Basketball & baseball phrases - spring 2023

Baseball

Louisville at N.C. State, 3/31, 88.1 FM Raleigh

"small ball" (2)

"exit velo"

"he's a strike throwing machine"

"Louisville putting some traffic on the bases"

Toronto-St. Louis, 4/1, Bally Sports

"keep that attack mentality"

"he has wipeout stuff"/"he gets you in swing mode"

"the moment wasn't too big for him"

"he's a Statcast darling"

"they're very aware of the metrics"

"he's got great bat to ball skills"

"his A swing"

"great players show up in great moments"

Philadelphia at NY Yankees, 4/5, YES

"razor blade sliders on the black"

"launch angle"

"the blooper had trouble written all over it"

?

"that guy's a ballplayer right there"

"staying within himself"

"Bigelow: the official hot tea of the New York Yankees"

why does a professional baseball organization need an official hot tea?

Texas-Houston, 4/16, ESPN

David Cone: "Hank Blalock, perfect name for a Texas Ranger."

Karl Ravech: "And he hit like one, too."

I'm sorry?

Basketball

Texas Southern-Alcorn State women, 2/27, HBCU Go Sports

"she's a big shot taker, and a big shot maker, and a big splash right there!"

"Vernette Skeete's team has been unable to walk through several doors that have been open late"

Purdue-Penn State in Big 10 title game, 3/12, CBS

"big man U"

"bracket season"

"that's winning basketball on display"

"punch their ticket"

"that was an athletic maneuver"

NCAA first four - 3/14 - TruTV

SE Missouri State-Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

"a two-headed offensive monster"

"in the land of transfer portals"

"Johnson has a live body tonight"

"initiate that physicality"

"the confidence is palpable"

"paint passes"

Mississippi State-Pittsburgh

"pick and pop" (2)

"that's what you call an effort play"

"he's a walking double-double"

"out-will Mississippi State"

"they'll make the game murky, and Jeff Capel knows they'll have to run their offense to avoid that murkiness"

NCAA Tournament

San Diego State-Alabama, 3/24, Westwood 1 radio

"flexing their offensive rebounding muscles"

Creighton-San Diego State, 3/26, CBS

"rhythm threes"

"with a flush! on a special delivery from Alexander!"

"he's a basketball player who happens to be a great shooter"

"defense travels"

"Nathan Mensah, on a rack attack!"

Basketball phrases - season opener

The 2022-23 basketball season has begun, so that means foolery from announcers. 

Let's get started with the Louisiana-East Tennessee State game on ESPNU from November 13....

"he's just quick and keeps the ball on a string"

"better get out and contest because they are feeling it, tonight in Asheville!"

"playing the foul game" (2)

"he's heady"

"the clock is their friend"

11/13 - Stanford women-Portland, ESPN

"they used their execution to their advantage"

!

11/13 - Vermont at Cal State Fullerton, espn+

"in the first edition of these two schools"

"before we get to the meat of this broadcast"

"to service all of your Cal State Fullerton apparel needs"

"he's been a bit of an aspiration for them" 

"getting off the scoring snide"

"a 5-4 swiss army knife"

"will get tallied with the foul"

"offensive injection"

(one announcer to the other) "you have a bit of a questionable smirk on your face"

"I like the headiness"

"the lone star state"

"emphatic enthusiasm"

"court awareness"

"the bread and butter shot"

"it is splash mountain out there!"

11/13 - Oklahoma State at Oakland, espn+

"this place is off the chains, as you might expect"

"they have been running, and gunning!"

"the white out....they are whited out!"

11/15 - LA Clippers at Dallas, Bally Sports

"pocket pass" (2)

"it's matching the weariness of the legs"

"rekindle their on-court relationship"

"stretch five"

"he's gonna use his skill set to score the basketball"

!

11/16 - Iowa at Seton Hall, FS1

"he understands position basketball"

"let the game come to him"

"he had lots of sass from the perimeter last year"

"the transfer route"

"a good get away foul"

?

"he's been their rock in The Rock"

"Iowa has a lot of basketball savvy"

"and again - drano at the free throw line"

11/16 - Gonzaga at Texas, ESPN2

"he's got NBA eyes on him"

"he's a mid major assassin!"

