When sports fans say "We" this and "We" that

Status
Not open for further replies.
"We played like shit" or "Southampton Football club played like shit" . Yeah it's kind of obvious why it is used.
 
Art Teitlebaum said:
Think it's the concept of a club vs. the concept of a franchise.
I'm a member of Borussia Dortmund, so I consider myself as part of the club and talk about 'we'.
Click to expand...

Even boiling it down to the basics it's all about the community. Obviously American sports are different in that regard but the clubs and teams still represent a group of people usually in a Geographic area.
 
Man, it's just a quick association to a team. Wouldn't overthink it too much. Of course "we" weren't on the pitch/field/court/ice or "we" didn't make that trade but that's beside the point.
 
Honestly if I didn't feel like 'we' was an appropriate way to refer to the collective team/supporters, I wouldn't see the point in watching sports at all unless I get enjoyment out of watching as a neutral.
 
Beefy said:
"We played like shit" or "Southampton Football club played like shit" . Yeah it's kind of obvious why it is used.
Click to expand...

You don't have to say the football club part. I'm pretty sure people would know what you're talking about unless you just say random information at people with no context. Pretty much every sports team has a shorter way of saying it so this excuse is bs. You're still not part of the team buddy.
 
Supporting a sporting team is an offshoot of tribalism.

dealwithit.gif

OP: How do you feel about people who following corporations like Apple or Sony who say "we just released a new phone"?
 
gdt said:
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.
Click to expand...


Isn't it the same thing for positive things your nations politicians and leaders do? You can say, Well here we support gay marriage, or we welcome immigrants, even if you haven't voted or done anything to make said things happen.
 
impact said:
You don't have to say the football club part. I'm pretty sure people would know what you're talking about unless you just say random information at people with no context. Pretty much every sports team has a shorter way of saying it so this excuse is bs. You're still not part of the team buddy.
Click to expand...

I don't say we.
 
Sanjuro said:
...we?
Click to expand...

qxriqJR.png
 
If you're playing Metal Gear and you try to tell a story, you don't say, "so Snake was hiding in a cardboard box," you say, "so I'm hiding in a cardboard box," even though we all know you're not actually Snake.
 
Personally have only heard it used on the world cup since, you know, the teams go representing the entire country.

But think about this, Fans are part of sports and team culture, many sports can penalize teams if their fans are disruptive, so in a way, fans truly factor to the team, they're part of it.
 
I used to be anooyed by it too, but started doing it with teams I really got into (usually from attending live events). Teams I do that with: Blue Jays (lifelong heartbreak paying off this year), Redblacks (best sports atmosphere I've been in) and Senators (live NHL hockey is a million times better than on TV).

Sports fandom is a hell of a drug and the struggle is real.
 
I see absolutely nothing wrong with this. People use 'we' to refer to the action of their government too. "We invaded Iraq", no I fucking didn't. But that's language.
 
Wreav said:
It's super awkward, and no adult should do it.

However, the one exception is if you're referring to your alma mater, because you paid enough money to earn the right to say "we".



Reporting this post to the TAMU athletic department, you owe some royalties, sir.
Click to expand...
Why? Tax payers foot the bill or a good chunk of it on new stadiums or renovations. Cities give discounts on public land for teams to build on lots will pick up the tab for traffic upgrades. Fans spend tons of money on merch jerseys, hats, shirts, office decor. Ticket purchases, season tickets, parking passes, tailgate passess.
 
Quick said:
I'm guessing this band you're referring to plays year-round in the same city.
Click to expand...

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.
 
If you're part of the ride you're part of the ride.

I think it's dumb to say things like, "we should have went for it on fourth down" or "we should have kept the starter in for another inning" since that kind of implies you are part of the mechanics and decision-making of the team, but it's okay usage in other circumstances.

As a Mets fan, this year has been really fun and exciting and saying "we're almost to the playoffs" is not necessarily inaccurate or presumptuous. If the team goes to the playoffs I will be watching them, taking it all in, etc. It is part of the fan experience.
 
I just love when I'm talking about any video game I was playing the day before and someone says nerd, then turns around and starts talking about someone's stats from the 90's.
 
gdt said:
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.
Click to expand...
Who do you think gives these teams the tax dollars for their stadiums, and the revenue to pay the players and staff? No different when its your alma matter either. You put money into it so its "your" team
 
gdt said:
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.
Click to expand...

