PSA- Definition of Humbling

Submitted by chris1709 on

Lower (someone) in dignity or importance. That is the 1st definition. 

I'm tired of athletes saying they feel 'humble" after achieving something great. For example; a pitcher throws a perfect game then says it was humbling. I don't think people understand what it means. Please tell me i'm not the only person annoyed by this.

bronxblue

June 17th, 2012 at 4:29 PM ^

But honestly, who cares?  Do we want athletes to say "oh yeah, I rock.  Totally on me, that accomplishment."  We'd call them arrogant.

But how about if they just pointed to the sky and said "that's all on the big guy up there."  We call those people preachy and obnoxious OR stupid and hypocrites.  

Or how about if they didn't say anything and just went about his/her day?  We'd say they are aloof and disconnected from the gravity of the situation, that "you need to make a big deal about it for the fans and your teammates."

So yeah, professional athletes can never win because people love to graft their own beliefs on their accomplishments.  That's why, I don't know, people probably shouldn't expect athletes to respond any differently than we do to a major accomplishment; with the most personal humanity they possess.

MGoTarHeel

June 17th, 2012 at 4:32 PM ^

You know what I hate? When people correct grammar/spelling incorrectly.

Example: Some girl commented on something I wrote about the "immanent nature" of something with "Lol considering immanent isn't a word, I think you meant imminent. But we all knew what you meant ;)"

No bitch, I meant inherent. Not impending. Chill out. Same when people correct someone's use of "irony" regardless of whether it was used correctly.

Also there was this one time some guy made an MGoBlog post about the word humbling. Fuck that guy.

Sopwith

June 17th, 2012 at 4:57 PM ^

when you're watching a TV program and the volume suddenly doubles when a commercial comes on.  Damn you, commercial television.  Damn you to hell.

Michigasling

June 17th, 2012 at 5:16 PM ^

my remote's mute button has become very ureliable.  Why the heck did I get a new-fangled modern-type TV thing if it weren't for the remote to fight the blaring commercials?

And misplaced apostrophes.  That's another biggie.

GoBlueInNYC

June 17th, 2012 at 5:01 PM ^

I know everyone's having fun ripping on the OP, but I've always been confused as to why "humbling" is the word so many people use to describe the experience of accomplishing something great. It doesn't annoy me or anything, but it has always struck me as odd that that's the word so many people use (obviously it's cliched at this point, so of course everyone says it now).

chris1709

June 17th, 2012 at 5:06 PM ^

While i'm at it, I would also like to include that i hate when people say "a" before a player, when they are talking aobut that player. If you say " a Denard Robinson" then that means any super athletic QB that might not be the best passer. If you are talking specifically about Denard Robinson there is no need to include the "a". However using the "a" can be good. For example, if you think the tigers need to trade for a decent outfielder but don't have a specific person in mind then saying, " I think the tigers need to get a Carlos Quentin", works fine.

 

Sopwith

June 17th, 2012 at 5:43 PM ^

should you ever, ever watch or listen to Mel Kiper, then.  Every player is "a [player name]."

Also, you know what I hate?  Fortune cookies that offer advice or wisdom instead of predicting stuff, e.g., "Home is where the heart is."  

Goddamn it fortune cookie, that's not predicting anything.  

"Early to bed, early to rise makes one healthy, happy, and wise."  

Fuck you, fortune cookie.  That's not telling me the future.  I want you to predict that I'm going to meet an important person in my life in the next week, get a promotion, find something I lost, die in a boating accident, etc. 

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

I'm gonna fucking kill you, fortune cookie.  Grow a pair and make a prediction.  Not only do you not understand the appropriate function of a "fortune" cookie as opposed to a "sayings you find embroidered on couch cushions in your grandmother's house" cookie, but you don't even cleanse the palate of that gooey, tangy General Tsao's glaze the chicken swims in.  Why do you exist?

"A good friend will help you move.  A great friend will help you move a body."

OK, that's pretty fucking good, fortune cookie, I'll grant you that.  I'm going to let it go this time.