GEEKTIONARY

While sports is not thought of as a particularly geeky activity, especially for those still in high school, geeks are increasingly being drawn to sports; not necessarily playing sports, but in viewing sports and in compiling and analyzing various aspects of sports and sporting data. For example, a sports fan can become a geek by intensely focusing on statistics, history, memorabilia, and game strategies, particularly with respect to fantasy sports leagues. If you want to see some real sports geeks in action, go to a casino sports book in Las Vegas, any time night or day, and observe the denizens.

ABA (proper noun)
Short for American Basketball Association. A rival league to the NBA that existed from 1967 to 1976. It eventually merged with the NBA. Known for being more flashy, it featured famous players such as Julius Erving and Moses Malone and used a three-point line and a red, white, and blue ball.

and one (phrase)
A term used when a basketball player scores and also is fouled, allowing the player to shoot a foul shot for an extra point.

AND ONE! Dwayne Wade is fouled while making a shot, giving his team a chance to tie the game with one second left.

ankle breaker (noun)
A crossover dribble move in basketball that causes the defender to“break his ankles” trying to keep up.

Allen Iverson was the king of the ANKLE BREAKER, and he even crossed over Michael Jordan.

around the horn (phrase)
A baseball term for throwing the ball from first base to second to the shortstop to third base and then the pitcher after an out has been recorded, just for practice.

audible (noun)
A football term for when the play is changed at the line of scrimmage as the quarterback yells out a new play.

Willie Beamen annoys Al Pacino with his AUDIBLES in the movie Any Given Sunday.

autopick (noun)
In fantasy sports, when a player can’t make a selection in a draft and his or her pick is made automatically. A player should rank draft picks so that favorites are picked.

If you choose AUTOPICK without ranking your players first, you will end up with a team full of Mark Madsens.

GEEK QUIZM

Sports fans have been around for centuries. What is the name of the sports ball that is referred to by William Shakespeare in his play Henry V?

a. Badminton
b. Tennis
c. Golf
d. Cricket

Bambino (proper noun)
Nickname for Babe Ruth, the greatest baseball player to ever live. Changed baseball into a power game of home runs without using the juice.

BCS (proper noun)
Short for Bowl Championship Series, the NCAA football system for determining team ranking and who plays whom in the bowl games. The BCS uses polls as well as computer programs to determine the rankings and matchups.

The BCS has come under a lot of scrutiny, and even President Obama has stated opposition to it.

After being hit with a BEANBALL, a batter will often charge the pitcher’s mound.

GEEK FACT

Geek Confession
I once threw nine beanballs in a season as a Little League pitcher. Luckily, eight of the players survived.
— GB

bench clearer (noun)
A brawl in sports where the players on the bench join in the fight on the court, playing field, or ice. As seen in the famous Pacers versus Pistons brawl.

The top five BENCH CLEARERS are Pacers vs. Pistons, Braves vs. Padres, Ohio State vs. Minnesota, University of Miami vs. Florida International University, and every time a soccer match is played in England.

“I was in the show for twenty-one days once. Best twenty-one days of my life.”

birdcage (noun)
A football term for the helmet of a lineman, which contains extra bars.

blindside (noun)
The term in football for the side opposite to where the quarterback is facing. Also a Sandra Bullock “Oscar bait” film.

Rejected title before choosing The BLINDSIDE was “Dude, Where’s Your Home? ”

blue chip (noun)
A top prospect high school player being recruited by college teams.

GEEK FACT

Other kinds of “chips”:
  Red chips: Large Chinese public companies
  Corn chips: A kind of fatty snack
  Shoulder chips: A kind of psychological condition in which one is desperate to prove him or herself

Boom! (noun)
A word used by John Madden when there was a huge hit in a football game.

The word BOOM might have been around before John Madden. Then again, he’s pretty damned old.

Boom! Goes the dynamite (phrase)
Sports catch phrase of Brian Collins, a college sportscaster who made the worst sportscast ever, which became an Internet sensation.

bootleg (noun)
When a quarterback fakes a handoff and runs the other way to throw a pass to a receiver.

