Banned NBA Words & Phrases

In the spirit of lists of words that are overused and should be "banned", I thought it might be fun/interesting/would pass the time if we came up with some words and phrases announcers, analysts and fans use way too often and much to frivolously. DISCLAIMER: This is not related to any kind of Forum policy. These words won't actually be banned.

With that out of the way, here's my list.


"Hater"

Probably the most overused word these days, especially since it pops up whenever you dare to criticise a team or player. It used to be a term for someone who criticised for the sake of criticising without fact or basis and usually with "hateful" or derogatory remarks. Or to put it another way, just saying "So-and-so sucks!" without offering any reason or analysis. Now it's got to the point where anyone who doesn't shamelessly offer praise is a "hater".

Perhaps it's just because I'm a Bulls fan, but it's funny how back in the day the anti-culture against Michael Jordan and the Bulls was considered "being smart"/"knowing the truth" while that kind of attitude is called "hating" these days. OK, that's just the bias talking. Hater's grossly overused in my opinion and it's a shame that it's considered an argument against legitimate criticism. Until we can use this term properly, I say we bench it. "Haterade" however is still acceptable.

"Fanboy"

Basically for the same reasons as "hater", except this time it's a case of "If you don't dislike what I dislike, you're an ignorant fanboy." Like "hater" it's got a perfectly legitimate definition and use but both are thrown about way too easily. Both of these terms should be reserved for folks who truly fit the description.

"Upside"

I'll criticise ESPN as much as the next person but they did have a feature on the Draft a few years back where someone (probably Bill Simmons) made a crack about how many times Hubie Brown mentioned the word "upside". Even accounting for exaggeration, it was pretty much on the money. The infatuation GMs have with this "attribute" in up and coming players has trickled down to the media and we fans.

I'm going to give "potential" a free pass though, since we can still use that one properly and it's not nearly as bad as upside - we need a word to describe the concept. But let's can the phrase "He has the potential to fulfil his upside" before it ever gets off the ground.

Gratuitious slang

All I'm saying is anyone, particularly in the media, that wants to be taken seriously when analysing a player should not talk about how he's good at "taking playerz off the drizzy". That is all.

"next (insert former great or current star here)"

At some point comparisons will be made but isn't it about time we stopped branding players with someone else's name and assigning them a list of accomplishments as soon as they enter the league? How many times has it really worked out in the past decade or so?

"He's got the flu! That was sick!"

In the space of a couple of dunk contests, Kenny Smith has run this one into the ground. Well done, Jet.

Any additions or disagreements?

Kenny Smith during the dunk contest:
"THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE!!!"
he should stop saying this...he says it like almost ever year

Last edited by Isaiah on Sun Jan 29, 2006 9:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.

i agree with the "next" one, that one shits me the most..

what about "he got raped right there"

Taking players off the drizzy & he got the flu

"next (insert former great or current star here)"

At some point comparisons will be made but isn't it about time we stopped branding players with someone else's name and assigning them a list of accomplishments as soon as they enter the league? How many times has it really worked out in the past decade or so?

I agree with this one. It's been used a lot, and when that player don't live up to this, he get criticised. And that's not fair. Kobe is a great player and so is Lebron James, and they won't be the next MJ, and that's a good thing.

edit: this thread is a great idea!!

My suggestions:

Any nickname that is just the first letter of the first name and an abbreviated second name. J-Rich, C-Webb etc... no originality, it's flat out lame.

The word "ballhog"... now it's applied to any guard who takes more than 20 shots, unless they're called Tracy McGrady then he can do no wrong and probably shits gold.

Saying people get "posterised" or "dunked on" when they're no where near the play. I hate it. A guy can throw down a dunk and if a defender is within 2 metres of that guy, and looks remotely in his general direction people say he's been dunked on.

Yao Ming.

Calling draft prospects a "project"... they're not a project, they're just shit. But tall. Probably tall and shit and might potentially be able to grab some rebounds one day.

I'm sure there's more, I'll get more bitter as the night goes on.

Great ones Jae, though I can't believe I missed "project", "ballhog" and the nickname fiasco (though it would've worked out great for Patrick Ewing).

