Words (and phrases) that are used too much in sportswriting

Inspired by a recent thread, and some Friday night gamers I wish I hadn't had to read. Here's a start:

Scamper (good name for a dog, but three different stringers used it on the same night to describe running plays).

Galloped (Seattle Slew, Seabiscuit, John Elway and Nancy Kerrigan might gallop, but not the East Podunk's tailback).

Totes (not the plastic storage bins or the overpriced Vera Bradley bags).

Placement (why do some people still feel the need to waste a sentence on every PAT kick?).

Paydirt (sigh).

Chip on their shoulder (four words into the story ... Jesus).

Tally (unless it's followed by whacker, no).

Skein (sounds like something from which to guzzle beer).

Frame (as in quarter, inning or period ... no, a frame applies only to bowling or pictures).

On the season (or night, year, etc.).

Aerial (as opposed to pass).

I just gave myself the same headache I had Friday night.

 

all references to war.

 

This must drive you nuts. ;D

 

Red Grange might have disagreed with you on No. 3.

 

Not sure of overuse, but the one I see a lot that pisses me off -- when idiot writers use frame instead of inning in a baseball gamer. Bowling has frames. Baseball has innings.

 

These aren't overused, or at least, I hope they aren't, but I saw these in the last week.

Harriers (why do I get the mental picture of a bunch of Teen Wolf-like cross country runners?)

Kickers (to describe a soccer team. Kickers play football.)

Gridders (I envision a world sodoku tournament)

Spikers (liberos and setters are obviously excluded from teams called "spikers")

And any other lame words like cagers, thinclads (instant termination for this one), etc.

 

I could never really figure 'harrier' out. I assume it means the little hound bred to hunt rabbits. But it's also several species of bird.