Support NeoGAF

[KingSnake]

Modern tribes. A tribe doesn't include just the warriors.

A lot of European sports clubs actually sell "club membership" cards/places. That's even a certified "we".

 

[FriedConsole]

Even if they did, it would still be weird and inappropriate.

In general, sports fans use sports as a form of escapism, so perhaps them feeling that their lives have bigger meaning than the section 8 apartment they go home to is a positive.

This post needs more words like corporate drones, bread and circus, merica, and sheeple.

 

[PassiveObserver]

This observation is as tired as whats the deal with airplane food.

 

[fuzzyset]

You brevity folks are forgetting that other pronouns exist. "They" is a perfectly good word to use in place of "we".

 

[smokeandmirrors]

In general, sports fans use sports as a form of escapism, so perhaps them feeling that their lives have bigger meaning than the section 8 apartment they go home to is a positive.

lol you sound like a swell person.

Sorry you're so above it all.

 

[Plywood]

"we" "we" "we"

"they lost tonight"

 

[Sol..]

I try to avoid it because its tacky, but the idea that the team represents some population feels really strong at the high school and college levels.

 

[SalvaPot]

You brevity folks are forgetting that other pronouns exist. "They" is a perfectly good word to use in place of "we".

You are talking about sports. There is two different teams. How do you differentiate the "They".

 

[ChouGoku]

I dont think this is exclusive to sports, I think most groups exist to claim accomplishments most people in the group had no part of.

 

[ThankYouDaletech]

Sportsball is dumb and all sportsball fans are poor jocks who live in section 8 housing.

Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to fawn over an asian girl playing Hearthstone on twitch.tv

 

[Cagey]

"we" "we" "we"

"they lost tonight"

Yep. The only sports pronoun debate that matters is when people switch to the distancing "they" because their team fucked up.

Those people are almost as bad as the people who think pointing out "we" is semantically iffy is somehow an enlightened idea.

Spoiler

I've done it, we've all done it =(

 

[Mudcrab]

Can someone tell me if this thread is satire?

 

[Squirrel Killer]

Modern tribes. A tribe doesn't include just the warriors.

A lot of European sports clubs actually sell "club membership" cards/places. That's even a certified "we".

How is that all that different from non-membership fandom? What does being a member in Borussia Dortmund get me that my fanatical following of the Detroit Red Wings doesn't?

 

[richardhawk]

In general, sports fans use sports as a form of escapism, so perhaps them feeling that their lives have bigger meaning than the section 8 apartment they go home to is a positive.

WHEW.

 

[Ol No Bones]

I say "we" as I talk about GAF. They just don't understand us.

 

[shoplifter]

 

[burnside13]

I have no problem with this either.

I think you lot are disconnected from the sports scene or something else if you can't understand the tribalism in sports.

I respect fans who can use the teams names and discuss the sport objectively but if you are talking about your own team, 'We' is entirely appropriate.

 

[fuzzyset]

You are talking about sports. There is two different teams. How do you differentiate the "They".

Considering pronoun usage is dependent on context, I'd say the context should help differentiate it.

 

[darkazcura]

I think what annoys me slightly more is that people actually complain that fans refer to teams as "we." What's the big deal? I don't even know why it matters. The team wouldn't even exist without the fans anyway so I don't see the issue in referring to the team as "we."

 

[Gunstar Ikari]

I rarely ever (never?) say "we" with regards to sports teams and I think that it is weird at times, but you have to be some kind of asshole to give people shit for it.

It's really not that big of a deal.

 

[TheSecondSpitter]

Wait, is that actually a thing?

I've heard an Apple fan say "we turned $X million profit in the last quarter" --- not sure if said person was an Apple shareholder or not (not that it matters in my view).

 

[Messofanego]

Why do you care? It's not any sillier than the console warriors on gaf who latch onto a company and do online battle for them.

It's actually sillier because the sense of identity with sports teams is higher, hence the use of personal pronouns. You don't get console warriors doing that on a regular basis.

It's even funnier in real life.

 

[Bloomers]

Can someone tell me if this thread is satire?

For real. I always saw is as a way to easily express which team you identify with when talking sports. The fans and the team all represent/contribute to the same organization or faction at play, (arguably a similar culture and perspective on sports history) so why wouldn't they identify as "we"?

And personally, I have definitely said "we lost" on many occasions, the same way I would say "we won" after a game.

 

[KingSnake]

How is that all that different from non-membership fandom? What does being a member in Borussia Dortmund get me that my fanatical following of the Detroit Red Wings doesn't?

Being a member in Borussia Dortmund means you actively support the club with your money. You don't just pay a ticket for a show. Of course you get benefits for that, but it's a certification that you are "we, Borussia". (I don't really know if Borussia has a club membership though - I don't care about "them")

But it's not exclusive to being a member, it's most of the time the fact "we" as a neighbourhood, a town, a region and the team as the representative of that neighbourhood, town, region.

Again, it's about modern tribes. Even the ultras behaviour is associated with tribal behaviour in some documentaries.

