ATLANTA — Atlanta radio host Joe Simpson stepped up to the microphone on Friday in Truist Park to hype up the crowd after the Braves World Series win and took festivities in an interesting direction, some fans say.
After the team concluded a parade through the streets of Atlanta and Cobb County, they walked onto the field at Truist Park to greet fans and show off their World Series trophy. Simpson, a former professional baseball player and sports broadcast announcer, joined them on stage to help direct the event.
Simpson took hold of the microphone to encourage the crowd to celebrate the Braves' World Series title, but how he did it has fans split.
The emcee called on the crowd to do the iconic, and controversial, Braves Tomahawk chop while making an apparent dig at other Major League Baseball teams.
The crowd largely accepted the comments, following Simpson's gesture to chop, but it was other comments that seemed more tongue-in-cheek that prompted mixed reactions from the crowd.
Simpson began a new cheer with fans.
"We might just be those (expletive)," he said into the microphone. He repeated the first half of the phrase, calling on the crowd to finish with — what some may consider — an inappropriate word.
Most of the team stayed quiet behind him as mostly fans finished the chant.
Simpson, tapped as the hype man for the festivities, used the energy from the crowd to introduce the Braves by their new title.
"Alright repeat after me," Simpson said, as he started a new chant.
The crowd chorused with "repeat, repeat, repeat," as Simpson announced the Braves as World Series champions.