Sports phrases - enough, already
Posted by billhoward
Sports phrases - enough, already
Posted by: billhoward (---.hsd1.nj.comcast.net)
Date: December 13, 2011 01:11AM
Three phrases that make you want to train a rock salt-filled shotgun at the speaker's backside:
"Student athlete"
"The Ohio State University"
"True freshman"
The last one is a retronym, a term used by William Safire to describe the need for "corded drill" once cordless drills became common. Or, since Safire was never one to keep politics out of his On Language column in the New York Times column (sorry, The New York Times): "English-language radio." Are there others?
"Student athlete"
"The Ohio State University"
"True freshman"
The last one is a retronym, a term used by William Safire to describe the need for "corded drill" once cordless drills became common. Or, since Safire was never one to keep politics out of his On Language column in the New York Times column (sorry, The New York Times): "English-language radio." Are there others?
Re: Sports phrases - enough, already
Posted by: Al DeFlorio (---.hsd1.ma.comcast.net)
Date: December 13, 2011 07:49AM
"Unanswered goals." What happened to three straight?billhoward
Three phrases that make you want to train a rock salt-filled shotgun at the speaker's backside:
"Student athlete"
"The Ohio State University"
"True freshman"
The last one is a retronym, a term used by William Safire to describe the need for "corded drill" once cordless drills became common. Or, since Safire was never one to keep politics out of his On Language column in the New York Times column (sorry, The New York Times): "English-language radio." Are there others?
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Al DeFlorio '65
Al DeFlorio '65
Re: Sports phrases - enough, already
Posted by: heykb (216.87.106.---)
Date: December 13, 2011 11:00AM
I thought it was three straight unanswered goals in a row.
For bonus points, the announcer can stick consecutive in there too.
For bonus points, the announcer can stick consecutive in there too.
Re: Sports phrases - enough, already
Posted by: jtwcornell91 (Moderator)
Date: December 13, 2011 12:40PM
"walk-off X" where X\in{"home run","hit","error","walk","hit by pitch","passed ball",...}
Re: Sports phrases - enough, already
Posted by: RichH (---.st.northropgrumman.com)
Date: December 13, 2011 02:26PM
jtwcornell91
"walk-off X" where X\in{"home run","hit","error","walk","hit by pitch","passed ball",...}
Kinda-sorta credited to Dennis Eckersley, of all people, in 1993.
[sportsillustrated.cnn.com]
My submission to this thread is "pick six" to mean an interception returned for a touchdown. Over the past five years, It's grown so prevalent that it's annoying.
Re: Sports phrases - enough, already
Posted by: Beeeej (Moderator)
Date: December 13, 2011 02:46PM
I've always sort of disliked "schneid" ("shnide"?) to describe a losing, scoreless, or hitless streak, e.g., "the Giants got off the schneid by beating Dallas." I've never been able to find an adequate description of how or where it originated.
And I wouldn't suggest reading Urban Dictionary's definition of "schneid."
And I wouldn't suggest reading Urban Dictionary's definition of "schneid."
___________________________
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"Cornell isn't an organization. It's a loose affiliation of independent fiefdoms united by a common hockey team."
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Beeeej, Esq.
"Cornell isn't an organization. It's a loose affiliation of independent fiefdoms united by a common hockey team."
- Steve Worona
Re: Sports phrases - enough, already
Posted by: ugarte (66.9.23.---)
Date: December 13, 2011 02:57PM
I believe the term is from gin. The multi-game, playing for money version. (Confirmed! [www.word-detective.com] Good googling, Beeeej.]Beeeej
I've always sort of disliked "schneid" ("shnide"?) to describe a losing, scoreless, or hitless streak, e.g., "the Giants got off the schneid by beating Dallas." I've never been able to find an adequate description of how or where it originated.
And I wouldn't suggest reading Urban Dictionary's definition of "schneid."
