using name of plays in stories..

how do you guys feel about using the name of plays like "oh we ran omaha 21 and got the touchdown." I've often wondered if it was an ethical issue.

 

Why don't you ask the player what Omaha 21 is, and then use the description of the play, not the play name?

 

Unless there's a truly compelling reason to use a quote, just describe what happened in your own words.

 

I don't think it's an ethical issue. But does the average fan know what "Omaha 21" is? If not, you're probably going to want to describe it for them.

 

Agreed. The next opponent isn't going to read your story and say "we need to watch out for Omaha 21 team ____ scored using it last week." I've been told this too many times with my stories and still need to remind myself: Show, don't tell.

I think plays that most fans know, such as Statue of Liberty, reverse, flee flicker, screen are OK, but specific names don't tell the reader anything unless they have a playbook and can see what City/state/color + number means.

 

"65 toss power trap!"
"65 toss power trap, it ought to bust wide open, boys!"
"65 toss power trap, ha ha ha, yeah!"

 

We've all read plenty of features that did this, by way of giving you insight into the inner world of football.

In a gamer? Nah.

 

And then he said something racist!

Nope, don't use the play name. That's just useless jargon for the reader. Describe the play, then if the player or coach says the name ina quote, then that may be okay.

 

Last year, we got every high school coach in our readership area to send us the sketch of a "favorite play" and we used them in our football tab, along with the name of each. Did anybody really send us a play they'd actually use? I have no idea. But it was still cool.

 

how about style of offense, like the West Coast?

 

I used a play name in a gamer recently. The typical "go-route", but it fit the story correctly. The WR was a burner and he completely left the CB in the dust. The coach said it hasn't worked in a game before since the opposition expects it so much, but that time it worked. Figured I should use it.

 

I run the names of plays all the time. Nothing bad ever happens. Not even when I wrote about The Glass Menagerie.