Cliche of the day
... in which we highlight a well-worn, nonsensical or jargon-laden word or phrase that has been infecting the world of sports broadcasting.
Today's phrase: "burn a timeout."
Ever notice that no one seems simply to call a timeout or use a timeout anymore during a football game? Someone always is burning them. I wondered what that smell was. I thought maybe I had forgotten about the leftover pizza I had in the oven.
Burning implies that a particular timeout is being wasted, which might be the case sometimes. But if you call a timeout when you're driving for a winning score in the last minute and your wide receiver was just tackled in the middle of the field and you need to stop the clock, then there doesn't seem to be any burning involved.
But that doesn't mean it hurts to check on the oven.
Comments
Oh, I get the picture. Burn and Byrnes. Clever, Ray. I should mention that Eric Byrnes is still an overrated hot dog.
Posted by: Attila the Hon | January 6, 2009 4:19 PM
Good point! Two others: "It is what it is" and when your run defense gives up a bunch of yards they say your defense was 'gashed.'
Posted by: Dave M | January 6, 2009 5:23 PM
I get the sense some ex-player broadcasters expect a team to have all three of its timeouts for the last two minutes of each half. Also,the phrase should be used especially when the qb is walking away from center BECAUSE TIME WAS RUNNING OUT! Unfortunately,our Suggs package seems "to burn one" more often than not. In the old days, a "doobie" was lit to honor the cliche "burn one."
Posted by: Dan R. | January 6, 2009 7:21 PM
I really hate the term "playmaker." Talk about overused. "So and so is a playmaker. He goes out there every night and makes plays." Ugh.
Posted by: Pat under center | January 7, 2009 4:10 AM
Momentum...need I say more?
Posted by: Dan C. | January 7, 2009 9:07 AM
No, no, no ... you've got it all wrong. This season's biggest and WORST cliche is "portable." "Phil, what I like most about that team is that their defense is portable." "Chris, that offense is portable, meaning that it travels well."
Portable is absolutely terrible because every time they use it, they have to define it, too. I don't know how you missed this one, lol.
Posted by: Poe | January 8, 2009 3:45 PM