Unbelievable....

[ssteve]

Our latest usage of the cliche was from John Smoltz doing Brewers/Nationals today. John Axford came into the game and Smoltz said Axford was "unbelieveable" last year. His numbers: 2-2, 1.95 era with 46 saves in 48 opportunities, walked 25 and struck out 86. Great season, but unbelieveable? I think not...

[Jon Chelesnik]

I stumbled across this topic from three years ago. It might be fun to put a fresh set of eyeballs on it.

What are your thoughts?

[PhilGiubileo]

OH MY GOODNESS--A THREAD COMING BACK AFTER A THREE-YEAR RETIREMENT!!!

UNBELIEVABLE!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!

--one of the worst clichés out there!

[Bill Czaja]

That was brilliant, just like that pitcher who was academically ineligible his freshman year of college, but struck out eight in six innings tonight.

[ssteve]

[quote[/quote]

I stumbled across this topic from three years ago. It might be fun to put a fresh set of eyeballs on it.

What are your thoughts?

John, I am glad you resurrected my post as I think about it and the word often. Why? Because I still hear the word often and still annoyed by it. The other day on one of those syndicated broadcasts of a game of the week the analyst said the "offensive line was doing an unbelievable job of blocking." It was the first quarter. I think it was Steelers versus Bengals, it doesn't matter. It was too early in the game for just about anything to be so remarkable it was impossible to believe it could really be happening - let alone line blocking. I challenge anyone to count the times you hear the word this weekend with bowl games and a full slate of the NFL. Then examine each time if the word was merited. There will be a huge disparty. Huge deal? I don't know. But words matter and this one gets way too much play for what it means.

[ktomasch]

I had to turn MLB Network's countdown of the top 100 plays of 2015 because it was one "unbelievable" after another.

Guys, seriously. These are baseball players. Young, fast, athletic (most of them, at least the ones in positions to make outstanding plays). It's far from unbelievable when they run fast and make an athletic play.

Spectacular? Sure. Remarkable? Absolutely. But "unbelievable" and "unbelievable" and "unbelievable" over and over is just lazy.

[ssteve]

I had to turn MLB Network's countdown of the top 100 plays of 2015 because it was one "unbelievable" after another.

Guys, seriously. These are baseball players. Young, fast, athletic (most of them, at least the ones in positions to make outstanding plays). It's far from unbelievable when they run fast and make an athletic play.

Spectacular? Sure. Remarkable? Absolutely. But "unbelievable" and "unbelievable" and "unbelievable" over and over is just lazy.

Yes sir! It literally happens on a daily occurrence it seems if you watch games every day. It doesn't matter the sport, the level (high school to professional), or how believable the play actually was, apparently miracles are happening about 15 or 20 times a day in sports. I just don't get it.

[JimRiley]

Both calls of Blair Walsh's missed FG, from Vike and Hawk crews, utilized "AYKM?". I find that eminently believable

[ssteve]

Had to resurrect the thread because one of the greats of our time had to go there when S. Carolina went on a 12-0 run. Is a 12-0 run with about 7 minutes left in the Final 4 really unbelievable? It ended up at 16 and it was STILL very believable.

[JimRiley]

I don't recall posting in this topic before. How about that? Suppose the call was "IDBWIJS!" instead of the ubiquitous U-word? They seem comparable, other than perhaps one man being in disbelief compared to all of us who should be

[Bill Czaja]

I'll settle for "Inconceivable!"

[tbyrom]

I just stumbled upon this which has been a solid discussion. There are several words I encourage young (and old) broadcasters not to use:

Obviously - Troy Aikman says this at least 10 times a broadcast. Nothing he says is obvious is obvious to me. Most things are only obvious to the person that thinks something is obvious.

Great - Much like unbelievable, great is used far too much. If you say something is "great" 3-5 times a game, then what is truly great? The problem is, it's used much more than 3-5 times a game, especially during the NFL season.

Very - This is flat out lazy. Just use a better word to describe that doesn't need very. What, exactly, is very rare? This is the dictionary definition of rare: a : marked by unusual quality, merit, or appeal : distinctive
b : superlative or extreme of its kind
3
: seldom occurring or found : uncommon

Got - I think someone brought this up before. This is lazy too. "Got a single", there has to be a better way to say this, right?

My 2 1/2 cents on this obviously, great thread that has got some very good attention.

[ssteve]

My 2 1/2 cents on this obviously, great thread that has got some very good attention.

Unbelievably so...

[Bill Czaja]

I just stumbled upon this which has been a solid discussion. There are several words I encourage young (and old) broadcasters not to use:

Obviously - Troy Aikman says this at least 10 times a broadcast. Nothing he says is obvious is obvious to me. Most things are only obvious to the person that thinks something is obvious.

Great - Much like unbelievable, great is used far too much. If you say something is "great" 3-5 times a game, then what is truly great? The problem is, it's used much more than 3-5 times a game, especially during the NFL season.

Very - This is flat out lazy. Just use a better word to describe that doesn't need very. What, exactly, is very rare? This is the dictionary definition of rare: a : marked by unusual quality, merit, or appeal : distinctive
b : superlative or extreme of its kind
3
: seldom occurring or found : uncommon

Got - I think someone brought this up before. This is lazy too. "Got a single", there has to be a better way to say this, right?

My 2 1/2 cents on this obviously, great thread that has got some very good attention.

Helping verbs don't help us, Terry. My writing improved as a result of my broadcasting, because I was less likely to use a helping verb. "He has 24 RBI" is what I could get from giving a microphone to the old Swedish lady that does my taxes (my wife pays her in kippers). "He's driven in (or anything else in Jesse's book) 24" is how we best state that fact.

[ktomasch]

"Absolutely" is another one.

Brandi Chastain retired the trophy on that one.