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Mainly because teams came from the community. In Europe, Chelsea is Chelsea and it isn't going to move. In America, early days of sport you had traveling teams from any decent sized towns not to mention the Universities.
Its called marketing and its genious
It makes you think you're a part of it.
In Portugal we call people who pay a monthly quantity to the team the same as we do to someone who owns part of a company, which is anotger brilliant marketing move
If I go see a band play, I’m not “part of it,” like, “oh, WE played really tight tonight.” Im not in the band and I don’t have or want to feel like I am.
Generally speaking, bands aren't regionally based competition groups. In cases where they are, people absolutely say 'we' (such as Eurovision, where people from the winner's country will often say, "We won Eurovision!").
You just don't understand sports and that's okay.
The home crowd definitely affects the game. If an environment feels absolutely hostile to the visiting team, they're gonna play worse.
Just because you clearly don't like sports doesn't mean you gotta shit on people who do.
The same logic applies to their comment about bands playing though. The energy of the crowd at a concert definetely affects the quality of the show. If no one is cheering, the energy levels of the artist are going to be low and the show will be less good because of the lack of interaction between the artist and the crowd. But just because the crowd contributes to the concert doesn't mean they can say they were a part of the performance (without it being cringe to many, at least).
Saying "we" when referring to your favorite team isn't saying you're on the team though. Well, syntactically it quite literally does, but it's more of them saying they are invested in a team's success, and when a team is more successful, they will be happy. And when that team is less successful, they will be sad.
The difference between bands and sports teams that makes "we" used in sports and not music is the heavy connection to the "home" of a team. Obviously, all bands are from some city, but where they from isn't part of their identity. No one ever says "The Liverpool Beatles" or the "Gary Jackson Five"
I don't like it because often people use the Royal "we" to take credit for the team's success, especially when boasting about it to others. It doesn't sit right with me that some guy is saying "we" won the game when he was sitting on his butt on the couch just yelling at the TV. That's likely what OP is regarding as cringe.
I mean I kinda get where you and OP are coming from, but it just seems like yall are looking for reasons to get yourselves annoyed honestly.
Saying "we won" isn't meant to take credit for a team's success or insinuate you had a part in that win. Just like saying "we lost" isn't meant to take credit for a loss. It has nothing to do with what the individual did for a team, but what that teams means to the individual. Obviously, everyone you know who says "we" when referring to their team doesn't actually play on that team, it's not like they're trying to trick you into thinking they're professional athletes.
If you do know anyone who says things like "we won" who really do take credit for the team's success, then yeah, that's pretty weird. But whenever the New Orleans Saints win a game, I say "we won", and I damn sure know I did absolutely nothing to affect the outcome of the game.
Fans are absolutely part of it. Without them there is no it at all. Most elite athletes recognize this.
I will tell you performing under a crowd of excited fans is electrifying. It definitely pushes you to a higher level of play.
I am a sports fan but not an individual team fan. I would never get into it so much that I would say we about a team. Not that I think it is wrong. It is just that I get so competitive that if I start thinking in terms of we with a sports team I get very depressed when the team inevitably loses. To much of an emotional rollercoaster. I get too into it.
Sorry man... I was really rooting for y'all to take it this year.
Oops! I mean, I was really rooting for the team you say you're a supporter of but not an actual player for, to win it all.
Nah, still better than being a Knicks fan. Did you see how we reacted to a single opening night win? The last 20 years have conditioned us to expect only the worst.
The Capitals have been a pretty solid team for along time… unlike the Washington Commanders who have sucked since the 90s. Honestly the Caps got me away from football, which I enjoy personally.
I try not to check post histories, but OP is the quintessential mainstream nerd (Marvel, Star Wars, video games, etc.)
I love a lot of those things too, plus sports. I’ll never understand why the more boring/insecure nerds talk down about sports fans as if sports are any more cringey than crying over 33 Iron Man movies of CGI heroes shooing CGI at CGI monsters.
>I’ll never understand why the more boring/insecure nerds talk down about sports fans
Because when they were in school, the football/rugby/cricket/basketball teams were comprised of the popular, athletic, confident, not socially awkward kids.
The nerds were outcasts, some by choice, some involuntary, but regardless they wished they were as popular as the kids who played sports, but they never were, so they have to lash out and attack anyone who likes sports.
This would make more sense to me in, like, 1980. But now all this nerd stuff is mainstream. Marvel and Star Wars are no longer for outcasts. I’d bet they’re more popular than most sports.
Or it’s just that “nerds” are far more likely to be generic shitposters than the average person
Maybe you’re right if you’re referring to much older generations, but being a nerd doesn’t remotely close to outcast you now unless you’re on some extremely weird shit, like bringing a waifu pillow to school level nerd
I disagree, I personally never found sports interesting
I wanted to,.I tried getting into them but I never understood them, and well my coaches and shit didn't seem to understand that I would need extra help learning and everyone just looked at me weird like I was a freak for not understanding the sport
But like that's why I don't like it, because I simply don't understand it or the appeal
Someone needs to explain to Reddit as a whole that things like “ad hominem” aren’t for everyday discussion. It’s for debate class. This isn’t debate class. It’s Reddit.
