John Amaechi Fights the American Revolution

How can this be an issue? What bull!
John is not hurting anyone. Leave the man alone.

------------------
2000-2001 Rockets Game Formulas:
End of 1st quarter: "They're playing so well!"
2nd: "What a great game!"
3rd: "Theres no way they can lose now!"
4th: "What the ******* **** happened?!!"
Recount! Recount! Recount!......
Rocket's Championship 2001!!

 

 
Oh, say, can you see?

By Brian Schmitz
Sports Commentary
Published in The Orlando Sentinel on November 08, 2000

Magic center John Amaechi is talking about an e-mail he received from someone in Orlando.
"It said I should get out of the country," said Amaechi, who was raised in England. "It said I should leave and go home. It was particularly nasty."
Amaechi admits he has read and heard comments directed at him from American patriots before. Fact is, I have been sent similar e-mails from people wondering just what kind of person Amaechi is.
What could Meech -- the lovable, affable and charitable Brit -- have done to warrant this scrutiny?
Amaechi has a pregame ritual in which he closes his eyes and buries his face in a towel. Not a big deal, right? But John does it during the playing of the national anthem and sometimes never looks at the American flag.
Time of focus. Orlando Magic center John Amaechi (far left) says that his pregame ritual of hiding his face during the national anthem is only a way for him to focus on the game. (Shoun A. Hill/Orlando Sentinel)And some people who have noticed his subtle, but odd behavior -- I wanted to see it for myself firsthand last week -- have wanted to know from John a) just what he is doing; or b) why he is disrespecting our flag and anthem.
Amaechi says that he means no disrespect, although he understands how it could be misinterpreted. He says the playing of the national anthem is the only time he can truly focus and find "peace and calm," and the towel he puts in front of his face allows him a brief moment of meditation and reflection.
Seems to me that Meech could just close his eyes and bow his head, thus avoiding any needless controversy. But he says putting the towel against his face blocks out the bright light in TD Waterhouse Centre and other arenas.
Amaechi, 29, also points out that he has performed this ritual for years and actually began it during the playing of the British anthem as an 18-year-old on the national team.
"It is odd . . . but I`m not trying to make any deep political or philosophical statement," Amaechi said. "I`m trying to focus before I play, and this is the only moment I have to myself. I haven`t found any other time.
"There are so many distractions when you get to the arena. There are people who meditate, focusing on themselves, which I am. Before a game, I can`t be hyped up. I need to be calm and at peace with myself.
"I can`t control what other people think about me. It`s not worth my time to disrespect a flag, a song or a person."
He has tried explaining this to people who write or e-mail him. Some are merely curious and accept his reasoning; some respond with a rocket`s red glare, questioning his patriotism in both countries. Oddly, Amaechi was born in Boston -- the sight of Paul Revere`s ride (The British are coming!) -- before moving to England as a youth. He returned to the states to attend high school and college.
There is also a part of Meech that believes changing his routine would be like throwing in the towel. On Tuesday, Election Day, he talked about having the freedom to find inner peace any way he chooses, even if it comes during a patriotic moment. "This is the price we have paid for democracy," he said. "People have the right to salute the flag or burn it, to stand in a hall and scream about injustices. That`s their right."
When he played for Cleveland in 1995-96, Amaechi said a Cavs official caught his anthem ritual and was concerned the club might have another Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf on its hands. In March 1996, Abdul-Rauf, then a guard with the Denver Nuggets, refused to stand during the national anthem, citing his Islamic religious beliefs. He said the U.S. flag represented "tyranny and oppression." The NBA suspended him until he stopped the protest.
"They [the Cavs] thought I was of some other religion, but religion has nothing to do with it," Amaechi said. "And I was insulted that they would condemn all Muslims because of the fault of one Muslim. I may not agree with [Abdul-Rauf`s] choice of expression, but I agree with him having the right to express himself."
In no way can you compare the anthem actions of Amaechi and Abdul-Rauf. Amaechi`s Magic teammates, even those who stand next to him during pregame festivities, had not noticed anything unusual. Coach Doc Rivers said he hadn`t seen Meech holding a towel to his face, largely because he has his back to him. Rivers knows Amaechi has his quirks and is a deep thinker, but he believes it is a stretch to believe John is being disrespectful.
"When I played, I always rested my head on the back of the guy in front of me and looked down to focus during the national anthem," Rivers said. "The anthem is where a lot of guys get locked in for the game."
Whether the anthem should even be part of a sporting event is fuel for the occasional debate. We`ve all seen fans who gab or fidget or drink their way right through the playing of this patriotic tradition, which simply reminds us that this entertainment has been brought to you by freedom.
"But it`s their right to act that way if they want," Amaechi said. "Just like the guy who chomps on his popcorn and slurps loudly on a Coke during the anthem, or the guy who once asked me for an autograph when it was playing."


------------------