11/16 - Golden State at Phoenix, ESPN

Marc Jackson, after a basket is scored: 

"Devin Booker says 'allow me to have this dance'."

11/17 - Old Dominion vs Virginia Tech, ESPN2

Perry Clark "basketball" count: 21

"he's got a swagger"

"they're not shy at all about embracing what they accomplished"

"loose change"

"rise and fire"

"picking and popping"

"a 30 and 10 nugget"

"across the ESPN family of networks"

"as long as you know what you're trying to do you can make it work"

"he's a complete basketball player"

11/17 - Murray State vs. Texas A&M, ESPN2

"a high energy freshman"

"Quincy Adams can't join the three-point party"

"they can score in bunches"

"create his off the bounce"

"paint touch"

"so good at getting downhill"

"the ball pressure was all over him"

"they recruit diamonds in the rough"

"this is what you call 'ball watching'"

"he has to have someone help the helper"

"they're really good, high IQ guys"

"make it a free throw shooting contest"

11/17 - Michigan-Arizona State, ESPN2

"basketball royalty"

11/17 - Nebraska-St. John's, FS1

Close it out, Tim Brando:

"A put it on the flo and show what you know basketball player!"

!!!

College basketball nonsense diary, part 1: November

The first batch of basketball nonsense for the 2019-20 season begins in Greenville, North Carolina with ESPN's November 5 broadcast of VMI-East Carolina.

Evan Lepler & nonsense legend Stan Lewter on the call:


"no ball movement, no people movement"
"people penetration, dribble penetration"
"a cleaner basketball game"
"the threes are falling because of basketball spacing"
"VMI has played with a purpose even when that length has interrupted that purpose"
"ball screen action"
"that's a man move"
"Pirate nation"
"run outs"
"SOS - scared out of shots"

!


Cal Poly-North Dakota State, 11/11, Mid Coast Sports Network

"flew under the radar"
"four out, one in action"
"a shooting-type motion"
"physicality"
"dribble penetration"
"a back to the basket guy" (2)
"the hoop and the harm"
"quality minutes"
"sense of urgency"
"active hands"
"made some big plays on the national stage"
"in traffic"


Evansville-Kentucky, 11/12, SEC Network

"pick and pop"
"cagey veteran"
"fundamental basketball"

**
Commentator Andy Kennedy called Gary Payton "the human glove"

No.
**

"despite the icy roads these guys are leaving everything on the floor, they're not leaving any skid marks"

!

"a show me mentality"
"channeling his inner Dan Majerle"
"they've really been out-executed"
"establish offensive identity in the half court"
"the game of basketball is a possession game"

!

"dribble drive" - ! - Kennedy, 5:10 left in second half


Alice Lloyd College-Eastern Kentucky, 11/19, ESPN+

"too much mustard on that one-handed pass"
"you see it every game, someone steps out of bounds when they don't have good court awareness"
"battle of the boards"
"floor miscues"
"he's got a nose for the ball"
"you have to go put a body on a body"


Columbia-Central Connecticut State, 11/24, espn3.com

"he gets where he wants on the basketball floor"
"if they're gonna win, it's gonna be a rock fight"
"paint touches" (3)
"those guys have been bodying up"


Robert Morris women-Kent State, 11/24, espn3.com

Commentator Austin Arnold had a hall of fame night. Here's a sampling:

"she has absolutely been the engine in the car that keeps them going"
"in the words of many basketball players 'if you keep shooting the shots will come'"
"they've been hitting the three-point ball and that's reflective on the way they play"

!

"ball urgency"
"a lot of the Kent State points have definitely been down in that box area"
"that's just another great awareness play"
"this is gonna start to become a barnburner really soon"


Western Michigan-Seattle, 11/26, ESPNU

"a mid-range assassin"
"score the basketball" (2)
"pick and pop action" (2)
"mental makeup"
"blow by"
"his basketball IQ is off the charts"
"a little rip and go action"

?