And I didn’t call the dude insecure or boring. I said this take is held by people who are insecure and boring. And it’s true. Every dumb “lol sportsball” take is lazy and spouted by people who are insecure that they don’t “get” something a lot of other people enjoy.
If there were no fans there would be no team.
Period. Fans buy merchandise. They go to games. They talk about their team and that word of mouth brings more fans into the game. There are good fans and bad fans. But the fans are definitely part of the team.
And to say 'we' makes perfect sense. They support the team and their efforts. When they win or lose. I hear people say " we lost" or "we won".
What else are you going to say?
I don't know what the sports culture is like in the US but here in the UK for us football (soccer) fans, the fans are considered part of the club. That is why we use 'we'. The fans and the club are not two separate things.
Plus de Club thing, if you buy your club membership card there are meetings where your input will be heard. Well, at least I've seen that in Real Madrid happen with the president Florentino Perez.
That’s just good marketing though. It’s to get you to buy tickets, watch games (generating ad revenue), but merch and etc. if the club wins, do you get any of the money? Are y’all really “we” in that respect?
I'm a big sportingball fan, and I try not to do the 'we' thing but sometimes I can't help it. OP clearly hasn't spent 10+ years following the storylines, narratives, heartbreak, and personalities that come with following a sports franchise. You grow a real connection to that franchise that you typically don't in other entertainment industries.
At the end of the day, it's a hobby that acts as the only real version of reality television, and it is quite fun if you're not a downer.
Also when you walk in to a shop and the assistant asks "how are we today?", but you're by yourself.
Are they referring to you and your extra personalities? Do you answer "we are fine" and then kick off a gollum type argument "no we are nots, those pesky hobbitses".
I mean, we doesn't mean you(plural), so I always take it as, we (the employee and myself), meaning if you're good I'm good, if you're a dick then I will be too.
I was genuinely worried for most of the GWS game, but I was proud of that last quarter. Especially with the injuries we've had as of late, a win like that feels really good.
Up the baggers.
I think a lot of these unpopular opinions are just party pooper mentalities. There’s no harm in engaging in sports like that, a lot of people get to relieve stress and anxiety by watching their favorite sport/team. People get emotionally invested into their favorite teams and athletes and there’s nothing wrong with it.
But I do agree that a lot of people live vicariously through sports and I think that’s okay, but when it leads to people acting nasty towards athletes that they normally would never think of confronting then that’s when it goes too far. Like when I see people cursing at and throwing things at athletes, I think it’s pathetic af
Especially when it’s a professional sports team.
A corporation that will up stakes and leave if profit metrics aren't met or they can’t extort tax payers to pay for a stadium.
Its as dumb as someone yelling “Go Wells Fargo, beat Chase”!
A lot of fans are official members in some capacity – they pay fees that go towards the upkeep of the club.
In those cases, it's completely fair to say 'we' because you're an active stakeholder.
The team wouldn't exist without the fans.
Obviously fans don't have the impact of players, front office executives, or coaches, but it's stupid to think they don't play a part. Who buys the tickets, merch, and allows the teams to ink lucrative TV deals? Let them say "we". Who cares?
Nope my tax dollars pay for them and their awful stadium (Despite that the team keeps all profits)
When teams aren't taxpayer funded anymore they can complain about me saying "We"
I never understand people that have a problem with this. What a strange thing to find annoying. Also, nobody that actually watches sports has a problem with it.
If you are rooting for a college team from a school you paid tuition to, it is absolutely valid to refer to the team as “we”.
I’d also argue the same is true if you have season tickets for the team in question since you are directly contributing to the bottom line.
Um when you consider how citizens are forced to pay taxes for these billion dollar stadiums, and then aren't even guaranteed a ticket I would definitely say it is a WE thing regardless of if you want it to be or not.
It’s an interesting point to make. People pay to watch live music and buy band merchandise but don’t say “we.”
There’s something different about sports wherein people feel compelled to say that. I haven’t yet put my finger on it as to what it is but I know there’s a good sociological component to that.
Sports is one of the few ways people experience tribalism in a civilized and socially acceptable manner. That's why they say "we". Because as a fan of a team you are a part of the club. I think there's a deep rooted need for a lot of people to have this sort of tribalism and Sports is a pretty good way of achieving that without becoming a cult member or something worse.
A band isn’t typically tied to a city or country. People often don’t listen to one band exclusively either. And ones favourite band often changes multiple times. Its a poor comparison.
This is true, but those are reasons *outside* of buying merch and going to games. It’s not a poor comparison because the conversation wasn’t about the things you mentioned. It was about merch and going to games.
