Fox’s NFL Pregame Show Airs from Afghanistan, This Sunday Sunday Sunday!
November 7, 2009 by John Allen · 14 Comments
Fox NFL pregame show to be aired this Sunday from Afghanistan
Just before Veterans Day, analysts say they’re honored to recognize troops
NEW YORK —The Fox NFL pregame show will be broadcast from a military installation in Afghanistan on Sunday.
The six-man announcing team traveled to an undisclosed location in the country this week to honor servicemen and women three days before Veterans Day. The two-hour special begins at 11 a.m. EST.
“It’s been so surreal, it’s hard to describe,” Fox analyst Michael Strahan(notes) said of the trip. “To witness so many young, smart, committed and capable men and women is inspiring. We’re here to show our appreciation for their service and sacrifice, and all they want to do is show their appreciation to us for coming here.”
The idea for the show came about when Fox Sports chairman David Hill was passing through the airport in Dallas last spring. He noticed military personnel walking through the terminal were going mostly unnoticed, and he wanted to do something about it.
The commentators participated in a humanitarian aid drop as part of the trip.
“We’re flying over the mountains of Afghanistan in a C17 loaded with pallets of essential supplies, and to see that cargo roll out the back of the plane and the parachutes deploy was quite an experience,” analyst Jimmy Johnson said. “I’ll never forget it.”
I guess I will never get over completely about our war, Vietnam, those that did serve and those that ran or hid, those that have benefited the most from America, those the least, those that were able to fulfill their dreams because they dodged the draft and were Vietnam War Slackers and those of us that never had the chance to succeed or fail. Such is the case of Terry Bradshaw, big time quarterback and Vietnam War Slacker and draft dodger. Now they make a big deal out of this guy going to Afghanistan, big fucking deal. Fox should honor Bob Kalsu (NFL-Buffalo Bills) KIA Vietnam, Rocky Blier (NFL-Pittsburgh Steelers) Vietnam Combat Veteran and recipient of the Bronze Star and Purple Heart and Roger Staubach (NFL-Dallas Cowboys) Vietnam Veteran and volunteered to serve in-country and not just on a ship off of the coast. Oh, well, like we said it Nam, “Don’t mean nuthin!”
Joe
Joe,
I too was there…..Your comment about the “off shore” Navy is misleading and divisive. Take it from one who took incomming rounds and gave them back. You are not the only Viet -am Veteran and you are not the only one to be in combat and just because you got your feet muddy doesn’t give you the right to denigrate others service. YOU NEED TO BE EDUCATED, OR ARE YOU TO OPINIONATED T ACCEPT FACTS. I may have to listen to the DVA tell me I am not a Viet-Nam Veteran but three Viet-Nam service Medals tells me I don’t have to listen to, or be insulted by you or any other Ground Pounder.
A friend had the TV on last night. I was ignoring some hockey commentator until he forcefully said, “You must never forget!”
Then there was a picture of a Canadian Forces soldier for 10 seconds along with the date he (or she) was killed in Afghanistan. And then another and another for I guess a few minutes. I was going to burst into tears and had to leave the room so I don’t know.
This should be shown on FOX at halftime.
Not only “Don’t mean nuthin” then, after, or now. I voluntered USMC served my time because I beleived , came home went to college on the GI bill and got screwed over by every draft dodging professor who’s class I had to take. They all down graded my grade because I was a vet, keeping my GPA just low enough so I couldn’t get into grad school. Every so called Viet Nam vet preference for any job is also Bull. Tell me where being a Viet Nam vet ever got you anything but disdain ,disgust, or dicrimination. I learned a long time ago don’t ever tell anyone you were ever there. This web site is the first time I have acknowledged in public I was in the Marine Corps in a long long time.
I can relate to that personally with the profs and classes. Recently my son, two tours in Iraq obtained his engineering degree. He applied for a position within the VAMC. He graduated with a 3.85 and was turned down twice with of course no reason given. They hired an engineer from India who of course now is a citizen and of course a non veteran. Incidentally my son had the Bronze Star with V device and the Purple Heart. It didn’t made a tinker’s damn to the VA!