A BOOTLEG is also used to denote the kind of DVD movies 90 percent of the players buy.

BPA (noun)
Short for best player available. During the NBA draft, always take the best player available, and don’t draft for need. The Trailblazers drafted Sam Bowie because they needed a big man and passed on Michael Jordan. Do I have to say it? Epic fail.

Blazers should have chosen the BPA, because no one is singing, “Like Sam. I could be like Sam. I want to be I want to be like Sam.”

Brazilian jiu-jitsu (noun)
A martial art used successfully in MMA fighting that focuses on ground fighting and certain holds so that a smaller opponent can defeat a larger one.

Royce Gracie, one of the originators of the UFC, is a practiced BRAZILLIAN JIU-JITSU expert and a UFC Hall-of-Famer.

GEEK QUIZ

Tony Hawk has been called the greatest skateboarder that has ever lived. He has been around for a while and has been in some 1980s movies. In what movie did Tony Hawk make his first film appearance?

a. Gleaming the Cube
b. Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol
c. Thrashin’
d. Wheels of Misfortune

Bronx cheer (noun)
A baseball term for when the crowd boos a team or player.

bush league (noun)
A player who is inferior and belongs in the minor leagues.

“This BUSH LEAGUE psyche-out stuff. Laughable, man – ha ha!”
– Jesus, in The Big Lebowski

bust (noun)
A drafted player who fails to reach his potential, even though drafted very high.

JaMarcus Russell was drafted number one by the Raiders and was paid a lot of money, but he never lived up to expectations and has been labeled a BUST.

Candyslam (proper noun)
The name of one of Darryl Dawkins’s dunks. Other names include In Your Face Disgrace, Earthquaker Shaker, Dunk You Very Much, Yo Mama, Turbo Sexophonic Delight, and the Rim Wrecker.

Before that dude tries the CANDYSLAM, he might want to master the candy lay-up.

chaingang (noun)
Assistants to football officials that mark off the yards necessary for a first down.

The CHAINGANG runs onto the field and after measuring with their chain … it’s a first down by a hair!

When Shaquille O’Neal lines up to shoot a foul shot at the CHARITY STRIPE, it always turns out to be like giving charity — to the opposing team!

chess boxing (noun)
A sport where players box one round and then play chess the next round.

CHESS BOXING will match our brains and brawn, and will determine who is truly the master of the universe.

GEEK QUIZ

If you are tall, then you have an advantage in basketball, which is why the NBA goes after the tallest players. But sometimes the smaller players can make it as well. Who is the shortest NBA player of all time at 5'3"?

a. Muggsy Bogues
b. Earl Boykins
c. Spud Webb
d. Nate “Tiny” Archibald

chin music (noun)
In baseball, when the pitcher throws the ball near or at the batter’s face.

When a pitcher becomes frustrated, the batter might expect a little CHIN MUSIC.

chippy (adjective)
Used in basketball and hockey to describe a physical atmosphere on the court or ice.

Boy, it sure is CHIPPY out there isn’t it? The refs are letting them play.

church music (noun)
A term in basketball for a soft jump shot that hits nothing but net.

That jump shot was soft as CHURCH MUSIC. I’m not much of a religious man, but that was just divine.

Cinderella story (noun)
Used in sports to describe an underdog that makes it further than thought possible. Made famous by Bill Murray in a classic line in Caddyshack.

The 2008 Arizona Cardinals only had a 9-7 record in the regular season but managed to defeat many of the favorite teams and became a CINDERELLA STORY before eventually losing at the last second to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

cupcake (noun)
When a basketball team has a schedule full of easy opponents.

The Curse (noun)
The curse of the Billy Goat. When Billy Sianis had to leave a Cubs game because his pet goat was too smelly, he said, “Them Cubs, they aren’t gonna win no more.” This curse supposedly has prevented the Cubs from getting to the World Series since 1945.