"the defense gets caught ball looking"


BYU-Kansas, 11/26, ESPN

"one thing he can do is make challenge shots"
"ball screen continuity"
"his eyes made that lay up"

!

"screen for the screener action"/"he's just going to ball screen those guys to death"
"sloppy with the basketball"/"begging for the basketball"


Charlotte-Georgia State, 11/27, ESPN+

"it's us against the world when you're on the road"
"rim protectors" (3)
"that's what you call playing basketball"

Thanks, commentator Rodney Turner!

"high-level basketball"
"championship culture"
"euro step"
"he's a very important cog in this ecosystem of a team"
[Game tied in overtime] "every possession counts"

Thanks again, Rodney!


Central Florida-Pepperdine, 11/29, ESPN News

Jon Carlson (pxp), Corey Williams (cc)

"big players making big plays in big moments"
"he epitomizes swagger"
"a little pin down"
"isn't that a basketball play?"

Yes. It was.

"post presence"
"versatile bigs"
"a quasi-euro step"
"it's called energy and ego, it's hard to stop that"
"a shot ready pass"
"earned the right to verticality"
"a modified pocket pass"
"throw a monkey wrench into your offensive plans"
"all that camouflage action"
"crab dribble"
"a back to the basket type of big man"
"finish in traffic"
"that's Waves basketball right there"

Basketball phrase diary, part 5

Games played from 1/9 - 1/29/18


Wisconsin-Nebraska, 1/9, Big 10 Network

"dribble drive"

!
and in pre-game (rare)

"elevator man"
"energy plays"
"the 1,000, 700, 200 club" (!)


LSU-Arkansas, 1/10, SEC Network

"twin towers"
"happy feet"
"trying to change the culture"/"the changing of the culture"
"a fade and fire"
"getting points on blow bys"
"hustle points"
"it's a basketball move"
"I like to call it an 'equal opportunity offense'"
"carving out space"
"buzzing nationally"


Duke-Pittsburgh, 1/10, ESPN2

Karl Ravech & Laphonso Ellis:

"continues to have that program percolating"
"get downhill with the dribble"
"that's hunting your shot"
"a transcendent type player"
"ran out of real estate"
"old school"
"this Pitt team has put on their battle hats"
"the upper echelon of the ACC"
"chest high and he let it fly"
"one and done"


UT-Rio Grande Valley-Cal Bakersfield, 1/11, WAC Digital Network

"this basketball savvy audience"
"a very festive party in the key"
"beautiful euro step"
"the 7-1 southpaw Aussie gunslinger" (!)
"gumption"
"they think they smell blood in the water"
"instant offense"
"a boatload of points"


Green Bay women-IUPUI, 1/15, espn3.com

"attack mode"
"active hands"
"to come into IUPUI's house and introduce themselves"
"a statement game"


DePaul-Marquette, 1/15, Fox Sports 1

"three-headed monster"
"score in bunches"
"Coach K"
"high octane Marquette team"
"Dave Leitao and his hungry bunch of Blue Demons"
"empty possession"
"retro post move"
"classic pick and pop"
"I love his pizzazz"
"x-factor"
"floor burns"
"it's a big boy conference"


Oklahoma-Kansas State, 1/16, ESPNU

"a collective rebounding unit"
"run out"
"see the ball go through the hoop" (6)
"he's shooting a hot basketball"
"he's been the junkyard dog this game"


Western Michigan-Kent State, 1/16, espn3.com

"heat check"
"vintage Jay Walker"
"simply has a special type of vision"
"the announcer's jinx"
"you can see the confidence oozing off him"
"from triple land"
"a scrappy 30 seconds"


Texas Tech-Texas, 1/17, Longhorn Network

Tyler Denning & Lance Blanks:

"they think he makes really good basketball decisions"/
"they force you to have to make serious basketball decisions"
"the engine for this Texas offense"
"neither one of these teams wants to give up easy baskets"

Thanks, Lance.

