These aren't the obvious peeves like Hawk Harrelson is a homer, or Keith Moreland is as boring as a vanilla wafer.
These are common phrases that should not be common phrases.
"He had the presence of mind too...blah blah blah"...
This line is used in every sport-
In football, a quarterback finds a receiver after breaking from a potential sack...
In baseball, it could be an outfielder making a diving catch, then leaping to his feet to double a runner off base...
Or a pitcher getting drilled with a line drive and having 'the presence of mind' to track down the ball and throw to first base.
I played baseball and softball for 45 years, never did a 'regular guy' say that somebody still 'had the presence of mind' to accomplish any task.
It's slobbering.
Over stating a player's actions.
Announcers particularly like saying this line when it involves the home town team player.
In real life, if we had a broadcaster in our home, it would go like this.....
Announcer- "Wow, Todd has burned his hand on the stove!"
Play-by-play guy- "Ooh! That'll leave a mark!"
Announcer- "Look! He's running over to the tap and running cold water on his hand!"
Play-by-play guy- That Todd is a heady guy! He burns his hand and still has the presence of mind to run cold water over his injury. Wow! What a play!"
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Another one is how long something is taking, anything.
The Cleveland Indians announcer is the most guilty.
Bemoaning how many times a catcher talks to the pitcher. Or how long a pitcher takes between pitches.
He has a job that only 30 people have. He has a job that everybody would like to have. Yet, he announces like he has an appointment at the beauty shop and that these guys won't hurry. Nobody is noticing how much time anything is taking on the field except him. But in his angst, he feels it is part of his job to tell us that, "Pierzynski is going out to talk to Floyd, AGAIN! What could be the problem that these two can't get their signals straight?"
If given a chance, he would change the line in 'Take me out to the Ball Game' that reads 'I don't care if I never get back' to 'just make sure I'm home by 11'.
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Here is the all time line that used by home town announcers,is guaranteed to be agreed to by everybody in his listening audience-
'We have the best fans in baseball!!!'
No matter who says it, it gets an instant
and a stiff middle finger from me.There are no best fans in baseball, football, or any sport. There's Stat Ballers, rabid fans, guys and girls on dates, a family outing. No matter the city, the level of 'fanship' will be different with each person in each city.
Yet, this pandering line remains a staple.
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"The courage this guy has for facing these adversities and still play ball, Amazing!"
"This one gets me right here.
No, not the heart, the gut.
As everyday people we face adversities even more than these players do. It could be a monetary problem, a familial problem, the passing away of a family member. We face it all and we go on with our lives.
When something happens to a player, announcers pass out the 'Courage' word like M&M's.
That player does not have any more 'courage' than we do. In fact, we don't even call it courage, we call it, life.
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So, how about you fellas?
Is there a line that broadcasters use that put you on tilt?
Let's hear it....
