The use of the term 'We' from ANY football fan

[Joker]

If anybody doesn't think it's US versus THEM after this season of blatant cheap shots by the media then THEY just haven't been watching.

..and if we're all bozos on this bus then I want to be Nick Danger

 

[CrazyDave]

no offense to the original poster, but...

 

[Afterlifemobile-86]

Yes, i'm another won whose annoyed by people who are annoyed by "we". Every fan of any team does it to some extant. You tend to subconsciously live through your team. It's just another sign of being emotionally invested, there's nothing wrong with it as long as you don't get to carried away.

 

[Deus Irae]

If anybody doesn't think it's US versus THEM after this season of blatant cheap shots by the media then THEY just haven't been watching.

..and if we're all bozos on this bus then I want to be Nick Danger

When did the fanbase get accused of taping games from the sidelines in violation of NFL rules?

 

[tobias funke]

When did the fanbase get accused of taping games from the sidelines in violation of NFL rules?

The fans spend a lot more time defending the Patriots from the fallout than the Patriots do, though.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Unless the poster is a member of the team, using the term "we" is obnoxious. The players who are legitimately among the "we" devote their lives to keeping in shape, learning the ins and outs of even the most minute of things which might help, and many will end up with lifelong injuries as a result of playing. The coaches spend so much time working that families are neglected and they become almost hermit-like.

Fans, on the other hand, get liquored up and blow off steam cheering for people who can do things that they can't. There is no "we". For fans, it's a game and a way to pass the time. For players, it's a job. Buying an iPod doesn't make you a part of the Apple corporation, and buying a ticket or shirt doesn't make you a part of the Patriots organization.

I disagree. As fans, "we" increase the value of the franchise by helping build the brand through memorabilia purchases and, in the case of some of us, by being part of a national fan base outside new england.

i really disagree with your description of us fans ("liquored up"), but i assume you're exaggerating.

the purchase of a corporation's product usually does not imply the same kind of personal or emotional investment as the purchase of a season ticket or hoodie. i have, however, heard "Mac" devotees use the term "we" when referring to Apple. they have typically been very invested in their purchase decision and feel passionately about the company.

 

[Deus Irae]

The fans spend a lot more time defending the Patriots from the fallout than the Patriots do, though.

Now, as to that, truer words were never spoken.

 

[patriotspride]

I try my best to use it as little as I can but it still gets a bit irritating when you see posts like 'WE' should draft so and so or 'WE' should sign Randy Moss to an extension or why did 'WE' not win the Super Bowl? ect,ect,ect:

Does the use of 'WE' as a fan irritate you just a bit when you read a post saying 'WE' should have done this,or do you think 'WE' is acceptible?.

All I know is that 'I' am only a fan just like 'YOU' and its 'OUR' team but have no say in anything that goes on and the use of the term 'WE' becomes fantasy as if in our own minds we think that any of us have any input or any real importance into this organization with the exception of yelling and rooting for the team and buying logo stuff ect:

When a poster uses 'WE' does it bother you the least bit or not?

i dont use [WE] but it doesnt irritate me when somebody else does . its understandable .

 

[jcdavey]

Because they're completely different. Calling yourself a soldier or talking about flying bullets during wartime on national television is alot different than using a personal pronoun to refer to a team you pull for.

we were at war when those things were said? i didn't realize that.

 

[Deus Irae]

I disagree. As fans, "we" increase the value of the franchise by helping build the brand through memorabilia purchases and, in the case of some of us, by being part of a national fan base outside new england.

i really disagree with your description of us fans ("liquored up"), but i assume you're exaggerating.

the purchase of a corporation's product usually does not imply the same kind of personal or emotional investment as the purchase of a season ticket or hoodie. i have, however, heard "Mac" devotees use the term "we" when referring to Apple. they have typically been very invested in their purchase decision and feel passionately about the company.

When you make a purchase, you make a purchase. Nothing more. By buying a hoodie, you do not become the Patriots starting center. Yes, people use the term "we" in a lot of situations when it's not called for. It's part of some people's need to pretend that they are a part of something even when they aren't. You are nothing but a consumer. The towel boy is a part of the organization. You're just some person paying for a product. The fact that you invest more of your emotion into the Patriots than into a chair/car/laptop/rug/etc. doesn't somehow make you a part of the team.

 

[tobias funke]

Deus, do you really believe that people are insisting or implying they are "part of" or "responsible" for the success or failures of the team?

