Every sports fan and team has its little eccentric traditions. During the Eagles' season, I will wear a jersey on game day. If they lose, I won't wear that jersey again for the rest of the season. On her podcast, Kylie Kelce has shared her crazy sports superstitions. From lucky socks to rally towels, we all do it.
Teams do it too. If you've been to a Flyers game and they are down, you've seen this clip:
They play it, the crowd goes nuts, and it might be enough to energize the team for the last few minutes. The last Flyers game in Philly that I attended, Scott Hartnell scored with less than one second in overtime to beat the Penguins after they were losing for most of it.
Who knows? Maybe it was Belushi who started it. I bring this up because the Flyers used to have a secret weapon, and they need it back.
Bring Back "God Bless America"
Back in the 1970s, the Flyers were coming into their own as the "Broad Street Bullies". Part of what made the Flyers so devastating was the Spectrum itself. There was nothing special about the arena itself, outside of the crowd. Philly fans can be a bit...ahem....extra. And all due respect to Eagles and Phillies fans, nobody is more raucous than Flyers fans (and I am saying this having attended the "JD Drew Battery Game").
It was called "The Philly Flu". Top players from other teams suddenly got "sick". At the height of the Bully Era, the Flyers lost only 14 games in three seasons at home from 1974-75 to 1976-77, with only two losses in 75-76.
Many fans over the years have attributed this success to the substitution of the national anthem for "God Bless America." They were practically unbeatable. When Kate Smith sang in person at the 1974 Stanley Cup, it cemented her legacy. Recordings of her singing were brought out for big games. Overall, when "God Bless America" was played, the Flyers went 101-31-5. Say what you will, but that's some kind of record.
When the Flyers broke out the song for big games, it brought out an extra "oomph" from fans. It was as if they knew the stakes were high and had to bring out their A-game to support the Orange and Black and help push them over the finish line. You heard it to start the game, and it was like "Awwwwwww yeah! It's on now! Bring it on!" No other song could pump you up like that to start an important game. Not even any song from the Rocky soundtrack.
The song was retired in 2020 after some rather unfortunate recordings by Smith resurfaced at the height of a turbulent and emotional year. The Flyers also took down and removed a statue of Smith.
The team felt they had to do it because of the current times. However, the song is greatly missed at home games. If you want to give the fans something to rally around, bring it back. I think a compromise could be reached here.
When Lou Nolan announces Lauren Hart before the Flyers games, he could say:
""Ladies and gentlemen, at this time, we ask that you please rise and remove your hats and salute to our flags and welcome the No. 1 ranked anthemist in the NHL, our very own Lauren Hart, as she sings God Bless America....""
That's it. Ms. Hart has a lovely, powerful voice on her own. She can bring that crowd to a frenzy just by hitting those high notes with all the emotions she can bring. Her voice, combined with a raucous crowd, might be enough to get the players jump-started.
They don't need to use Smith or her recording if it is too "touchy" right now. But the song was written by Irving Berlin during WWI and had been recorded many times before Smith sang it. That song means something to Flyers fans. It's special to us. It's our "Dancing On My Own". As the team is starting over afresh, maybe it is time to dust this song off the shelf and give it new life.