For 35 years— I traveled the world-- reporting on major sports…

I’m guessing that I’ve heard “3.000 renditions" of the Star-Spangled Banner— Some voices-- “regal”… Many--“mediocre”… A few--“pitiful”… “THE most flawless”—“invigorating” national anthem came at “Super Bowl 25”…

Giants versus Bills… Tampa Stadium… January 27, 1991… America was plunging into “the Gulf War”…. Security at the Game—“heavy”… Metal detector checks of 73,813 spectators--

TWO football teams-- and more than 2,000 journalists… Then came   "That Anthem” ...  Whitney Houston’s “perfect voice” executing the “complex lyrics” of Francis Scott Key…

Little American flags waved in hands of the Super Bowl multitude … Tears flowed down cheeks— including MINE …

Hundreds of uniformed military “saluted”…  As Whitney reached the climactic words-- “land of free… home of the brave”-- four F-16s from nearby McDill Air Force Base boomed overhead… “Patriotism” was on “a Super Bowl HIGH”…

Hearing that Whitney Houston had “died”—I listened again to her Super Bowl anthem of 21 years ago… AGAIN--I cried…

That day in Tampa, the New York Giants beat Buffalo 20-19 as Scott Norwood botched a field goal at the end.

But, for most Americans— an “unforgettable game” ranked as “Memory No. 2”—BEHIND “the BEST anthem— EVER”---sung by Whitney Houston …

I’m Hubert Mizell, and that’s what I think.