Sabres' Military Appreciation efforts

[Stoner]

I pretty much excoriated the Sabres for their Fan Appreciation Night last season. So, what's fair is fair. I like their Military Appreciation program, highlighted by events at Friday's game against Florida, much, much more.

 

http://buffalonews.com/2017/11/03/sabres-notebook-eichel-kane-a-killer-combo-military-appreciation-stars-rolling-at-home/

 

I might always be a little uneasy about an entertainment business doing something like this, and you can't deny that part of what the team is doing is — wait for it — marketing and PR, but in the end there's never a bad time and almost never a bad way to show appreciation to the military for what they do.

 

I wouldn't hand out dog tags, but I'll leave it to any veterans or active military to comment on whether it bothers them. But, by and large the team's efforts are spot on, especially sending some older vets to Washington so they can see their war memorial and visit Arlington.

 

The difference between this event and Fan Appreciation Night is that the bulk of the efforts here genuinely show appreciation. Military members and families will certainly feel appreciated. Can any fan say the same about the final home game last season?

 

Anyway, good job, Sabres.

Edited November 4, 2017 by PASabreFan

[bobs0108]

I am currently serving in the Navy and the Dog tags do not bother me, I have no problems with it. I would of like to have gone to the game but I’m stationed in Cali right now so it’s a no go.

[Stoner]

I am currently serving in the Navy and the Dog tags do not bother me, I have no problems with it. I would of like to have gone to the game but I’m stationed in Cali right now so it’s a no go.

Good to hear from you!

[Radar]

I pretty much excoriated the Sabres for their Fan Appreciation Night last season. So, what's fair is fair. I like their Military Appreciation program, highlighted by events at Friday's game against Florida, much, much more.

 

http://buffalonews.com/2017/11/03/sabres-notebook-eichel-kane-a-killer-combo-military-appreciation-stars-rolling-at-home/

 

I might always be a little uneasy about an entertainment business doing something like this, and you can't deny that part of what the team is doing is — wait for it — marketing and PR, but in the end there's never a bad time and almost never a bad way to show appreciation to the military for what they do.

 

I wouldn't hand out dog tags, but I'll leave it to any veterans or active military to comment on whether it bothers them. But, by and large the team's efforts are spot on, especially sending some older vets to Washington so they can see their war memorial and visit Arlington.

 

The difference between this event and Fan Appreciation Night is that the bulk of the efforts here genuinely show appreciation. Military members and families will certainly feel appreciated. Can any fan say the same about the final home game last season?

 

Anyway, good job, Sabres.

I'm a Navy vet (Vietnam era). Couple things I feel about this. First, I feel since 911 we have over done the recognition thing to the extent that we're all heroes now (I'm not one) and when teams are getting paid to do this as a promotion it's not tasteful in my opinion. There is ,in my opinion, a lot of superficial or tacky patriotism being displayed. Let's recognize our true heroes and for the rest of us we don't need any. JMO.

[PromoTheRobot]

I don't understand why the Sabres don't occasionally invite a Canadian Forces veteran for the anthem. It would be a nice gesture.

[Stoner]

I'm a Navy vet (Vietnam era). Couple things I feel about this. First, I feel since 911 we have over done the recognition thing to the extent that we're all heroes now (I'm not one) and when teams are getting paid to do this as a promotion it's not tasteful in my opinion. There is ,in my opinion, a lot of superficial or tacky patriotism being displayed. Let's recognize our true heroes and for the rest of us we don't need any. JMO.

I think as a country we're still making amends for how you guys were treated when you got home. Maybe too much is better than too little.

[MattPie]

I don't understand why the Sabres don't occasionally invite a Canadian Forces veteran for the anthem. It would be a nice gesture.

 

Still smarting over 1812.

[WildCard]

I'm a Navy vet (Vietnam era). Couple things I feel about this. First, I feel since 911 we have over done the recognition thing to the extent that we're all heroes now (I'm not one) and when teams are getting paid to do this as a promotion it's not tasteful in my opinion. There is ,in my opinion, a lot of superficial or tacky patriotism being displayed. Let's recognize our true heroes and for the rest of us we don't need any. JMO.

Good take, I agree.

I think as a country we're still making amends for how you guys were treated when you got home. Maybe too much is better than too little.

