Words That Sportswriters Use That Make Me Cringe

Probably the most misused word in common usage.

 

... and fixtures. Can't forget them.

 

"four-down territory"

Most of the time, the decision to run an offensive play on fourth down is based more on the time remaining in the game or half than where the ball is. For a phrase to describe an offense willing or needing to risk failing on a fourth-down play, "four-down mindset" or "four-down approach" would be better.

 

I was asked to use consecutive over straight. It happened to be a gay colleague I respected very much, so I haven't really used it since.

 

At the University of Central Arkansas, the men's teams are the Bears. The women's teams are the Sugar Bears.

 

No official Lady nicknames exist locally. It's just one of those random things coaches, athletic directors, and fans occasionally pull out of nowhere.

Oddly, I despise that slightly less than schools that create creatures that don't exist by using Lady.

There is no such thing as a "lady ram." A ram is a male sheep. There is no such things a "lady colt." A colt is an unneutered male horse. Lady Knights? Um... yeah, OK.

As for gender-neutral positions, we've shifted to "defender" rather than "defenseman," but I can't say anyone has brought up "second baseman" as sexist.

 

Kittens are male and female for crap's sake

 

That's why humans devised subheds to label things as girls basketball or boys basketball.

 

First-ever (apologies if this is not the first mention of this).

Control their own destiny (“their own” is enough of an abomination). You can’t control your destiny. It’s what happens.

And my all-time pet peeve ...

“made history.”

Literally everything that happens makes history.

 

You ever try squeezing that many characters into a one-column headline?

 

Feel much the same about Lady (canine nickname).

 

I can't recall the specifics but I remember seeing Lady Dogs on a jersey once and I wanted to find the AD and say, "Do you realize ...?"