Pirates Players, Announcers React To PNC Park "Wooing"
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – A crucial series with playoff implications begins tonight at PNC Park.
The Pirates are hosting the World Series Champion San Francisco Giants.
The Giants are the team that ended the Pirates' season last fall in the Wild Card Game.
The Bucs could do some serious damage to the Giants' playoff hopes over the next four days. But, the Giants may spend part of their time at PNC Park saying, "what is that noise?"
Attend or listen to any Pirates game and you can't miss it. But, it's nothing new.
Professional Wrestler Rick Flair created a trademark with it long ago. Fans at PNC Park started using it about three seasons ago.
For some reason lately, the crescendo of "woos" and whistles is evident.
"It's annoying and it's distracting to the fans and players and to everybody," said one fan.
And some other fans at last night's game had had enough.
"Please stop doing it, it's not a baseball thing," said another fan.
But others feel it's a new part of the ambiance, joining the still occasional wave.
"The one thing that bothers me is that I like PNC Park and Pittsburgh and the image that it has," said Pirates announcer Greg Brown. "I think it creates an image that is less than classy."
"I'm not really sure what it is, or why people do it," said Pirates announcer Tim Neverett. "But, it has become part of the sound of the ballpark fortunately for the people who do it, unfortunately for the people who don't like it."
As far as the players are concerned:
"Like, one person 'woos,' the other person 'woos,' it's funny. But, we'd rather be hitting home runs and have them going crazy for us," said Pirates pitcher Jared Hughes.
"At certain times, we're playing some long games, some extra inning games, things like that," said Pirates second baseman Neil Walker. "So, maybe that's their way of keeping themselves busy at certain times."
Is it distracting?
"Not really, playing 15 innings is more distracting than that," said Andrew McCutchen. "I'd like to just win in nine."
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