"hang their hat on defense"


Fresno State-San Diego State, 1/17, ESPNU

Drew Fellios & Sean Harrington:

"Fresno State wants good body ball movement" (?)
"value the basketball"
"that it factor that you can't really teach"
"circus shot"
"Fresno State a blue collar, hard-nosed team"
"here in Aztecs country"
"pursue the basketball"
"the one word he used to describe Grimes was 'motor'"
"his game has gone euro tonight"
"that's what length does for you in the game of basketball"
"master recruiter"
"muscle memory"


Rider women-Marist, 1/21, espn3.com

"great pace to the tin"
"active hands by Rebekah Hand"
"off the bounce" (11)
"pushing pace"
"stir the drink for Lynn Milligan and Rider"
"a three prong attack"
"heady possession"
"look the basketball into your hands"


Appalachian State women-Troy, 1/22, espn3.com

"a double-double machine"
"I am impressed by App State's activity, they are efforting out there"

- Barry McKnight

"makes a coach's hair turn gray"
"token pressure"
"a little more pep in their step"


West Virginia-TCU, 1/22, ESPN

"NCAA implications"
"a steady diet of motion offense"
"what a nose for the ball he has"
"a terrific pipeline down under"
"they want to be more of a bully ball team"
"Press Virginia" (4)
"right now TCU is winning the energy battle"
"the basketball gods"
"J.D. Miller ordered room service, got it delivered"
"renewed vigor"


Stanford-USC, 1/24, ESPNU

"spark off the bench"
"you got to play better position defense"
"the bench gang getting some run"
"that next man up mentality"
"high degree of difficulty"
"slides through him like a knife through butter"
"roller coaster ride of a season"
"throwing dimes all over the place"
"flipped the switch mentally"


Colorado State-New Mexico, 1/27, ESPN

"they've bought in"
"high riser"
"you see where their bread is buttered"
"quick strike ability"
"they like to turn this into a feeding frenzy"
"let's take the air out of the ball"


Old Dominion women-Rice, 1/28, espn3.com

Pre-game exchange:

pxp Matt Pedersen: "she's truly brought culture"
cc John Witten: "not only culture, but charisma"

"gamesmanship"
"court awareness"
"she's just out-quicking her defender"
"trifecta"
"the most valuable thing in the gym is the basketball"


VMI-Samford, 1/29, espn3.com

"VMI is playing with something that's not in our stat sheet, it's called swagger. And you can't teach that."

Basketball phrase diary, part 4

Games played from 12/25 - 1/8/18


USC-New Mexico State, 12/25, ESPN

"a classic stretch four"
"he's known as a shot doctor"
"tremendous wingspan"


San Diego State-Wyoming, 12/27, espn3.com

"nothing but a sea of Aztecs"
"ran out of real estate"
"court vision" (2)
"the Steve Fisher era"
"he's a bulldog to the basket" (2)
"Wyoming came out guns a blazing"
"the main rim protector"
"road warriors"
"sharp shooting sniper uncorked"

!

"high-low action"
"still trying to get his game legs"
"hero ball"


Kennesaw State-Mercer, 12/28, espn3.com

"x-factor"
"chip on their shoulder"
"European stretch four"
"dribble drive" (4)

!

"help the helper"
"high ceiling"
"the turnover bug"


NJIT-Buffalo, 12/28, espn3.com

"he's been Tarke the shark, taking a bite out of the stat sheet"

!

"able to stroke it from down deep"
"high IQ play"
"alligator arms"
"they're a young program starting to grow their roots"
"wall up"
"bonus basketball"


West Virginia-Oklahoma State, 12/29, ESPNU

"18 game grind" (2)
"hedging ball screen"
"a nose dive into the hardwood"
"the Mount Rushmore of college basketball"
"waxed poetic"
"ball hawk"
"create help situations"


Youngstown State-Cleveland State, 1/1/18, The Horizon League on espn3

"a perimeter big"
"a silent run"

Pat Vuyancih Specials

"even if he's moving, he's in set position"
"it's designed to force Youngstown State to shoot, which is not their strength"

"the left-handed bunny"
"the man with the hot hand"
"he has really grown his game"
"down in the trenches"


Rutgers-Purdue, 1/3, Big 10 Network

Brandon Gaudin & Stephen Bardo:

