Military flyovers honor our servicemen and women.
And they are also impressive displays of our military power.
Yet…
FOX Sports' Joe Buck and Troy Aikman appeared to mock the NFL flyover.
They were both caught on hot mic.
Troy Aikman said:
That’s a lot of jet fuel just to do a little flyover.
And not to be outdone, Joe Buck added:
That’s your hard-earned money and your tax dollars at work!
But here's the kicker.
Aikman claimed that such flyovers wouldn't happen under Joe Biden and Kamala Harris:
That stuff ain’t happening with [a] Kamala-Biden ticket. I’ll tell you that right now, partner.
First of all, President Trump did not invent military flyovers.
It's not like this is new.
Plus, the flyovers aren't wasteful.
They are actually viewed by the military as "training" opportunities (more details on that below).
Second, why wouldn't the flyovers happen under Biden / Harris?
Are they not proud of the military?
View the hot mic footage below:
The comments did not go over well.
Social media errupted in a firestorm once the hot-mic moment was uploaded online.
According to The Blaze:
Many on social media were outraged about comments and they excoriated the pair for what they considered to be an insult to the military.
"Both Of You Are A Disgrace. #Pathetic," responded Code of Vets, a charity for military veterans.
"Hey @TroyAikman You didn't have a problem with military flyovers over your 27th Superbowl game! You had a big smile on your face! So now you think it is a waste and a joke? You are a weak spineless sell out to the nation! What a disgrace!" they added in a second tweet.
"Could the @NFL and Democrats be MORE unlikable and unAmerican?" tweeted Jenna Ellis, a lawyer of the Trump campaign.
"Thank you Joe Buck and Troy Aikman for showing us the way to a better future. If only we stop the jet fuel. You know what else is a waste of jet fuel? Joe Biden flying somewhere to talk to 7 people," tweeted commentator Carmine Sabia.
Others welcomed the comments as a signal that the pair were supportive of the Democratic presidential ticket just ahead of Election Day.
The controversial comments are likely to worsen the NFL's public relations nightmare over players kneeling during the national anthem for the Black Lives Matter movement. This season, the NFL decided to embrace politics and allow players to express their support for left-wing political causes on the field.
See just a sampling of the angry reactions below:
Liberals like to call these flyovers "wasteful."
However, the flyovers are actually used as training opportunities.
The pilots are getting into the air to train -- and it is timed perfectly so they can flyover the stadium.
How Stuff Works confirms:
The thrilling roar of fighter jets performing a military flyover is now a common experience at many big spectacles or major sporting events, even at the opening of some Little League seasons. The military approves most of the 850 or so flyover requests submitted annually [source: Robbins].
The Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force all participate in flyovers of one sort or another. Generally, these spectacles are arranged through the appropriate service's public affairs or community relations office.
They don't come cheaply: It cost $36,000 for six F/A-18A Hornet fighter jets -- from the Navy's Blue Angels squadron -- to fly over the University of Phoenix Stadium before the 2008 Super Bowl [source: Robbins]. (A Blue Angels press officer told the Orlando Sentinel that the cost was worth it in order to increase the Blue Angels' and the Navy's visibility [source: Robbins].)
The cost is deducted from funds used for training, but for some special services, like the Golden Knights skydiving team, the event organizer (if it's a private organization) may have to pay for lodging, meals and transportation -- up to $3,000 a day.
The military views flyovers as promotional and recruiting opportunities for the armed services. They allow ordinary citizens to see the military up close in a way that's normally not possible.
A flyover flight actually counts as training for the pilots...
So there you have it!
We are PROUD of this great tradition.
And we hope that it continues at football games!
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