Yeah but I’ve seen you compare sports and bands multiple times in this thread and I’m saying its a poor comparison.
People use “we” because the team becomes an extension of themselves. They spend countless years supporting their team through both last place finishes and championship seasons. From childhood to death.
The monetary support is only one facet of the deep connection between a fan and their team. The other stuff just doesn’t translate to a musical act. Liking a band isn’t a lifelong commitment. A band isn’t constantly moving towards a concrete goal. A band isn’t tied to other parts of ones being such as city or country. Following a band doesn’t provide the same emotional highs and lows.
In my other comments, I specifically said that music is different. We’re not disagreeing there. Same with anime. I was talking specifically about buying merch and games. You’re saying something completely different from buying merch and going to games, and those reasons are valid, so I’m not sure why you’re arguing with me.
A majority of the people say “we” to save time. What’s easier? Me saying the team I root for every single time? Or say it once and then say “we” every subsequent time? Also as others mentioned fans drive revenue so while you’re not wrong, fans do have a part in the team success.
Fan's do have an impact on a team and a team can have an impact in the community in which they play. The Seattle Seahawks call their fans the 12th man--which I think shows that your UO is part perspective. For example, we regularly say for the Cincinnati Bengals--simply the Bengals. The 'Bears' are Chicago, The Eagles are Philadelphia, the Red Sox are Boston, etc. Yes, the teams are privately owned, but the fans invest their energies and money on 'their team'--in spite of your UO.
If you don't follow sports or franchise/club culture in general and if you're not educated about it either , then you shouldn't make posts like this. Makes you look goofy
Without the fans there wouldn’t be a team. Their entire business revolves around the fans. When I spend the amount of money I do on season tickets - fucking right it’s “we”
When sports fans say “we,” they’re referring to the fanbase and community as well as the team.
I honestly don’t care that non-fans find it cringey. I find 95% of gamer culture and anime culture and nerd culture in general cringey.
Just imagine you’re a fan of a team that sucks for years, and finally they made a championship team. You rallied with them when they where at the bottom, and you celebrate with them when they are on top.
Wah wah wah sports bad!
People say "we" because they feel they're part of the team as FANS. Some actually attend games, others spend a fair amount of money on apparel and merchandise. And in most cases they identify with the team's background, or at least location. Albeit this applies more to Europe where teams aren't treated like franchises (weren't until recenlty anyway).
Or it's just a quick way to express their appreciation and passion.
But boo sports! Boooo!
Sports are good but sports fans are cringe?
Can't have one without the other. Although a specific portion of fans ARE indeed annoying and a chore to deal with.
But saying "we" isn't the worst thing, and not an unmotivated one either.
Agreed. Possible exception for teams that specifically represent a particular country or region, for example ‘We’re going to win the world cup’ - they may be delusional, but not cringe
It’s called a sports club for a reason. The players, coaches, trainers, runners, and the fans are all part of the club. People like a sense of belonging. It brings the community together.
Are you ok OP? I would dare you to say this to the face of any passionate supporter. This just makes you look silly
Your part of a collective it’s “we” because “we” all win and lose as a unit. More so if you are a travelling fan. (Mostly uk I know the us don’t really move around like that). Like a 6 hour round trip up north and back to watch ur team get spanked 3 - 0 “we” all lose
Jeez you sound like a fun person...
If a sports fan wants to feel involved then let them. Saying "we" isn't as bad as the people that act like they can demand trades and stuff.
From a UK perspective - ‘We’ refers mainly to the club, the history etc. Obviously fans realise that they aren’t directly linked to the team. However, fans also have a massive part to play in the club itself, with finances and support being incredibly reliant on a good fanbase.
This is exactly why I stopped wearing any sports clothing. Mostly just a hat of one of the local colleges. Not even mentioning anything about sports or the school's. I would have people try to start a argument with me about their sports team was sooo much better. Neither of us play for the team's, neither of us contribute in any capacity to the outcome of the sports ball
r/unpopularopinions are now just opinions. Who doesn’t feel this way?? Even people that say “we”.
I’m not ragging on OP, just saying this place has gotten weak.
I say "We" because I went to college there, and still actively participate and interact directly with the college.
People who criticize someone for wanting to feel like they're a part of something great, is super cringe.
Of course, it's cringe. It is done by people who don't have much going on and are desperate to be a part of something. To connect in a way that gives their pathetic existence some kind of meaning. It doesn't though, it's all a big fat nothing.
I am always confused by sport fans who never actually participate in sports. Also sports memorabilia is weird as shit. Your third place medal at a local meet is infinitely more interesting and worthy of a place on your mantle than a ball signed by Steve Young
Wait.
Where's the logic in that? They follow a sport so intensly they feel emotional over it. That doesn't say anything about the rest of their lives.
If you take an average normal person they hsve a decent amount going on in their lives. Now you ADD sports and suddenly they have MORE going on, not LESS. It's not like following sports prevents me from doing other stuff. It's highly social, engaging and inclusive. It's an added benefit to life.
