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?

Choose Your Genre

A lot has happened since I last wrote here. I've tried to comment as little as possible about a couple quarterbacks joining their new teams, and it all seems like the drama goes on and on. It's a reality show that never ends.

Speaking of the reality shows, after finishing Fourth and Long, Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin decided he wanted more rand joined Dancing with the Stars. Man, I love the Cowboys, I'm a big fan of Emmitt but come on guys, enough already. In case anyone's thinking it, Troy Aikman will not join the others to have all three triplets join the show.

It's not uncommon these days for athletes to have their own shows. Michael Strahan stars in a new sitcom. T.O., as everyone knows, was in a couple reality shows over the summer and several athletes have gone on Dancing with the Stars. If you were to categorize individuals or teams as a type of show or movie genre, who would be what?

For example, it's a given that Owens would be a reality or soap-opera. Plaxico Burres would be a comedy, much like Dumb and Dumber except there is no Dumber. The quick play and dominating teams like the Patriots' during their super bowl years would be an action although the year the lost would be a drama due to the whole spygate factor.

The entire WNBA would be a chick flick. No action, really boring, no big names and not a lot of talent. Yeah, watching the grass grow or paint dry on the wall is a little more entertaining. At least it would make is seem like time has gone by a little faster.

You can't blame Michael Crabtree for not wanting to play for the 49ers but passing on $20 million is a different story. That's more money than most of us can ever dream of having. If he does hold out the entire year and reenter the draft next year, he's going to be rusty, never having caught an NFL pass. Yeah that's great experience. Who would want him by then? How do you know he's not going to do what he just did to San Fransisco? What type of genre would Crabtree be?

On a completely unrelated note, you'd figure a stadium that cost $1.2 billion would have no flaws. Even though it's nothing too huge, balls were hitting the scoreboard in the first game at the Cowboys new stadium. Evidently, if a ball hits the screen, the play doesn't count. It's a redo. That made me think about different scenarios in my head like, say the ball is blocked and it hits the screen anyway? Are they really going to take away the blocked punt?

The Rangers fell behind 4-0 early against the Yankees, built a 10-5 lead and let allowed the Yankees to score four more in the bottom of the 9th. The Rangers barely escaped with a 10-9 victory. The have their work cut out for them as try to catch the Red Sox or even the Angels.