When talking about the Hawks..."We" vs "They"

[EntiatHawk]

Since I have not physically been the Hawks Stadium for several years can I say "we" have the loudest fans? I was not there yelling. But I sure do love that those who do.

I think it part of fandom and shouldn't be an issue, and also I use both depending on context.


Here is one-

They (Seahawks) are on the road this week and I hope we kick whomever's arse!!!!! :lol:

 

[Cartire]

If we can identify as fans of a team, I think its very fair to say "we".

We are a collection of the team, organization, fans, city/territory (assumed PNW). We roar with our team. And I say our team, because the Seahawks are our team. And when something is ours, I really only see it as we.

But neither way bothers me regardless.

 

[chawx]

I'm the 12th person in this poll to vote for "They"... I guess that means I should actually say "We"

 

[MadSweeney]

There's generally absolutely zero context when using the personal pronoun "we" that would indicate that the user actually thinks they're part of the team. So usually when people use that line of reasoning, it's pretty easy to debunk. Unless they're congenitally stupid and don't understand the malleability of language or what context is, then they're just usually being an overly literal tw@t heaping with condescension. Or I guess if you're Ace Ventura and prancing around like you're on the field and are insane enough that the other person would feel you did indeed think you were part of the team. If I were, however, to be dealing with someone that insane, I'd just agree with whatever he said so I could get the flock away from him before he starts stabbing me.

I generally use we because I identify with the team and fanbase, I support them financially and with a rabid emotional devotion. That is a connection that's spoken of whenever a player or coach mentions the 12th Man (or whatever other team's fans) and whenever the 12s are spoken of, it's usually about how a part of the team experience the fans are.

I do notice though that I'm much more prone to use "they" when we are doing poorly, like for the entire Mora Year Abortion (except the Chicago game where "the refs robbed US" was my mantra). But basically, either is correct usage if the other person understands who it is you're talking about. The antecedent is clear.

 

[MissoulaHawkFan]

We. My jersey is hanging in the rafters in our stadium.

Word. I tend to use both, but most often go with "we." If someone (usually a non 12) give me grief about I don't play on the team, and "what's my jersey number." I respond with "12." Oh yeah, and it's hanging in the rafters.

 

[tifferradish]

How many teams have retired a number to show respect to an amazing, proud, and often rabid fan base? How many teams have jerseys for sale with that number on it? How many teams have that particular jersey in the top ten sales for the whole NFL?!

You can say "we"

 

[sc85sis]

I say "we" a fair amount because I feel as a fan, it is "my" team. If I buy merch, tickets, etc., I'm contributing to the finances of that team (albeit in a small way). Those finances go to the team, and that makes me at least a slight part of it all.

It's also just conversational: us vs. them or we vs. they. We are the Hawks, and they're not. We got the Lombardi, and they didn't.

Poor them.

 

[TeamoftheCentury]

Where's my ring? I deserve one.

 

[Trenchbroom]

Players and coaches come and go, but my allegiance to this team ends the day I die, and only then.

That's why I get to use the term "we".

 

[AROS]

I hate the "you're not on the team dude, so stop saying we" guy.

If you're a passionate invested fan, I don't see a problem with using the term "we." It's natural to take ownership of a sports team when you heavily into the team.

Agreed. WE are gonna kick ass again this year!

 

[Rainger]

Those who get their nickers in a knot are either not fans or fans of crappy teams.

Also WE is correct, because WE are the 12th man, The team has indicated that the 12th Man is a part of the team and its success, therefore in referring to the team in discussion we can use WE.

 

[loafoftatupu]

I don't mind the use of it, I don't typically do it, I use "The Hawks" or what ever the other team name is.

I totally get "we" because just talking with my partners about going to a game I might say "we have a big one today" or something like that.

I do however get Faux Troll alerts when a poster uses "our Hawks" far too many times in a small sample size of posts. Especially if those comments are instructions to temper enthusiasm or discounting accomplishment.

For example: "You should be careful about predicting success of our Hawks, if a bounce or two doesn't go our way the Niners are the Super Bowl champs"

When I see that, more often than not at some point that member is posing, but "we" is OK by me. Especially for a 12. Others minimize it, but we know for a fact that when "they" show up to the Clink that "we" are going to make pre snap communication very difficult. It is HUGE to a QB that needs those options. It totally limits the opponent from being creative at the line.

Pey-Pey is in a world of hurt come September. No question about that.

 

[gargantual]

I think of it more as "we" when referring to the organization as a whole, ie the fans are part of the Seahawks organization (the 12s in the stadium unquestionably contribute to their success). If it's down to the team itself (the players), I use "they".

 

[SeaTown81]

This reminds me of an interesting Sport Psychology -Social Identity- theory that was lectured on in an otherwise tedious Sport Marketing class: Basking in Glory or Cutting off Failure. Basically, the concept states if you're team is winning then you bask in the glory of the win and you use the term, "we", a lot more to identify yourself with the team.

Of course, when they are miserable losers, fans disassociate themselves with the team a bit more - a little less trash talk on other teams' discussion forums for example - and you tend to use the word "they" or the team's name itself. Another strand of the theory are the fans who actually love the loser and identify with the team even more when they are 2- 14 (Basking in reflected failure) and usually think band-wagoners are the spawn of Satan or 49ers fans (both of similar characteristics).

Link for more info:
http://www.units.miamioh.edu/psybersite/fans/bc.shtml

This is exactly what I was going to bring up. I reference this study often when talking with people about bandwagonism fandom. It's most certainly true to. People want to be associated with a winner and success. It makes them feel better about their own lives. It's weird.

As to a "we vs them" argument, I don't really care what people say. But I most certainly pay attention to how the % of people who say we grows when the Hawks are good. I have friends and work with guys who used to refer to "your Seahawks" back when they sucked, now will say "we" when talking about them. It's odd, annoying, frustrating, and comical all at the same time. It's "The Seahawks suck" or "WE are awesome!!!!"

Even the most die-hards will vacillate between the terms. "WE KICKED ASS!!!" "They really sucked yesterday."

Sports fan psychology is a very interesting thing when you break it down.

 

[uncle fester]

We don't take the field, at risk to life and limb. Much as we'd sell a kidney to do.

HOWEVER--

We lose sleep over losses and how we think they could've been avoided.

We lose sleep over injuries, and who will be 'next man up'

We worry about 10am road games

We congregate around beer sellers and tell highly trained athletes what they're going wrong.

We, on gameday, gratefully ignore our friends/family if it means a win, knowing we'll gladly bear the brunt of the criticism afterwards.

We lie awake at night wondering, if we were anywhere near the inner circles, what we could do to help.

We wear team colours to the workplace up to the following Friday, whether we cruised to a win or got bent over the hotplate by the previous opponent.

And we - if you can count yourselves on the smallest group of the fanbase - get to go, in person, to CenturyLink and scream lungs raw - in the hope that just for one single, solitary play, it can screw up the plans of the opposition.

We can count among our number, those who lay down in front of buses as they were ready to move the entire franchise to LA.

It's WE and it will always be WE and to hell with anyone who has precious social inequities with it.

This is our team.

 

[gargantual]

We can count among our number, those who lay down in front of buses as they were ready to move the entire franchise to LA.

A good reminder of how good it is to live in this country of ours.

What would happen to people trying to do that in China?

 

[dopeboy206]

I use both. It's always "We are the best" when they're kicking butt, but it's "They "suck when things are not going so well.

Fair-weather fan detected. Lol