The Super Bowl’s Patriotic Start

As if in response to fan backlash against national anthem kneelers, the NFL gave this year’s Super Bowl quite a patriotic start.

No kneelers could be seen while musician Pink sang the national anthem. An outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, Pink made no comments before her performance and did a superb job, despite reportedly fighting the flu before she took the microphone.

Medal of Honor recipients were also invited to the game and were highlighted before the beginning coin toss.

The 16 men received roaring applause and one — Cpl. Hershel “Woody” Williams, who served in World War II — performed the actual coin toss.

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Williams served in the Battle of Iwo Jima and previously spoke about the morale boost of the planting of the American flag on Mount Suribachi.

He said he was about 1,000 yards away when he saw the flag famously planted by Marines.

“All of a sudden there’s Old Glory, and it lifted the spirits of everybody,” he said, according to ABC KTSP. “We became more determined than ever we would win this thing.”

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After a divisive and political season, it was commendable of the NFL to invite veterans onto the field and to have a man like Williams begin the game.

This is, one hopes, a sign of good things to come for the struggling sports league.

PopZette editor Zachary Leeman can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter.