Something Better Than a Cup Race

It's been said that there's no great loss without some gain. And Sunday night was no exception.

Race fans across the country weren't too happy when the rain kept coming at Lowe's Motor Speedway. We'd all been looking forward to this night for weeks. It's a Memorial Day tradition -- four-and-some-odd hours of Cup racing in the middle of NASCAR's hometown. I mean, what could be better?

Believe it or not, there was indeed something better. When FOX decided to broadcast their darned annoying "Animation Domination" lineup in lieu of more driver interviews and All-Star recaps, I was less than thrilled. Still, I was hopeful the rain would slacken off and the track would be dry in an hour or so. But what in the world would I watch while I waited?

Thank God for PBS. After surfing through a few channels, I found the annual broadcast of the National Memorial Day Concert in Washington, DC. More than any patriotic paint scheme could ever do, this television special fully captured the sacrifices that our servicemen make today and have made throughout our nation's history.

My own grandfather landed on D-Day on the beaches of Normandy. He survived that landing, only to be shot shortly afterwards at the battle of St. Lo. He died from those wounds. So, instead of another post about racing, I'm posting a hero's memory of that pivotal day in our nation's history. The footage below is from the PBS Memorial Day Concert 2007.