Sports Guy's editor missed something...

Because that's just ...insane. Hell, part of what people do is make things sexual. We do it on desk with virtually anything written. Our fishing column included things like "flounder pounder" or "big blacks looking for a crab offering."

Though I will say your second example is just plain redundant. Once you say rally, you don't need come-from-behind. It's obvious.

 

I'm pretty sure that PC HR folks might construe that as a reference to sodomy.

 

IJAG has hit the honey hole here.

 

Thanks for nailing it, Ace.

 

Sodomy is off limits too? Aww, hell.

 

It was my pleasure.

 

Understood. I have a juvenile mind when it comes to things like this, which is probably why I'm so cognizant of it.

I'm just saying, when there's a chance of bad connotation, I write around it. Instead of come-from-behind, I use comeback (which is tighter writing anyway). I stay away from "going down." I use "verbal commitment" rather than "oral commitment" in recruiting stories. And if I was using a poker analogy to describe a trade sending a black basketball player to Boston, I'm going with a suit other than spade.

Call it insane, if you like.

 

I'd like to see a movement to remain the suits. I might boycott Bicycle until I see some changes. Spades could just as easily be "shovels" -- aside from a clear, longstanding association with ditchdigging, a good clean background. And I don't need to be Roger Goodell to know that nothing good happens around a club. Don't even get me started about just how pointy a diamond can be, either.

Boycott! We have the power to make a difference here!

 

Also worth noting, I cover preps, including girls sports. I might be more lax in this regard if I covered college or pro sports.

 

OK, Barsuk, well you said 'you' as in everyone was expected to. I'm saying that's hard to do.

Taking it one step further (but not that much further), all of these words have sexual connotations: hit, ball, sink, pound, drain, etc. How do you write baseball or basketball gamers?

 

That was hilarious. ... And while the merits of the poker analogy are valid, the changing of a spade therein is ludicrous.

Oops.

So as not to offend the rapper by connoting him to a bad analogy or a racial insult, I'd like to change the above word to ... ... ... dumb.

Wait. So as not to offend stupid people, I'd like to change the above word to ... ... ... ridiculous.

OK. I think I've got it.

 

So what happens when Army makes a boner and Navy pulls it out, causing seamen to flood the field?