Tuesday, October 14, 2003
Playaz
Trot Nixon is... a baseball player. Dan Klecko is... a football player.
OK, maybe you're looking for more enlightening commentary than that. But listen to sports radio lately and you'll hear those two usages more and more frequently.
In Trot's case, what the commentators seem to mean is: "Trot's not a great athlete, he's not a pure hitter, he's not a great fielder, he's just an overall player." In Klecko's case, the designation seems to have to do with his versatility: plays defensive line, linebacker, short-yardage fullback, etc.
The term also seems to hint at a general approval of a player's professionalism and work ethic, echoing the strongest blessing of the New York Giants' bleacher bums in Fred Exley's "A Fan's Notes": "Dat guy is a pro."
The term seems ill-suited to today's NBA, of course. Larry Bird, who could grab 16 rebounds on an off-shooting night to help his team win, was a basketball player. Is there a basketball player on this year's Celtics?
Eric Williams might come close. Too bad his lack of a true scorer's mentality or skills will relegate him to the bench if Jumaine Jones shows anything.
OK, maybe you're looking for more enlightening commentary than that. But listen to sports radio lately and you'll hear those two usages more and more frequently.
In Trot's case, what the commentators seem to mean is: "Trot's not a great athlete, he's not a pure hitter, he's not a great fielder, he's just an overall player." In Klecko's case, the designation seems to have to do with his versatility: plays defensive line, linebacker, short-yardage fullback, etc.
The term also seems to hint at a general approval of a player's professionalism and work ethic, echoing the strongest blessing of the New York Giants' bleacher bums in Fred Exley's "A Fan's Notes": "Dat guy is a pro."
The term seems ill-suited to today's NBA, of course. Larry Bird, who could grab 16 rebounds on an off-shooting night to help his team win, was a basketball player. Is there a basketball player on this year's Celtics?
Eric Williams might come close. Too bad his lack of a true scorer's mentality or skills will relegate him to the bench if Jumaine Jones shows anything.