"glue guy" (2)
"pick your poison"
"physicality" (2)
"I know we throw around basketball IQ a lot, but Purdue has it"
"senioritis"
"out-toughs them"
"he threw that chicken wing there"
"here's a leak out"
"block party"
"workmanlike"
"razzle dazzle"
"they bring their lunchpails every day"
"hostile environment" (2)
"wore my emotions on my sleeve"
"shooting themselves in the foot"
"body balance"
"the Big 10 slate is always a gauntlet"


Omaha women-South Dakota State, 1/3, MidCo Sports Network

"pace of play"
"live ball turnovers" (3)
"true back to the basket player"
"you look at her and she's going to do what she did right there, and that's basket cut"

!

"active with her hands"
"the announcer jinx"
"blow by"
"concussion symptoms"


Drake women-Southern Illinois, 1/7, The Valley on espn3

"exciting brand of basketball"
"rhythm shooter"
"all-airport team" (?)
"euro step"
"next man up mentality"
"selling the flop"
"cleaning up the slop down low"
"a coach's kid"
"crash the glass"
"great catch and shoot player"
"battle-tested"


Stanford women-Arizona State, 1/7, ESPN

Andy Landers Special

"I always though freshmen were the spice of basketball" (?)

"the Stanford style"
"fundamentally sound"
"instant offense"
"she made herself available to the basketball"
"little pick and pop"
"finish the drill"


Navy-Colgate, 1/8, Patriot League Network

Erik Malinowski:

"court awareness"
"triple town" (5)
"competitive fire"
"gets some road lovin from the rim"

!

"looking to salt this game away"
"the ticky tack variety"

Basketball phrase diary, part 3

Games played from 12/3 - 12/23


Dayton-Mississippi State, 12/3, SEC Network

"inside presence" (4)
"point of emphasis"
"dual threat"
"triple threat"
"teeth of the defense" (4)
"active hands"
"he's got some hops"
"a little chunk dunk" (?)


Montana State-Central Michigan, 12/5, espn3.com

"same page defense"
"bringing the juice for the Chips"
"they can not find any mojo"
"tough sledding"
"perimeter close outs"
"run out"
"target on their back"
"international flavor"


Southern Utah-Michigan State, 12/9 Big 10 Network

Kevin Kugler (pxp), Shon Morris (cc)

"a grinder game"
"stay on the floor in crunch situations"
"coach's son"
"showing some gumption"
"that was a Prius taking on an SUV"

!

"he's our microwave guy, he can heat up in a hurry"
"they can run not just bodies, but quality bodies"
"a plethora of front line bulk"
"court savvy"
"that's a basketball move" (5)


Wichita State-Oklahoma State, 12/9, ESPN

"token pressure"
"quick hops ability"
"I love his grit and savvy"
"searching for an identity offensively"


Western Kentucky-Ohio, 12/10, espn3.com

"game shape"
"that was a man-sized collection of that board"

!

"a little tear drop"
"sense of urgency"
"ready to square and launch"


Sacred Heart-Hartford, 12/11, espn3.com

"stick a rhythm pull up"
"injury-plagued"
"physicality"
"tight whistle"
"small ball lineup"
"they're gonna have to gang rebound" (3)
"verticality"
"you call that rim running" (3)
"the bank is open, after hours, in Hartford!"

!

"skill set"
"heat check"
"true point guard"
"enthusiastic basketball"


Philadelphia-Minnesota, 12/12, ESPN

"post touches" (4)
"winning culture"
"the Philadelphia blogosphere"
"they're long"
"they need an infusion of a bench"
"energy play"
"euro step"


Cincinnati Christian women-Wright State, 12/14, espn3.com

"scorer's mentality"
"well-oiled machine"
"a nose for the ball"
"they're getting points out of their offense"

!


