More on UNLV and the National Anthem

UNLV Assistant Basketball Coach Lew Hill and I finally connected this morning and he explained why he declines to put his hand over his heart when the National Anthem is played, the topic of today's column. He said his father served in Vietnam and his brother served in the Air Force, so it's not that his family doesn't love this country. He said he honors "The Star Spangled Banner" his own way and that's how his family does it. Not by putting his hand over his heart, which is the recommended protocol, but by standing. "I do it my way," he said, and his way does not suggest he is disrespecting the anthem. He compared it to honoring God, each in our own way.

I believe him and accept completely that it's the individual's choice what to do when the anthem is played. But I wonder if all the athletes have thought it through like Hill when they decide not to follow protocol.