What is it with Big East coaches making verbs out of nouns this week? Some people call this "the verbing of nouns," but that itself is a prime example. Perhaps it has something to do with the word "coach" itself, which is widely used as both a noun and a verb.
We had moved on from Tuesday's liberal usage of the word "influx" as a verb, but then we see a story in Wednesday's Times-West Virginian, in which West Virginia coach Bill Stewart, discussing his team's 30-19 loss to USF on Friday, explains that "We got outathleted at a couple of positions." Bonus points to the Times-West Virginian, by the way, for putting the word in 'single quotes,' which is our industry's subtle way of saying "Deep down, we know this isn't really a word."
Again, everybody knows exactly what he means, but ... you can't dictionary that word, so to speak. I will admit to frequent use of "blog" as a verb, but that's fairly accepted, and even "live-blog" as a verb, but that's really just a 21st-century update on saying you will "pen" a story. I now encourage you to comment, er, make comments freely.
-- One more update -- after learning Tuesday that USF quarterback B.J. Daniels would be working with Bulls softball coach Ken Eriksen on his sliding technique, I found a cool precedent in the Seattle Times. Seems that current Redskins coach Jim Zorn, while working as an assistant with his old team, the Seahawks, brought in Mariners star John Olerud as a sliding consultant -- paid, no doubt, on a sliding scale -- to work with his quarterbacks on their slides. He also brought in Tigers pitcher Frank Tanana when he worked with the Lions -- surely, there was an actual major-league hitter he could have found, no?
Times sportswriter Greg Auman, who covers USF, will post news and thoughts on the Bulletin and we invite your participation in the comments area.
With that.... I castigate to my anticedent...I was AWOl when my gift arrived COD.When I opened it, it was DOA.
Posted by: Wade | November 05, 2009 at 10:05 AM
I think George Carlin would be proud of this discussion.
Posted by: G.A. | November 05, 2009 at 08:23 AM
Yes but what do you expect from people today when "Dude" is a whole sentence
Posted by: Richard Todd | November 05, 2009 at 08:20 AM
Oh, wow. I wasn't really trying to impress anyone. But now that the Creeping Nounism quote door has been opened, here's my favorite:
"Today as many as four or five concept nouns will attach themselves to each other, like a molecule chain. Here's a brilliant specimen I recently found: 'Communication facilitation skills development intervention.' Not a person in sight, or a working verb. I think it's a program to help students write better."
Posted by: Nathan | November 05, 2009 at 08:09 AM
understanding the nuances of the english language is very non-important - unless you are a college english prof. if you can get your point across without sounding like a dumb a## you are fine.
Posted by: matt | November 04, 2009 at 11:38 PM
I'm impressed, Nathan.
CREEPING NOUNISM. This is a new American disease that strings two or three nouns together where one will do. Nobody goes broke now; we have money problem areas. It no longer rains; we have precipitation activity. Choose one noun, preferably one that's short and specific. Choose it carefully and it will do the job. (William Zinsser, On Writing Well, p. 119)
Not Leavitt's problem, but a good one.
Posted by: Ken | November 04, 2009 at 09:35 PM
i count the numbers
Posted by: Soccer! Steve | November 04, 2009 at 08:47 PM
grammer is for loosers.
Posted by: Thumper | November 04, 2009 at 08:31 PM
Thanks for today's grammar lesson Greg! :)
Posted by: Scott | November 04, 2009 at 07:25 PM
Not only did WVa get outathleted, but Stewart was out vefvified by Leavitt.
Posted by: SailingBull | November 04, 2009 at 03:50 PM
Frank Tanana Daiquiri???
One of my all time favorite Chris Berman nicknames...right up there with
Bert Be home Byleven.
Posted by: KC | November 04, 2009 at 03:08 PM
I can assure that Pitt didn't get outathleted.
Posted by: Ari Hinkelberger | November 04, 2009 at 02:47 PM
For some reason, the term "verbified" brings the Disturbed song Stupefy to mind.
"I get verbified, I get verbified"
Maybe its just that I'm stupefied by the conversations...
Posted by: USFMikeB | November 04, 2009 at 02:23 PM
Back when I read Zinsser's classic, his concern was "Creeping Nounism." Admittedly, his concern isn't a one-to-one with all of the verbifying you've been talking about. But it did give me an opportunity to start this comment so I could say "verbifying."
Posted by: Nathan | November 04, 2009 at 02:09 PM
dictionary is a verb?
Posted by: cg | November 04, 2009 at 01:46 PM
"Again, everybody knows exactly what he means, but ... you can't dictionary that word, so to speak."
Speaking of noun/verb confusion...I tried to 'dictionary' the word dictionary and found it couldn't be used as a verb :)
Posted by: USFRob22 | November 04, 2009 at 01:42 PM
No matter how he said it, he still did not show any respect to the coaches. Coaches have thier own language and for some it is the language of the planet they came from.
On the thunking of the slide training. Training for football is when baseball is in season. Probably a conflict of contracts to train another person while you are either training or playing. Personally BJ might pay more attention if the soft ball players helped him.
Posted by: Bill B. | November 04, 2009 at 01:39 PM
As for finding a major-league hitter, either:
A) They wanted too much money and a signing bonus or
b) Aren't they all steroid abusing, narcissistic, prima donnas that don't like to work hard. (Hence, why they are NOT football players)...
Posted by: Bulliever | November 04, 2009 at 11:56 AM
I blame this on Microsoft...
Everyone knows the spelling and grammar checker does not work :)
Posted by: Bulliever | November 04, 2009 at 11:47 AM
I blame noun/verb confusion on Google.
Posted by: Steve Stacy | November 04, 2009 at 11:37 AM