20 Sports Phrases and Cliches That Are Ready for Retirement
Admittedly, it is challenging to talk or write about sports without using any cliches or popular jargon. Still, some phrases have gotten just irritating enough to warrant retirement.
All cliches are unoriginal, by definition, but some are particularly bothersome due to vagueness or an offensive lack of sense. Here are 20 such phrases, ranked in accordance with the level of annoyance evoked by each—least to most.
Can we at least agree to put the top five to bed, once and for all?
'Intangibles'
1 of 20
Sports fans know what the word "intangibles" refers to, but often, its use poses a specificity problem.
As long as specific qualities are mentioned in the same breath as "intangibles," it can stay. However, using it on its own to describe someone like Andrew Luck or Mike Trout just feels like a layup.
'Man Among Boys'
2 of 20
Newsflash: There are no boys in professional sports. If anything, it would be more accurate to say "a possibly bionic superhero of a man among already impressive men."
'[B-List QB] Has Looked Sharp in Training Camp'
3 of 20
Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has "looked sharp so far in training camp," says Jay Taft of the Rockford Register Star.
Miami Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill has "been sharp in training camp," according to Chris Perkins of the Sun Sentinel.
Blaine Gabbert of the San Francisco 49ers has (you guessed it) "been sharp in training camp," if you ask Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
You get the point.
No disrespect to these writers (it's extremely difficult to eliminate cliches), but clearly this phrase needs some tinkering.
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'If They Can Stay Healthy'
4 of 20
"If this team can stay healthy, they have a real shot this year."
"If player X can stay healthy, he's poised for a career year."
"QB job is Bradford's if he can stay healthy," according to David Weinberg of the Press of Atlantic City.
Obviously Sam Bradford can't be the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles if he's hurt. Doesn't the if-healthy condition go without saying?
'The Next [Insert Legend Here]'
5 of 20
Hey, it would surely be an honor for any young basketball player to be called the "next Michael Jordan," but then again, applying that label also sets the stage for years of comparisons and impossible-to-settle debates (cough, LeBron James).
Can we just agree no one will be the next Jordan, Peyton Manning or Wayne Gretzky? Haven't the legends earned the right to stand alone?
'Ridiculous'
6 of 20
His skills are ridiculous. That catch was ridiculous. Beast Mode's 79-yard touchdown run was straight ridiculous.
Enough, already. Kudos to those who own a thesaurus and at least have started using "absurd" from time to time.
'You Play to Win the Game' (and Other Obvious Statements)
7 of 20
"You play to win the game," was most notably coined by Herm Edwards, so it's sort of an original.
That doesn't mean it, and every other uber-obvious sports phrase known to man, shouldn't be retired immediately.
"They'll need to score more points if they want to win."
Yes, thank you for that.
'Plays the Game the Right Way'
8 of 20
Derek Jeter always played baseball "the right way." OK, but what does that mean? He was always classy, handled the media with reserved graciousness, exhibited on-field integrity?
Elaboration is a lost art. Let's retire the cliche with Jeter and focus more on expansion of thought.
'Arrives Early, Leaves Late'
9 of 20
The whole, "he's the first one in every day and the last one to leave every night" schtick has been used to describe many an NFL quarterback: Peyton Manning, Tom Brady—teammates and/or coaches often use some iteration of that sentiment to describe notoriously hyper-prepared QBs.
Of course, the phrasing isn't exactly revolutionary or unique. In fact, if all of the teammates are to be believed, the only way to be a successful NFL QB is to literally be the first person in and last person out each day.
At least Frank Gore was creative when he called Andrew Luck a "football god," via Micah Peters of USA TODAY Sports.
'Just Want to Help the Team Win'
10 of 20
Inevitably, when an athlete closes in on or has reached an individual milestone, reporters will ask for his thoughts on the matter.
Listen, we know you want to contribute to a winning team effort, but can anyone seriously say the prospect of reaching 3,000 hits or 500 home runs is nothing more than a blip on his radar?
'[Insert Keyword Here]-Gate'
11 of 20
Deflategate, Spygate, Bountygate—when will it end? Why must every sports scandal be trimmed down to a concentrated version of itself, condensed into a neat little nickname with the word "gate" attached at the end?
'For the Haters'
12 of 20
Yes, professional athlete, you sure have proved the "haters" wrong. No one believed in you, yet here you are.
Critics are everywhere, but frankly, it's a little tiresome listening to athletes talk about their own personal "haters." John Cena, Cristiano Ronaldo, Robert Griffin III—it's tough to feel bad for you.
OK, it's not that tough to feel bad for RGIII.
'Just Focused on Winning This Game'
13 of 20
Why do reporters even ask about anything other than the game at hand? No sports figure is ever going to look ahead and speculate on the Super Bowl, NBA Finals or even next season. No, they are almost always going to give you a version of the company line: "We're just focused on winning this game."
Or they might give you a cousin to that line: "We're taking it one game at a time."
Let's just stop asking so they can stop replying with the same, rehearsed response.
'Diaper Dandy'
14 of 20
Sure, "diaper dandy" is a Dickie-V classic, but the word "diaper" just seems wildly out of place in sports chatter. So, can we just put it on the shelf? At least attempt a phase out?
'Execute'
15 of 20
"We just need to go out there and execute."
"We just didn't execute tonight."
"At the end of the day (cliche alert), it was simply an issue of execution."
All in favor of slapping all variations of the word "execute" with an extended suspension? Say aye.
'It Is What It Is'
16 of 20
After the Cleveland Cavaliers dropped Game 5 of the NBA Finals, putting them in a 3-2 series hole, LeBron James told reporters, "I know I'm shouldering a lot of the burden, but it is what it is," according to Matt Wilhalme of the Los Angeles Times.
Yes, indeed, it is what it is. However, unless an existential crisis is involved, that phrase isn't really applicable.
'No-No'
17 of 20
Calling a no-hitter a "no-no" just sounds like baby talk, honestly. It's like saying, "Bye bye," or "Night night." Let's just retire it and stick with "no-hitter." The actual term sounds way more impressive, anyway.
'Tremendous Upside'
18 of 20
"Tremendous upside" is a favorite phrase of draft pundits far and wide. Sure, it makes sense for analysts to discuss the potential of each player, but can we please find a new modifier? Tremendous is a tremendous adjective, but by the end of the NFL draft every year, the word has lost all meaning.
'Back Back Back Back Back Back...'
19 of 20
Chris Berman has more than one catchphrase, and all of them are probably ready for the shelf. However, his "back, back, back" home run call is just getting out of hand.
If you watched the MLB Home Run Derby, you understand.
'110 Percent'
20 of 20
This is a cliche that needs to end, not just in sports, but in general.
And that is not a new sentiment. The phrase "110 percent" is often mentioned on lists of tired sports cliches. So why is it still around?
To start, it doesn't even make sense. It's like weighted GPAs in high school. How can you do better than a 4.0? The concept is just frustrating.
Let's at least come up with a different way to say it—he put forth an incredible effort, she never lets up out there, whatever.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
