Who Dey
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Who Dey is the name of a chant of support by fans of the Cincinnati Bengals, an American football team. The entire chant is: "Who dey! Who dey! Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengals?" The answer screamed in unison, "Nobody!". The chant is derived from the New Orleans Saints' "Who Dat" chant. The phrase "Who Dat" originated in Louisiana. "Who Dey" is also the name of the team’s mascot, a Bengal tiger.
[edit] Origins
In 1981 Bengals fans’ cheered for their team during their run to Super Bowl XVI. Some fans would do the chant and other fans would reply, “Nooooobody!”. The cheer again gained national recognition in their 1989 appearance in Super Bowl XXIII. Due to the success of the Bengals team in the 2005 season, the chant is again gaining popularity.
The chant of "Who Dat? Who dat say they gonna beat dem Saints?" originated in minstrel shows and vaudeville acts of the late 1800s and early 1900s, and was then taken up by jazz and big band performers in the 1920s and 30s.[citation needed] It became a familiar joke with soldiers during World War II and such.[citation needed] Finally, it was adapted by Southern University and New Orleans public schools in the 1960s. Saints fans trace Who Dat back to the late 1970's and even have Saints' merchandise and promotional items from Rally's Hamburgers to prove it.
[edit] External links
- Who Dey's bio at bengals.com
- Who Dey Fan Site at whodey.com
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