In the UK it is thought that if you support your team, so that is to say you go to watch them as opposed to being an "armchair fan", you can use "we" when talking about your team.
 
ChubbyHuggs said:
I just love when I'm talking about any video game I was playing the day before and someone says nerd, then turns around and starts talking about someone's stats from the 90's.
Click to expand...

Are you stuck in a 90s High School teen movie?


But yea, I only hear this argument from what seem to possibly be socially awkward people or people that aren't fans of sports. It's the equivalent of me explaining how to play a Mario game by saying "press A and you can jump in the air" and someone retorting "ahem I believe it is 'press a and you will make MARIO jump in the air' "
 
Geo said:
Right.

"We won!"

No, you didn't.



This is so true.

"We won the war!"

No you fucking didn't win shit.
Click to expand...

Well technically in a modern total war the home front can be just as important as the war front so it could be applicable in that sense but even in wars like Iraq where the home front wasn't mobilized to such a degree you're still supporting it through taxes and being a good little citizen.

In essence, we did it. Mission accomplished....Together.
 
impact said:
You don't have to say the football club part. I'm pretty sure people would know what you're talking about unless you just say random information at people with no context. Pretty much every sports team has a shorter way of saying it so this excuse is bs. You're still not part of the team buddy.
Click to expand...

No, but then you have to explain to the people you are talking with that you also support that club. We just simplifies things so much.

A lot of European football clubs have "members" which is more than season ticket holders. They vote for their president and have other benefits, and are indeed technically part of the club, so you are wrong there as well buddy.
 
Well without fans, there would be no teams. I mean fans pay for merchandise, tickets, keeping stadiums afloat and profitable, which translate to keeping the owners and players profitable. So in that context, the term "we" or "us" does make sense.

Also it's much faster than saying the full team name every time.
 
Rooting for a sports team is tribalism in nature. It's obvious people feel part of a sports team.

Regardless, considering sports teams are financed by fans who watch games and buy branded paraphernalia, I think the "we" mentality is justified.
 
gdt said:
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.
Click to expand...

why? Can't we root for our teams? We think OP needs to get pulled OFF the messageboard
 
Shamrock7r said:
Are you stuck in a 90s High School teen movie?
Click to expand...

No, but we do have a huge amount of people at work who are hardcore into sports. They start ranting about someone's career and then the teams history. I can tell you they aren't above bringing up stats or wins from over 30 years ago.
 
Google said:
Why do any of you care how someone refers to the team they follow?
Click to expand...
This.

I was originally going to reply, "I don't hate it, but I do kind of roll my eyes at it," but some of the over-the-top replies to the practice are pretty cringe-worthy. "What position do you play?" seriously? You must be a blast at parties.

I do like the concept of owning shares of a club/member in the club, but how is that all that different from non-ownership/membership fandom? What does owning shares of the Gren Bay Packers or being a member in Borussia Dortmund get me that my fanatical following of the Detroit Red Wings doesn't?
 
The "we" its to differentiate the team you are supporting against the ones you are not supporting on a conversation.

For example, my dad supports a rival team of mine, so when I am talking to him I use "we" to talk about the team I like and "you" when talking about his team.

I do agree some people talk about it as they themselves scored a goal or made an awesome play, that can get annoying.
 
sports teams have an intrinsic link with local community building

sorry that you're too much of a pedant to realize this extremely obvious fact
 
gdt said:
It occurs to me that I've never read non American gaffers talk like that though.
Click to expand...

We're not the population of the earth, man. And i'm from Europe and i've said it - i mostly use it around people who don't follow the sport i'm following and when i go "we won the stage!" they understand that "oh, the team you're rooting for won!".
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

  • Locked
Can we realistically annex Canada?
2
57
2K
cash_longfellow replied
30 years ago we lost Selena.
11
1K
squallheart replied
ITT we celebrate the greatest country on this planet...
|OT| Community 
26
1K
Melon Husk replied
When i logged in today neogaf was in dark mode and other weird behavior
7
320
FatallyYours replied
  • Poll
We're not going to make it, are we?
2 3 4 5
203
10K
Donald mac Ronald replied
Top Bottom