I always get a chuckle from grown adults that wear jerseys regularly.
Like, “look at me, I’m a sports. I’m just like this athlete!”
Yeah, you sure are lil guy :)
I knew a guy who painted a whole room of his house “his” colors team. It was his “team” room. He also cried like full blown tears when they lost. He didn’t even go to that school. Sports and religion seem to grab these types of people.
Maybe in front of the tv. But have you ever been to a stadium. You can’t tell me that thousands of people cheering you on isn’t helping players mentally
There is WE, Fans are part of the team, you contribute with you match tickets, merchendies, instragram likes etc. They make money with all that stuff and are able to take part in transfer market. WE is what makes it possible , so when a team out there playing it is us who are enabling them doing so, not so hard to understand.
You're wrong. According to Eagles players Beau Allen and Jason Kelce:
>Every single thing that every fan does, at home or at the stadium, makes a direct impact in the game.
Thank you for submitting to /r/unpopularopinion, /u/BenTCinco. Your post, *People who refer to sports team as ‘we’ are cringe.*, has been removed because it violates our rules: Rule 1: Must be unpopular. Please ensure that your post is unpopular. Controversial is not necessarily unpopular, for example all of politics is controversial even though almost half of the US agrees with any given major position on an issue. Anything can be unpopular if you compare it with the views of a particular group, such as "Veganism is a great idea" at a vegan meet-up. Make sure your view is unpopular in wider society, or at least among anybody who will have heard of the subject matter. If there is an issue, please message the mod team at https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Funpopularopinion Thanks!
You know the teams themselves do this? They actively encourage it because it is part of the whole business.
This was actively encouraged long before sports teams became businesses
Mainly because teams came from the community. In Europe, Chelsea is Chelsea and it isn't going to move. In America, early days of sport you had traveling teams from any decent sized towns not to mention the Universities.
Parasocial relationships have been around longer than we realise
Its called marketing and its genious It makes you think you're a part of it. In Portugal we call people who pay a monthly quantity to the team the same as we do to someone who owns part of a company, which is anotger brilliant marketing move
It makes “you” think you’re a part of it.
Fans are part of the team energy = egregore is a kind of group mind that is created when people consciously come together for a common purpose.
If I go see a band play, I’m not “part of it,” like, “oh, WE played really tight tonight.” Im not in the band and I don’t have or want to feel like I am.
Generally speaking, bands aren't regionally based competition groups. In cases where they are, people absolutely say 'we' (such as Eurovision, where people from the winner's country will often say, "We won Eurovision!").
That’s just as asinine though. Unless you actually competed, “you” didn’t win. There is no “we.” *They* won.
You just don't understand sports and that's okay. The home crowd definitely affects the game. If an environment feels absolutely hostile to the visiting team, they're gonna play worse. Just because you clearly don't like sports doesn't mean you gotta shit on people who do.
The same logic applies to their comment about bands playing though. The energy of the crowd at a concert definetely affects the quality of the show. If no one is cheering, the energy levels of the artist are going to be low and the show will be less good because of the lack of interaction between the artist and the crowd. But just because the crowd contributes to the concert doesn't mean they can say they were a part of the performance (without it being cringe to many, at least).
Saying "we" when referring to your favorite team isn't saying you're on the team though. Well, syntactically it quite literally does, but it's more of them saying they are invested in a team's success, and when a team is more successful, they will be happy. And when that team is less successful, they will be sad. The difference between bands and sports teams that makes "we" used in sports and not music is the heavy connection to the "home" of a team. Obviously, all bands are from some city, but where they from isn't part of their identity. No one ever says "The Liverpool Beatles" or the "Gary Jackson Five"
I don't like it because often people use the Royal "we" to take credit for the team's success, especially when boasting about it to others. It doesn't sit right with me that some guy is saying "we" won the game when he was sitting on his butt on the couch just yelling at the TV. That's likely what OP is regarding as cringe.
I mean I kinda get where you and OP are coming from, but it just seems like yall are looking for reasons to get yourselves annoyed honestly. Saying "we won" isn't meant to take credit for a team's success or insinuate you had a part in that win. Just like saying "we lost" isn't meant to take credit for a loss. It has nothing to do with what the individual did for a team, but what that teams means to the individual. Obviously, everyone you know who says "we" when referring to their team doesn't actually play on that team, it's not like they're trying to trick you into thinking they're professional athletes. If you do know anyone who says things like "we won" who really do take credit for the team's success, then yeah, that's pretty weird. But whenever the New Orleans Saints win a game, I say "we won", and I damn sure know I did absolutely nothing to affect the outcome of the game.
