Say Goodbye to “Howly-wood”

Some Cincinnati sports trends are meant to last…some are not. The Opening Day parade, mini helmet sundaes, and the inclusion of the song Cincinnati, OH in the 7th inning stretch are great additions to our fan experience. The “Howl,” as most of you recall, appears to be one of the ones we can do without.

The Origins of the Howl date back to September 2012. The exact beginnings are uncertain, but The Howl achieved success early in its development, rattling the minds of Pirates players. This caused Cincinnati fans to embrace it full throttle. However, like many trends, The Howl was overplayed and used inopportunely. Reds fans began howling randomly and without forethought. Basically, whenever the alcohol kicked in.

Much like the vuvuzela from the 2010 World Cup, The Howl appears to have gone the way of its South African counterpart. Both created mixed reactions in their effectiveness and their tolerance levels. Some fans believed The Howl was effective and wish it to remain as a useful strategy for agitating visiting players. Others saw it as nothing more than a reason for people to create noise. Whatever the case, The Howl has been dormant for the 2013 Reds season. A trend, rather than tradition, that seems to have met an early demise.

At McKenzie & Snyder LLP we are always proud of our hometown teams. We howl, scream, cheer and root for the Reds and Bengals all year long!

What are your thoughts on the howl? Did you like it? Did you howl?