Friday, November 2, 2012

Not Just an Ugly Ribbon

The Packers have released some of the details from this Sunday's "Salute to Service" event to their Facebook page.

First, a look at Lambeau Field being set up for the card stunt (their words, not mine).

Over on the left, does that look like the tail end of "THANK YOU MILITARY"?

In addition to the stunt, Lambeau Field will be draped with event-specific signage. The NFL's digi-camo ribbon created for last season will be festooned on the goalposts and goal line pylons, game balls and sidelines. It will be worn as a decal on helmets, a patch on the officials' uniforms and a pin on the coaches' sideline gear. For whatever reason, the NFL didn't slap its logo on uniforms last season, but they're more than making up for that this year.

Of course, Nike will get in on the action as well, loaning out their attention-seeking gloves to a new cause:

The biggest element of this event, from my perspective, is the helmet decals. Right next to the afore-mentioned digi-camo ribbon decal, Packer players will be wearing a service decal on the back of their helmets.

Rodgers will apparently be repping the Navy, but all branches will be included.

Seeing all this, I can't help but wonder if I'm the only one who is very wary of the growing military-as-video-game aspect of our culture in recent years.

Sure, servicemembers deserve our respect and our thanks. So do cops and firefighters and paramedics and others who similarly put their lives on the line for us every day (so do teachers, for that matter, but they of course have fewer friends in Congress). I have long since become tired, however, of renting out the Packer uniform in the service of any cause, no matter how worthy.

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