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"We" when referring to sports teams (1 Viewer)

Finless

Finless

Footballguy
When we say we as in "we swept the Yankees over the weekend" no one thinks they're a part of the team. We mean we as in the collective we. Then larger family. Not just the team but it's fan base as well. Everyone who celebrates the victory. Tired of hearing "hey when did you get drafted?" or "didn't know you played for the ________". Its ridiculous and it's not witty so just stop with it, please.

TIA

 
'Finless said:
When we say we as in "we swept the Yankees over the weekend" no one thinks they're a part of the team. We mean we as in the collective we. The larger family. Not just the team but it's fan base as well. Everyone who celebrates the victory. Tired of hearing "hey when did you get drafted?" or "didn't know you played for the ________". Its ridiculous and it's not witty so just stop with it, please.

TIA
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This
 
We is fine if we went to school there and still shell out money to the various entities of the institution. You have enough invested in a university, high school or truck driving school to say we (I think Nipsey agrees here).

With pro teams we is only allowed in super emotional circumstances where championships are on the line and many beers are being consumed. Unless of course you once played for the team, then we is fine. HTH.

 
I try to avoid saying it as much as I can. I've said it on occasion before and it makes me feel like one of those middle aged guys who religiously buys jerseys of guys 20 years his younger. That said, it doesn't really annoy me if people want to go ahead and use it.

 
Just to be a PITA, what if you are a Packer fan and live in the city of Green Bay, Wiscsonsin? Don't you own the team? Would that qualify? ;)

 
'Finless said:
When we say we as in "we swept the Yankees over the weekend" no one thinks they're a part of the team. We mean we as in the collective we. Then larger family. Not just the team but it's fan base as well. Everyone who celebrates the victory. Tired of hearing "hey when did you get drafted?" or "didn't know you played for the ________". Its ridiculous and it's not witty so just stop with it, please.

TIA
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I don't think I understand the premise here...would a statement like "WE swept the Jets once in the last 13 years" fit here?
 
I own MLSE stock therefore I am allowed to use "WE". I also use we for both positive and negative moments in regards to the team. I have to because being a Leaf Fan there have been far more negatives than positives in the last few decades. Even if I didn't own stock I'd still say we. You guys really need to get over this.

 
'Doctor Detroit said:
We is fine if we went to school there and still shell out money to the various entities of the institution. You have enough invested in a university, high school or truck driving school to say we (I think Nipsey agrees here). With pro teams we is only allowed in super emotional circumstances where championships are on the line and many beers are being consumed. Unless of course you once played for the team, then we is fine. HTH.
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:goodposting: :goodposting:
 
We is fine for any team you root for.

Is it OK to say "We finally got bin Laden?" Or do you have to be in the military to say that? Is it better to say, "The US military finally got bin Laden?"

It's just the way it is.

 
'kutta said:
We is fine for any team you root for.Is it OK to say "We finally got bin Laden?" Or do you have to be in the military to say that? Is it better to say, "The US military finally got bin Laden?"It's just the way it is.
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we = USA. if you're a citizen, seems like a pretty normal thing to say. same concept applies to people who are a fan of their own school, or even a season ticket holder of a pro sports franchise.not really the same thing as some guy in random city USA saying 'we' when referring to his favorite team in another city that he's never even been to, or a school that he never went to.
 
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Its natural to say we as we feel a part of the bigger picture. Not the team playing on the field but the institution. It comes natural. No one says it because they think they're playing on the team. That's whatni don't understand when people get fired up about it. Do you really think the "offender" considers himself a part of the team or part of the fan base that is enbracing the team. When the team wins the fans win. Hence "we won".

Why get upset? As statedmdo you think the person who said it is delusional and believes he's part of the squad?

 
'kutta]We is fine for any team you root for.Is it OK to say "We finally got bin Laden?" Or do you have to be in the military to say that? Is it better to say said:
Exactly. You say it because you are part of the country. Just as in sports you're part of the fan base.
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We is fine for any team you root for.Is it OK to say "We finally got bin Laden?" Or do you have to be in the military to say that? Is it better to say, "The US military finally got bin Laden?"It's just the way it is.
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we = USA. if you're a citizen, seems like a pretty normal thing to say. same concept applies to people who are a fan of their own school, or even a season ticket holder of a pro sports franchise.not really the same thing as some guy in random city USA saying 'we' when referring to his favorite team in another city that he's never even been to, or a school that he never went to.[/QUOTE]I'm pretty sure it's meant as we the fans not we the team.
 
Your sitting around with a group of buddies. Your team won. You say "we won tonight" "oh yeah, what was the score?"

I don't know a single person that would reply in person "oh yeah, how'd you do out there"

Saying "hey the Boston Bruins won tonight" sounds weird. Saying "we won tonight" does not.

Never seen a person have an issue with this outside of this board and once in a while on talk shows.

