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Ric Flair Gives 49ers Pre-Game Pep Talk, Looks Like It Worked

By Robert Jonathan
Published on: 12:01 PST, Jan 5, 2014

Ric Flair gave the San Francisco 49ers a pre-game pep talk, and it seemed to have worked.

The 49ers edged the Green Bay Packers 23-20 tonight in their NFL Wild Card playoff game at Lambeau Field with a late, 33-yard field goal.

As Flair often said during his heyday, “to be the man, you have to beat the man.” If Aaron Rodgers is “the man,” the 49ers succeeded.

Wrestling legend Ric Flair (Fliehr) is a 16-time World’s Heavyweight Champion. The flamboyant “Nature Boy” is considered perhaps the greatest pro wrestler of all time. In addition to his in-ring athleticism, Rick Flair in his prime cut the best promos of anyone in that sports-entertainment genre during his time in the NWA, WCW, and WWE among other promotions. Out of the ring, Flair has faced a host of legal and family problems.

According to The Big Lead, the 49ers were fired up by Flair’s motivational presentation. “The team was enormously excited, and more than a half-dozen of the players immediately took to their social media accounts to gloat, while offensive lineman Anthony Davis used the opportunity to take a potshot at the Green Bay area.

Flair is actually a Carolina Panthers fan (he lives in the area), and the team has adopted his famous “Whooooo” battle cry. When he learned about what the Panthers are doing, Flair said “It’s awesome! I’m a champ brother, so I know a thing or two about celebrating victories! I’m humbled to have achieved that much respect by my hometown team. I really believe the Panthers have the weapons to go all the way.”

Ironically, the 49ers will now play the Panthers next Sunday as the NFL post-season moves forward. Ric Flair may not be available due to a previous engagement to visit the Panthers’ locker room in person before the game, however.

[top image credit: Matthew Glover]

Added: Here is the video (complete with entrance music) of an unusually subdued Ric Flair making a suprise visit to the 49ers team meeeting.

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Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers San Francisco 49ers Ric Flair
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