Really? I mean... really?

What's funny to me is that no one brings this crap up when you say "we" about a losing team

 

[PatsFanSince74]

When you make a purchase, you make a purchase. Nothing more. By buying a hoodie, you do not become the Patriots starting center. Yes, people use the term "we" in a lot of situations when it's not called for. It's part of some people's need to pretend that they are a part of something even when they aren't. You are nothing but a consumer. The towel boy is a part of the organization. You're just some person paying for a product. The fact that you invest more of your emotion into the Patriots than into a chair/car/laptop/rug/etc. doesn't somehow make you a part of the team.

i disagree. the "emotion" that it is able to arouse in its fans is a significant contributor to the value of a professional sports franchise.

 

[Deus Irae]

Deus, do you really believe that people are insisting or implying they are "part of" or "responsible" for the success or failures of the team?

Really? I mean... really?

What's funny to me is that no one brings this crap up when you say "we" about a losing team

I believe that man is a herd animal who tends to want to be part of a group. I believe that fans invest a lot of emotional energy into supporting their team(s) of choice, and that this investment makes some of them feel as if they've somehow 'earned' the right to be considered a part of the team. It's still obnoxious to me. When I was playing sports prior to my injury, I didn't consider the fans as part of the team, and I still don't today. 20 million people may watch CSI religiously, for example, but that doesn't mean that 20 million people are a part of the CSI team.

 

[tobias funke]

Did you have fans asking you for your autograph? Sending you fan mail, asking for your picture? Were they wearing your jersey? Did they buy your book and go see you speak at a high school about perserverance?

This is a team of real people. Every team has real people that involve themselves with the community, for a reason. I highly doubt they consider fans saying "we" or considering themselves somewhat "a part of it" obnoxious at all.

Your 'herd mentality' hypothesis is very condescending and underestimates the intelligence of a great many football fans.

 

[CrazyDave]

is this really better than another "spygate" thread?

 

[Mogamedogz]

No, but interestingly enough people who are annoyed by fans doing this annoy me.
(No that’s not directed to this thread specifically, I’ve seen people make this point on a lot of other boards as well.)

WE directly support and keep the franchise alive by buying tickets and merchandise.

GREAT POST.

 

[Deus Irae]

Did you have fans asking you for your autograph? Sending you fan mail, asking for your picture? Were they wearing your jersey? Did they buy your book and go see you speak at a high school about perserverance?

This is a team of real people. Every team has real people that involve themselves with the community, for a reason. I highly doubt they consider fans saying "we" or considering themselves somewhat "a part of it" obnoxious at all.

Your 'herd mentality' hypothesis is very condescending and underestimates the intelligence of a great many football fans.

Intelligence has nothing to do with the issue at hand. Smart people buy into the "we" mentality too. As for autographs and the like, I actually did sign a 'precious' few when I was playing, but it certainly wasn't any significant number, and I'd imagine that every one of the handful or so have long since been discarded. That doesn't change the point, however.

Buying a book does not make you part of the team, nor does asking for an autograph. It doesn't mean you're suiting up on Sunday. It doesn't mean that you're working in the clubhouse or the locker room. It just means that you are enjoying the product enough to make a purchase or ask for an autograph.

 

[tobias funke]

Intelligence has a lot to do with the issue at hand, considering that you are still attempting to explain that most people posting here do not actually get paid millions of dollars to catch footballs and tackle other dudes.

Like I said... Really?

 

[Keegs]

For all intensive purposes, i wish We would have on the Superbowl.

I would have loved to Hoist that Lombardi Trophy and I was so physically exhausted after the game.

We really had a good year though and i was so beat up physically at the end of it, i'll probably have to rehab for a few months before mini camps and all that stuff starts.

We had a good run though.

 

[#12]

I think when people say we, they're showing their alliance to a certain team. If you're a fan of the team you experience, to an extent, the ups and downs of the season and are along for the ride. Sure WE dont have a direct impact on the team, but we do invest a lot of time and emotion into our team and when they succeed we are proud and when they don't we are devastated. We experience those feelings and emotions brought about by our team, so in a sense we feel like we are in this together even if we are only watching and rooting. I mean think about spygate. The amount of haters was unbelievable and so you can't help but to feel a little bit of the "us against the world" mentality, knowing there was a lot of ppl in the country who hate the team we love. I dont tend to use it but have no problem using it or hearing other people use it.