In this weeks
Edge of Sports column, Dave Zirin writes about the National Guard's plan to buy the naming rights to RFK Stadium in Washington DC:
This is why, even though 25,000 soldiers are currently on food stamps, there is 6 million dollars in the Pentagon Budget for stadium naming rights. This is also why RFK stadium of Southeast DC is a perfect locale for their new publicity push. Since September 11th, Armed Forces enlistment by African-American men has dropped by 47%. Southeast DC, with its decrepit high schools and spiraling unemployment makes for an ideal location. Presumably, even if they can't afford tickets, they can come on by to sign up at the adjacent recruitment stands.
Forget Veteran's Stadium, a name that conjured up respect for the dedication of soldiers in past wars...we're moving on to using stadiums as the recruitment office for the 21st century.