I get it! P-ew!

"Throw it down big man, throw it down." Ugh.

Yao Ming.

Agreed 100%!

perhaps Kenny Smith can vary it a little...."he's got AIDS, that was sick"

Saying people get "posterised" or "dunked on" when they're no where near the play. I hate it. A guy can throw down a dunk and if a defender is within 2 metres of that guy, and looks remotely in his general direction people say he's been dunked on.

yeah i know, the only Slam issue i have is from 2004 and it has Campbell throwing down a fastbreak dunk and apparently he "dunked" on Medvedenko. Strangely though, Slava was 3 steps behind and didn't even contest it.

Yall are justa bunch of hatering for drizzle for shizzle.. A-drew..and J-ae.

I too am gettin tired of the next this and that...but the rest of yall criticisms imo are a little too stringent. People use slangs and nicknames and such to make the whole thing more exciting and "hip"...appealing to the kids. Without some of this hating and such...well..the NBA would just be a whole lot more boring. It would go the way of the do-do..or NHL hockey.

Saying people get "posterised" or "dunked on" when they're no where near the play. I hate it. A guy can throw down a dunk and if a defender is within 2 metres of that guy, and looks remotely in his general direction people say he's been dunked on.

Yeah, same goes for Bynum dunking on Shaq while he only faked O'Neal out and had noone near him below the rim..

"You see what had happened...was...um..."
"As cool as the other side of the pillow"
"Lord, he made his kinfolk proud: Pookie, Ray-Ray, Moesha.... blah blah blah"
"The Lord said 'You've got to rise up!"

... or anything else Stuart Scott says on ESPN. He makes me feel so pissed off to be black when he sits there embarrassing us. I hate this guy with a passion.

People use slangs and nicknames and such to make the whole thing more exciting

can't say I get any more excited by hearing "J-Rich" then I would "Jason Richardson". Alot of those old timers probably wouldn't have prefered W-Chammy or O-Robby... I liked the real nicknames. IceMan, Big Dipper etc.

I gotta love my nickname, it's original

I really like Black Mamba, but because it's supposely Kobe's nickname or a rip-off attempt from Kill Bill Vol. 2, it just ruins everything

"He's got the flu! That was sick!"

lol, I don't like when people call the flu an injury, now their can be some extreme cases, but I've never felt like having a cold of the flu even with those crazy headaches hampers my play on the court that much. It affects your stamina a little, but I've never had a time where it mad a huge difference in how I played.

pmg we cant use dizzle words anymore?

that shizzle was the bizzle...

How can Ruff post here then?

"He's got the flu! That was sick!"

lol, I don't like when people call the flu an injury, now their can be some extreme cases, but I've never felt like having a cold of the flu even with those crazy headaches hampers my play on the court that much. It affects your stamina a little, but I've never had a time where it mad a huge difference in how I played.

It kills your reflexes... at least for me it does.

i like chris bosh but CB4 is probably is the worst nickname ever. like seriously, be more fucking creative. why don't they just call him E.T? their faces are pretty much identical. T-Rex would be good too, he looks like one, and his mannerisms while running resembles that of a dinosaur.

chris paul's CP3 is retarded.
i think they used to call derek fisher "d-fish". calling him fish would be better imo.

no. sam cassell is ET

"He's got the flu! That was sick!"

lol, I don't like when people call the flu an injury, now their can be some extreme cases, but I've never felt like having a cold of the flu even with those crazy headaches hampers my play on the court that much. It affects your stamina a little, but I've never had a time where it mad a huge difference in how I played.

you obviously dont have the fucking flu then do you
if you have the flu, your muscles ache, you're probably throwing up, or at least feel like throwing up, you have no stamina, and any sort of running (even standing up) makes you feel like vomiting

it's not that bad, i played with the flu. While the muscles do ache, applying some arthritis cream sure eases the pain. The only problem i really have with it is breathing, which relates to stamina. Oh, and i use it as an excuse not to play defense.

"Boom, sha-ka-la-ka!!!" - Chuck Swirsky (Toronto RAptors Commentator)
"Get out the pepporoni and cheese!" - Chuch Swirsky...again.