USAGE/DEFINITION OF: Unanswered Runs

I am a sports journalist student and was docked for my use of "unanswered runs" in a graded exercise. The reason was over abiguity of the term. I believe it only has one definition but I don't know where to find it.

My definition: The amount of runs/points a team scores since the other team has scored, regardless of the score at that time, or how long it takes them to score.

Example: Team A scores 4 runs, 4-0, Team A has 4 unanswered runs (AT THAT TIME) If the game ends, they still scored 4 unanswered runs. If Team B then scores 1, 4-1, Team B has 1 unanswered runs, although it is meaningless since they are behind. If Team B scores 6 more runs, 7-4, they will have scored 7 unanswered runs, not 3.

Can anyone point me in the right direction as to the definition or general usage?

Thanks!

 

unanswered points = points that aren't answered

Team A scores 17 points, team B cannot score any points the rest of the game

seventeen unanswered points

Team B scores a point in the last minute of the game, those 17 points are no longer unanswered

is your question now answered?

 

No. Your scenario is straightforward and self explanatory.

Team A scores 4. Team B then scores 10. Game ends. How many unanswered points?

 

10.

Your scenario was straightforward and self-explanatory.

Team A's 4 runs were answered by Team B's 10 runs. Therefore, 10 unanswered points.

 

Keep in mind, we're not stating this as the way "unanswered" is USUALLY used in sportswriting.

We're stating this as the CORRECT way it should be used.

It's one of the most MIS-used terms in sports jargon.

 

The best solution is to not use the exceptionally weak "unanswered."

 

Just don't use it. It's a shitty-ass TV term foisted on us by ESPN. I'd have docked you too.

 

Yes, your professor's point is that "unanswered" is an example of a term used wrongly so often as to make it something that you never use.

Whether you have used it correctly or not is largely immaterial. But cheer up. This means you have a good professor who wants you to write well. Embrace that, and I'm sure you'll be fine.

 

"Consecutive" might be a better word to use than "unanswered" in that sense.

 

Unanswered is fine if you're doing a radio/TV broadcast (or maybe a live blog), because at the time they've yet to be answered. Otherwise, stick with "straight" or "consecutive" or "went on a 10-0 run".

 

I only use it if the game ends on a run.

Example: Team A was trailing team B 4-2, but "Team A scored three unanswered goals to end the game and win 5-4."

Or, a team can scored unanswered points in a period or quarter.

The Buffalo Bills scored 14 unanswered points in the second quarter.

The Ottawa Senators scored three unanswered goals in the first period.

But really, I'm with sportschick. Try not to use it.

 

Well, I'm happy bashing the WWL as anybody, but "unanswered" was around long before they were.

I'm not as much as a hardass on this, although I agree it's not the best term.

To me, if you consider a game story "real time" -- hang with me here -- then at the time you speak of those points, they are currently unanswered.

Four seconds later might come an answer. But if team A leads 4-0, and team B takes a 10-4 lead, then strictly as a matter of reader understanding, "10 unanswered points" tells them what happened.

Consecutive is better.