National Anthems: Edwin McCain, Mike Phillips to perform at AFC, NFC Championship Games

We’re not entirely sure that there is a time out there when National Anthems have received more attention than over the past year. We of course have had all of the stories about protests, and then at the same time, we’ve also just gone through a Presidential Election and Inauguration Day. If you add to this the sort of scrutiny that typically surrounds National Anthem performers during high-profile sporting events, then you get a pretty good sense as to why there is so much buzz going on right now.

So who is performing the Anthems for the NFC and AFC Championship Games today? We’ve got a couple of names for you that are certainly worth noting.

Mike Phillips – The saxophonist just recently performed for the Atlanta Falcons’ last playoff game, so it really should not be all that big of a surprise to learn that he is doing the same exact thing now. Like the Dallas Cowboys and Freddy Jones, the Falcons are sticking to a certain tradition. Maybe there is also a part of them that feels as though this is a sort of good-luck charm.

Edwin McCain – Odds are, you’ve heard McCain’s music without even knowing it. “I’ll Be” in particular is one of the biggest songs of its era, and it remains as catchy and as powerful as it once was. The New England Patriots do have somewhat of a history of bringing in notable rockers to sing their National Anthems. Remember when Steven Tyler of Aerosmith did it? Or, we probably should try to forget that this ever happened altogether.

We just hope that these two performers are given a little bit of slack, especially since we’re in such a cynical time. They’re just trying to go up there and do a good job, and for McCain in particular, he’s got a big challenge since you’re dealing with being outdoors and also in some rather inclement weather. After all, it’s in the 40’s in Boston with a good chance of rain on and off throughout the day.

Are you planning to watch either of the big games today? Let us know right now with a comment! (Photo: CBS.)