People in the newsroom who loudly refer to a college team as 'we'

[Azrael]

What would happen in the newsroom if someone referred to a Republican primary victory as 'we'? Or the results of a Democratic caucus?

 

[Mystery Meat II]

What would happen in the newsroom if someone referred to a Republican primary victory as 'we'? Or the results of a Democratic caucus?

Plenty have and will do so going forward, if anecdotal evidence is any indicator. And I don't know how many people used the first-person plural here, but there was plenty of "hooray for the good guys" reaction the night of the 2008 general election.

 

[BillyT]

Are these sports folks or other departments?

There's one real bad in sports, one REAL bad in news.

Amazingly enough, both whoop and holler about MY alma mater, which I never breathe a word about. I threw away all my fanboi t-shirts decades ago.


If you're not ON THE TEAM ... You're. Not. On. The. Team.

They're doing this during the work day?

Yep, all the time.

If a game is on during the night shift, it's either "Yes!!" or "****in' Bull****" after every play.

The newssider cheerily perks her conversation during the day with Ole Alma Mater's Catch Phrase. (It ain't "Roll Tide," but it's just about as cutesy and aggravating.)

I assume the game is on in the Sports Department and you're not separated from them.

Otherwise, why the heck is it on?

 

[Johnny Dangerously]

I have never used "we" or "us" to refer to any team I didn't play for.

I used to refer to Chase as "we" and "us" when I did my banking with them, but then we had a falling out, and I couldn't believe we could treat us so badly, and I joined a credit union. I don't use "we" with them. I can't go through that kind of pain again.

But they're great to me. I do root for them.

 

[Starman]

What would happen in the newsroom if someone referred to a Republican primary victory as 'we'? Or the results of a Democratic caucus?

Are these sports folks or other departments?

There's one real bad in sports, one REAL bad in news.

Amazingly enough, both whoop and holler about MY alma mater, which I never breathe a word about. I threw away all my fanboi t-shirts decades ago.


If you're not ON THE TEAM ... You're. Not. On. The. Team.

They're doing this during the work day?

Yep, all the time.

If a game is on during the night shift, it's either "Yes!!" or "****in' Bull****" after every play.

The newssider cheerily perks her conversation during the day with Ole Alma Mater's Catch Phrase. (It ain't "Roll Tide," but it's just about as cutesy and aggravating.)

I assume the game is on in the Sports Department and you're not separated from them.

Otherwise, why the heck is it on?

Our newsroom is kind of scattered/spread out over about a 30 x 60 foot space. About half the newsroom is separated into cublicles, the rest into rows of desks. One large teevee is visible to 2/3 of the room (news) and a smaller one on the "sports row."

The nonstop cheerleading carries to both ends of the room.

I actually sit on a desk at the junction point between sports and news

 

[Shoeless Joe]

I don't use it when referring to even my school nor do I get offended by it. I do kind of think "loser" to myself if another writer says it at a game. But in general, I don't give a hoot whatever someone else does.

As for fans, knock yourself out. Regardless of what players may think, they don't play for themselves or their teammates. They play for the fans.

The one time I do use it without exception and without apology is when it's a US national team (soccer, Olympics, etc.). If you've got the Stars and Stripes on your shirt, then you are representing me. When I wore my uniform with the flag on it representing We The People, I had no problem with people saying "we or "our."

 

[SF_Express]

University of Wisconsin = We = OK.
Green Bay Packers = We = Less OK.

To me.

But I don't think I refer to the Badgers as "we" in the newsroom. Just learned not to, and never changed.

 

[jr/shotglass]

Only acceptable use of "weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee."

 

[Frank_Ridgeway]

The people who use "we" are like a cat licking its asshole. They know no other way, but I don't want to watch.

 

[Bubbler]

If you're using "we" in context of the team you're covering, you need to run a check.

If you're using "we" in the context of being a fan and you have no coverage responsibilities? Who cares?

 

[dixiehack]

Presumably an election has a little more importance than Wednesday Night Showcase. Does the entertainment writer get pissed if the copy desk gets in an animated discussion of Mad Men?

 

[Baron Scicluna]

This discussion reminds me of a story John Feinstein told in one of his books.

Feinstein was working for the Washington Post in the late 70s, and it was the day of the NFL Draft, which, at that time, wasn't televised and was during a weekday.

At one point, Ben Bradlee, who was a huge Redskins fan, comes over and asks, "Who did we draft?"

Feinstein replied, "Hey Ben, I wasn't aware the Post owned a football team!"

Bradlee told him to go **** himself and said if he didn't like it, he could walk out and not let the door hit him in the ass.

So yeah, even the gods of journalism have used the word, "We," for their favorite team.

 

[TrooperBari]

No, not Si'. Wi'.

You have restored my faith in this board, sir.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

No, not Si'. Wi'.

You have restored my faith in this board, sir.

You mean my posts on abortion and Afghanistan haven't restored your faith?

 

[jlee]

I find it hard not to slip and say "we" when referring to a sports team I root for, even though I have a cynical view of sports in general. It's the way everyone in my family talks, as well as most of my friends. I tried to avoid it, but now that I don't cover traditional sports anymore, it's a lot more enjoyable to have a beer and shoot the breeze about "my" teams and what "we're" doing this season.

And besides, professional sports don't really matter in the long run unless people identify with teams so much that they feel like part of the team effort. If you're paid to be an impartial observer, that's one thing, but if fans don't feel the same connection that leads many to use "we," then maybe the team is not important enough to the community that an impartial observer is necessary.

 

[Justin Biebler]

I've paid so much for my Cleveland Browns season tickets over the years, I feel like I can say "We" suck as much as I damn well want to.

 

[crusoes]

I just do it when people get fired up about a team's decision. "We" didn't spend $214 million for Prince Fielder. Mike Ilitch did. Do you get free food for owning the team? No? Then it's not your team.

 

[young-gun11]

Justin Beiber -- ALL the characters on YGG are scary, but I like that you picked that one.

 

[allanjlewis]

College teams are fine IF you graduated from the particular institution. I hate nothing more than random Duke fans who think it's the cool thing to do. Your alma mater is a part of yourself and is the reason you are in that job in the first place. Without the degree you probably don't have a job. You should be proud of them. When my school (newly transitioned to Division I) makes its first NCAA tournament whenever that may be I will be very adamant about it.

 

[flexmaster33]

Yes, I'd rather work in a lively newsroom with some buzz over a quiet library environment where everybody is quietly clicking their keyboards.