Friday, March 15, 2013

There's No We in Team

I just don't get it. I don't get the "we" whenever people talk about local teams. "We won!" "We lost." Who is this "we?" Our local professional teams are really just a bunch of people who where hired from all over the country, and many who still technically live all over the country, and are paid to join a "team," to do a job. You are not part of the team, no matter how many jerseys you own. You have no impact on the outcome of a game, and the outcome of a game, really should have no impact on you.


Let's take the Patriots for example. I use the Pats because, as a Masshole, I'm always seeing "Pats Pride," manifested by people who have never probably run 100 yds proudly displaying their Patriots jersey. I also think it's timely to mention the Patriots because it appears that many people are lamenting the loss of Wes Welker. A guy who was born in Oklahoma, went to college in Texas, spent time on teams in San Diego, Miami, Boston, and now will be playing in Denver. Does that sound like a "local?"

The rest of this "local" team is made of of "stars" like Tom Brady, Robert Gronkowski, and Bill Belichick.

Tom Brady was born in San Mateo, California, went to college in Michigan and is now employed by the New England Patriots. He got married in California, and lives in California. He is not a local guy, and really has no local ties. He's a guy who is hired to a job.

Robert Gronkowski was raised in New York, went to high school in Pennsylvania and went to college in Arizona. He is not a local guy, and really has no local ties. He's a guy who is hired to a job.

Bill Belichick was born in Tennessee, grew up in Maryland, went to college in Connecticut. Okay, he DID attend school for a time in Andover, MA, but I hardly think that's enough to consider him a "local guy."

Do I need to go on?

Is this bond, or association with the Patriots because they are based in New England? The team's owners, the Kraft Group, IS based in Foxborough, but the company has businesses all over the country and world, including Israel.

Do Israeli's cheer for the Patriots?

Anyway, I know I'm not like most other people. But I still can't understand how a company hires someone to do a job, and then everyone thinks that he/she are suddenly connected. Then when that person goes to another company, people are shocked and outraged. Does anyone care when the store manager at Staples gets transferred to Connecticut?

Maybe someone does care when something like that happens… in fact, the next time a local store or restaurant manager gets transferred or gets a new job, let's all meet downtown, light some fires and roll over some cars.
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Thanks to my buddy Kieran Chapman--Jerry Seinfeld explains it all!

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