I think it’s a golf term. When you drive, the ball lands and bounces a time or two. Sometimes it rolls towards the cup, sometimes it veers off, and sometimes it ends up in the tall grass, but at that point, it’s out of your hands.
Mr. Rilch thinks it’s a baseball term. I think not, because if the ball lands before a fielder catches it, it’s his job to go after it, no matter what direction that may be.
Friend thinks it a basketball term. Now that I really can’t see. A basketball is supposed to bounce the way the player wants it to. If it does otherwise, that’s his error, not fate.
(I didn’t hit the ‘Submit Reply’ button. My mouse is over there to my left looking innocent…)
I was just going to clarify that I meant American Football (Gridiron to some). The irregular shape of the ball when it is actually kicked lends itself to this kind of saying.
:smack:
For what it’s worth, according to someone at BYU, it was coined there referring to raquetball.
“Fun Fact: Did you know that the Richards Building also contains a large number of indoor raquetball courts, and that BYU women have won several collegiate national championships in raquetball? The term “that’s the way the ball bounces” was actually coined here at BYU by raquetball players to explain how to hit various shots in raquetball. The term “he/she/they came to play” was actually coined at BYU also, and refers to kids coming to the Richards Building to play various sports or swim. It has been adopted by sportscasters everywhere when they have run out of meaningful things to say about any motivated or well-prepared sports team.”
Personally, I think it applies to whatever sport you’re playing when someone tries to mollify you after a bad break.
Usually about as comforting as “It’ll feel better once it stops hurting.”
