Alan’s TTIM Stories #5

With the invention of television, the world appeared in our living rooms (and with modern technology – everywhere else). The list of memorable performances in the history include The Beatles on Ed Sullivan, Michael Jackson’s moonwalk on Motown 25, Live Aid in 1985, and Bill Clinton with his saxophone on Arsenio.

My favorite and most inspirational moment happened at Super Bowl XXV on January 27, 1991. If not for extenuating circumstances, the game would be remembered for the 47-yard missed field goal by Buffalo Bills’ kicker Scott Norwood giving the underdog New York Giants the victory. World events overshadowed the game with questions whether the game should be played. Ten days earlier, America went to war.

Graphics crowded the screen with words – Persian Gulf War, Operation Desert Storm, Shock and Awe.

For the young in our nation, war presented a new experience – hard to understand. In a post-military draft era, the confusion lacked the intensity associated with fear of being called to action. The chilling prospect of battle created anxiety for the members of the military and their families.

Older Americans still remembered the blood-soaked images on television screens from daily news of the Vietnam War. Burning villages, the bloody wounded, and flag-draped caskets drove out any feeling of battlefield glory – leaving only death, heartache, and anger. Sixteen years after the conflict did not diminish war-weariness.

After the last American helicopter left Saigon in 1975 the country enjoyed periods of peace. But peace never lasted in the Middle East. Centuries of turmoil constantly erupted, initiated by psychopathic dictators and religious fanatics. On August 2, 1990, Iraq under Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. When word came of intended U.S. military action, our collective heart sank.

Before kickoff, a somber mood filled Raymond James Stadium. A cloud of anxiety hung over the crowd – not the annual grand national celebration of American sports. Broadcasters gave a subdued pregame analysis understanding the situation.

Long before hostilities in the Persian Gulf, the NFL scheduled Whitney Houston to sing The Star-Spangled Banner backed by the Florida Orchestra. From her amazing career we anticipated a good performance. What we got was so much more – so powerful and tender, every note precise, every word impactful. This difficult song never sounded so beautiful. More than an enjoyment of a performance – the country was in awe, every patriotic heart energized. As the singer ended in a crescendo, something magical happened. We felt we would get through this. Game or no game – we were going to get through this.

The rendition became so popular, it ended up #20 on the Billboard Hot 100 – still available on YouTube.

The power of coalition forces rescued Kuwait. Unfortunately, military conflicts in the Middle East did not end. More battles would stain humanity. For a moment in Tampa in 1991, one voice resurrected our hope.

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Follow Alan’s TTIM Stories at Facebook.com/alan.vandervoort or Instagram & Treads vandervoort_author or www.alanvandervoort.com. Novels: Sandhills – A Novel and Key Largo Summer are found at Booklocker.com and other online booksellers.