The Red Sox also had a CURSE, the curse of the Bambino, but that was broken when they won the 2004 World Series.

crunch time (noun)
A sports term for the end of a game, when the outcome has not yet been determined.

diaper dandy (noun)
A young college basketball player who is amazing as a freshman.

The NBA is getting younger and younger these days, with more and more DIAPER DANDIES declaring for the draft.

Dream Team (proper noun)
The nickname for the USA basketball team in the 1992 Olympics that won the gold medal. The team included Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and many other Hall-of-Famers.

The term DREAM TEAM is also used to denote the amazing team of lawyers who helped get the obviously guilty O. J. Simpson acquitted of brutally murdering his ex-wife and her lover.

Bill Murray: It’s ’cause I’m white, isn’t it?
Michael Jordan: No. Larry’s white. So what?
Bill Murray: Larry’s not white. Larry’s clear.

drift (verb)
While racing in a car, to oversteer so that the car loses traction and slides in a turn.

dropping dimes (verb)
A basketball term for when a player is dishing out a lot of assists. Not to be confused with dropping loads.

duck fart (noun)
A soft hit in baseball that goes over the infielder’s head for a single.

dying quail (noun)
A hit ball in baseball that drops suddenly like a shot bird in front of the fielder.

The outfielder backed up, thinking the ball would reach the fence, but it was a DYING QUAIL and dropped ten feet in front of him.

dynasty (noun)
When a sports team dominates a sport for a long period of time. Examples: the L.A. Lakers, the Boston Celtics, the New England Patriots, the San Francisco 49ers, and the New York Yankees.

The Miami Heat is attempting to create a new DYNASTY with the signing of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh.

encroachment (noun)
A football foul that occurs when a player crosses the line of scrimmage before the ball is snapped.

The Raiders just keep racking up the penalties, the latest an ENCROACHMENT call leading to a five-yard offsides penalty.

enforcer (noun)
A player on a hockey team that is unofficially responsible for fighting or checking another player in response to an aggressive or violent move.

Fab Five (proper noun)
The starting five players on the University of Michigan’s basketball team in 1992 and 1993 that reached the title game. Included Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, and Juwan Howard.

Whenever my buddies and I play basketball we use the phrase FAB FIVE to describe any opponents we play. Makes us feel better when we inevitably lose.

facial (noun)
In basketball, when a shooter slam dunks the rock right in the defender’s face.

We often wonder where basketball announcers found their inspiration for the FACIAL metaphor.

fantasy football (noun)
A fantasy league game played by football fans, where the fans draft players onto teams and then play opposing teams. Points are determined mostly by the individual statistical accomplishments of each player during the week.

Final Four (proper noun)
In the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship tournament, these are the surviving four teams (the winners of each region) remaining out of the original group, which includes sixty-eight teams beginning in 2011. One of the Final Four will go on to win the championship.

A good performance in the FINAL FOUR can enhance a player’s draft prospects.

flood (noun)
A football term for sending more players to a certain area to gain a strategic advantage. A flood is a great strategy against a zone defense, forcing the defense to guard multiple players.

Vlade Divac was known as being a very talented FLOP artist but also was a great basketball player.

GEEK QUIZ

The XFL was a professional football league created by Vince McMahon to compete with the NFL. It included stars such as Rod “He Hate Me” Smart and made all the following rule changes except:

a. No fair catch
b. No overtime
c. No extra point kicks
d. Race to determine kick-off

franchise player (noun)
A player on an NFL, NBA, or NHL team may be so designated when the player is the “face” of the team. Typically, the player will have a multiple-year contract.

In the NFL, a FRANCHISE PLAYER may not be able to enter free agency and must be paid a contractually determined salary.

free agent (noun)
A professional athlete who is free from his or her contract and has the ability to sign with any team desired. A restricted free agent’s old team can match a new offer from another team and retain the player, while an unrestricted free agent can sign with another team without that restriction.

