| There is no denying that the sports business | | | | might have been tempting to muse if the story |
| these days is awash in bright lights ...Quite | | | | was about some incident after a play was |
| often, though, the same can't be said for the | | | | 'long dead,' only a hardcore Winter Olympics |
| people or practices involved.The passage of | | | | maven would recognize that a coach for the |
| time, the fading of origins and the constant | | | | headfirst sledding events is in some sort of |
| superseding of slang can combine to cause | | | | trouble. The sleighs involved in that |
| some curious contemporary contexts.To start, | | | | discipline acquired the name 'skeleton' by a |
| have you ever really thought about how | | | | logic that was similar to that of the |
| pedantic the word 'quarterback' is? When the | | | | resultant term for putting a player a quarter |
| innovators who metamorphosed rugby into | | | | of the way between the fullback and the |
| gridiron football were telling players where | | | | center: the sled involved is literally a |
| to stand, it was only logical to have someone | | | | bare-bones equivalent of a bobsleigh or a |
| placed all the way behind the line called a | | | | luge, and the engineers must have gotten to |
| 'fullback.' By then, soccer already had two | | | | it before the marketers did. Of course, if |
| defending positions which used that term, so | | | | you've ever seen this sport in action, you |
| they surely provided the acceptable sporting | | | | could easily believe that its moniker was |
| frame of reference. For the gridiron game's | | | | derived from what was left of an athlete if |
| founding fathers to next place another player | | | | he ever lost control of his sled at |
| halfway between the fullback and the linemen | | | | 70mph.Given the apparent discord between |
| and call him a 'halfback' made sense, too. | | | | sports terminology and the perception of |
| But, perhaps they overdid this theme by | | | | those same words and phrases by the rest of |
| sticking a third player halfway between the | | | | the world, it's not surprising that |
| halfback and the linemen and arriving at the | | | | sometimes, ordinary words can be a cause of |
| unfortunately obvious titling conclusion.It | | | | confusion to those who have spent their lives |
| only figures that such a mathematically | | | | in the sporting arena.In the late 1960s, two |
| correct --- but verbally clumsy --- location | | | | former gridiron football |
| of a player would turn out to describe the | | | | stars-turned-broadcasters --- New York Giants |
| most important position in the game. Any | | | | great, Pat Summerall, and Philadelphia Eagles |
| sports fan has heard that word a thousand | | | | receiver, Tom Brookshier --- were covering a |
| times and surely doesn't think twice anymore | | | | game involving the Washington Redskins. At |
| about what it means or how silly it sounds. | | | | the time, those two were better known for |
| The rest of the salient world, though, is | | | | socializing before the game than for |
| left to wonder what minds like those had | | | | preparing themselves for the broadcast. |
| named their kids.On the other hand, the | | | | Brookshier, especially, seemed to depend on |
| venerable game of cricket doesn't even think | | | | the depth charts and player profiles laid |
| the word 'silly' sounds silly. Players' | | | | before them in the booth, rather than doing |
| positions in that game are also defined by | | | | his own research.During the course of the |
| their location, and they actually have a | | | | game, a kickoff came to a relatively unknown |
| series of spots called 'silly point,' 'silly | | | | Redskin named Herb Mul-Key. He got a couple |
| mid-off' and 'silly mid-on.' In this case, | | | | of key initial blocks, found a seam and |
| it's truth in advertising. That's because | | | | scampered for a substantial return. It |
| they're placed so close to the batsman that | | | | definitely warranted a comment from the |
| solid contact from a full swing could result | | | | analyst, which was Brookshier's role.However, |
| in serious bodily harm from a scorching line | | | | he clearly didn't know anything about Herb |
| drive, which means that someone would have to | | | | Mul-Key. All he could do was look for |
| be absolutely foolhardy to play there. Or, | | | | something of note on the player-bio card, and |
| maybe just silly. (Just so you're aware that | | | | he thought he found something."I see," he |
| all cricketers aren't that crazy, the 'silly' | | | | announced, "that Mul-Key went to No-Knee |
| locations are only occupied when the fielding | | | | College. I've never heard of that |
| team believes the batsman will only take | | | | school."Summerall's pause was extended. |
| defensive swings to protect his | | | | Finally, with subtle exasperation, he finally |
| wicket.)Certain topics just weren't discussed | | | | made the correction."I believe the word is |
| in public a century ago. So, a gridiron | | | | 'None,' Tom."Brookshire was truly a man |
| position like 'tight end' or a rugby position | | | | trapped in sports. I guess that meant, to |
| like 'hooker' never gave anyone a second | | | | him, the cue card had something in common |
| thought. That was then. I'm assuming those | | | | with the term for another rugby position:It |
| athletes frame their conversations with | | | | was a tight head prop.J Square Humboldt is |
| non-fans more carefully now.There are times | | | | the featured columnist at the Longer Life |
| when even the sports media should think | | | | website, which is dedicated to providing |
| deeper about their choice of words. Sports | | | | information, strategies, analysis and |
| fans often have to do a double-take at | | | | commentary designed to improve the quality of |
| headlines being thrust before them. Here's a | | | | living. His page can be found at and his |
| recent offering from ESPN.com:"Panel to Look | | | | observations are published three times per |
| at Claims Against Skeleton Coach."While it | | | | week. |