Our Favorite Sports Cliches Right Now

We're all guilty at times of using and abusing sports cliches. There are so many of these beauties floating around that it's become hard to keep track of the best ones.

Sportscasters, writers and fans are all part of the problem. Together, we've butchered the English language and created these legendary cliches. 

Here now are 20 of our current favorites.

'Shock the World'

Joe Murphy/Getty Images

Pick any sport, and you'll find a bunch of teams who have "shocked the world." Underdogs are a major reason why we love plopping ourselves down on the couch and absorbing every game we possibly can.

The whole "shock the world" cliche has been etched into the vocabulary of every sportscaster scattered across this great country. The more they beat that drum, the easier it is for us to hit the mute button on our remotes and move on.

'Next Man Up'

Elise Amendola/Associated Press

When a player goes down because of an injury, it's always about the "next man up." The "next man up" cliche is one of the most obvious ones around.

Clearly, if an athlete cannot play his or her position, someone is going to come in and replace them. I guess the fact that it sounds good makes everything better.

'Great Work Ethic'

Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

"This guy is a winner because when it comes down to it, he has a great work ethic."

We've heard it before, and frankly, the narrative is getting a bit tiresome. It works for certain players like Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, but it's now being used nonstop.

Honestly, how many have times have you heard this phrase used? Please share your thoughts in the comment section.

'You Couldn't Write a Better Script'

Dave Martin/Associated Press

"You couldn't write a script better than this!" That's been the common way to describe any type of crazy comeback or miracle win in sports.

In reality, you probably could scribe a better script. Listen, we all love close games and wild finishes; why ruin it by using this vintage cliche?

'You Play to Win the Game'

Former New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards made a living restating the obvious. His now infamous "you play to win the game" quote is a perfect example of that very notion.

You can keep Rex Ryan; I'll take Coach Edwards and his words of wisdom every time.

'We're Taking It 1 Game at a Time'

Is there any other way to take things? "One game at a time" is a philosophy most sports organizations live by. After a team wins or loses, we don't need to hear players talk about "taking it one game at a time."

We already understand that's the case.

'He Kept His Eyes Down the Field'

Kathy Willens/Associated Press

This piece of jargon mainly applies to football. When a quarterback drops back into the pocket and goes through his progressions, he's keeping his eyes down the field.

When the defense is able to get penetration and force him out of the pocket, usually if he completes the pass anyway, you'll hear announcers rave that the signal-caller "kept his eyes down the field."

Sure, these guys can often miss open wide receivers because of the pressure that's headed their way, but that doesn't mean they aren't looking down the field.

How else would they know whether to throw the football or not?

'There's No 'I' in 'Team''

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

In case you have trouble deciphering words or spelling, here's a reminder: There's no "I" in team. Anyone who tells you something different is a liar.

'Defense Wins Championships'

Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

Just about every time a team flashes an ounce of defense, this saying emerges from a dark cave and rears its ugly head.

Clearly playing great defense is going to bolster your chances of winning a championship, but if you combine that with productivity on the offensive end, you have found the real secret sauce to reaching the top of the mountain: a complete team.

'It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This'

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

This expression gets used so much, it's become white noise for most fans.

Are two major rivals about to engage in war? "It doesn't get any better than this!" Is a rookie quarterback about to make his debut start? "It doesn't get any better than this!" Did the janitor forget to dry the hardwood floor effectively turning an NBA game into a Slip 'N Slide? "It doesn't get any better than this!"

'You Can't Say Enough About the Job He's Done'

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Any time a coach does something positive—dial up a great play call, make the decision to start a certain individual—you hear this term thrown out there by announcers. It's their way of paying homage to what they've done.

Unfortunately, this is the only term they use.

'Those Comments Were Taken out of Context'

Charles Krupa/Associated Press

Here's a note to everyone out there: If you say something you immediately regret, just tell the press it was taken out of context.

That's a good way to get those vultures off of your back.

'He's a Warrior'

PHIL LONG/Associated Press

Are they actually a warrior? I get that athletes are tough, and most of them showcase an amazing amount of heart and determination, but that term is a tough one to sell considering there are so many people out there risking their lives on a daily basis.

'I'm Just Trying to Be the Best Teammate I Can Be'

Houston Texans running back Arian Foster trolled the media with this one. Answering questions from a flock of reporters, Foster stuck to one main answer no matter what question was asked.

"I'm just trying to be the best teammate I can be" has now been officially put to rest courtesy of the Texans tailback.

'The Fans Are Getting Their Money's Worth'

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

We don't need people to let us know when fans are watching a great battle. Obviously, we understand that concept.

So wait, you're telling me that if one team blows out another, the fans aren't getting what they paid for? Didn't they just pay to attend a game? This is all so confusing.

'That's a Spectacular Play'

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

This is absolutely one of the best cliches around. It's one that everyone uses at times.

Watching an athlete do something out the ordinary is a great component of live sports. When fans and media pundits have to tell us how "spectacular" that play really was—as if we didn't just witness it ourselves—well, that becomes nothing but an insult.

'They Dodged a Bullet There'

Ng Han Guan/Associated Press

A quarterback missing an open wide receiver, a soccer player missing a penalty kick, those are things that make fans cringe.

When announcers decide to throw salt in that wound and let us know the other team "dodged a bullet" because of our team's mistake, that's the best way to ruin an individual's weekend.

'You Can't Teach That'

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

How silly of me. I figured you could teach someone how to dunk a basketball with the sheer force of LeBron James or dissect a defense like Peyton Manning does. I mean, how hard can it really be?

'They're Forced to Burn a Timeout'

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

Unsolicited mistakes are usually a major reason why teams are mandated to use timeouts. The notion of them being "forced" to call timeouts is obvious when you realize the reasoning behind it.

'That Was a Good Call by the Official'

Steve Helber/Associated Press

When a player commits a foul and the referees call it, it's not a "good call," it's the right call. We all understand that we see a plethora of questionable calls throughout a game, but do we really have to praise the zebras for all of the correct decisions they make?