Carnell Johnson on being first to sing the national anthem in Allegiant Stadium

Carnell Johnson on being first to sing the national anthem in Allegiant Stadium

STADIUM AS THE NATIONAL ANTHEMWAS PLAYING.BUT IF YOU WERE WATCHING THEGAME ON TELEVISION, YOU DIDN'TSEE THAT MOMENT.IN A HISTORIC NIGHT - THE 50THANNIVERSARY OF MONDAY NIGHTFOOTBALL AND THE FIRST EVERHOME GAME PLAYED AT ALLEGIANTSTADIUM - ESPN DID NOT AIR THENATIONAL ANTHEM ANDTHUNDERBIRDS FLYOVER AS PART OFITS BROADCAST.IN A PRE-SEASON PRESSCONFERENCE, ESPN'S VICEPRESIDENT OF EVENT AND STUDIOPRODUCTION EXPLAINED ITS POLICYIS TO COVER THE ANTHEM WHENIT'S NEWSWORTHY--- SUCH AS WEEKONE OF THE SEASON.SHE SAYS IT BECOMES A JUDGMENTCALL EVERY WEEK, BASED ONMULTIPLE FACTORS INCLUDINGWHETHER KICK OFF HAPPENS ONTIME.SHE ADDED THAT ESPN IS NOTSHYING AWAY FROM COVERINGSOCIAL JUSTICE MOVEMENTS ASTHEY HAPPEN AND WILL "KEEP TOITS MAIN RULE, WHICH IS WHEN ITINTERSECTS WITH SPORTS, WE'REGOING TO COVER IT...WE DON'TSEE THE SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVEMENTAS BEING POLITICAL.IT'S SOCIAL JUSTICE." AS FORTHE MAN WHO BELTED OUT THENATIONAL ANTHEM, CARNELLJOHNSON SAYS HE UNDERSTOODGOING INTO IT THAT IT MIGHT NOTBE AIRED.IT'S GOING TO AIR BUT I KNOWTHERE'S ALWAYS ACHANCE." JOHNSON SAYS HE WASHONORED TO BE THE FIRST TO SINGTHE NATIONAL ANTHEM FOR A LASVEGAS RAIDERS HOME GAME - A LASADMIT I SAT NEXT TO MARK AT AGAME AND I KIND OF PLANTED THATBUG IN HIS EAR.I JUST SAID, YOU KNOW, IF YOUEVER NEED SOMEONE TO SING THEANTHEM AT ANY TIME, I DIDN'TSAY THE FIRST GAME, I JUST SAIDTO SING THE ANTHEM, I'MAVAILABLE." DAVIS DID KEEP THATIN MIND AND WHEN RAIDERS STAFFREACHED OUT TOJOHNSON, THEY SAID DAVIS KNEWIT HAD TO BE HIM."THEY WERE THE ONES THAT TOLDME THAT HE SAID WHEN HE CLOSESJOHNSON SAYS HE IS HOPING TO BEABLE TO SHARE VIDEO OF THATPERFORMANCE SOON SO IF HE DOESGET THAT PERMISSION, WE WILLCERTAINLY BRING IT TO YOU HERE.BUT FOR NOW, YOU CAN FIND VIDEOOF THE THUNDERBIRDS FLYOVER ATKTNV.COM.REPORTING, JK 13 ACTION NEWS.AND....IT WAS A BIG NIGHT FOR.....