We Sports

When is it acceptable and unacceptable to say "we" when referring to your team as a fan? Obviously the fans aren't hitting pitches coming at us 95 mph. We're not the one's standing in the pocket trying to decide where the blitz is coming from and trying to remember who's running what route and we're certainly not getting paid $1oo million.

That's my point exactly though. There's not nearly as much loyalty on the part of players and coaches and more. Whatever happened to people like Bill Bates. When he was offered a lot more money to play for the Raiders, he declined because he wanted to finish his career in Dallas. Not to mention, by the time you buy a player's jersey, he's gone and it's no longer cool to have that jersey any more because he's either hurt or changed teams, his number or his name. The players are paid to wear the jersey and the fans pay to wear it.

We buy tickets and apparel. We put the advantage in homefield advantage. Whenever a team wins a championship, they say they couldn't have done it without the fans? Are they just sucking to the millions of people watching or do they actually believe it? If they do believe it, aren't fans by definition part of the team?

Yes, I do think it's okay to "we" your favorite team, but only your favorite team. If you're a fan of a team that's not in the playoffs, don't say "we" to another team because yours didn't make it. Be consistent with it. Be a die hard fan and stick with your team through think and thin.

As far as college sports are concerned, stick with one school to we. Don't say we to The Longhorns football team and the Tar Heels basketball team. I'm likely just as guilty as anyone and should probably work on it.

My first fall semester at SFA, the football team went 0-11. My last spring semester at SFA, the basketball team went to the NCAA tournament. How easy would it be for me to say we when referring to the basketball team but not the football team? Yeah, pretty easy.

Another thing is, you can't switch. Think of it kind of like a marriage. For better or worse. In injuries and in health, in wins and in losses. Let's get rid of all the fair weather stuff. Maybe it's best to be a fan for a specific amount of time before you start weeing or team. I think you need that time to get to know your team and figure out if this thing's going to work or not. Some of us are more ready than others for that type of commitment. Remember, this is the rest of your life we're talking about here. Are you ready to think in terms of we?