 

[Lothar]

I'd always ask "oh, what position do you play?" when the guys at work did this.

Please tell me you don't really do that. I bet everyone looked at you weird, right?

 

[Madouu]

We won the league last year, I was pretty happy about it.

 

[Skellig Gra]

Our tax dollars pay for their stadiums so it definitely is "we".

 

[fuzzyset]

I think what annoys me slightly more is that people actually complain that fans refer to teams as "we." What's the big deal? I don't even know why it matters. The team wouldn't even exist without the fans anyway so I don't see the issue in referring to the team as "we."

A lot of things wouldn't exist without the fans/customers. It's a fairly uniquely sports thing which is why its odd to some of us.

 

[cdyhybrid]

Guys, I don't think OP is against the use of all pronouns ever. I think his point is more "why say we when you should say they?"

"They" is typically used to refer to the opposing them in shorthand.

We, The New England Patriots organization, believe it's perfectly fine to talk about us and our performances in this manner.

We think that we can do whatever we want if we want to talk like this.

What is the Shirtless League's official position on this issue?

 

[JDeluis]

Why am I agreeing with a Giants fan?

Because you don't play for the Dodgers?

 

[Kinyou]

"We are Pope!"

German tabloid after Ratzinger became pope.

 

[Apath]

Just want to point out that the reason why people say "We" when referring to the sports team they follow has nothing to do with representing their city or the money they put into it. Well, in most cases.

It has everything to do with the emotional attachment and time invested in the team.

 

[HarryDemeanor]

Because you don't play for the Dodgers?

Get out of here!

Impossible.

 

[Z_Y]

We take the Ls too so it is not all tits and champagne over here.

It has everything to do with the emotional attachment and time invested in the team.

Exactly.

 

[injurai]

The second you start saying "They Won" you realize you could have been achieving something yourself.

 

[KingSnake]

A lot of things wouldn't exist without the fans/customers. It's a fairly uniquely sports thing which is why its odd to some of us.

Professional team sports don't have any additional use other than feeding the need of a tribe for a win against other tribe.

 

[MemoryHumanity]

Why would this annoy you? For a lot of people, your sports team is a very big part of your life. Why would you distance yourself from it by referring to it as "they" or whatever. I always refer to my football team as "we", as in "We were unlucky, they were bad."

 

[JDeluis]

Get out of here!

Impossible.

That's what the "we" fans want Donnie Baseball!

 

[FortuneFaded]

I'd always ask "oh, what position do you play?" when the guys at work did this.

You must be really fun at sport events.

 

[GeordieMark]

People who moan about insignificant bollocks like they way sports fans refer to their favourite teams are far more irritating. When you start worrying about stuff like this its time to chill out.

 

[Future PhaZe]

I always cringe when I hear this complaint

 

[Jeronimo Jones]

Just want to point out that the reason why people say "We" when referring to the sports team they follow has nothing to do with representing their city or the money they put into it.

It has everything to do with the emotional attachment and time invested in the team.

Except it can be all of those reasons, you're more likely and willing to put money into a team in your area if you're emotionally attached and invest time into following its games and news. I wouldn't say those things have nothing to do with it.

 

[Currygan]

uh, us Blues always do it

thread's creative bankruptcy

 

[XiaNaphryz]

Because you don't play for the Dodgers?

He'd still be a better bullpen option.

Have fun collapsing in the playoffs!

 

[jello44]

"We?"

"I.. the royal "we"

 

[Cipherr]

This kills me. Even gaffers do this.

I think we are gonna trade him




We had to pull him off the field




We got our defense together and let nothing through





It occurs to me that I've never read non American gaffers talk like that though.

People get SUPER invested in sports that way. You can see it in the sports threads and the way people carry themselves. Emotional as all hell.

 

[Empty]

the fans are part of the club and success though. they provide the revenues that bring in the players and managers, they provide the atmosphere that urges their teams on, their tribalism creates the sense of competition that drives greater performance and in some sports or clubs they are even directly involved in decision making.

sports fans can get annoying but this is tedious pedantry

 

[DoktorEvil]

You must be really fun at sport events.

Nah, he probably doesn't get invited to anything.

 

[Apath]

The second you start saying "They Won" you realize you could have been achieving something yourself.

Yeah, this is just a thinly veiled disparaging remark about watching sports.

Have you ever actually seen other people watch sports? When the team succeeds, the fans cheer. When the team fails, the fans cry. When something doesn't go the team's way, the fans scream. People become incredibly emotionally invested in the teams they follow:

I went to a concert, bought a shirt and an LP, and called myself part of the band.

Nothing's weird with me, no sir.

Do you sit on the edge of your seat, hoping that they nail that guitar solo and don't fuck it up? Is there tension as you wait and see if the last song goes by without something happening that ruins the entire show? There is zero drama to watching a band play at a concert. You are there because you love and identify with the music.

 

[Dion Blaster]

I'd always ask "oh, what position do you play?" when the guys at work did this.

I'm sure their eyes rolled out of their heads