Wednesday, March 31, 2010

NASCAR words and phrases that must end

The one thing I truly love about living in the Volunteer State are the four distinct seasons. We get to enjoy winter, spring, summer, and fall. Its also our privilege and obligation to gripe regularly about the current season and pine for the seasons to come.

I think NASCAR TV coverage has become a bit like Tennessee's seasons. When FOX is covering the races, we all complain and wait anxiously for TNT or ESPN to come on the scene. But then when the season of Ken Squier or Jerry Punch returns, then its "oh my, how soon before Mike Joy and those guys are back?"

With FOX (Cup) and ESPN (Nationwide) back on the air and a handful of early-season races already broadcast, its line-up of commentators has reminded me yet again of several words and phrases that simply must be eliminated from the lexicon of NASCAR TV coverage.

The Rabbits (all the time)
  • Bad fast - DW, Larry Mc, Steve Byrnes
  • Bad loose - Larry Mc
  • Bad boy - Jeff Hammond, DW
  • Boogity, boogity, boogity - Nuff said
  • Reach up thar, and pull them belts just one more time - Ditto
Mid-packers (frequent but not incessant)
  • Rocket (sometimes Rocket Ship) - Numerous announcers and drivers (originally created by Buddy Baker on TNN as a lispy "rocket thip")
  • Shootout style - Larry Mc, Kenny Wallace, Randy Pemberton, Jerry Punch, John Roberts - From what I've seen on FOX and ESPN so far this year, this one fortunately seems to be fading. I may soon be able to classify it as a "start and parker" for 2010.
  • All heck breaks loose - Rusty Wallace (Rusty, George Carlin told us the 7 words that can't be said on TV. "Hell" wasn't one of them.)
Start & parkers (the occasional but annoying)
  • Junebug - DW
  • Hisself - Larry Mc
  • [Anything said] - Hollywood Hotel's Jeff Hammond
Honorable mention
  • Know what I mean? - Kyle Petty - this one is more of a verbal tic than an overused, self-serving phrase. But KP does say it ... a lot.
This is just a short list of what comes to mind. Comment here about others to add to the list.

TMC

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