The national anthem singer says his performance in the Men’s College World Series was canceled because he made a Hornsdown gesture before the Women’s College World Series semifinals between Texas and Oklahoma.
Zachary Collier, a 27-year-old US history teacher in the Dallas / Fort Worth region and a graduate of Texas A & M, posted on Facebook this week that his performance was compromised.
Collier also posted a screenshot of an email from the College World Series of Omaha, Inc. It states that he was contacted by the NCAA because he documented evidence of the offensive gestures and ridicule of the participating teams … feel comfortable to play. “
Collier told ESPN on Tuesday that he has been singing national anthems at sporting events for the past decade, including games at the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers, as well as several sporting events at Texas A & M who still lived at College Station. .. He said he understood why someone got angry with the gesture while playing the national anthem.
“I’m a neutral party and show my lack of support or support for a particular team after the national anthem. You can see how someone can upset it.” Collier said. “But the reason I posted wasn’t because they got angry at saying,’Hey, you shouldn’t have done that.’ I called Horns Down an aggressive gesture. He was said to have ridiculed the other teams. Specifically, that’s why he posted the word. He says he is ridiculing the participating teams because he has placed Horns Down. It’s ridiculous. “
An NCAA spokesman confirmed on Tuesday that Collier’s appearance was canceled after the incident.
“Playing the national anthem during the NCAA Championship event is a solemn moment for reflection and mutual respect for all championship participants and attending fans,” the NCAA said in a statement. “After his national anthem performance in the Women’s College World Series, performers improperly supported one participating team, cursed the other, and confused trying to interact with participating student athletes and coaches. He was asked not to do so. He will play in the Men’s College World Series. “
Collier said the extent of his interaction with any of the players is greeting the Oklahoma player standing next to him on the home plate and talking for each other’s friends, and The player greeted in return. He said his Texas assistant “keeps those horns”, but he laughed and then left.
Collier said he was still surprised at the reaction and said he believed the gesture was only part of a series of sign languages in Texas schools such as A & M, Texas and Texas Tech. As a result, he said the problem was that the NCAA considered Hornsdown offensive.
“Absolutely not,” he said. “I think it’s part of a rivalry. It’s part of college sports. I don’t think Hornsdown is more uncomfortable than Gig’M or Hook’M or Wreck’M.”
Collier, whose wife is a graduate of TCU, played the national anthem twice at the NCAA Baseball Super Regional at College Station. Once in the TCU-Louisiana match, she wore TCU gear to support her wife’s team. He also said he sang the national anthem before the match against Texas A & M’s TCU, during which time he changed into all Aggie’s outfits. He asked some questions from TCU’s dugout about flip-flops as he passed by, but said it was all fun, especially as TCU removed Texas A & M from the postseason.
“I said,’Yes, but I’m Aggi,’ he said.” And I wanted to be the one who kicks everything out of the tournament. “
In Oklahoma City, Collier said he felt it was a more identical environment.
“I’m Aggi. Texas was playing,” Collier said. “I was going to give them’Go Pokes’ and then Horns Down after the national anthem, and that’s exactly what I did. And three hours after I sang the national anthem, I plan to sing. I received an email saying that there is no more for the Men’s College World Series.
“What do you mean by behavior that goes against sportsmanship?'” He said.
CWS contacts responded with NCAA comments and his photo in the field making gestures.
Collier admitted that he was disappointed that he missed the chance to sing before Game 9 in Omaha. He was said to have received more than 100 applications from 17 states at the location where he was scheduled to land during the audition process. But he added that he has no regrets, even though he missed Aggie’s, who traveled to Omaha for the first time since 2017.
“If you do horns down, you do horns down,” he said. “I don’t think anyone will stop me from stopping it.”
