Taking it one cliche at a time

Who are the biggest fans of cliches?

Two guesses: athletes and children.

There comes a time when you have to explain to a young sports fan that harriers, thinclads and pigskin are simply not acceptable terms in any written or oral form.

Translation: Harriers are cross-country runners, thinclads are track and field athletes, and a pigskin is a football.

But Don Powell, a Michigan psychologist, suggests that sports cliches are used in “about 50% of corporate boardrooms and everyday conversations.” He says they stir fond memories of watching games with parents.

The top five?

1. He’s a team player.

2. He has dropped the ball.

3. It’s gut-check time.

4. He doesn’t pull any punches.

5. He always steps up to the plate.

Sadly left out of the top 10 was this favorite: “At the end of the day.” It’s comforting for Briefing HQ to know that the phrase inevitably will be uttered by AEG’s Tim Leiweke or any Aussie or British athlete in a conversation.

Which brings to mind Powell’s cliche No. 6: He talks a good game.

Trivia time

Who was the first Heisman Trophy winner to be named Super Bowl most valuable player?

Interrogating Chad

“Hanging with Chad” was being promoted by the NFL Network, promising to “capture the spirit of the NFL Network” by showing a 30-second spot during the Super Bowl. The focal point was to be the Super Bowl party of Bengals receiver Chad Johnson.

The release said that scenes would feature Johnson getting ready for his party and greeting guests, among other things.

More fascinating footage would have been Johnson’s being questioned by Miami police on Monday as part of an investigation into the shooting death of an old acquaintance, and busy public relations executives writing statements saying he was not considered a suspect or a person of interest in the case.

Trivia answer

Dallas quarterback Roger Staubach, who threw two touchdown passes in the Cowboys’ 24-3 victory over Miami during Super Bowl VI in 1972 at New Orleans. Staubach won the Heisman in 1963, his junior year at Navy.

More looking back: Staubach’s Dallas teammate, Duane Thomas, could have been the MVP in that game, considering that he became the first player to have scored touchdowns in successive Super Bowls.

Self-elimination probably occurred when Thomas refused to answer questions during media day. In this case, silence was not MVP golden.

Me, me and me

Texas Tech basketball Coach Bob Knight, in an interview conducted by Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski on XM Satellite Radio, talking about the lack of a team concept:

“There’s so much in the identity of the player today. The way he wears his shorts. The shoes that he wears. Some gesture that he develops to set him apart from somebody else. The absolute ridiculousness of scoring a touchdown and lying down in the end zone with your head on the football as a pillow.”

And finally

That isn’t to say Knight is without admiration for any pro athlete. In the same XM interview, he praised a certain NFL quarterback:

“That’s why I have so much admiration for Tom Brady. Guys like him are like the unicorn. You don’t see them very often. There’s no frills with Tom Brady. It’s just, ‘Let’s go beat these guys.’ ”

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