___________________________
quality tweets | bluesky (twitter 2) | ALAB Series podcast | Other podcasts and writing
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Re: Sports phrases - enough, already
Posted by: KeithK (---.external.lmco.com)
Date: December 13, 2011 06:30PM
Oh, I so hate that expression. Especially when it's used in extra innings.jtwcornell91
"walk-off X" where X\in{"home run","hit","error","walk","hit by pitch","passed ball",...}
Re: Sports phrases - enough, already
Posted by: billhoward (---.hsd1.nj.comcast.net)
Date: December 13, 2011 10:17PM
You can just see hockey, overtime, and a skate-off goal.KeithK
Oh, I so hate that expression. Especially when it's used in extra innings.jtwcornell91
"walk-off X" where X\in{"home run","hit","error","walk","hit by pitch","passed ball",...}
Imagine this kind of phrasing takes hold in politics. Were it held today, Israel's six-day war might be called the walk-off war of 1967 ... in case "refudiate" wasn't enough. Think what the spawn of a Sarah Palin-Yogi Berra pairing might offer future generations.
Re: Sports phrases - enough, already
Posted by: KeithK (---.external.lmco.com)
Date: December 14, 2011 04:24PM
I've got nothing against Yogi Berra parsing because they're just Yogi-isms.billhoward
You can just see hockey, overtime, and a skate-off goal.KeithK
Oh, I so hate that expression. Especially when it's used in extra innings.jtwcornell91
"walk-off X" where X\in{"home run","hit","error","walk","hit by pitch","passed ball",...}
Imagine this kind of phrasing takes hold in politics. Were it held today, Israel's six-day war might be called the walk-off war of 1967 ... in case "refudiate" wasn't enough. Think what the spawn of a Sarah Palin-Yogi Berra pairing might offer future generations.
Re: Sports phrases - enough, already
Posted by: NancyfromNJ (---.bstnma.east.verizon.net)
Date: December 15, 2011 12:10AM
I'm tired of hearing "Golden Sombrero'"
Re: Sports phrases - enough, already
Posted by: jtn27 (---.redrover.cornell.edu)
Date: December 15, 2011 12:20PM
I've always hated phrases like "do what we do," and "they/we need to just play their/our game," "go out there and execute," and "do our thing." What do those things even mean? I first noticed them in athlete interviews in response to questions like "What do you need to do to go win today?" (because those phrases really answer that question), but lately I've noticed commentators and announcers using them too, which is disappointing because I expect people who speak for a living to be able to sound more intelligent than the average pro athlete.
Re: Sports phrases - enough, already
Posted by: Kyle Rose (---.deploy.akamaitechnologies.com)
Date: December 15, 2011 12:27PM
I blame the interviewers for asking pointless questions. I'd like to see a coach deadpan, "We need to score more goals than the other team." If more coaches did this, perhaps these idiotic questions would stop and sports reporters would start asking questions designed to do more than fill airtime.jtn27
I've always hated phrases like "do what we do," and "they/we need to just play their/our game," "go out there and execute," and "do our thing." What do those things even mean? I first noticed them in athlete interviews in response to questions like "What do you need to do to go win today?" (because those phrases really answer that question), but lately I've noticed commentators and announcers using them too, which is disappointing because I expect people who speak for a living to be able to sound more intelligent than the average pro athlete.
Re: Sports phrases - enough, already
Posted by: jtn27 (---.redrover.cornell.edu)
Date: December 15, 2011 12:32PM
Kyle Rose
I blame the interviewers for asking pointless questions. I'd like to see a coach deadpan, "We need to score more goals than the other team." If more coaches did this, perhaps these idiotic questions would stop and sports reporters would start asking questions designed to do more than fill airtime.jtn27
I've always hated phrases like "do what we do," and "they/we need to just play their/our game," "go out there and execute," and "do our thing." What do those things even mean? I first noticed them in athlete interviews in response to questions like "What do you need to do to go win today?" (because those phrases really answer that question), but lately I've noticed commentators and announcers using them too, which is disappointing because I expect people who speak for a living to be able to sound more intelligent than the average pro athlete.
But a coach or player could also give some semi-interesting piece of strategy in response to that question without giving too much away, which is what I think the announcers are hoping for. Something like "We have to keep an eye on player X when he runs a deep route. He's quick and if you don't watch him, you're going to regret it."
Re: Sports phrases - enough, already
Posted by: billhoward (---.hsd1.nj.comcast.net)
Date: December 17, 2011 10:32PM
These new phrases have gotten coaches away from talking about athletes who "give 110%."
