superpower? Quit whining and move on, you sound like a bunch of pussies - not eloquent but no other way to describe it.

[NCAces]

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though I do think that it's odd to hold the world series in a country that does so.

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Why is that odd? Why would a US company, running a tournament that started in the US, where most players participating are from the US, when it has traditionally been held in the US, hold it anywhere else?


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Personally I prefer the policy that taxes the profits of gambling companies, not the winnings of players, but that's a whole other debate..

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Then you don't understand basic concepts of taxation. Corporations don't pay taxes ... those who purchase the services or goods of the corporation pay the taxes. In your example, if the US exempted gambling winnings from taxation, and counter-balanced the loss of revenue by raising the taxes on the corporations that run the gambling, where do you think they would get the extra money? Do you think they would say, "oh, no big deal ... they are now taxing an additional 20% ... we don't mind a 20% reduction in our proftits." No, the corporations would say, no problem, raise the rakes, lower the payouts. Either way, in the end the gamblers would pay the taxes, not the corporations.

NCAces

[beta1607]

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you should accept that some think the US national anthem is a bit too much.

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You should accept that the organizers of this even do not think it is a bit too much and if that offends you then simply do not participate in the WSOP.

[unfrgvn]

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Stop trying to give credit to other countries what is rightfully American. I'm sure the cavemen played with sticks and balls but that does not make it baseball.


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It's British you are wrong, all you did is change the rules a little. Same goes for American Football, rugby with a suit of armour.

Mack

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I suppose instead of playing the anthem we could be really advanced like our British cousins and have a riot before or during our sporting matches:

http://www.englischservice.de/hooligans3.html