Even if you are sports illiterate and watching baseball on T.V. sounds like punishment for something you did wrong in a prior life, there are some sports analogies that all working women should know to not get left out of the conversation at work. Below are a collection of the basics, ranging from the well-known to the obscure, as well as the sport referenced.
Slam dunk / touch down / home run -- These are easy. If someone references these, they are saying that what ever you are working on is the equivalent of a dramatic score. (basketball / football / baseball)
Hit it home / drive it home -- A message must be emphasized to result in a run. (baseball)
Play defense -- Something has gone wrong and you need to CYA. (pretty much all sports)
Ball in your court--Someone is waiting on you for a response. (tennis)
Assist -- Refers to a pass that led directly to a basket. In the office, you might hear it after you set up a collegue with an opportunity to speak about a recent success. ie "Thanks for the assist back there!" (basketball)
Lob--A slow high ball, typically easy to return (tennis)
Softball --An easy question, because a softball is easier to hit than a baseball (softball)
Over/under--A gambling term used to guess how many points will be scored in a game. Typically used rhetorically in the office, for example, "What's the over / under on the number of times Gene says "um"?"
Calling them as I see them-- This person is referencing a baseball umpire as their way of saying they are offering objective criticism. Beware. This is the sports equivalent of a teenage girl's "It isn't mean if it is true" (baseball)
Shank -- Refers to when a golfer hits a bad tee shot. In the office, it means someone royally screwed up an answer to a question or an easy request. (golf)
Take a mulligan -- Re-do. In the office, it usually means someone is admitting messing up and is going to try again (golf)
Next week, look for gambling terminology all working women should know!
I would add:
ReplyDeleteIn My Wheelhouse - Something you are especially good at. It is the zone where the hitter hits balls the best. (Baseball)
Wait, it's bad to say "it isn't mean if it's true"? I mean -- it ISN'T mean if it's true. Right?
ReplyDeleteAdding: Moving the goal posts--when the definition of success changes (football / calvinball)
ReplyDeleteI went to a baseball game this last weekend and came up with another:
ReplyDeleteHeads Up Play - Good, quick thinking on your feet. Used in baseball when a player makes a quick decision (like which runner to try to get out) that is a good call.