Getting 'untracked'

[DeskMonkey1]

Seeing how someone else has gotten this thread untracked (ahem), one piece of sports slang that's beginning to drive me crazy is the word "commit" used as a noun, as in, "The State University commit from Podunk High School ..."

It really seems to have emerged in the past two years or so. While I can't think of better shorthand for a prep athlete who has agreed to attend a college, it just sounds lazy -- like TV or sports talk radio lingo that has crept into print.

Since I'm guilty of it, what do you suggest using in hedlines? Especially one column hedlines?

 

[DeskMonkey1]

I always figured that was just the recruiting lingo, which became normalized. Then again, I've been in newsrooms which were emphatic about either verbal or oral commitments, both of which are jargon again, but only one of which sounds right to me.

I once got an email where the parent meant to say their kid gave a verbal to Podunk State but wrote "gave oral to Podunk State."

 

[BDC99]

Since I'm guilty of it, what do you suggest using in hedlines? Especially one column hedlines?

In what scenario would you use commit as a noun in a headline?

 

[DeskMonkey1]

In what scenario would you use commit as a noun in a headline?

Well, I guess you could just use their name instead of "Podunk commit" but unless said name is LeBron or one equally recognizable, I have been told to make clear who said person is in the hedline, which obviously make my job difficult sometimes.

 

[BDC99]

Well, I guess you could just use their name instead of "Podunk commit" but unless said name is LeBron or one equally recognizable, I have been told to make clear who said person is in the hedline, which obviously make my job difficult sometimes.

Just use their current school. Or use recruit? I guess you are referring to a story on a kid committed to the school your paper covers. I said earlier, I'm not 100 percent opposed to it, so I would let it slide in hed if there was no other option.

 

[Dog8Cats]

Well, I guess you could just use their name instead of "Podunk commit" but unless said name is LeBron or one equally recognizable, I have been told to make clear who said person is in the hedline, which obviously make my job difficult sometimes.

Not trying to second-guess decisions you've made and heads you've written, but if I were the slot at your paper, "commit" would not be used as a noun to describe an athlete on any shift I worked.

For the one-column headline, how about "recruit"? ... State U. / recruit / undergoes / surgery. I assume there would be other nontextual elements to help readers identify which recruit you're talking about (a mug shot maybe, or a subhead) and the fact he's given a nonbinding promise to attend a university of interest to your readers, provided he does, indeed, graduate from high school and achieves the necessary test scores to be an eligible athlete. And doesn't change his mind between now and the letter-of-intent signing period.

 

[BDC99]

Why does someone undergo surgery. Why not just has. Lol

 

[Riptide]

Why does someone undergo surgery. Why not just has. Lol

I've made this fix for years.

 

[CD Boogie]

I love to see that in a quote!

I'd be nonplussed if I ever saw that in a quote.

 

[swingline]

AP Stylebook Online came out today with updates:


untracked
Do not use this term for an athlete or team now performing well after a slow period. Use clearer expressions such as back on track. (new entry under sports)

 

[Ace]

AP Stylebook Online came out today with updates:


untracked
Do not use this term for an athlete or team now performing well after a slow period. Use clearer expressions such as back on track. (new entry under sports)

Screw that. I'm gonna go with "unrutted."

 

[jr/shotglass]

I consider "commit" as a noun to be quite valid, and quite understandable, and quite reader-friendly, when written about a recruit who ... commits.

In fact, I'm going to make a point of using it more often.