ESPN Grammar

dms · #1 10-21-2007, 06:23 AM

Probably not just ESPN, but I was just suffering through Cindy Brunson's calling of Saturday's college football highlights. Instead of saying "Smith rushes for a 4-YARD touchdown," she insists on saying "Smith rushes for a 4-YARDS touchdown" and annoying the hell out of me.

Along these lines, the guy who used to read highlights for "Mike and Mike" would always say "The Heat IS on a 2-game winning streak." and "The Pistons ARE on a 2-game winning streak." (To be clear, ARE is right for both of the sentences.)

It's rather crazy how much these annoy me, but you'd think it wouldn't be that tough and maybe some other people hate this too...

iggymcfly · #2 10-21-2007, 07:39 AM

I heard someone on ESPN say "most greatest" on SC tonight. Actually I'm not sure if greatest was the adjective, but there was definitely most and "est" in the same sentence and the anchor didn't bother to correct himself.

evank15 · #3 10-21-2007, 08:50 AM

The Heat is...is correct. In American English anyway.

In British English either way is acceptable.

dms · #4 10-21-2007, 09:03 AM

[ QUOTE ]
The Heat is...is correct. In American English anyway.

In British English either way is acceptable.

[/ QUOTE ]

Only if you're incapable of symbolic thought.

yjbrewer · #5 10-21-2007, 09:46 AM

You must really have no life to be posting this thread! Who cares we just want to know who won and lost the game.

brianr · #6 10-21-2007, 10:16 AM

i hate "feature" table in the wsop and "feature" back. cleary "featured" is what they mean.

CardSharpCook · #7 10-21-2007, 08:04 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The Heat is...is correct. In American English anyway.

In British English either way is acceptable.

[/ QUOTE ]

Only if you're incapable of symbolic thought.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you are the one lacking symbolic thought. A team has a name and becomes that thing. The group of players in Miami has become "The Heat". Whereas the group of players in detroit form "the Pistons". That is a group of pistons or a singular "heat". Using symbolic thought, using "are" or "is" should depend on which team you are refering to.

When refering to groups, it depends largely on how you refer to them. "The Smiths are coming to dinner" or "The Smith family is coming to dinner." Or even, "the board of directors say that they plan to...." or "the board says that they plan to..."

Of course, I'm no English teacher.

AzDesertRat · #8 10-22-2007, 01:01 AM

Toopskees · #9 10-21-2007, 06:52 PM

ESPN NASCAR commentators calling them "car of tomorrows."

MCS · #10 10-22-2007, 08:38 AM

This annoys me as well. Is it really so unpossible to find broadcasters who care about grammar?