Ethan Suraci equated the lack of national anthem being played before a football game to going without food.
“A lot of the guys on the team love the national anthem,” the Trinity College senior fullback from North Haven said Monday. “Love listening to it, love singing it and love America. We get all jacked up and then we hear there are technical difficulties. That’s like…no breakfast in the morning or mom didn’t cook you dinner.
“So, you make it yourself, right?”
The players from both Trinity and Hamilton were in their usual positions on the sideline facing the flag Saturday afternoon when all fans, as usual, were asked to rise for the playing of the national anthem at Jessee/Miller Field in Hartford.
The playing didn’t start right away. Something was wrong. Players, coaches and fans remained standing, waiting for the tune.
Nothing.
Dave Kingsley Trinity’s director of sports communications has been working at the school for 19 years and while he has experienced technical difficulties with the playing of the anthem in other sports at the school it has never happened in football.
The streak ended Saturday.
Trinity coach Jeff Devanney said there was an announcement stating that due to difficulties the anthem would not be played.
“I think it was something involving the volume to the overall sound system I’m not exactly sure,” Kingsley said. “It was a concern because for a second we thought we heard some boos.”
In today’s climate, anything regarding the national anthem may trigger a boo – or two.
“A couple of guys on our team were like ‘No man, you gotta play the song,'” Devanney said. “And then a couple guys just started singing.”
Suraci, of course, led the charge for Trinity but then the Hamilton players joined in. Then the fans chimed in.
“We weren’t all in sync,” Devanney said. “We had like three different waves of the Star-Spangled Banner going.”
In the end Trinity improved to 4-0 on the season with a 41-13 over Hamilton. Suraci called the beginning amazing.
“It was amazing, especially with what we’re seeing in the NFL, the political climate that not only the rest of our team joined in but Hamilton and all the fans joined in, too,” Suraci said. “It was truly amazing.”
Suraci said the Star-Spangled Banner is one his favorite songs and he listens to it every day. Devanney backed it up.
The stocky 5-foot-10, 225-pound Suraci stands with pride at every game when the anthem is played and the flag waves. He is up to speed on the controversy surrounding the standing – or kneeling – during the playing of one of his favorite songs which started in the NFL but has carried into different sports at different levels.
“Our first amendment allows people to protest,” Suraci, a political science major said. “I think they have every right to be protesting. I personally see the flag more than cloth and color. I see it as a binding force for the country even though people disagree with what’s going on politically these days especially with kind of a wild card president and some wild card policies but in general I see it as a way to respect those who came before us, who allowed us the freedom to protest and fight for it every day. It’s something I hold true in my heart and I know a lot of guys on the team do, too.”
