According to reporters for NJ.com, the New York Jets and other NFL teams who've been honoring National Guard members during half-time have not be doing so out of the goodness of their hearts. Apparently they've been paid for doing it.
TRENTON — When the Jets paused to honor soldiers of the New Jersey Army National Guard at home games during the past four years, it was more than a heartfelt salute to the military — it was also worth a good stack of taxpayer money, records show.
The Department of Defense and the Jersey Guard paid the Jets a total of $377,000 from 2011 to 2014 for the salutes and other advertising, according to federal contracts. Overall, the Defense Department has paid 14 NFL teams $5.4 million during that time, of which $5.3 million was paid by the National Guard to 11 teams under similar contracts.
It find this very distasteful, to say the least. Perhaps most importantly, it seems like a lie to the service members who've been singled out and honored.
I don't have a problem with the military advertising itself at professional sporting events, but this is disingenuous. It's a gesture of good will that was bought and paid for.
In other news, the national unemployment rate has dropped to 5.4 percent, the lowest level since May of 2008.
Have a good weekend and Happy Mother's Day to any current or expecting mothers reading this.