November 30, 2016
It’s unclear exactly how the trend started, but Flyers fans have recently taken up a new tradition at the Wells Fargo Center. Where Montreal Canadiens fans did the soccer “olé, olé, olé” chants in the past, Flyers fans have started to favor the “woo.”
You can hear the periodic “wooing” throughout this little scrum from Sunday night’s game against the Calgary Flames:
What is the woo, you may ask? It comes from the world of professional wrestling, specifically the Nature Boy, Ric Flair:
This isn’t the first time that Flair’s favorite word has made its way into the Philly sports scene. First, it was the Eagles (and huge wrestling fan Vinny Curry) who used the woo as part of the pregame warmup:
Two claps and a Ric Flair. #NYJvsPHI | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/pN2gKRvSHm
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 1, 2016
This season, the woo has made its way across the street to the Wells Fargo Center. It doesn’t seem to happen at any particular moment or any particular section of the arena, but the wooing has been consistent at Flyers games this season.
And apparently, according to the beat writers who were at Skate Zone on Wednesday, the Flyers coach and a star player aren’t too crazy about the new trend:
Hakstol on the woos: "I hope it's a short-lived fad."
— Dave Isaac (@davegisaac) November 30, 2016
Amen, Hak.
Flyers say the "wooing" is bugging them, too. Voracek: “It’s childish ... and really starting to piss me off. (CONT)
— Tim Panaccio (@tpanotchCSN) November 30, 2016
VORACEK on the incessant wooing at Wells Fargo: “The first period they are bleeping wooing. What are you? Bleeping 10-years old?"
— Tim Panaccio (@tpanotchCSN) November 30, 2016
Might Hakstol and Voracek’s opinions slow the wooing down or will it only intensify? The Flyers’ next home game is Saturday afternoon against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Follow Rich on Twitter: @rich_hofmann
