Professional Sports Fans = We

• Sonofanump

  Not intending for this does not come across as a belly "what kind of chainsaw do you own" type thread, but the use of the word "we" in the expression of the fandom of professional sports teams really intrigues me from a cognitive/physiological point of view. With the fluidity of players and the moving of franchises, are you rooting for the uniform? I understand someone using the word "we" to express a rooting interest for a university program that one is a student of or alum from, but what loyalty does the a professional sporting team give someone to use the word "we"? Do you feel that any casual fan should use "we" to describe who they root for in their living room? Plz be honest.
  
  
  Former player
  Office employee of said team
  Season ticket holder
  Average attending game a year, owns jersey
  Owns jersey, watches at home
  Watches at home, owns no team merchandise
• like_that

  

  When you are not a bandwagon fan, and actually feel like your team and the fans is some sort of 2nd family people tend to use "we."
• BR1986FB

  like_that;1777528 wrote:When you are not a bandwagon fan, and actually feel like your team and the fans is some sort of 2nd family people tend to use "we."

  I try to make a concerted effort NOT to do this. I may get some shit for saying this but I notice this in Steeler "fans" all the time and I'll ridicule them for it. And if I do ever do it, PLEASE call me out for it.
• Heretic

  

  I generally use both "we" and "they" when talking about my teams. Whichever one comes out of my mouth when talking, so I don't really have an issue with fans using that terminology. Especially since I might speak for 10-20 seconds and use both terms a couple times each.
  
  One thing I have noticed as time goes on is that people who make any sort of an issue about it really have their work cut out for them as far as not looking like a whiny little bitch goes, since they're basically taking a "you might have made good points, but I'm gonna ignore the hell out of them to poke fun at your choice of words" stance.
• Automatik

  

  I don't like saying it, but in regards to OSU I don't give a fuck. I'm allowed.
• BR1986FB

  Automatik;1777535 wrote:I don't like saying it, but in regards to OSU I don't give a fuck. I'm allowed.

  I think you're an OSU grad, correct?
• Automatik

  

  Yes, and still paying for it.
• like_that

  

  BR1986FB;1777533 wrote:I try to make a concerted effort NOT to do this. I may get some shit for saying this but I notice this in Steeler "fans" all the time and I'll ridicule them for it. And if I do ever do it, PLEASE call me out for it.

  I sometimes try to make sure I don't say it, but other times I just don't give a fuck.
• Sonofanump

  Automatik;1777540 wrote:Yes, and still paying for it.

  I understand someone using the word "we" to express a rooting interest for a university program that one is a student of or alum from,
• BR1986FB

  Automatik;1777540 wrote:Yes, and still paying for it.

  Perfectly within your right.
• Automatik

  

  The worst is just some random ass team you like... i.e. Manchester United.
  
  "We looked like shite today against City!"
  
  Please stop.
• Sonofanump

  Heretic;1777534 wrote:I generally use both "we" and "they" when talking about my teams. Whichever one comes out of my mouth when talking, so I don't really have an issue with fans using that terminology. Especially since I might speak for 10-20 seconds and use both terms a couple times each.
  
  One thing I have noticed as time goes on is that people who make any sort of an issue about it really have their work cut out for them as far as not looking like a whiny little bitch goes, since they're basically taking a "you might have made good points, but I'm gonna ignore the hell out of them to poke fun at your choice of words" stance.

  It becomes odd when using demonstratives in fandom like, "We are going to kick their ass", "We did this", "We did that".
  It becomes less odd when expressing points of strategy.
• BR1986FB

  Automatik;1777547 wrote:The worst is just some random ass team you like... i.e. Manchester United.
  
  "We looked like shite today against City!"
  
  Please stop.

  I have a major issue with Seahawks fans too. Girl I used to hang out with (native Clevelander/lifelong Browns fan) goes to visit Seattle with her husband and they are taking all of these selfies in Seahawks gear and saying "we" about Seattle after they returned. About threw up a piano reading that shit.
• lhslep134

  

  Automatik;1777547 wrote:The worst is just some random ass team you like... i.e. Manchester United.
  
  "We looked like shite today against City!"
  
  Please stop.

  Yep. I have a friend who likes Arsenal who says "we" and I refuse to use anything other than "they" when talking about Liverpool. But I think soccer is a little different since it's based on entirely different continents and (pretty much) no one has a personal connection to the teams.
  
  When it comes to teams from America, I don't consider this discussion to be any different from the "you're not allowed to root for this team or that team" one. Both instances are someone trying to act "better" than another fan, and I just DGAF. I say "we" when talking about Cleveland teams and I really don't care when someone else uses it to talk about their teams.
• BR1986FB

  Sonofanump;1777549 wrote:It becomes odd when using demonstratives in fandom like, "We are going to kick their ass", "We did this", "We did that".
  It becomes less odd when expressing points of strategy.

  Precisely. When I hear that "we did this" shit, they usually get "what number do you wear and what position do you play?" in return.
  
  Strategy is a little different. I try to say "they" but I'm sure I've slipped up with the "we."
• Ironman92

  

  I sometimes do I believe but I also usually try to think about how it sounds in the wording so as to not sound like to much of a douche/dumbfuck.
• BRF

  

  I think it's ok to say we when talking about one's team with other fans...... like on the Browns and Indians threads here.
• ernest_t_bass

  

  Needs to be multiple choice, but if assuming this is a continuum, I will go with the lowest level being "Season Ticket Holder." IMO, you are an investor.
• DeyDurkie5

  

  lhslep134;1777551 wrote: are someone trying to act "better" than another fan.

  Ironic
• Sonofanump

  ernest_t_bass;1777576 wrote:Needs to be multiple choice, but if assuming this is a continuum, I will go with the lowest level being "Season Ticket Holder." IMO, you are an investor.

  Yeah, I meant the poll to be a descending order how much "stock" one would have in the team.
• friendfromlowry

  BR1986FB;1777550 wrote:I have a major issue with Seahawks fans too. Girl I used to hang out with (native Clevelander/lifelong Browns fan) goes to visit Seattle with her husband and they are taking all of these selfies in Seahawks gear and saying "we" about Seattle after they returned. About threw up a piano reading that shit.

  Someone I went to school with and was a pretty good friend started dating a guy from Seattle a few years ago (I'm not sure if they're even still dating, though). Suddenly, she's this huge Seahawks fan. Perhaps I wasn't paying attention, but I think she was always a passive fan of the Browns up until then. But I don't ever remember her being a Seahawks fan, especially before the last few years when they've become good.
  Anyways, after the Bengals lost a couple weeks ago, she tweeted something like "Okay the Bengals fans can jump off the bandwagon now. #GoSeahawks" She's the literal definition of bandwagon and doesn't know it.
• hasbeen

  

  I try not to use 'we.'
  
  I get annoyed when someone not apart of the program I'm apart that says "we are doing great." Bitch, the fuck are you doing?
  
  Now, the die-hards I feel have some right to use it. I do believe in a home field advantage.
• Laley23

  

  Don't really care. I know what people mean. Nobody thinks they are apart of the organization.
• BRF

  

  a part........
  
  apart from that......
  
  "we" kicked ass. <--- Steeler fan from Middle Ohio.
• Laley23

  

  BRF;1777662 wrote:a part........
  
  apart from that......
  
  "we" kicked ass. <--- Steeler fan from Middle Ohio.

  Why does that bother you? You obviously know they just mean the steelers and not themselves.