Charlotte-Houston, 12/13, ESPN

"a proven guy in this league"
"skids of adversity"
"blow by" (2)
"iso ball"

Mark Jones Specials

"eight seconds or less offense on steroids"
"stopped on a dime and didn't leave Walker any change"


Georgia State-Dayton, 12/16, A10 Network

"basketball in the DNA in this community"
"poetry in motion for big guys"
"doing the grunt work"
"get down, get fundamental!"
"a whale of a basketball game"
"senior leadership"
"basketball 101"
"free basketball"


Georgia Tech-Georgia, 12/19, ESPN2

"swagger"
"it deviated from the consistency in his program"
"hang their hat defensively"
"valuing the basketball"
"recruitability"
"cleans up the loose change"
"he gets downhill on you"
"a will to win"
"he's a grinder"
"RPI killers"
"surveying the defense"
"just a nice rip through"


Elon-Canisius, 12/19, espn3.com

"use it or lose it time out"
"good floor game"
"this is a weight room half"
"floor leader"
"a push ahead"
"take that leadership role"


Southern Miss-Florida State, 12/21, ACC Network

"a david and goliath type of situation"
"great xs and os coach"
"been around the basketball block"
"a silent assassin"
"instant offense"
"those are bad habit plays"
"championship basketball clubs"
"heady play"
"clicking on high cylinders"

!

"the Wilkes family basketball tree"
"ACC gauntlet"


Dallas-Atlanta, 12/23, Fox Sports South

"nice to see the bounce in the step"/"what bounce this young man has"
"getting their legs out under them"
"rhythm three"
"attack mode"
"rise and fire"
"let the game come to you"
"he is gritty"

Basketball phrase diary, part 2

Games played from 11/19 - 12/1


Temple-Clemson, 11/19, ESPN2

"match up nightmare"
"probing the defense"
"chip on their shoulder"


Farmingdale State women-Stony Brook, 11/22, espn3.com

"tired legs" (5)
"a take charge player"
"building the culture"
"dribble drive" - 4:50 left in the third quarter
"take the air out of the ball"
"leak out"


VCU women-Georgia State, 11/24, espn3.com

"keep a pulse on this game"
"rebounding specialist"
"sense of urgency"
"she's a gamer"
"the ref might've wanted to suck on that whistle a little longer"
"a lid has been put on the rim" (2)
"a nose for the ball"
"high percentage shots"


San Diego-Grand Canyon, 11/25, GCU TV

Barry Buetel & Scott Williams:

"stat sheet stuffer"
"holiday hangover"/"post-turkey hangover"
"he had a mouse down low and put him in the torture chamber!"
"hostile environment"
"house of havoc" (2)
"euro step" (2)
"albatross-like wing span"
"Josh Braun doing Josh Braun things"
"he's got hall of game hands"
"a one-man wrecking ball"
"tough sledding"
"I like the way this kid has brought his hard hat and his lunch pail"
"playing with a ton of moxie"


Alabama State-Cincinnati, 11/27, ESPNU

"he's next level"
"the face of this program"
"instant offense"
"D up"
"court awareness"
"spicy shooter"
"all-everything"
"the Mick Cronin era"
"it's a block party here in northern Kentucky!"
"under the radar"


Tennessee Tech women-Georgia, 11/27, SEC Network

"she's a child of the SEC"
"she wants to see growth on her team in a maturity perspective"

!

"quality minutes"
"dribble penetration"
"post touches"
"letting the game come to her"


Notre Dame women-Michigan, 11/29, Big 10 Network

"high IQ freshman"
"you've got to find a body"
"a big feather in the cap"
"she's that key cog"
"mini rim run" - 5:56 left in the second quarter
"we've got some cold blooded shooters out here, hunting down shots and executing!"
"here come the Irish via Ogunbowale Alley!"
"x-factor"
"help the helper"
"Princeton offense"
"the variety of her weaponry"


North Carolina-Davidson, 12/1, ESPN2

"the first big down the floor usually eats"
"skill set" (2)
"you can't measure what was in his heart"
"smooth operator"
"hybrid forward"
"the Swiss army knife for the Tar Heels"
"ball don't lie"

Basketball phrases 2017-2018 tour diary

Basketball season is underway, so it's time we also move over to the hardwood & continue our sports phrase diaries.