 
Even though it is fun to poke fun at those who do it all of the time, it isn't a big deal. It is just laughable when people then revert to "they" when their team loses. It is like, it is all "we," "we," "we" when things are going good, but when they lose, they disown them and it becomes "they." :lol:

 
'Finless said:
Your sitting around with a group of buddies. Your team won. You say "we won tonight" "oh yeah, what was the score?"
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I think if the people who you are talking to are fans of the team or living in the same area where the team plays, it makes more sense.But if you're talking to some random person at a bar in Denver, it's probably going to sound pretty stupid.
 
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I'm still waiting for my ring from when we won the Superbowl.

I'm still pissed that I didn't get to hold Lord Stanley's Cup when we won it.

 
Since I'm that rare athlete who actually played with both the Lakers and Steelers, I have the right to use "we" whenever the #### I feel like it.

 
'Finless said:
Your sitting around with a group of buddies. Your team won. You say "we won tonight" "oh yeah, what was the score?"I don't know a single person that would reply in person "oh yeah, how'd you do out there"Saying "hey the Boston Bruins won tonight" sounds weird. Saying "we won tonight" does not.Never seen a person have an issue with this outside of this board and once in a while on talk shows.
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I think you hit the nail on the head here. If you are talkign to at least one person who is not a fan of the team, "we" sounds stupid.
 
Psychologically speaking, it's actually weird if you DON'T say "we" when referring to a team you are a fan of. It becomes more intense if you go to/graduated from the school or have some deeper emotional investment in them some other way.

The theory is basically Heinz Kohut's theory of the selfobject, applied to sports. Try The Analysis of the Self. Philip Rieff applied it to celebrity, it can easily be adapted to sports as well, especially after considering Rieff's work.

The people who think something is wrong with "we" or make the used-so-often-they're-no-longer-witty-at-all remarks are actually the morons in this situation.

 
'Instinctive said:
Psychologically speaking, it's actually weird if you DON'T say "we" when referring to a team you are a fan of. It becomes more intense if you go to/graduated from the school or have some deeper emotional investment in them some other way.

The theory is basically Heinz Kohut's theory of the selfobject, applied to sports. Try The Analysis of the Self. Philip Rieff applied it to celebrity, it can easily be adapted to sports as well, especially after considering Rieff's work.

The people who think something is wrong with "we" or make the used-so-often-they're-no-longer-witty-at-all remarks are actually the morons in this situation.
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:coffee:

I swear this is something these guys picked up on Jim Rome or something. There's no other explanation for it. Okay I'm a Denver resident. The team here is the Denver Broncos. We won tonight - DENVER!!! Jesus is it really that hard to understand???

If I was living in Chicago but I loved the Chargers and I was sitting at a bar and the scores go by I wouldn't shout out "NICE we won tonight!!" Why? Because the guy standing there would automatically think I meant the Bears won. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't think I was the back up punter or something for the Bears. Get real, people and quit jock sniffing sports talk show hosts.

 
'Ghost Rider said:
Even though it is fun to poke fun at those who do it all of the time, it isn't a big deal. It is just laughable when people then revert to "they" when their team loses. It is like, it is all "we," "we," "we" when things are going good, but when they lose, they disown them and it becomes "they." :lol:
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Success has many fathers; failure is an orphan.
 
I am in the camp that ridicules people for using "we" for teams.

While players are out there making millions and tapping everything in sight, "we" are here discussing on a message board whether we should use the term "we" .

Kind of simplifies things IMO.

 
'Smack Tripper said:
Its ridiculous for a grown man to say, face facts. Mostly because "we win" and "they lose".
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If you're a ###### who's not a true fan this is fair game. However when I say we won I speak on behalf of the collective fanbase whom I have bonded with and I use the collective we when we are defeated as well. Only super try-hards who are trying to be extra trendy and have no idea what it's like to be a diehard will criticize this, usually when they're trying to score points on sports talk radio or identify with some psuedo celebrity bandwagon fan has some greater purpose than sports cause they are way too cool to get emotionally invested. Those people can #### off and pursue their other morally and intellectually superior interests. Hopefully we win on Sunday.
 
Patton Oswalt's character uses "we" in the last scene of Big Fan. Somehow, it seemed perfectly acceptable - even expected - from that character (and in that setting). From anyone else, it just seems a little odd to me.

 
'Ghost Rider said:
Even though it is fun to poke fun at those who do it all of the time, it isn't a big deal. It is just laughable when people then revert to "they" when their team loses. It is like, it is all "we," "we," "we" when things are going good, but when they lose, they disown them and it becomes "they." :lol:
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I say "we lost" all the time. I'm a Lions fan, though. :shrug:
 
'Ghost Rider said:
Even though it is fun to poke fun at those who do it all of the time, it isn't a big deal. It is just laughable when people then revert to "they" when their team loses. It is like, it is all "we," "we," "we" when things are going good, but when they lose, they disown them and it becomes "they." :lol:
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No need to pick on Cowboy fans
 
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