Words That Sportswriters Use That Make Me Cringe

I will start. Hallowed.

Lincoln referred to the "these hallowed grounds" in the Gettysburg Address. About 30,000 men died at Gettysburg essentially charging into rifle fire for their causes.

So when a piece refers to Augusta National, the Baseball Hall of Fame or any other sports venue as "hallowed" I think that someone is overwriting. Jack Nickalas was a great golfer and Harold Baines a pretty good baseball player but save hallowed to describe the truly heroic.

 

Exploded. I blame Brent Musburger for this one.

If you're writing (or talking about) a player "exploding" for 30 points, or "exploding" through a hole in the line, there better be body parts on the basketball court/football field.

 

'woe' - a shit word little used in everyday conversation

'moving forward' - filler twaddle verbal tic garbage

'basically' - a word that means nothing - just what professionals ought to be using

 

Anytime someone uses the word "basically" in a sentence -verbally or written - I dismiss what ever point they are trying to make or its factual basis. Something either happened or it didn't. Someone didn't "basically" do something, say something etc.

Oh yeah - and "generational"....

 

Every time Troy Aikman says "what" unnecessarily. I know that's speaking not writing, but holy shit he says it so often when not saying it wouldn't change the meaning of the sentence.

 

"Era of" (insert golfer of the week here)

 

Gridiron.
Cager.
Paydirt.
Any other hopelessly outdated term.
"Lady" when referring to a school's girls teams (unless it's trademarked, like Lady Vols).

 

Clean sheet

 

American sportswriters covering soccer who think they need to use kit and pitch.

Because, you know, uniform and field aren't good enough anymore.

 

Soccer (yeah SOCCER) has a ton of them, pace, fitness, pitch, nil, kits etc.

 

'in space'