All-America

Coming up in the business, I was taught that "All-American" was incorrect, that the proper usage of that honor is All-America.

I never understood or agreed with that. I thought the "n" at the end sounded better and made more sense.

I get it now. The old-timer was right. Players are honored on, say, all-New York or all-Florida teams, not all-New Yorker or all-Floridian teams. The same logic we apply to a state's best players should apply to the country's best.

However, somewhere between my disagreeing with "All-America" and coming to accept it as correct, it seems that I'm seeing "All-American" more and more. I see it all over the place and it's beginning to grate on me.

Some so-called "All-Americans" might not even be citizens! It's All-America!

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest. I feel better...

... until the next time I see "All-American."

Ugh.

 

Flip to your AP stylebook for the answer. To summarize: the AP puts out an "All-America" team, on which players are "All-America selections". All the rest of 'em are "All-Americans".

rb

 

all the rest of them are all-americans?

all the rest of whom?

 

"All-America" when used as an adjective. "Johnny was named to the All-American team."

"All-American" when used as a noun. "I heard Johnny became an All-American."

 

You're correct, but you have a typo in your example.

Johnny made the All-America team, or Johnny is an All-America tight end.

But Johnny is an All-American, or the Hedgehogs have three All-Americans on the offensive line.

 

beating a dead horse alert...


... shouldn't it be all-u.s. america?

 

Correct.

 

Red ass is red ass whether you're an American or not.

 

good catch, joe king

 

Of course now we have to say someone is a Football Bowl Subdivision All-American.

Thanks, NCAA!

 

I was looking at the Nicholls State web site and in their SID's game story from their win over Rice, they referred to Rice as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision.
And they say it clunkers down a sentence. :