cktimes.ca Archives for That's Sports
That's Sports
Talk The Talk
Tuesday, November 12, 2002
I was talking with a gentleman the other day and he noted that sports has a whole language of it's own and I whole heartedly agreed. Most of the cliches and nicknames are very creative.Baseball has the most cliches and goes from one extreme to the other. I will try to enlighten you, the reader, on some of the cliches and nicknames in sports. There are lots of AKA's for the home run. Let's start. Dinger, roundtripper, blast, shot, going deep, going yard, dialing eight and vacation ball. If there is nobody on base it can be called a solo shot or a lone wolf. Of course, a Gland Slam is a home run with the bases full. Some announcers like to add a little entertainemnt for people on base. The sacks (bases) can be loaded, drunk, juiced or full.
If you happen to strike out it is called a "K". It can also be called a whiff or having the umpire pull the string. The batter uses a bat of course or something that can be known as a twig, stick ash mallet, lumber or club. If you strike out that's a bad thing if you are a batter but a good thing if you are a pitcher. Speaking of thr pitcher – they are referred to as hurlers, chuckers and gunners but if they are left handed they are southpaws or lefties.
In baseball, when the catcher throws the ball "around the horn" that means he throws it to first and then the ball is fired around the bases. The shortstop and second basemen are also known as the keystone combination while third is referred to as the hot corner.
I don't claim to be an expert on basketball but there is also a great deal of slang in that sport. Driving the lane, takin it to the hoop and flying the rim are all aggressive offensive moves as are dunkin', slammin' and jammin'. Throwing the air or a brick are attempted offensive terms but a little misguided.
A deuce, bucket or basket are all scoring terms for two pointers as are a trey, hittin from downtown or landing one from three-point land for three point baskets. Bangin' the boards means getting rebounds while serving a dish is a pass and a no-look dish is a blind pass. Free throws are also called going to the charity stripe.
Football has the long bomb, the hail mary and chucking a prayer on the offense. The pigskin (football), the pill (football), the pick (interception), the stunt (defensive formation) and trips (three receivers on the one side) are a couple more footballisms.
The wounded Duck is a bad wobbly pass while the shank is a poor kick. Splitting the uprights is a good kick. A sack is getting to the quarterback before he can get rid of the ball while a stinger is painful non serious injury. A spear in football is leading with your helmut while the helmet is called a dome, lid, bucket or hat.
Going all the way is a touchdown as is a major, six, or TD.
Baseball and football can both have someone that fires bb's, bullets and pellets as well as someone throwing a strike.
Hockey has the puck that is a biscut, disc, or rubber and a stick that is a twig or lumber. The shutout is a goalie not letting a goal in while a hattrick is a player scoring three times. Roofing the puck and going top shelf are also hockey terms as are bulging the twine and giving the goalie sunburn (by turning on the red goal light too many times). A boomer is not only a male kangaroo but a big shot as is a howitzer and a rifle shot.
Teams and players are also known by just more than their real name as basketball is blessed with his Airness, Sir Charles, T-Mac, C-Web and White Chocolate, The answer and the Mailman. Football has Juice, Pinball and Automatica.
The Great One, the Magnificent One and the rocket are all hockey players as are Boom Boom, The Pocket Rocket and the Roadrunner. The Cheif, Mr. Hockey, Cujo and Godzilla are also different monikers.
Team names change as well as the Yankees are the pinstripes, or the Bronx Bombers while the Angels are the Halos and the Orioles, Mariners and Athletics can all be shortened to the lead letter and go as the O's, M's and A's.
The Expos and Astros can be shortened to be the Spos and the Stros while Milwaukee are also known as the Brewcrew. The Bosox, Chisox and D-Backs are also tossed in as are the T-Bay D-rays. The Indians are the tribe, the pirates are the Bucs.
America's Team is the Dallas Cowboys, the Dolphins are the Fish and the Chargers are the Bolts in football.
Hockey has the Habs (Montreal), the Buds (Leafs), the Blueshirts (Rangers) and B's(Boston). The Pens, Sens, Canes, Av's and Caps are all shortforms. The Coyotes are the Desert Dogs the Flyers were the Broadstreet Bullies. The Sabres are noted soemtimes as the Bison while Tampa Bay are sometimes called the Bolts.
Sometimes it's not how you say it but what you say that sticks in the mind of an announcer.
I left NASCAR out of this column because they have not just another language but a whole different way of saying stuff.
-30-
Gary Patterson was born and raised in Chatham-Kent. He grew up in Thamesville and now lives in Chatham. Patterson was Sports Director at Beaver Communications an Blackburn Radio for over 15 years. Gary is also the track announcer at Dresden Raceway as well as some appearances at Windsor Raceway. He has played all sports inclduing being a mermber of three OBA Championship baseball teams in Thamesville and has also played hockey and football. Gary still plays golf, slo-pitch and ball hockey and well as the odd game of pick up hockey. Patterson is a passionate Miami Dolphin and Michigan Wolverine football fan. Here are few other details about Gary Patterson: Favourite food: steak, chicken wings, chili or Kenny Tharp\'s famous meatloaf; Favourite non alcoholic drink : Diet Coke; Favourite drink: Scotch, Coor\'s Light; Favourite Sports team : Miami Dolphins/Michigan Wolverines/New York Yankees; Favourite Bar : Bru\'s Room Margate Florida/Pompano Beach Florida; Favourite Bartender : Tanya (Margate), Sarah (Pompano); Favourie Vacataion spot : Pompano Beach Florida; Marital Staus : married with chilren Hockey player : Curtis Jospeh/Todd Bertuzzi; Favourite Football player : Retired Dan Marino, Anthony Thomas; Favourite Basketball player : Steve Nash Favourite Baseball player : Derek Jeter; Favourite colour : Blue; Favourite TV Show : CSI Favourite movie : The Sting, Blue Brothers and Field of Dreams; Favourite song Life Been Good To Me ( Joe Walsh); Favourite Band : Tom Petty/Eagles; Favourite type of Dog: Springer Spaniel; Favourite type of Cat : NONE
