NHRA What Is Wrong With You

[Warren Evans]

Originally Posted by novassdude

So is that the real story or is the quote from Mr Evens on this site correct? Acording to him it was ready to go no mention of technical difficulties.

"First, let me say it is great to see the passion coming through in this debate and peoples feelings on something that has become so routine in public sporting events.
The decision over the pledge and/or anthem was among people in the tower. I was prepared either way to play or not play the anthem. The cue for saying the pledge comes from the example set at the Chili Bowl which also says the pledge in lieu of playing of the anthem. To hear thousands of people engaged and actively participating in the opening act of the event can be very powerful - especially if they believe in the words they are reciting.
Not playing the anthem was not in any way intended to be disrespectful to anyone in attendance or watching on the feed, and not an effort to be "politically correct". It was also not a directive from Glendora. It was simply to get people to engage and participate.
In person, the majority of people that expressed an opinion to the staff in the tower were good with it, although some wanted to understand the logic behind it.
I am sure this will be discussed moving forward and may or may not happen again. But again, there was no disrespect intended at all by anyone involved."

From each of our perspectives, we are both correct. My copy of the anthem was on my iPad that I did not realize the battery was dead on. I got it plugged in shortly before the opening ceremonies and it came to life as we were doing the invocation. Bob made a decision on the fly and did what he felt was the right step to open the show. I was confident we could play the song, but he probably wasn't. And as master of ceremonies, you have to make decisions to move the show along. We could have done it (my opinion) but we could have messed it up just as easily (his opinion).
Now, he and I and others have discussed the pledge as part of opening ceremonies on more than one occasion. Doing it was not a surprise to me. I don't have any issue with what he did and take responsibility for the technical problem which caused the scramble.