FREE AGENT LeBron James stunned the basketball world last summer when he opted to “take his talents to South Beach” and play for the Miami Heat in “The Decision.”

free running (noun)
Also “freerunning,” a form of urban acrobatics where participants run through the city using various parts of the landscape — stairways, benches, walls, awnings, elevator shafts — as obstacles. Although it was inspired by Parkour (see below), free running emphasizes complete freedom of movement and acrobatics. A famous example of free running was in the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale, when Agent 007 chases free runner Sébastien Foucan through a Madagascar construction site.

Watching a skilled FREE RUNNER is like watching Spider-Man on the ground — only without the webs and super powers.

Wrigley Field was first called the FRIENDLY CONFINES by Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks.

Game of the Century (proper noun)
An NCAA basketball game played by the University of Houston Cougars and the UCLA Bruins in 1968 that was the first NCAA game broadcast on television nationwide during prime time. Houston ended up beating UCLA 71 to 69.

The GAME OF THE CENTURY is said to have started nationwide interest in watching college basketball on television.

Goal of the Century (proper noun)
In the 1986 World Cup, a goal by Diego Maradona, considered the greatest of all time, where Diego maneuvered around multiple opponents (including the goalie) before scoring.

Maradona made the GOAL OF THE CENTURY after he scored the “Hand of God” goal. This second goal turned out to be the game-winner for Argentina. And yes, this time he decided to use his foot instead of his hand.

GOAT (noun)
Short for greatest of all time, it is used to describe the greatest player of a sport, such as Michael Jordan for basketball. Also the nickname of the legendary streetball player Earl Manigault, who was only 6'1" but supposedly could grab a dollar off the top of a backboard and replace it with change.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said the GOAT, Earl Manigault, was the greatest player he has ever played with or against.

GEEK QUIZ

What is the name of the golfer that first used the word “caddy” while playing golf?

a. Harry Vardon
b. Mary Queen of Scots
c. King James II
d. Sir Walter Cronkite

golden sombrero (noun)
When a player has four strikeouts in one baseball game. Three strikeouts are considered a hat trick. Four strikeouts is a giant hat, or a sombrero.

On some very tough teams, the coach will instruct the players to give a golden shower to a player wearing a GOLDEN SOMBRERO.

goose egg (noun)
When a sports team has a zero on the scoreboard during a game.

grand slam (noun)
In baseball, a homerun with the bases loaded. When a player wins all of the major tournaments in a single year in tennis (U.S. Open, Wimbledon, French Open, and Australian Open) or in golf (The Masters, U.S. Open, British Open, PGA Championship).

The GRAND SLAM is also a dish at Denny’s that is edible from about 3 a.m. to 4 a.m..

hack-a-Shaq (noun)
A strategy used in NBA basketball to continually foul Shaquille O’Neal, a notoriously bad free-throw shooter. Used mostly at the end of a game, when each possession is more valuable.

The HACK-A-SHAQ technique might be effective, but it’s boring as hell to watch.

Hand of God (proper noun)
In the 1986 World Cup, a goal by Diego Maradona of Argentina against England using his hand, which was not called a handball by the referees.

A second HAND OF GOD incident occurred in a game between France and the Republic of Ireland during the 2010 FIFA World Cup playoff, which has been called the “Hand of Frog.”

hang ten (verb)
To surf at the front of the board with your toes sticking off the edge.

As stated in Apocalypse Now, a HANG TEN can best be done on an old-fashioned longboard.

GEEK QUIZ

Nicknames in sports can define how a player plays or is perceived. You haven’t made it in sports until you have a nickname. Which is not a nickname that has been used in sports?

a. Andrei Kirilenko “AK-47”
b. Rafer Alston: “Skip 2 My Lou”
c. “The Gaye One” Gaye Stewart
d. Karl “The Postman” Malone

Homerun Derby (proper noun)
An event that takes place during Major League Baseball’s All-Star Weekend, where players compete to see who can hit the most home runs.

