Taking it one cliche at a time

tim · **Posted:** Sat Jan 24, 2004 8:06 pm

From Don Banks of CNNSI.com:"Come what may in the Super Bowl, the cliche that defense wins championships is going to be get another ringing endorsement. "Whether it's Carolina or New England left standing, for the fourth consecutive year the Super Bowl champion will be a team constructed first and foremost with defense in mind."---Forget the "going to be get" foul-up for a moment. When sportswriters use a cliche to support the premise of another cliche and when they use four or five cliches in the first two sentences, it makes it difficult for me to argue that sportswriters aren't the worst offenders. I'm giving up that argument.I'm also thinking that this web site doesn't employ copy editors or even a spell checker. Banks is apparently under the impression the word is spelled "tommorrow" and no one has yet disavowed him of that notion.

Peter Sibley · **Posted:** Sat Jan 24, 2004 9:12 pm

Cliche quiz: What comes between "New Hampshire's" and "primary"?Why, "first-in-the-nation" of course!It rivals the once-ubiquitous "stately" Wayne Manor, "fugitive financier" Robert Vesco and "cavernous" Cleveland Stadium.

Oeditpus Rex · **Posted:** Sun Jan 25, 2004 12:13 am

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Peter Sibley:
It rivals the once-ubiquitous "stately" Wayne Manor, "fugitive financier" Robert Vesco <hr></blockquote>For some reason, that combination reminds me of "the fabulously wealthy" John Beresford Tipton. (Quick -- name that show.)I sometimes wonder what sports would be like if they followed the cliches -- like if football were really played until one team was "left standing." (By the way: I saw "But it was not to be" a couple days ago -- in an A1 story that had nothing to do with sports.)

Powderhorn · **Posted:** Sun Jan 25, 2004 2:39 am

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Peter Sibley:
Cliche quiz: What comes between "New Hampshire's" and "primary"?Why, "first-in-the-nation" of course!It rivals the once-ubiquitous "stately" Wayne Manor, "fugitive financier" Robert Vesco and "cavernous" Cleveland Stadium.<hr></blockquote>Let's not forget about the late 2001 AP love affair with Yasser Arafat's "fortress-like compound" that remained "fortress-like" after months of Israeli mortar attacks.The lead wire editor at the paper where I was at the time introduced me to the erstwhile ubiquitous "Panamanian strongman" when referring to Noriega.

Finn DeSiecle · **Posted:** Sun Jan 25, 2004 2:32 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Oeditpus Rex:
For some reason, that combination reminds me of "the fabulously wealthy" John Beresford Tipton. (Quick -- name that show.)<hr></blockquote>
Mmmmm -- I think that was Millionaire -- the one where Tipton's lackey used to roam the country surprising needy people with a million bucks each (for the younger folks: this was fiction, not a reality show); then you'd see how the sudden fortune shook up the recipient's life. I haven't seen that series since I was a kid; even then it was in syndication, if I remember right.

DominEditrix · **Posted:** Sun Jan 25, 2004 3:19 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Finn DeSiecle:

Mmmmm -- I think that was Millionaire<hr></blockquote>The Millionaire, to be accurate. "Hello, My name is Michael Anthony. And until his death, I was executive secretary to John Beresford Tipton, a multi-billionaire who had the strange hobby of giving away one million dollars."I'm surprised no one's thought of doing it as a reality show.D.

JonScribe · **Posted:** Sun Jan 25, 2004 5:53 pm

Shhhh. Someone might hear you.

Jackie · **Posted:** Mon Jan 26, 2004 12:33 am

Embattled. I am sick to death of embattled. It's all over wire copy and I'm noticing it more and more in our local copy.

jjmoney62 · **Posted:** Mon Jan 26, 2004 7:52 am

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Jackie:
Embattled. I am sick to death of embattled. It's all over wire copy and I'm noticing it more and more in our local copy.<hr></blockquote>You sound beleaguered, Jackie.

gullyj · **Posted:** Tue Jan 27, 2004 1:37 pm

Anyone moving to Toronto should buy a cheap condo because whenever someone is murdered in one the Toronto newspapers always describe it as either a "posh condo," "luxury condo" or "upscale condo."

JB · **Posted:** Tue Jan 27, 2004 4:00 pm

I am SOOOOOOO sick of the following:
* Clash, either as a noun or a verb, to indicate conflict.
* Sides, to mean opponents in a conflict.
* Conflict, especially when describing what's going on between Israel and the Palestinians.
* Sides clashing (in a conflict). The "ugh" factor increases exponentially.
* The following style of lead: Several grafs of scenario, then a nut graf that says something like "This was just one of many gripes aired at the 25th annual Testy Copy Editor Awards Banquet..."

Oeditpus Rex · **Posted:** Wed Jan 28, 2004 4:12 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Joann:
I am SOOOOOOO sick of the following:
<snip>
* The following style of lead: Several grafs of scenario, then a nut graf that says something like "This was just one of many gripes aired at the 25th annual Testy Copy Editor Awards Banquet..."<hr></blockquote>I thought we learned in high school that that's a weak style of lede. Sigh.I'd be a cappy hamper if I never again saw "impact" sted "effect" (or "affect") -- or any other word substituted for one that was plenty good enough. That list, of course, is a long one.Oh, and canuck -- "tony" (as in "tony neighborhood" et al) hasn't slithered its way up there yet?

mrleemrlee · **Posted:** Wed Jan 28, 2004 4:31 pm

For years, the name "Rodney King" was always preceded by "black motorist." As if somewhere, at any given moment, Rodney King is out there, driving around.

jmcg · **Posted:** Wed Jan 28, 2004 11:40 pm

Better than calling him a "civil rights figure," which I recall the wires doing for a time.

Jackie · **Posted:** Sun Feb 01, 2004 9:57 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Oeditpus Rex:
I'd be a cappy hamper if I never again saw "impact" sted "effect" (or "affect") -- or any other word substituted for one that was plenty good enough.<hr></blockquote>I do not believe that will happen in my lifetime.

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