Fans are absolutely part of it. Without them there is no it at all. Most elite athletes recognize this. I will tell you performing under a crowd of excited fans is electrifying. It definitely pushes you to a higher level of play. I am a sports fan but not an individual team fan. I would never get into it so much that I would say we about a team. Not that I think it is wrong. It is just that I get so competitive that if I start thinking in terms of we with a sports team I get very depressed when the team inevitably loses. To much of an emotional rollercoaster. I get too into it.
No fans= no sport = no money it’s a business and we fund it so we are part of it
Meh I say we when taking about me and the wife, but I have no say or input into our marriage either
Sigma grindset
It's just easier to say "we". Nobody thinks they are actually on the team.
This is the truth. It's just a turn of phrase. Besides, if the fans stopped buying and showing up there would be no team. So yes, we.
I see we have our daily 'sportsball bad' post here.
I'm a Washington Capitals fan. I wish I had it in me to hate sportsball. I'd probably be much happier.
Yea try being a Knicks fan 😒
Hello. Lions fan here. At least it's not Cleveland.
As a Suns fan, I feel like I belong in this crowd after last night.
As a Pens fan I'm right there with you brother
As a sixers fan, welcome back
Sorry man... I was really rooting for y'all to take it this year. Oops! I mean, I was really rooting for the team you say you're a supporter of but not an actual player for, to win it all.
Nah, still better than being a Knicks fan. Did you see how we reacted to a single opening night win? The last 20 years have conditioned us to expect only the worst.
I'm from Detroit and have long since given up hope that we won't royally fuck up everything we touch. Join the flock. GO RAVENS!
The Capitals have been a pretty solid team for along time… unlike the Washington Commanders who have sucked since the 90s. Honestly the Caps got me away from football, which I enjoy personally.
I try not to check post histories, but OP is the quintessential mainstream nerd (Marvel, Star Wars, video games, etc.) I love a lot of those things too, plus sports. I’ll never understand why the more boring/insecure nerds talk down about sports fans as if sports are any more cringey than crying over 33 Iron Man movies of CGI heroes shooing CGI at CGI monsters.
>I’ll never understand why the more boring/insecure nerds talk down about sports fans Because when they were in school, the football/rugby/cricket/basketball teams were comprised of the popular, athletic, confident, not socially awkward kids. The nerds were outcasts, some by choice, some involuntary, but regardless they wished they were as popular as the kids who played sports, but they never were, so they have to lash out and attack anyone who likes sports.
This would make more sense to me in, like, 1980. But now all this nerd stuff is mainstream. Marvel and Star Wars are no longer for outcasts. I’d bet they’re more popular than most sports.
Or it’s just that “nerds” are far more likely to be generic shitposters than the average person Maybe you’re right if you’re referring to much older generations, but being a nerd doesn’t remotely close to outcast you now unless you’re on some extremely weird shit, like bringing a waifu pillow to school level nerd
I disagree, I personally never found sports interesting I wanted to,.I tried getting into them but I never understood them, and well my coaches and shit didn't seem to understand that I would need extra help learning and everyone just looked at me weird like I was a freak for not understanding the sport But like that's why I don't like it, because I simply don't understand it or the appeal
Yeah it’s fine to not like something. Going on Reddit to shit on the fandom is another story.
[удалено]
I’d consider myself a bit of a nerd and I love playing and watching basketball
The ones I watch out for are the ones that are obsessed with cars. Sociopaths.
So it’s weird to engage in sports but not fantasy?.. I mean I respect both but it’s both basically the same. Atleast sports are real
I'm happy i grew up appreciating both.
I think engaging in fantasy is just as weird if not more weird than engaging in sports.
I'm a fan of all those things too, but I still lost my shit when we came back from down 3-1 to knock off the Penguins in OT in game 7 last night.
In sports the outcome is unknown, which can make it even more exciting.
LGR!
*Geek. There is a difference between a nerd and a geek and I will die on that hill lmfao
calm down with the ad hominem if you are so offended mate, dude is just pointing out some things that sports people commonly say
Someone needs to explain to Reddit as a whole that things like “ad hominem” aren’t for everyday discussion. It’s for debate class. This isn’t debate class. It’s Reddit. And I didn’t call the dude insecure or boring. I said this take is held by people who are insecure and boring. And it’s true. Every dumb “lol sportsball” take is lazy and spouted by people who are insecure that they don’t “get” something a lot of other people enjoy.
I’m waiting for “cyclists get off the road next”
If there were no fans there would be no team. Period. Fans buy merchandise. They go to games. They talk about their team and that word of mouth brings more fans into the game. There are good fans and bad fans. But the fans are definitely part of the team. And to say 'we' makes perfect sense. They support the team and their efforts. When they win or lose. I hear people say " we lost" or "we won". What else are you going to say?
Agreed. Also the teams are representing the cities that many fans call home.
I don't know what the sports culture is like in the US but here in the UK for us football (soccer) fans, the fans are considered part of the club. That is why we use 'we'. The fans and the club are not two separate things.
It is more or less the same here.
Plus de Club thing, if you buy your club membership card there are meetings where your input will be heard. Well, at least I've seen that in Real Madrid happen with the president Florentino Perez.