With 41 homers in 2005, Bobby Abreu is the all-time king of the HOMERUN DERBY.

hot dog (noun)
A show-off ball hog in a basketball game. Also, a kind of freestyle snow skiing noted for its acrobatics.

Famous HOT DOGs are Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James — basically anyone really good.

hurry-up offense (noun)
A football offensive strategy that uses as little time off the clock as possible on each down; also known as the no-huddle offense. It was used successfully by Jim Kelly of the Buffalo Bills, who reached the Super Bowl four times in a row and then decided it would be more fun to lose.

Typical features of the HURRY-UP OFFENSE include audibles and running out of bounds to stop the clock.

in the zone (phrase)
To lose oneself in a mental state of perfect energy, focus, involvement, and success. In other words, to be in a flow, succeeding in achieving a perfect balance between ability and challenge, as described by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi in his book Flow.

When Ray Allen hit seven three-pointers in a row during the 2010 finals, he was IN THE ZONE.

jay (verb)
In basketball, to hit a jump shot, preferably over a shot blocker.

In the 2001 Western conference finals, Robert Horry JAYED a 3 to drive a dagger into the hearts of the Sacramento Kings.

Jesus Shuttlesworth (proper noun)
A nickname for Ray Allen, NBA player for the Boston Celtics, derived from his blue chip basketball player character in the Spike Lee movie He Got Game.

Lew Alcindor Rule (proper noun)
A rule named after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, whose birthname was Ferdinand Lewis “Lew” Alcindor Jr. The rule banned dunking in the NCAA from 1967 to 1976, probably because of his dominating dunkage.

Get that little six-year-old girl outta there! She’s been throwin’ LOLLIPOPS all day!

Malice at the Palace (proper noun)
The brawl between the Pistons and the Pacers, where a fan threw a cup of soda that hit Ron Artest and started a fan versus player fight.

The first fan to get punched by Ron Artest at the MALICE AT THE PALACE went from jovial to deathly afraid when Ron confronted him in the stands and he realized Ron thought he was the guy that threw the soda.

mid-level exception (noun)
The once-a-year ability of NBA teams to sign a player to the average salary even if they are over the salary cap.

Ron Artest signed to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 for their MID-LEVEL EXCEPTION and helped them win a championship the next year.

GEEK QUIZ

Some sports teams have names that inspire more fear than others. The Utah Jazz is not necessarily an intimidating sounding team name. What is not the name of a real sports team?

a. Webster University Gorloks
b. Centralia Orphans
c. Butte Pirates
d. Camarillo Shoehorns

Midsummer Classic (proper noun)
The term for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, where players are selected by the fans to compete against each other. The team that wins, either the National League or the American League, has home field advantage in the World Series.

A continuing controversy of the MIDSUMMER CLASSIC is that every team must be represented, causing some to believe there are players who are not worthy of the honor.

no-drop list (noun)
In fantasy sports, players on this list cannot be dropped. This prevents collusion, where a player drops good atheletes so they can be picked up by another player.

noseriding (verb)
To “hang ten.” This is surfing at the front of the board with all ten toes sticking off the edge.

I’m not sure why they named it the OCTAGON, though. Might have something to do with eight sides or something. Nah. They probably named it after the Chuck Norris movie.

ollie (noun)
Skateboarding trick invented by Allan “Ollie” Gelfland in 1978 where, the skater, without using his or her hands, jumps in the air with the board coming completely off the ground.

It takes a lot of practice to get an OLLIE down, but once you do, all the other tricks come much easier.

painting the black (phrase)
A baseball pitch on the edge of the plate, which is made of black rubber.

parkour (noun)
People running and jumping over obstacles in a fluid manner, such as an urban environment. See also free running.

Paul the Octopus (proper noun)
A soothsaying German octopus that became a 2010 World Cup phenomenon due to his correct predictions.

Pelé (proper noun)
The nickname of Brazilian Edison Arantes do Nascimento, the world’s greatest soccer player ever. Pelé was an amazing scorer and won three World Cups. He scored 6 goals as a seventeen-year-old in the World Cup.

