What is the obsession with television sporting directors showing the players’ faces when national anthems/team songs are being sung prior to matches?
More times than not – as in the recent Rugby World Cup final – there is a opera singer, choir, musician (or basically someone with a good voice), powerfully and emotionally singing the anthem.
The teams are lined up in formation, a splendid and striking image. And what images fill our screens, but the panning close-up shots of the players’ faces, completely, for me anyway, ruining the moment.
I haven’t tuned in to see the players sing, they are there to play their chosen sport and represent their nation/team.
The anthem singer is there to sing the anthem. Let’s see them and not be distracted by the players, some looking disinterested, some singing along, some hoping that it will end soon as they don’t know the words, some remembering that they forgot to Tweet before leaving the dressing rooms.
The anthems at the start of a sporting clash are powerful, emotional, bonding (i.e. involving the crowd, viewers and listeners), memorable experiences.
Let us not have that diminished by having to see (and worse, hear) the players, instead of the professional anthem singers and the players lined up in formation.
allblackfan
Guest
Originally from Christchurch, making it big in Europe!!
malibu77
Guest
Hayley Westenra. What a talent!
Chris
Guest
Whites - I totally agree with you. Trouble is the organisers have usually done a deal with a record company for them to 'promote' their latest wannabe pop star. When will they learn that 99% of the time the wannabe pop star usually does untold damage to their 'reputation' by butchering the anthem/s.
Heavyd
Guest
I think the right balance should include footage between the singer, a mixture of random hotties in the crowd and the close uops of the players. I find these close ups gives away early signs as to whether the players are up for the game. I want to see tears and passion as opposed to silly winks when your anthem is being played. Anyone know who sang the kiwi anthem on Sunday night as she was smoking.
M1tch
Guest
I'd agree with that, but there are a few singers would do amazing anthems, sadly the pop stars today are looking for their next gig and try to audtion while singing.
Reenie
Roar Rookie
I agree Adams, you get much more out of watching the emotion of the players than watching a relatively unknown (usually a reality TV show winner) singer
Whites
Guest
National anthems should always be instrumental only, especially the the Australian anthem. The crowd in full voice is far better then 90% of "professional" singers who attempt to put their interpretation on it.
Football United
Guest
it's bad enough that we actually have singers (and they nearly always stuff it up by changing bits when they feel like it). why do we need them? anyone who has heard land of our fathers at millennium stadium would realise that having singers just adds to the pre game wank-fest set up by the administrators. for socceroos world cup qualifiers, there is no singer, just a background tape and it works very nicely because the crowd is actually more inclined to sing. So no, don't show the singer, as it is a rugby game, not the opera.
Adams
Guest
It's not a concert, and anthems would be a particularly poor choice for a set if it was. They are not playing the anthem for _you_. Why on earth would you want to look at some usually unknown singer (usually) mangling the words in a passionless rendition of a song they don't care about (as it is not their anthem...)? It's about the players, and yes, while some look bored or don't know the words (particularly Aussies as we neither like nor know the words to ours). Most often what you see on the players faces is the expression of pure passion they feel as _they_ hear_their_ anthem. What better way to transfer and express that passion to the crowd that by showing you a scarred, unshaven 125kg prop with tears running down his face and he hears his nations song just before going out to do battle. Sorry Malibu77. Silliest post of the week. Expect a fine from the IRB.
mactheblack
Guest
One disappointing aspect of the tournament: I actually found earlier on that the orchestra in the background did not come out strong enough with the anthems ... it seemed rather dull in the background and did not stir up emotion. Tournament directors must have realised this, and henceforth the singers were put up front in the knockout stages. The anthem to me is as important ... sets the tone and lovely to hear the emotion behind them. While I agree, that the players don't always sing along ... non-verbal communication is enough to realise that they are indeed moved by their respective anthems. Yes, show me the pretty lass, or the debonair gentleman, belting out the anthems, but a brief shot of them is enough ... what I want to see is the emotion etched on the players' faces as the anthem is being sung. But I agree teams like Wallabies and NZ have the most stirring anthems - and players should sing it with more vigour. French and Italy are good examples of how players should sing their anthems. Maybe stadium officials should start a campaign to get the crowd to sing along too?