Re: Sports phrases - enough, already
Posted by: ftyuv (---.bstnma.east.verizon.net)
Date: December 20, 2011 05:28PM
"compete level"
Re: Sports phrases - enough, already
Posted by: ftyuv (---.bstnma.east.verizon.net)
Date: December 20, 2011 05:33PM
Oh, and because I'm a hockey purist, I'll throw in the worst sports phrase ever:
The other phrases mentioned here have earned their spot by being meaningless, or so nebulous as to be essentially meaningless. This one earns its spot because I know exactly what it means, and Idon'tlikeit!
Worst sports phrase ever
We're going to a shootout!
The other phrases mentioned here have earned their spot by being meaningless, or so nebulous as to be essentially meaningless. This one earns its spot because I know exactly what it means, and Idon'tlikeit!
Antithesis - good quotes
Posted by: David Harding (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: December 31, 2011 11:21AM
In contrast with the insipid quote theme of this thread, here is a collection of good sports quotes. Bob Frisk, retired sports writer for the Daily Herald, has been compiling a list and publishing the best annually for quite a while. Bob Frisk's Best Sports Quotes of 2011 In keeping with the theme of the thread, one of my favorites:
(Typically the Daily Herald articles are ephemeral, so if the link doesn't work a few weeks from now, that's why.)
Caroline Wozniaki,
top-ranked women's tennis player, responding to criticism that her press conferences were boring because she always gives the same answers: “I find it quite funny because I always get the same questions.”
(Typically the Daily Herald articles are ephemeral, so if the link doesn't work a few weeks from now, that's why.)
Re: Antithesis - good quotes
Posted by: css228 (---.hsd1.pa.comcast.net)
Date: December 31, 2011 01:13PM
Something I'd like to see more of. Scoops Callahan,
1920's reporter
1920's reporter
Re: Antithesis - good quotes
Posted by: billhoward (---.hsd1.nj.comcast.net)
Date: January 02, 2012 07:32AM
Sports quotes are so often meaningless because
* Media training for players and coaches teaches evasiveness and saying nothing to avoid giving opponents ammunition
* Insipid comments don't sound so insipid on TV
* There's only so much you can say about a game
* The sports figures aren't particularly clever and get plenty of opportunities to be quoted and prove their cleverness
* The athletes don't like a lot of the reporters and don't see a reason to make their jobs any easier
* Seemingly dumb questions that cover dumb questions and questions re-asked that players didn't want to answer
* Questions asked by former athletes
* Previous answers that annoy teammates, coaches, and owners and make your life uncomfortable
There was the quote by the Kentucky basketball player in reference to the team's academic inclinations, the answer was to the effect that you don't have to be Einstein to put a ball through the hoop, and the better answer would have been to add, "But just to be safe, that's why the team nickname is C-A-T."
* Media training for players and coaches teaches evasiveness and saying nothing to avoid giving opponents ammunition
* Insipid comments don't sound so insipid on TV
* There's only so much you can say about a game
* The sports figures aren't particularly clever and get plenty of opportunities to be quoted and prove their cleverness
* The athletes don't like a lot of the reporters and don't see a reason to make their jobs any easier
* Seemingly dumb questions that cover dumb questions and questions re-asked that players didn't want to answer
* Questions asked by former athletes
* Previous answers that annoy teammates, coaches, and owners and make your life uncomfortable
There was the quote by the Kentucky basketball player in reference to the team's academic inclinations, the answer was to the effect that you don't have to be Einstein to put a ball through the hoop, and the better answer would have been to add, "But just to be safe, that's why the team nickname is C-A-T."
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/02/2012 07:43AM by billhoward.
Re: Antithesis - good quotes
Posted by: billhoward (---.hsd1.nj.comcast.net)
Date: January 02, 2012 07:39AM
Harold Ballard, president of the Toronto Maple Leafs upon being sentenced for tax invasion: "If you got a chance to screw the government out of a few bucks, you'd do it, too."
The stock car driver (Neil Bonnett?) explaining why his fishing boat has a 200-horsepower engine: "You hook a bass at 60 miles an hour, he stays hooked."
The stock car driver (Neil Bonnett?) explaining why his fishing boat has a 200-horsepower engine: "You hook a bass at 60 miles an hour, he stays hooked."
Re: Antithesis - good quotes
Posted by: Luke 05 (---.austin.res.rr.com)
Date: January 02, 2012 07:47AM
One of my favorite announcers is Darryl 'Razor' Reaugh of the Dallas Stars. He consistently uses an expanding vocabulary to turn the sports cliches on their head. Example, a "mastadonic save" as opposed to a "monster save".
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