Words That Sportswriters Use That Make Me Cringe

"Long" as a description of a basketball player.

Only appropriate use of this would be for actors in certain types of movies (Long John Holmes).

 

Don't most of these words come from scouts and the talking heads pick up on them to sound "smart.?" And how about "handle" in basketball - I agree that saying someone has a great handle is more efficient than saying they are a great dribbler - you save an entire syllable.

 

Score the basketball

 

I'm may be in the minority here but using "fell" or "fall" to describe a loss drives me up the wall if only because it is so overused. I still use lose and lost regularly. I know I'm in the minority in that regard.

 

see also 3-technique etc.

 

Thinclad
Harriers
Penultimate (hi Dooley! wherever you are)

 

Matmen.

I've seen them all, I really have.

 

Grapplers
Icers

 

"Line to gain" = first down marker.
"Gashed" the defense for 120 yards. Didn't they ever learn that "gash" is a woman part?

 

"It was the best of halves, it was the worst of halves ..."

 

"It was the tale of two halves. ..."

 

I actively use harrier on Twitter because it’s so old and outdated it’s funny to try and use it now