Argh! That’s it. An open letter to sports commentators everywhere. (At least in the US).
Look, when you refer to a team drafting or signing a player, I understand what you mean by drafting or signing “a (insert name here”). Tonight is was “getting an Anquan Bolden.” No. Arizona got Anquan Bolden. They didn’t get “an Anquan Bolden.”
How many varients have you heard of along these lines? “The Lakers were really smart in going out and getting a Kobe Bryant and signing a Shaq.” “The Ravens really hit gold with signing a Ray Lewis.” “St Louis always has a chance with an Albert Pujols.” And of course Madden is likely to blame in starting all this with, “The Packer’s found a gem when they we able to get a Brett Favre.”
It’s nitpicky (so have at it), but damnit you’re trying to make your pontifications sound so much more insightful and important than they really are.
What you’re trying to do is show the importance of the player to his team and sometimes to the game. The fans of the sport that realize that don’t need you to “make it your own.” Those that don’t know the difference between DiMaggio and Pujols aren’t even registering it.
“A guy like…”
That’s a little more down to earth. “If you want to bolster your LB corps, you go out and get a Ray Nitschke or a Brian Urlacher.”
Well, no. “You go out and get a guy that helps a team like Nitschke or Urlacher did…”
Not all 31 teams can go out and get “a Brian Urlacher.” Only one team can go out and get him, and Chicago ain’t letting go.
Anyway, back to enjoying the game.