<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>It's cliché week in the NFL, which means fans and reporters get to hear the same old tired phrases about not looking ahead and doing or dying. The postseason does that to player and coaches alike, as if Bill Belichick has stepped inside their bodies as soon as a microphone is near. A few of the clichés do have some merit. After all, it's hard to take games beyond one at a time if you don't know who your next opponent is. But there are also those oft-used lines that really don't make any sense. Win or go home? Last time I checked, the losers aren't the only ones to go home after a game. Matt Hasselbeck is sleeping at the Hasselbeck house — win or lose — on Saturday night. It's time to separate the men from the boys? Guess that means both teams will line up on one sideline, while the kids who fetch the kicking tees will have the other sideline to themselves. Just in case some of these phrases have become so ingrained that you can't see through them, here is a look at some words that come out this time of year and why they make less sense than we think. "Do or die." Perhaps the most often heard phrase of the postseason, this statement is not completely accurate. If it was, Marty Schottenheimer would be on his ninth life by now. And Eli Manning's body parts would be strewn throughout the Bronx. "No pre-game pep talks needed this week." Perhaps not, but it's safe to assume the coaches are talking anyway. Does anything raise the pressure more than uncomfortable silence? If nothing else, a little pep talk might be good to calm the postseason jitters. "It's a must-win game." The Seahawks lost to Chicago last year, and yet Matt Hasselbeck, Shaun Alexander and Mike Holmgren still had jobs. A win will carry a team into the next round of the playoffs — that's it. "One and done." The phrase makes sense in hindsight, at least for those teams that lose (although it is a bit of an exaggeration, seeing as how the Seahawks didn't fold up operations after struggling to win playoff games earlier this decade). But it's inaccurate when used leading up to a game. One of the teams that play at Qwest Field will be done, but the other will play more than one. "You've got to leave it all on the field." Let's hope not. The thought of a naked Rocky Bernard walking away from his helmet, jersey, pads and jock strap are enough to make us forget Janet Jackson forever. "One week at a time." Hey, I'm just trying to get through the day. In fact, if I could find my car keys right now, that would be a pretty good start. A few of the age-old phrases were uttered this week as the Seahawks and Washington geared up for Saturday's game. Some examples: "This is what you dream about as a little kid," running back Shaun Alexander said. Actually, I dreamt of monsters with sharp teeth and high places and being strangled by snakes. Would have loved to have had a wild-card game enter my subconscious, but those thoughts must've been chased away by a man in a dark cape. "If you need hype for the playoffs, you might as well go get your regular 9-to-5," safety Deon Grant said last Sunday night. Actually, football players work more "regular" 9-to-5 hours than most of us. When's the last time you actually left at 5? Most of the players are out the door as soon as the eight-hour clock expires? When asked this week about making it to the postseason, Washington coach Joe Gibbs busted out a cliche by saying: "That's the good news. The bad news is, we're going to Seattle." Does that mean he doesn't like the Pacific Northwest? Guess he thinks it takes thousands of sleazy politicians to make a city great. Even Seattle's Mike Holmgren got into the act Thursday, saying: "You've got to have you're A-game." Apparently, if neither team plays well, nobody advances. And that would mean another bye for Green Bay, right? Wrong. The playoffs aren't nearly as simple as the clichés would make them out to be.</div> Source: Kitsapsun
I think "It is what it is" has become the most over used cliche of this century. If it isn't what it is...then what the hell is it ?
The philosophy that you got run the ball, defend the run, & play error free ball in order to have a chance is the "cliche" that annoys me.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Old Bob)</div><div class='quotemain'>I think "It is what it is" has become the most over used cliche of this century. If it isn't what it is...then what the hell is it ?</div> LOL, that was funny...
Oh yeah, almost forgot one. How about "we gotta protect the ball". From what? Ball virus?, a traveling band of ball-nappers?, the dreaded and little mentioned ball rot?
Jimmy Johnson had one yesterday ... "If you don't turn the ball over you have a chance to win any game. The Giants didn't turn the ball over, they won the game."
You've got to have you're A-game. Steelers brought their C game to SB XL and won the game what? lmao overall that cliche isn't as bad as the others but its getting a better school grade then the other team
Heard this one from Boomer the other day ... "You have to ask yourself, are they going to be able to weather the storm in the first half?"
Phil Simms: "No question about it, Jim,...(insert color commentary)" He prefixes with that phrase about 80 times per game.
