Comments on: Gobsmacked

By: joel hanes

joel hanes — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 04:38:37 +0000

Almost all sports on television are greatly improved by early employment of the “mute” button on the remote.

By: Cryptic Ned

Cryptic Ned — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:58:08 +0000

There’s the bulge in the onion blog!

By: dave heasman

dave heasman — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:03:28 +0000

I see that Rob Green had a column in the Indy today. And David James in the Observer is a must-read. From what I read of Cappello, he’s articulate and non-cliched too. So, no.

By: JP Stormcrow

JP Stormcrow — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 23:52:39 +0000

Sorry if it was too obscure

It was an “ambitious ~~ball~~ comment”.

By: Chris Bertram

Chris Bertram — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 22:33:47 +0000

Oh – I was just riffing on the way that football commentary uses terms like “neutral”, “purist” and “well-documented” – just standard cliches. Sorry if it was too obscure.

By: harry b

harry b — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:20:22 +0000

What the hell does that mean, Chris?

By: Chris Bertram

Chris Bertram — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:15:52 +0000

This post may entertain the neutral, but it is well-documented that it won’t satisfy the purist.

By: Thom Brooks

Thom Brooks — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:02:05 +0000

I couldn’t say it any better myself, you know.

By: Rob

Rob — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 13:55:55 +0000

Talk about cliche, didn’t the Today Program do this a couple of days ago (along with every national newspaper).

By: astrongmaybe

astrongmaybe — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 12:06:52 +0000

As for ‘good aress’ – whatever happened to ‘shape’, the almost equally irritating vogue word of a few years ago?

Ah, the footballolinguistic snows of yesteryear. Where has “the hole” gone? (As in, “playing in the hole behind the front two”.) Who remembers Mick Channon and his “bodies in the box, bodies in the box…”

By: Chunter

Chunter — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 05:48:19 +0000

The ‘footballers’ tense’ is also used by some cricket commentators, including Sir Ian. I can’t remember hearing it on TMS, though.

As for ‘good aress’ – whatever happened to ‘shape’, the almost equally irritating vogue word of a few years ago?

By: astrongmaybe

astrongmaybe — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 23:05:57 +0000

Don’t forget the ‘footballers’ tense’, as used to describe replays: e.g. ‘The winger’s sent over a terrific ball, the big fella’s knocked it back, and I’ve hit it on the volley.’

Good spot! The true master of that tense was Kevin Keegan. I think he spoke it 24/7, not just for replays.

By: astrongmaybe

astrongmaybe — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 23:03:42 +0000

Best advice for Fab Fabio so far…

“Should the question “What do you like about England?” be asked, he is advised that replying “laughing with Germans about your dead princess” always ensures a warm welcome.”
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2007/12/12/socceranto_can_be_dictionary_o.html

By: Bloix

Bloix — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 22:04:03 +0000

See http://www.gocomics.com/tankmcnamara/2007/12/15/

By: nick s

nick s — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 21:48:09 +0000

Don’t forget the ‘footballers’ tense’, as used to describe replays: e.g. ‘The winger’s sent over a terrific ball, the big fella’s knocked it back, and I’ve hit it on the volley.’

That’s advanced grammar, and I’m not sure if immersion classes will get to it in time for the World Cup qualifying campaign.