# Nicknames for parts of a sports team.(Not the whole team) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 9, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-for-parts-of-a-sports-team-not-the-whole-team/634241 "2012-09-09T22:00:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-for-parts-of-a-sports-team-not-the-whole-team/634241/61 "2012-09-13T16:09:16Z")
Georgia Tech basketball had the “Lethal Weapon 3:” > [@](#): > > In the 1990 tournament, the trio of Kenny Anderson, Dennis Scott, & Brian Oliver (nicknamed “Lethal Weapon 3”) carried the Yellow Jackets all the way to the Final Four NC State basketball had “Fire and Ice:” > [@](#): > > Fire and Ice, a nickname for Chris Corchiani and Rodney Monroe, basketball teammates at N.C. State from 1988 to 1991 ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-for-parts-of-a-sports-team-not-the-whole-team/634241/62 "2012-09-13T18:56:37Z")
The Houston Rockets’ Twin Towers - Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson Not a popular one really, but the SF Giants’ Pacific Sack Exchange: Will Clark and Kevin Mitchell (although legend has it that a newspaper contest to nickname the pair was actually won by “A Great Pair of Knockers”). The Boston Bruins’ Kraut Line - Milt Schmidt, Bobby Bauer, Woody Dumart, all of whom came from Kitchener, Ontario, btw. The Boston Bruins’ Uke (Ukrainian) Line - John Bucyk, Vic Stasiuk, Bronco Horvath ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-for-parts-of-a-sports-team-not-the-whole-team/634241/63 "2012-09-13T21:39:46Z")
The 1984 Cubs had the Daily Double at the top of their lineup: Bob Dernier and Ryne Sandberg. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-for-parts-of-a-sports-team-not-the-whole-team/634241/64 "2012-09-13T22:39:18Z")
As I recall the 1970s NFL, once the Vikings had the Purple People Eaters and the Steelers had the Steel Curtain, then \*every \*team had to name their defense, whether or not they were particularly notable. I always liked U of Houston’s basketball team, Phi Slamma Jamma (although not a subset of the team, so it doesn’t qualify). ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-for-parts-of-a-sports-team-not-the-whole-team/634241/65 "2012-09-14T02:06:39Z")
Very briefly, the Mets had the Mobile Outfield – Cleon Jones, Tommy Agee, and Amos Otis, all from Mobile Alabama. Of course, being the Mets, they traded away the best of the three. The Mets also had “The Best (Defensive) Infield Ever” in 1999: John Olerud, Edgardo Alfonzo, Robin Ventura, and Rey Ordonez. _Sports Illustrated_ came up with the nickname, which was a pretty accurate description for their defense that year. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-for-parts-of-a-sports-team-not-the-whole-team/634241/66 "2012-09-14T02:08:49Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > As I recall the 1970s NFL, once the Vikings had the Purple People Eaters and the Steelers had the Steel Curtain, then \*every \*team had to name their defense, whether or not they were particularly notable. > > I always liked U of Houston’s basketball team, Phi Slamma Jamma (although not a subset of the team, so it doesn’t qualify). Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon and Clyde “The Glide” Drexler! ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-for-parts-of-a-sports-team-not-the-whole-team/634241/67 "2012-09-14T04:01:58Z")
> [@Harborwolf](#): > > From the Detroit Red Wings: > > Russian Five: Vladimir Konstantinov, Slava Fetisov, Igor Larionov, Sergei Federov, Slava Koslov. > > The Grind Line: Kirk Maltby, Kris Draper, Darren McCarty. > > Two kids and a goat: Boyd Devereaux and Pavel Datsyuk were the kids. Brett Hull was the goat. Not long before that was the Bruise Brothers, Joey Kocur and Bob Probert. ---
**Author:** ![Josh\_Winepuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4da419/32.png) [@Josh\_Winepuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Josh_Winepuck)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-for-parts-of-a-sports-team-not-the-whole-team/634241/68 "2012-09-14T05:47:02Z")
The Fab Four: the star-studded midfield of the Brisbane Lions 2001-2003 threepeat team. Included captain Michael Voss, Jason Akermanis, Nigel Lappin and Simon Black (Australian Football League). ---
**Author:** ![denquixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@denquixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denquixote)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-for-parts-of-a-sports-team-not-the-whole-team/634241/69 "2012-09-14T05:58:02Z")
Louisville’s “Doctors of DunK” Michigan’s “Fab Five” ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-for-parts-of-a-sports-team-not-the-whole-team/634241/70 "2012-09-14T10:32:47Z")
Boston Celtics “Big Three” - Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-for-parts-of-a-sports-team-not-the-whole-team/634241/71 "2012-09-14T10:35:40Z")
> [@echo7tango](#): > > Boston Celtics “Big Three” - Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen. Actually, they are the “New Big Three”. The original Celtics “Big Three” was Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parrish. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-for-parts-of-a-sports-team-not-the-whole-team/634241/72 "2012-09-14T10:41:48Z")
The “Blitzburgh Defense” of the 1995 Steelers as they went to Super Bowl XXX. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-for-parts-of-a-sports-team-not-the-whole-team/634241/73 "2012-09-14T12:22:15Z")
Going way back, The $100,000 Infield of the Philadelphia A’s in the 1910s. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-for-parts-of-a-sports-team-not-the-whole-team/634241/74 "2012-09-14T18:03:17Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > . . .the SF Giants’ Pacific Sack Exchange: Will Clark and Kevin Mitchell. . . I think you meant “Sock Exchange,” not “Sack Exchange.” ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-for-parts-of-a-sports-team-not-the-whole-team/634241/75 "2012-09-14T21:06:28Z")
Triple Crown Line: Dave Taylor, Charlie Simmer, and Marcel Dionne. [Here are more nicknames for hockey lines.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ice_hockey_line_nicknames) When the Ducks won the cup in 2007, I fondly called the top line of the Ottawa Senators, “The ASH Line”, because they got shut down and burned often when they were on the ice against the Ducks defense…Alfredsson, Spezza and Heatley. ---
**Author:** ![RetroVertigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@RetroVertigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RetroVertigo)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-for-parts-of-a-sports-team-not-the-whole-team/634241/76 "2012-09-15T03:37:18Z")
University of Nebraska defense - Blackshirts [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-for-parts-of-a-sports-team-not-the-whole-team/634241.md?page=3)