Date:  Thu, 6 Nov 1997 14:51:39 EST
From:  Monkmag <Monkmag[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: "my bad" and other bounceball terminology

In a message dated 11/6/97 8:59:58 AM, you wrote:

<<In addition to "my bad" there are many other words and phrases used on the
basketball court that weren't used when I started playing in 1945. And
there are some that have been lost. Back then when someone stayed back on
offense in order to get a long pass and make an easy basketball, he was
called a "radioman" or "snowbird." I never hear "radioman" any more and
haven't for many years, and "snowbird" isn't used much any more either. We
used to play "bounceball." Now people "shoot some hoops." The phrases
"pick-up" and "make it, take it" came in, I think, about the same time as
"my bad." Since the sixties we have new names for positions, too--point
guard, shooting guard, wings, and power forwards. And sports announcers
have added accounting terms such as "triple double" Rule changes have led
us to coin "three pointer," "possession arrow," "twenty-four second clock,"
and "lane violation."
Dick Heaberlin>>

Of course, there are distinctions between pick-up ball, and professional or
college ball. What the announcers on television or radio use is often
different from what is used on the playground. And different from what even
the pro and college players use amongst themselves. I cover a lot of these
uniquely "pickup ball" terms in How To Talk American, and leave out most of
the announcer terms. Though even there there's many new additions, as in "2
guard," as opposed to shooting guard. "Small forward" is another.... When I
have more time I'll really go off on these new additions. For now, I leave it
to ADS, Bill Walton and, of course, Bitin' Marv Albert.