Yankees Broadcaster Uncomfortable with 'Wrapping Sports in the Flag and Preaching Patriotism'

Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay doesn’t believe that having military speakers or having Team USA athletes preach “patriotism” is the way to go.

During the recent World Baseball Classic, Team USA Manager Mark DeRosa had former SEAL Team 6 member Robert O’Neill, who shot Osama bin Laden, deliver a talk to the team before the game against Canada. In addition, team members Paul Skenes and Bryce Harper spoke openly about their pride in representing the U.S.

Kay says that the dynamic leaves him feeling “uneasy.”

“The thing that makes me a little uneasy … I don’t like wrapping sports in the flag and preaching patriotism and bringing in SEAL Team 6 people. The only uniform that counts to me is the one that’s worn by the men and women of our military,” he said Wednesday on ESPN New York radio. “They decide wins and losses. You don’t represent me because you have USA on the chest. I don’t believe it.”

DeRosa explained his decision to invite O’Neill.

“That was my decision to bring him in,” DeRosa said, via the Defector. “He was brought in, actually, a couple of days in Houston. It wasn’t before the Canada game. I think for me there has to be … you never want it to get lost, why you’re doing this. Whatever that ‘why’ is and a lot of people, like Paul Skenes said to me when he signed up for this, ‘I want to do this for every service man and woman that protects our freedom. That’s why we wear USA across our chest.’

“I just thought it would be like a time to kind of redirect and get those guys to understand that, although this is an unbelievable event and you get a chance to share a locker room with the game’s greats, there’s a reason why you’re doing it and a reason why people protect our freedom at night. I just wanted to honor that.”

As far as Kay is concerned, the people who “really represent” the United States are in the military.

“There are people that represent the United States that really represent the United States, and you know who those people are? The men and women of the military,” he said, via Awful Announcing. “That’s what it all comes down to. They decide the greatness of this country. Their sheer bravery, how they fight for freedom and throw their lives on the line – that is significant to me. The United States winning the gold medal against Canada? Wonderful. Thrilled for them. Not a referendum on my country, it’s just not.

“But somehow, we’ve turned this into, my country is better than your country – stop it. Come on. Aren’t we getting a little bit nonsensical with this jingoistic stuff? … I’m glad that everybody’s brought in. Mark DeRosa brought in one of the Navy SEAL guys that was part of the group that killed Osama Bin Laden. OK, whatever gets the people motivated … but to equate a baseball game to that, I don’t know.”