Here's part 1 from games played between November 1 - November 16

Philadelphia-Atlanta, 11/1, Fox Sports Southeast

"broadcaster's jinx"

"defending by committee" (2)

"the engine that drives this Hawks team"

"youth will be served"

Carver College-Georgia State, 11/10, espn3.com

"chip on their shoulder"

"floor vision"

"basketball IQ" (2)

"heat check"

"he's a coach's son" (2)

Loyola Marymount-UT Arlington, 11/11, espn3.com

"very athletic big"

"physicality on the boards"

"got down and got a floor burner or two"

"the complete glue for UTA"

"post depth"

"the Mavericks have scaled the mountain!"

"they're long....and they're not just long, their fresh!"

"both teams have tightened the screws"

"very heady"

"ice in the veins"

!

our first of the season - :16 to go in the second half

Howard-Indiana, 11/12, Big 10 Network

"the pressure cooker that is the Indiana Hoosiers"

"integral cog in the attack"

"rise and fire"

"he's got a lot of city in his game"

"Bob Hurley at St. Anthony's" (2)

"tear drop" (2)

"volume shooters"

"court vision"

"and now a teaching moment"

"on NBA scouts' radar"

"hoops hotbed"

"old school"

"tremendous upside"

"the Butler way"

NC Central-Evansville, 11/13, thevalley.com

"it's brunch basketball in the Crescent City"

"hoop and harm" (2)

"played overseas"

"posterized"

"shot prowess"

"basketball IQ between the ears"

"dribble drive" (3)

!

our first of the season, 6:28 left in second half

Rhode Island-Nevada, 11/13, ESPNU

"spin cycle"

"energy in the building"

"that's KYP, know your personnel"

"isos"/"isolation ball"

"play within yourself"

"that's a really good basketball play"

"they're body hunting"

Montana-Penn State, 11/15, Big 10 Network

"point of emphasis" (3)

"shot blocking presence" (5)

Auburn-Indiana State, 11/16, ESPNU

"power 5 schools"

"bodying up"

"the pick and pop" (2)

"this team has the green light...neon green"

"survive and advance"

"feast week is upon us" (6)

"that's an NBA body" (2)

"in Hoosierland"

"verticality"

"fundamental basketball"

"that's Sycamore basketball"

Appalachian State-Iowa State, 11/16, ESPNU

"he's a shot seeker"

"face of the program"

"incredible upside"

"he's a Toronto Raptor baby"

"stretch four"

"floor burns"/"if you go by skin burns"

"post presence" (3)

"basketball hot spot"

"faceupability"

"a high IQ transition play"

"fabric of your program and your culture"

"hard hedge"

"he's long at the rim"

Basketball phrases!

Memphis at Dallas, 10/25, Fox Sports Southeast

Excellent night for the broadcast team of Pete Pranica and Brevin Knight.

Gentleman......?


"the Grizzlies wrap up their Texas two step"/"the Big D" (2)
"defensively is where we're buttering our bread"
"that's been his stock and trade"
"marksman"
"attack mode"
"sense of urgency"
"bully basketball"
"dribble drive"

! - first one of the night/season, 8:03 left in the second quarter

"situational basketball"
"an Xs and Os situation"
"textbook defense"
"finish through contact"
"extend the chicken wing"
"a kiss off the windowpane"
"the Beale Street Bears"
"fourth quarter wizard"
"sharpshooter"

Recent additions to "basketball phrases"

"Teachable moments"
"International flavor"
"Rebounding by committee"
"That's a big mental health basket"
"Resumed basketball activities" 
"Hard hedges"
"Straddling the bubble"
"From bonus land" 

Recent additions to 'Basketball Phrases'

"Defensive whiz"
"Triple double machine"
"Grinding"
"Shooting pocket"
"A pocket of air space"
"Euro step"

Recent additions to "Basketball Phrases"

"Paint points"
"She's not gun shy"
"Belly up"
"Flex set"
"That's a return a favor foul"
"He keeps going back to the ATM and finally it pays off"


Full list

Basketball phrases I don't ever want to hear again

Selection Sunday Edition

Clark Kellogg on CBS' selection show:

"He impacts winning in multiple ways."

Providence coach Ed Cooley on 790 AM in Atlanta on forward LaDontae Henton:

"He's our glue bucket guy."