OT: Most Annoying Modern Day Media Cliches, Trite Phrases Etc.

Submitted by twohooks on

Last week I was grinding my hands at a stop light listing to SportsRadio (pick one) and the "clown with the Mike" stated. "I really don't like Wings chances winning 4 of 5." upon the Wings return for game three. Seven Game series are so limited on their analysis, so whether or not the Wings can make it or not is yet to be seen. Through 12 months of sports I cant get through the sporting calendar without hearing "Tackling In Space" or "Walk Off Homer."

Whether it is "Boo Ya" or whatever I would like your input on what terms and phrases need to be eliminated for the goodness of all sporting mankind.

Love the Blog, I'll Hang Up and Listen

tjyoung

May 9th, 2011 at 12:08 AM ^

There's a difference though.  A "walk-off HR" implies that it was in the 9th (or post-9th) inning and that the home team hit a HR allowing them to immediately end the game and the defense "walks off" with a loss.  A "game-winning HR" can come in any inning as it is just the HR that wins the game for the team.  If a team has a solo HR in the 1st inning and wins 1-0, the game-winning HR is not a walk-off HR.

EDIT: beaten to the punch below

JBE

May 8th, 2011 at 11:47 PM ^

Although the concept of a game-ending home run is as old as baseball, the adjective "walk-off" only attained widespread use in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The first known usage of the word in print appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle on April 21, 1988, Section D, Page 1.Chronicle writer Lowell Cohn wrote an article headlined "What the Eck?" about Oakland reliever Dennis Eckersley's unusual way of speaking: "For a translation, I go in search of Eckersley. I also want to know why he calls short home runs 'street pieces,' and home runs that come in the last at-bat of a game 'walkoff pieces'. . . ." Although the term originally was coined with a negative connotation, in reference to the pitcher (who must leave the field with his head hung in shame), it has come to acquire a more celebratory connotation, for the batter who circles the bases with pride with the adulation of the home crowd.

jmblue

May 9th, 2011 at 1:04 AM ^

Except you can have a game winning homer in the first inning, they are different things

Only if you're talking about that silly "Game-winning RBI" stat they used to have. No one ever really called home runs before the 9th inning "game-winners."

ST3

May 8th, 2011 at 11:43 PM ^

Underrated: the walk-off ground rule double.

Just kidding. I was miffed to find out that Torii Hunter (he's on my fantasy team) only got credit for one RBI for his bases loaded, walk-off, ground-rule double. For a walk-off dinger, you get all four RBIs.

jmblue

May 8th, 2011 at 11:23 PM ^

Saying "buck" to refer to one minute on the clock.  ("There's a buck twenty-two left in the game.")

Also, saying things like "They need to play aggressive" when it should be "They need to play aggressively."   (The 97.1 hosts constantly do this.)  Adverbs are different from adjectives.

Closer to home, "MANBALL," "Derp,"  and cat images.

JBE

May 8th, 2011 at 11:31 PM ^

From Urban Dictionary:

 

 

1. derp 3758 up337 down
 
A simple, undefined reply when an ignorant comment or action is made. Brought to life in the South Park series, when Mr. Derp made a guest apperance at South Park Elementary as the chef for a day, followed by hitting himself in the head with a hammer and exclaiming "Derp!"
 

 

Waters Demos

May 8th, 2011 at 11:41 PM ^

Though I'm still not sure I get it.

The first time I recall seeing it was in a UFR to describe a number of defensive players who made poor reads and were out of position.  I suppose it's a fairly flexible term used to describe someone who has fucked up somehow. 

Lloyd's Boy

May 8th, 2011 at 11:25 PM ^

By far the worst two words put together by any sportscaster in history... "the Butterfly". Even though the season has been over for over a month, I can still hear that schmuck Tim Doyle saying it. Although it is painful to see Darius leave early, at least the silver lining is that "the Butterfly" goes with him.

oriental andrew

May 8th, 2011 at 11:30 PM ^

Pluralizing everything REALLY gets under my skin.  I absolutely HATE when people talk about how they have to learn to win against "the Miamis, Chicagos, and Bostons," or playing "the Lebrons, Dwayne Wades, Dwight Howards, and Kobes."  You're not beating "the Miamis" - you're beating MIAMI.  You're not playing the Kobes - you're playing KOBE.  Whoever first pluralized sports teams/players needs to die in a fire (no, not really; it just really really annoys me).  

ST3

May 8th, 2011 at 11:41 PM ^

It's not a cliche, per se, but I hate when reporters interview someone and finish their question with, "talk about that." I could do that. How about asking a probing question? Instead, they just lazily say, "talk about that."

For example, "Kobe, your lakers were just swept from the playoffs. Talk about that."

In my opinion, it just shows the reporter has not done their homework and they are just giving the star an opportunity to talk about whatever they want. Then why do we need the reporter there? OK, MGoBoard, talk about my post.