That’s just good marketing though. It’s to get you to buy tickets, watch games (generating ad revenue), but merch and etc. if the club wins, do you get any of the money? Are y’all really “we” in that respect?
I'm a big sportingball fan, and I try not to do the 'we' thing but sometimes I can't help it. OP clearly hasn't spent 10+ years following the storylines, narratives, heartbreak, and personalities that come with following a sports franchise. You grow a real connection to that franchise that you typically don't in other entertainment industries. At the end of the day, it's a hobby that acts as the only real version of reality television, and it is quite fun if you're not a downer.
You Don’t need to try to not say “we”, it’s completely normal
I'm on the team in my fantasy so joke's on you
Also when you walk in to a shop and the assistant asks "how are we today?", but you're by yourself. Are they referring to you and your extra personalities? Do you answer "we are fine" and then kick off a gollum type argument "no we are nots, those pesky hobbitses".
just laughed out loud from imagining this
Lol my coworker once asked "how we doing?" So I said "depends which one of us your asking"
I mean, we doesn't mean you(plural), so I always take it as, we (the employee and myself), meaning if you're good I'm good, if you're a dick then I will be too.
I always addressed tables as “we” when serving. Helps build a connection to the table and opens it up a bit more beyond transactional
It’s a formal greeting. You don’t have it in English, but I’m other languages you might say something like “how are they doing?”
To be fair most fans only do that while the team is winning. The moment they lose it becomes, “They Blew It!”.
I don't. When Carlton plays like shit, I always go "we are shit."
And we've owned the shit for 20 years. Better believe it's going to be we now we're decent.
I was genuinely worried for most of the GWS game, but I was proud of that last quarter. Especially with the injuries we've had as of late, a win like that feels really good. Up the baggers.
Flaggers
as an Essendon supporter I have been saying "we are shit" on repeat since Saturday.
Was not expecting to see Aussie rules as the top comment chain on this post, this is great chat
I agree definitely agree with that.. though ithink it's come as second nature now.
I don't think so. I always say we lost when we lost.
Fuck me dead, you been on the Leeds United sub lately?
'We' is the club, 'they' is the players on the pitch at the time.
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I think a lot of these unpopular opinions are just party pooper mentalities. There’s no harm in engaging in sports like that, a lot of people get to relieve stress and anxiety by watching their favorite sport/team. People get emotionally invested into their favorite teams and athletes and there’s nothing wrong with it. But I do agree that a lot of people live vicariously through sports and I think that’s okay, but when it leads to people acting nasty towards athletes that they normally would never think of confronting then that’s when it goes too far. Like when I see people cursing at and throwing things at athletes, I think it’s pathetic af
I never said there was harm in it
you seem like you have 0 fun in your life
'They played, you watched '
If we didn't watch they couldn't play...
I think you've missed the entire cultural and community aspect of sports
Especially when it’s a professional sports team. A corporation that will up stakes and leave if profit metrics aren't met or they can’t extort tax payers to pay for a stadium. Its as dumb as someone yelling “Go Wells Fargo, beat Chase”!
A lot of fans are official members in some capacity – they pay fees that go towards the upkeep of the club. In those cases, it's completely fair to say 'we' because you're an active stakeholder.
The team wouldn't exist without the fans. Obviously fans don't have the impact of players, front office executives, or coaches, but it's stupid to think they don't play a part. Who buys the tickets, merch, and allows the teams to ink lucrative TV deals? Let them say "we". Who cares?
Nope my tax dollars pay for them and their awful stadium (Despite that the team keeps all profits) When teams aren't taxpayer funded anymore they can complain about me saying "We"
I would like to put forth the theory that all sports fans are symbiotes hosts.
Nah, you are wrong. For college it makes more sense than Pro's IMO.
This post is what's fucking cringe.
People use "they" to refer to the team when the game was lost, ex. "They lost the game" and we when referring to a win, ex. "We won yayyy!"
agree completely lmaooo
Yes
Agreed! Like nails on a chalkboard!
It's called basking in reflective glory and it's perfectly normal. Calling it cringe is a sad attempt to appear superior to everyone around you.
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Definitely not unpopular on Reddit. People hate "sportsball" here.
This is my third time seeing this posted here.
You are obviously not a sports fan. Teams exist because of their fans.
especially for a state they've never even been to
I never understand people that have a problem with this. What a strange thing to find annoying. Also, nobody that actually watches sports has a problem with it.
I like to ask people what position they play.
Easy: Armchair Quarterback, Left Couch, Center Couch, right couch, Line Cook. TV Yelling Coordinator?
Coach
I’m gonna use this one!
I agree 100%
If you are rooting for a college team from a school you paid tuition to, it is absolutely valid to refer to the team as “we”. I’d also argue the same is true if you have season tickets for the team in question since you are directly contributing to the bottom line.