I think as a country we're entering dangerous territory. Want to make up for how we treated Vietnam Vets? The government should actually be helping disabled and retired vets more, instead of just talking about them

[MattPie]

Good take, I agree.

I think as a country we're entering dangerous territory. Want to make up for how we treated Vietnam Vets? The government should actually be helping disabled and retired vets more, instead of just talking about them

 

I wonder how much money we're talking about here, really. To pull at the heart-strings, if we took the money the military is paying sports to do on-field/court/ice advertising, how many homeless vets could we house? It looks like it was $7M over 3 years, so if we say $20k per person (equivalent to a $10/hr job), that's 113 people that could be helped. A drop in the bucket, other than to those people, I guess.

[WildCard]

I wonder how much money we're talking about here, really. To pull at the heart-strings, if we took the money the military is paying sports to do on-field/court/ice advertising, how many homeless vets could we house? It looks like it was $7M over 3 years, so if we say $20k per person (equivalent to a $10/hr job), that's 113 people that could be helped. A drop in the bucket, other than to those people, I guess.

113 lives changes is nothing to sneeze at. There are plenty of other ways to cut from that budget too (looking at you, $84M spent annually in Viagra https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/07/26/the-military-spends-five-times-as-much-on-viagra-as-it-would-on-transgender-troops-medical-care/?utm_term=.d23b2d7b497f)

[That Aud Smell]

Still smarting over 1812.

 

I seen what you did there.

I might always be a little uneasy about an entertainment business doing something like this, and you can't deny that part of what the team is doing is — wait for it — marketing and PR, but in the end there's never a bad time and almost never a bad way to show appreciation to the military for what they do.

 

I've grown more than uneasy over this rote exercise at sporting events. At this point in time, I mostly tune it out. Not unlike Radar, I think the adulation is over-done and, on balance, tends to worsen military-civilian relations rather than improve them. And I've had it with the way these sports brands want to wrap themselves in that cloak.

 

Hard pass on all of it, tbh.

[Wyldnwoody44]

I was at a hockey game maybe last year, I had an injured knee, it was tough making it up to my seat, so when the obligatory stand and clap for the service came up, I didn't stand.... The lady next to me snarked "do you not respect our country" like wtf.... Shortly after the applause stopped, I retorted "I think the 9 months I spent deployed in Iraq is a clear sign that I do" she stated at me blankly not knowing what to say..... I actually hate the gestures in sports, there are men and women everywhere who have done their part, why single out one a night for commercial purpose. I didn't join the service to be a hero, I joined cause I was a little punk as$ that needed to grow up, and it helped. If you're going in for the glory, then chances are you're never going to be a real hero.

[That Aud Smell]

I was at a hockey game maybe last year, I had an injured knee, it was tough making it up to my seat, so when the obligatory stand and clap for the service came up, I didn't stand.... The lady next to me snarked "do you not respect our country" like wtf.... Shortly after the applause stopped, I retorted "I think the 9 months I spent deployed in Iraq is a clear sign that I do" she stated at me blankly not knowing what to say..... I actually hate the gestures in sports, there are men and women everywhere who have done their part, why single out one a night for commercial purpose. I didn't join the service to be a hero, I joined cause I was a little punk as$ that needed to grow up, and it helped. If you're going in for the glory, then chances are you're never going to be a real hero.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

I think your post gets at something fundamental that I resent about the dynamic that's created. I just really, really don't like being led by the nose in any circumstance, and then being made to feel like I'm out of line if I don't want to ape what thousands of other people are dutifully doing.

 

None of which has anything to do with whether I respect what people in the military are doing. (I do, btw.) It's more a function of not liking what pro sports teams are doing to brand, monetize, and homogenize that service and sacrifice.

Edited November 6, 2017 by That Aud Smell

[Wyldnwoody44]

Thanks for sharing.

 

I think your post gets at something fundamental that I resent about the dynamic that's created. I just really, really don't like being led by the nose in any circumstance, and then being made to feel like I'm out of line if I don't want to ape what thousands of other people are dutifully doing.

 

None of which has anything to do with whether I respect what people in the military are doing. (I do, btw.) It's more a function of not liking what pro sports teams are doing to brand, monetize, and homogenize that service and sacrifice.

I'm all for honoring those that have served, been put in less that wonderful situations and are injured, etc... But it can be done without a big production and will be taken by those that are being helped more sincerely I believe.

