Singing at the DBAP

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Not quite sure just why this started last year. I think it was after a particularly awful rendition of the National Anthem. We began to judge each night's performer(s) with a simple thumbs-up or thumbs down, but then progressed to an Olympic-style grading system:

• 5 - Promote to Tampa Bay
• 4 - Starting Lineup
• 3 - OK, Keep on Roster
• 2 - Send to Montgomery
• 1 - Unconditional Release

Please note the profoundly scientific approach. The n varies from 1 to 6 or 7 voters; most of us are traditionalists (shifting into high gear to warble “land of the free-eeeee” does nothing for us); but we can be suckers for youngsters who try hard (as on the last night).

The chart shows the results for the first home stand. You can see that things got better as the week went by.

We'll be voting again tonight. Weather looks good. Bulls are in town. All is right with the world.

Another note: This year in the stands you might note a couple of folks saluting the flag during the anthem. That’s the result of a not-very-well-publicized change in flag protocol buried in federal legislation a couple of years back. It stated that serving members of the armed forces and veterans may “render honors with a hand salute” while “in civilian attire”. Pretty nifty change, in my opinion.