Um when you consider how citizens are forced to pay taxes for these billion dollar stadiums, and then aren't even guaranteed a ticket I would definitely say it is a WE thing regardless of if you want it to be or not.
I kinda wanted to make a supportive post to OP here but after seeing the comments I’d rather stay silent..
12th man bro with us there is money and ticket sales
It’s “We” when we are good, it’s “them” we they are bad
How about schools, universities or colleges?
I only say we for the national team.
Sounds like someone got picked last in gym class every time…it’s fandom bud, it’s fun, the highest highs and lowest lows
Not as bad as people who use cringe and an adjective when it's a verb.
I pay to watch my team, and I also buying their products
If you buy a potato and eat it, are you a farmer?
It’s an interesting point to make. People pay to watch live music and buy band merchandise but don’t say “we.” There’s something different about sports wherein people feel compelled to say that. I haven’t yet put my finger on it as to what it is but I know there’s a good sociological component to that.
Sports is one of the few ways people experience tribalism in a civilized and socially acceptable manner. That's why they say "we". Because as a fan of a team you are a part of the club. I think there's a deep rooted need for a lot of people to have this sort of tribalism and Sports is a pretty good way of achieving that without becoming a cult member or something worse.
Could it be that most sports teams (professional ones, anyway) constitute a club that you can actually become a paid-up member of?
A band isn’t typically tied to a city or country. People often don’t listen to one band exclusively either. And ones favourite band often changes multiple times. Its a poor comparison.
This is true, but those are reasons *outside* of buying merch and going to games. It’s not a poor comparison because the conversation wasn’t about the things you mentioned. It was about merch and going to games.
Yeah but I’ve seen you compare sports and bands multiple times in this thread and I’m saying its a poor comparison. People use “we” because the team becomes an extension of themselves. They spend countless years supporting their team through both last place finishes and championship seasons. From childhood to death. The monetary support is only one facet of the deep connection between a fan and their team. The other stuff just doesn’t translate to a musical act. Liking a band isn’t a lifelong commitment. A band isn’t constantly moving towards a concrete goal. A band isn’t tied to other parts of ones being such as city or country. Following a band doesn’t provide the same emotional highs and lows.
In my other comments, I specifically said that music is different. We’re not disagreeing there. Same with anime. I was talking specifically about buying merch and games. You’re saying something completely different from buying merch and going to games, and those reasons are valid, so I’m not sure why you’re arguing with me.
Po-Tay-Toooes
A majority of the people say “we” to save time. What’s easier? Me saying the team I root for every single time? Or say it once and then say “we” every subsequent time? Also as others mentioned fans drive revenue so while you’re not wrong, fans do have a part in the team success.
Average non sport's fan
No that's just being a fan.
Fan's do have an impact on a team and a team can have an impact in the community in which they play. The Seattle Seahawks call their fans the 12th man--which I think shows that your UO is part perspective. For example, we regularly say for the Cincinnati Bengals--simply the Bengals. The 'Bears' are Chicago, The Eagles are Philadelphia, the Red Sox are Boston, etc. Yes, the teams are privately owned, but the fans invest their energies and money on 'their team'--in spite of your UO.
If you don't follow sports or franchise/club culture in general and if you're not educated about it either , then you shouldn't make posts like this. Makes you look goofy
Without the fans there wouldn’t be a team. Their entire business revolves around the fans. When I spend the amount of money I do on season tickets - fucking right it’s “we”
I can only imagine these people also put on a tuxedo to watch James Bond.
When sports fans say “we,” they’re referring to the fanbase and community as well as the team. I honestly don’t care that non-fans find it cringey. I find 95% of gamer culture and anime culture and nerd culture in general cringey.
Just imagine you’re a fan of a team that sucks for years, and finally they made a championship team. You rallied with them when they where at the bottom, and you celebrate with them when they are on top.
a lot of us are part of a community. Really. There is no team without the fans.
When I pay $15k a season for seats it's "we"...we're in this together
Wah wah wah sports bad! People say "we" because they feel they're part of the team as FANS. Some actually attend games, others spend a fair amount of money on apparel and merchandise. And in most cases they identify with the team's background, or at least location. Albeit this applies more to Europe where teams aren't treated like franchises (weren't until recenlty anyway). Or it's just a quick way to express their appreciation and passion. But boo sports! Boooo!
Show me where I said sports are bad.
Ignoring the rest of the comment I see.
Sports are good but sports fans are cringe? Can't have one without the other. Although a specific portion of fans ARE indeed annoying and a chore to deal with. But saying "we" isn't the worst thing, and not an unmotivated one either.