 

It's similar at the hospital, the administration does something charitable but then it's published and etc... Just f'ing do it to be kind, smh

[Drunkard]

It's kind of impossible to take the pseudo-patriotism of "military appreciation" at professional sporting events seriously when they charge the military to hold these events. I'd be much more willing to take it seriously if they didn't use it as yet another way to generate revenue like the bunch of greedy pukes that they are.

 

I've never served but I've grown up around the military my entire life and still work near and around them to this day. Most of the veterans I've spoken with about it take it for the dog and pony show that it is.

[IKnowPhysics]

I love our veterans.  I work with veterans everyday.  I routinely work on Air Force bases and contractor sites with active and veteran personnel and employees.  My best friend served a few tours, and some of my favorite colleagues have did a few rotations on subs.  I love the job they do/did and I highly respect the choices they made.

 

It's kind of impossible to take the pseudo-patriotism of "military appreciation" at professional sporting events seriously when they charge the military to hold these events.

 

But this is what throws it for me.  The government pays huge sums of money to sports franchises in acts of "military appreciation."  If they wanted to appreciate the military, they should be putting that cash into well-run veterans' programs instead of the pockets of the sports franchise owners.  It's nice if veterans, that desire such, feel appreciated by the act.  But I don't want "military appreciation" to irreversibly become marketing slang for "recruitment expenditure."  I'd like veterans in need to be able to get the help they deserve.

 

If professional sports wants to get involved, they should be donating that time and money.  Because, at a callous and sly business level, they're effectively marketing the franchise to veterans and the veteran-appreciative demographics.

[Stoner]

It's kind of impossible to take the pseudo-patriotism of "military appreciation" at professional sporting events seriously when they charge the military to hold these events. I'd be much more willing to take it seriously if they didn't use it as yet another way to generate revenue like the bunch of greedy pukes that they are.

 

I've never served but I've grown up around the military my entire life and still work near and around them to this day. Most of the veterans I've spoken with about it take it for the dog and pony show that it is.

Were the Sabres paid to put on this event?

[Stoner]

I had no idea this was happening. Apparently, the Pentagon discontinued the practice. The Bills, but not the Sabres, cashed in. The Bills to the tune of 650K over three years (12-14).

 

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/11/05/454834662/pentagon-paid-sports-teams-millions-for-paid-patriotism-events

[Weave]

I had no idea this was happening. Apparently, the Pentagon discontinued the practice. The Bills, but not the Sabres, cashed in. The Bills to the tune of 650K over three years (12-14).

 

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/11/05/454834662/pentagon-paid-sports-teams-millions-for-paid-patriotism-events

 

I recall reading somewhere that before the Pentagon paid teams and leagues for this stuff, the NFL players waited in the hallways while the anthem played.  Puts a different perspective to the kneeling controversy.

 

It's all ###### in my opinion.  False patriotism to keep the rabble cheering. 

Edited November 7, 2017 by We've

[dudacek]

Bread and circuses

[SwampD]

I love our veterans.  I work with veterans everyday.  I routinely work on Air Force bases and contractor sites with active and veteran personnel and employees.  My best friend served a few tours, and some of my favorite colleagues have did a few rotations on subs.  I love the job they do/did and I highly respect the choices they made.

 

 

But this is what throws it for me.  The government pays huge sums of money to sports franchises in acts of "military appreciation."  If they wanted to appreciate the military, they should be putting that cash into well-run veterans' programs instead of the pockets of the sports franchise owners.  It's nice if veterans, that desire such, feel appreciated by the act.  But I don't want "military appreciation" to irreversibly become marketing slang for "recruitment expenditure."  I'd like veterans in need to be able to get the help they deserve.

 

If professional sports wants to get involved, they should be donating that time and money.  Because, at a callous and sly business level, they're effectively marketing the franchise to veterans and the veteran-appreciative demographics.

Pretty sure it's already too late for that.

[Drunkard]

Were the Sabres paid to put on this event?

I have no idea. My comment was more in general, not about this specific event.

[sabills]

Still smarting over 1812.

THEY BURNED DOWN OUR CITY!

 

Sure, we burned down Niagara-on-the-Lake first. And then York(Toronto) afterwards. BUT STILL.

Edited November 8, 2017 by sabills