PELÉ may have been the greatest player of all time, but Beckham looks better in his underwear.

pentathlon (noun)
An Olympic event that includes fencing, shooting, swimming, horse riding, and running.

The PENTATHLON of the geek-Olympics would feature GoldenEye 007, World of Warcraft, Magic: The Gathering, programming, and comic book trivia.

GEEK FACT

Pelé costarred in the 1981 film Escape to Victory (known simply as Victory in North America), directed by famed director John Huston. The story concerns Allied prisoners in a World War II German internment camp. The film starred Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine, and Max von Sydow, but many of the other prisoners were played by football (that’s soccer to you Yanks) super-stars. During a climactic scene, Pelé scores a goal against the German team by leaping in the air, flipping upside down, and kicking a goal, without using special effects. He really did it.

Phi Slama Jama (proper noun)
The nickname for University of Houston Cougars basketball team from 1982 to 1984. They played more of a streetball style and always made it to the Final Four. Included Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon.

When Clyde the Glide and Hakeem the Dream played on the Houston Rockets, it was a PHI SLAMA JAMA reunion.

GEEK FACT

Street-Style Versus Court-Style Basketball
Court Style:
  Foul: Anything that unfairly prohibits the shooter from making a basket (such as hitting his arm or hands, jumping in his way when he has momentum, and so forth)
Street Style:
  Foul: Anything that unfairly prohibits the shooter from making a basket involving an illegal firearm
Court Style:
  Stealing: Taking the ball from the opponent
Street Style:
  Stealing: What the players do when they are NOT playing basketball
Court Style:
  Slam dunk: Slamming the ball down through the hoop
Street Style:
  Slam dunk: What players say when they pass the GED

The Play (proper noun)
A famous college football play where the Cal Bears (University of California, Berkeley Golden Bears) won against Stanford in the 1982 big game on a final kickoff return that was unbelievable in the number of laterals and the fact that Cal also had to get around Stanford’s band that was on the field celebrating prematurely.

Many people wrongly believe that, during THE PLAY, one of the Cal Bears’ returners was actually down at the 17 before he got off the lateral that won the game.

play-action pass (noun)
A fake handoff by a quarterback who then proceeds to drop back to pass the ball.

A PLAY-ACTION PASS is the exact opposite of a draw play, which is to fake a pass and then hand the ball off to a running back.

play by the book (phrase)
A term in sports for when a player or team needs to get back to basics and not do anything fancy or risky.

Tim Duncan is a great player and also known for being one to PLAY BY THE BOOK.

The Professor (proper noun)
Nickname of Grayson Boucher, a streetball player and star of the AND1 Mixtape Tour.

THE PROFESSOR is also famous for being the only white player on the AND1 team.

pylons (noun)
1. In football, small orange foam markers at the four corners of the end zone. 2. In Starcraft, pylons are protoss structures used to warp in buildings.

riding the pine (phrase)
A sports term for sitting on the bench and not playing.

right down Broadway (phrase)
A baseball pitch that is thrown directly in the middle of the strike zone.

GEEK QUIZ

Kobe Bryant scored 81 points in one game recently, but surprisingly, that was only the second most points that have been scored in one game. What NBA player holds the record for the most points in a game, with 100 points, and also has bragged to have slept with 20,000 women?

a. Bill Russell
b. Jerry West
c. Wilt Chamberlain
d. Mark Madsen

role player (noun)
A player on a basketball team who is not a star but plays a minor but important role in winning. Role players are needed for a team to be a championship contender.

Examples of NBA ROLE PLAYERS include Steve Kerr, Glen “Big Baby” Davis, and Allen Iverson late in his career, although he still thinks of himself as the number one star.

salary cap (noun)
The upper limit that a professional sports team can pay all of their players in the aggregate without incurring a luxury tax. Without a salary cap, a rich team might be able to get all of the league’s highest-paid players on a single team.