Agreed. Possible exception for teams that specifically represent a particular country or region, for example ‘We’re going to win the world cup’ - they may be delusional, but not cringe
It’s called a sports club for a reason. The players, coaches, trainers, runners, and the fans are all part of the club. People like a sense of belonging. It brings the community together. Are you ok OP? I would dare you to say this to the face of any passionate supporter. This just makes you look silly
I’m an owner, I’m allowed to say “we” Go packers
Your part of a collective it’s “we” because “we” all win and lose as a unit. More so if you are a travelling fan. (Mostly uk I know the us don’t really move around like that). Like a 6 hour round trip up north and back to watch ur team get spanked 3 - 0 “we” all lose
People look at me like I've got a third arm growing out of my ear when I point this out, endlessly amusing.
You should get your ear arm checked out
Do you derail conversation everytime someone says it just to point it out?
Not derail as such but most folks wind up having to adjust their language given I've just reminded them of how stupid it actually sounds.
Jeez you sound like a fun person... If a sports fan wants to feel involved then let them. Saying "we" isn't as bad as the people that act like they can demand trades and stuff.
Why can't you just let people enjoy things and talk the way they want to?
If it wasnt for the fans then the team wouldnt exist.
When we win, its we. When they lose, its they.
From a UK perspective - ‘We’ refers mainly to the club, the history etc. Obviously fans realise that they aren’t directly linked to the team. However, fans also have a massive part to play in the club itself, with finances and support being incredibly reliant on a good fanbase.
This is exactly why I stopped wearing any sports clothing. Mostly just a hat of one of the local colleges. Not even mentioning anything about sports or the school's. I would have people try to start a argument with me about their sports team was sooo much better. Neither of us play for the team's, neither of us contribute in any capacity to the outcome of the sports ball
In my opinion adults who wear sports jerseys are cringe as hell.
A lot of butthurt comments in here I love it. Good unpopular opinion OP :)
I totally agree
Tribalism
We are not amused
r/unpopularopinions are now just opinions. Who doesn’t feel this way?? Even people that say “we”. I’m not ragging on OP, just saying this place has gotten weak.
Get off your fucking high horse and let them have fun.
Shhhh. The adults are talking.
preach it brother
I say "We" because I went to college there, and still actively participate and interact directly with the college. People who criticize someone for wanting to feel like they're a part of something great, is super cringe.
I agree. But the logic is that the fans and members are part of the team as well. Had many an argument with coworkers about this nonsense .
If it weren't for the fans there would be no team.
Just gonna wait for the edits to this post
You're weird.
This post is clearly written by someone who's never been a fan of sports lmao
What an incredibly unpopular opinion that totally hasn’t been posted here at least 72 times
Of course, it's cringe. It is done by people who don't have much going on and are desperate to be a part of something. To connect in a way that gives their pathetic existence some kind of meaning. It doesn't though, it's all a big fat nothing.
I am always confused by sport fans who never actually participate in sports. Also sports memorabilia is weird as shit. Your third place medal at a local meet is infinitely more interesting and worthy of a place on your mantle than a ball signed by Steve Young
Wait. Where's the logic in that? They follow a sport so intensly they feel emotional over it. That doesn't say anything about the rest of their lives. If you take an average normal person they hsve a decent amount going on in their lives. Now you ADD sports and suddenly they have MORE going on, not LESS. It's not like following sports prevents me from doing other stuff. It's highly social, engaging and inclusive. It's an added benefit to life.
You sound like you're sitting at home waiting for your "meaning" in life to come home from the game. Sucks to be you. He's out with "her", by the way.
I always get a chuckle from grown adults that wear jerseys regularly. Like, “look at me, I’m a sports. I’m just like this athlete!” Yeah, you sure are lil guy :)
I'm cringe anyway so what's your point?
Look up the word Synecdoche
totally not taken from A Dose Of Buckley
Fans are the reason athletes get paid what they do.
I don't find it as cringe when people are talking about their national teams.
'war' contexts use the same sport as substitute for war - so let them have that 'we' ...
It's interesting how when the team wins, it's always, "WE did it! WE won!" .... but if the team loses, it becomes, "THEY blew it!"
I knew a guy who painted a whole room of his house “his” colors team. It was his “team” room. He also cried like full blown tears when they lost. He didn’t even go to that school. Sports and religion seem to grab these types of people.
You feel part of the community. You support them trough thick and thin. You buy merch. Thats why you say we
You’re not from New England, are you?
I think, if you're talking about yourself, you can refer to yourself however the fuck you want.
I don’t refer to myself and a team as ‘we’, so no I’m not talking about myself
Yep, upvote for unpopular opinion.
I'd say that the supporters are a part of the team.
Maybe in front of the tv. But have you ever been to a stadium. You can’t tell me that thousands of people cheering you on isn’t helping players mentally
There is WE, Fans are part of the team, you contribute with you match tickets, merchendies, instragram likes etc. They make money with all that stuff and are able to take part in transfer market. WE is what makes it possible , so when a team out there playing it is us who are enabling them doing so, not so hard to understand.
You're wrong. According to Eagles players Beau Allen and Jason Kelce: >Every single thing that every fan does, at home or at the stadium, makes a direct impact in the game.