The Texas A&M Aggies came up with a pretty decent slogan a number of years ago, wherein they refer to their fanbase as “The 12th Man.” Whenever they’ve caught wind of another team using their slogan, they tend to get upset about it. And by “upset,” I mean “a bunch of lawyers with copyright infringement lawsuits that they fire at the offenders like it’s a T-shirt gun.” But the latest offenders in the lawsuit may be the most egregious of all.
Texas A&M Fans Don’t Want To Share Their Slogan With Communists
Bill Hanstock is a writer, author and Emmy Award-winning producer. He began writing for SB Nation in 2011.
Dan Steinberg of the Washington post wrote an article on Wednesday about MLS team D.C. United hanging a sign using the slogan in their stadium. Steinberg suggested A&M and their fans might be upset about this. He was right! Steinberg was deluged with angry emails and comments from A&M fans and decided to share some of them. The common thread: A&M is great and everything else is terrible and shut up, you communist.
A&M fans suggested that Steinberg was a communist who is ruining America:
You must be a communist since you obviously don’t believe in property rights. Texas A&M University owns the trademark 12th Man/Home of the 12th Man. It is the property of the university. As it stands right now, Americans are still allowed to own personal property....You sir are the perfect example of the ignorance of today’s main stream media. If allowed to continue on its current path, your industry will be the downfall of the greatest nation the world has ever seen.
Or that his editors had made a grave mistake:
Why would a DC based newspaper even have a sports section. Stick to promoting liberal policies.
But here’s the real money quote, from “Joe”:
20,000 attendance doesnt make a 12th man. Its not even a thing you can throw around but it started at Texas A&M because of actual fan support for a team that plays a real game and not prancing around like a bunch of grass fairies playing a euro nancy sport....You wouldnt know real fan passion if it walked up and slapped you in your fat face. Few if any professional sports fanbases do.
Yes, few -- if any! -- professional sports fanbases know what real fan passion is. Only Texas A&M. Certainly not a bunch of grass fairies. Especially grass fairies that play a euro nancy sport. Perhaps this is merely a subversive way of unveiling the new United slogan. Honestly, which sounds more like a team you’d like to see: “I am the 12th man,” or “A bunch of grass fairies playing a euro nancy sport”? I’ll take two tickets to see the nancies, please. That sounds like way more fun.
For all news and information regarding the Texas A&M Aggies, please visit SB Nation Houston. For updates and perspective about the 11 MEN ONLY D.C. United, check out Black and Red United.
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