In 2010, the Miami Heat freed up enough SALARY CAP room to sign three maximum-contract players in Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, and LeBron James.

The first Iraq War was a SCRIMMAGE. The second Iraq war was the real showdown.

SI curse (noun)
The myth that when an athlete appears on the cover of Sports Illustrated, he or she will have bad luck afterward. Those who have unfortunately been struck with the curse include Pete Rose, Brett Favre, and Olympic star Lindsey Vonn.

One way to evade the SI CURSE is to continue not playing a professional sport.

sky flying (noun)
An activity involving a skydiver or base jumper who wears a wing suit, which is designed to give the wearer’s body more surface area through the design of the suit, much like a flying squirrel, so that he or she can glide through the air.

If you’re throwing me the remote control, make sure you don’t SLURVE it.

spread (noun)
In sports betting, a spread is the predicted difference in the final scores of two teams. Gamblers bet whether the actual difference in the final scores is over or under the spread.

The SPREAD is adjusted so that there is an equal amount of people betting on each side of the spread.

stiff (noun)
A tall basketball player who may be tall but has no real skills.

Shawn Bradley is the ultimate STIFF. He is featured in many posters being dunked on.

spear, spearing (verb)
In football, to hit another player using the top of your helmet.

stunt pogo (noun)
An extreme sport done while on a pogo stick, with tricks such as backflips or 360s. You can compete at stunt pogo at Pogopalooza.

three-peat (noun)
A sports term, trademarked by former Lakers coach Pat Riley, that means a team has won three championships in a row.

Careful. The term THREE-PEAT has actually been copyrighted by Pat Riley. You now owe him a quarter just for thinking it.

If catchers wear the TOOLS OF IGNORANCE, then why are they the ones who tell the pitcher what to throw and where to throw it?

triangle offense (noun)
An offensive scheme used famously by Phil Jackson with the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers. It creates a triangle using the center, the power forward, and a guard. The other guard is at the top of the key and the small forward is at the weak-side high post.

Other teams have tried to implement the TRIANGLE OFFENSE, but without much success. The fact that they don’t have Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant might have something to do with it.

tube ride (noun)
A move in surfing, where when the wave is breaking, there is an inner area like a tube in which the surfer can ride.

Surfing may be too difficult to TUBE RIDE at first, so try doing it while body surfing.

turkey (noun)
A bowling term used to denote a player getting three strikes in a row. The term was coined in the nineteenth century when, during the holiday season, whoever threw three strikes in a row would win a free turkey.

You might be down a ton of points to your opponent, but there is always a chance at getting a TURKEY.

vuvuzela (noun)
A horn that emits a deep monotone sound, used heavily in the 2010 World Cup games.

The VUVUZELA is not appreciated by anyone who isn’t South African and isn’t blowing into a VUVUZELA.

weak sauce (noun)
A derogatory term for a person or a sports player who performs at a substandard level or, in the vernacular, sucks.

wet (adjective)
Describes a jumpshot in basketball that is a swish (nothing but net).

GEEK FACT

Best White-Knuckler of All Time: “Miracle on Ice”
In the 1980 Olympics, the United States defeated the heavily favored Soviet Union in one of the most famous ice hockey matches in history. What most people don’t remember is that this wasn’t the gold medal game. The United States had to beat Finland in the following game to earn the gold medal.

Who dat? (phrase)
A chant by New Orleans Saints fans that may have originated as a sports chant in the 1960s by fans of the Southern University Jaguars.

wild card (noun)
In football, the two playoff spots given to teams with the best record that didn’t win their divisions.

wildcat formation (noun)
An offensive formation in football where the ball is snapped to a player such as a running back rather than to the quarterback.

Atlanta Falcons receiver Tim Dwight takes the direct snap in the 1998 NFC championships and runs for twenty yards in a perfect execution of the WILDCAT FORMATION.

X Games (proper noun)
A competition for extreme sports held by ESPN since 1995 that features skateboarding, motocross, rally car racing, and snowboarding in the winter games.