Oldleatherneck, I can not change what those bastard, draft-dodgin professors did to you back then, and every damn college professor our age at the time was a draft dodger and probably burned a few flags at the protests, but I want to say, “Thank you for your selfless service to our country and welcome home, brother! It is men like you that have kept our country free and let me include one of my favorite quotes which is aimed at those draft dodging professors! The college, cowardly professors have been kept free by you, Oldleatherneck, by the exertion of a better man than all of the pukes put together!
“War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing worth a war, is worse. A man who has nothing which he cares more about than he does about his personal safety is a miserable creature who has no chance at being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.”
— John Stuart Mill
Thank you for the shout out, but I didn’t write what I wrote to be thanked or recognized or to prop up my ego. I’m an old man, I don’t need any thanks that was a long time ago and I didn’t do anything more than hundreds of other young men at the time. I enlisted did my one enlistment and one tour and got out. Looking back I wished I had made a career of it, but I didn’t, end of story. What does concern me is all the wounded and disabled vet coming home now, and all the old disabled vets rotting away in some shithole VA hospital. VA HOSPITAL what a joke. They are nothing more than legalized drug pushers tended by doctors who could give a rats ass, just putting their time in to pay off their med school obligation. Nothing more than places for old forgotten vets to go and die. Walter Reed is just for show to make people think that we are getting the very best treatment possible. A whole different story when they go back to their home state and the local VA HOSPITAL.
For the most part I agree. There are however, pros that served but don’t say much. Although an actor and not a pro, Glenn Ford served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam, boots on. He never made an issue out of it. I wonder how many in the picture shown served at all.
What a great show you had today from Afghanistan! I was laughing and crying throughout the entire show. I’m glad you extended the normal show time. It all was just perfect. Thanks for leaving your home comfort zone to recognize and praise the efforts of each and everyone of our men and women in service to our country. May they all stay safe. I will keep them in my prayers.
They might have left their comfort zone, lady, but they got first class treatment and protection all the way. Too bad Bradshaw did not leave his comfort zone when the rest of us did to serve in Vietnam. Read some of the stories on his post and see how the media and the people treated these Vietnam Veterans when they came home! From being treated unfairly in college by draft dodging professors and people calling the real patriots with disrespect and disdain at the airports! Like you I will keep our service men and women in my prayers, they deserve it, but don’t be playing up people like Bradshaw going to Afghanistan; all right he went and he should have as our men and women in uniform deserve all the recognition and praise they can get, especially from people like Bradshaw that skipped out on serving in Vietnam when our Nation needed him. Now Bradshaw would have impressed me if he decided to stay, put on a uniform, packed a weapon and went out on patrol with the real heroes, our men and women serving!
Dam when I walked through the airpoort I was reconized Hell they called me every thing in the book and some. But what the hell I am a two tour Viet Nam Vet, and Retired with 25 yrs and 4 months so. As for job preferance as you say they do not help. Don’t tell them you are a viet Nam vet and they will hire you. Honesty thats how I got hired at my last job. And VA dont give a dam about us either.
My Veterans preferance got me one job, only after getting a BA and not in my major field, and only because the Branch Manager was also part American Indian, as am I. It was The last I was able to hold as the results of Viet-Nam have, or are killing me. I have not been able to work since April 10, 1984. Yet I would serve again if it would let just ONE of our kids come home alive and well and without the mental scars I have and have carried for fourty-three years. GOD BLESS OUR SERVICE PEOPLE.
God bless each and every service men and women there is. They put there lives on the line each and every day for us. They are the true heros of America. It saddens me to see Veterans that have served there country and get out to WHAT? They treat them like dog%$#$. I am a wife of a Veteran that served his counrty(USMC) and watched him deteriorate before me as the years passed, trying to fina a job to take care of his family and no-one wants to give you a chance. The stress has reeked havoc over his body. Then came seizures and now cancer. Life is now a struggle every day. God bless you all!