Best Sports Cliches Ever! [Paperback]

Don R. Powell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2004

We have a love/hate relationship with sports cliches. Although we complain about them, we also can't communicate without them. That's because they alway seem to fit. They have become as much a part of sports as the games themselves. This book lists 1,771 cliches in 87 unique areas. There are cliches from the winning and losing locker rooms, on officiating, coaching, trades, fighting, rookies, quarterbacks, etc. Whether you are an avid sports fan, a casual one, or simply a boo bird, the cliches in this book will have you buzzing in your seats without coming back to haunt you.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Cliches clique. Language of sports creates bonds." -- Associated Press

"Don 'Dr. Cliche' Powell did his homework. He schools the competition with his new book that lists 1,771 sports cliches..." -- Eccentric Magazine

"Don Powell gives 110% and shows some leather with Best Sports Cliches Ever" -- ESPN The Magazine

"Don Powell is revved up with his book Best Sports Cliches Ever." -- Detroit Free Press

"Don't judge this book by its cover. We call it a home run" -- Sports Illustrated

"Dr. Cliche hits a grand slam home run with this book. He's in a league of his own." -- Willie Horton; 4 Time MLB All Star; Detroit Tigers

"You have to love this book. It's a fun read that had me laughing and smiling the entire time." -- Mark Cuban; Owner Dallas Mavericks and Chairman of HDNet

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

As a student of the game, I always wondered whether it was better to step up big time or take it up a notch; play withiin yourself or come to play; have a world of speed or be a speed merchant; ooze confidence or measure your words carefully. The various cliches and expressions used in sports have always held a fascination for me as they do for 88 million fellow sports fans. This may be due to the fact that fans spend countless hours each year watching their favorite pastimes.

We have a love-hate relationship with cliches. Although we complain about them, we are also enamored with them. We criticize athletes and announcers when they use them, yet we use them ourselves. That's because they always seem to fit.

Cliches allow us to communicate in a more simplified manner using a unique, colorful language. This brings people together. Using cliches allows us to join a "fan" club. We demonstrate our expertise about a particular sport and communicate with other club members. This "members only" club excludes people who don't know the lingo. It's like having a secret handshake. We may even view people who don't understand a cliche as rookies with little knowledge of the game.

The Thrill of Victory
Winning Locker Room Cliches

We came up big time.
We needed this one.
That was an ugly win.
It was a total team effort.
It doesn't get any better than this.
We're happy to win any way we can.
It was the kind of game that can turn their season around.
They played inspired baseball.
We had every excuse to just lay down, but we didn't.
It's still a "W".
They find new ways to win.
The score was not indicative of how close the game really was.
They sent a message today.
That's why they play both halves/the game.
We played our game.
We took them out of their game.
The bigger they are, the harder they fall.
All that matters is that we got the win.
They go back in the win column.
We just kept fighting.
We knew what we needed to do to win.
We don't have time to celebrate.
We hung in there.
They played well down the stretch.
We're just happy with the win.
It doesn't matter how we win.
Everyone had been counting us out.
We put ourselves in a position to win.
They had a scare today.
We wanted it more.
This game was a defining moment for us.
They made the plays when they needed to.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Sports Cliché Press (September 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0975527304
• ISBN-13: 978-0975527306
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,689,340 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fun book for sports fans, January 5, 2005

By 

Amazon Fan - See all my reviews

This review is from: Best Sports Cliches Ever! (Paperback)

I bought this book as a gift for a friend who is a "sports nut". He loved it. He said it took him back to his youth when he first became aware of how common cliches were. He sat down with his wife and had fun explaining what many of the cliches meant and his recollections about where they came from. I will remember this book and purchase it again for other sports fans I know.

10 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun Book!, January 5, 2005

By 

nicolette stone "nic" (las vegas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Best Sports Cliches Ever! (Paperback)

My husband saw this in Sports Illustrated and circled it. I ordered it for him for Christmas and he loved it! He's a big sports nut and had lots of fun sharing the cliches with his brothers over Christmas dinner. It may not be great literature but it sure "hit a home run!" Haha!

9 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sports Cliches hit a home run!!! NICE WORK Dr. Cliche!!!!!, January 5, 2005

By 

Sports Fan - See all my reviews

This review is from: Best Sports Cliches Ever! (Paperback)

I first heard about this book when I saw Dr. Powell on ESPN's NFL Countdown. He was interviewed about a segment on the New England Patriots as they were going for the consecutive win record. The segment was about the team's methodical play on the field mirrored by their methodical use of cliches in the lockeroom.

I immediately looked for the book, but learned that it was not yet out. Once I finally found it I was ecstatic. I am an avid fan and one that really appreciates sports lingo. This book had me laughing and smiling from cover to cover. I like how Powell has the cliches grouped into a number of different clever categories and the cliche quiz is a real trip.

I recommend this book to any sports fan. I would even recommend to coaches for lockeroom speeches.

All in all, Powell left it all on the field, gave 110 percent and hit a home run!!!!!