C[edit]

carry the ball

American football, rugby, etc: To take charge, to assume responsibility. In
some ball games (for example American or Canadian football, rugby,
etc.), the ball can be carried to advance toward a goal. ADHI dates
figurative usage the "early 1900s".[1] Compare drop the ball, below.
come out fighting or come out swinging
Boxing: To go immediately on the offensive, often pre-emptively; or, to
strongly defend oneself or one's beliefs. CIDI,[2][3]

D[edit]
down and out
BoxingVV: Lacking money or prospects; penniless or destitute. A boxer
who is "down" has been knocked to the canvas, and one who is also "out"
is unconscious or unable to resume the fight; thus a down-and-out boxer
is utterly defeated. AHDI states the term "probably" came from boxing,
circa 1900;[4] OED references boxing rather obliquely, and cites first
figurative usage to 1889.[5]
down for the count; out for the count
Boxing: To be defeated. Refers to a boxer being knocked down; the
referee will count off ten seconds, the time allotted for the boxer to
regain his feet or lose the fight. Down for the count may imply a
temporary setback, as down does not necessarily imply out. AHDI dates
"down for the count" to the 1920s;[6] OED cites out for the count to 1930.
[7]
Compare take the full count, below.
down to the wire
Horse racing: To the very end or last minute. From the length of wire
stretched across a racetrack at the finish line. AHDI dates its figurative
use to about 1900.[8]
drop the ball
Baseball, rugby, American football, etc: To make an error, to miss an
opportunity. In games where a ball may be legally caught (e.g. baseball)
or carried (e.g. American football), a player (or the player's team) may be
penalized for dropping the ball; for example, an American football player
who drops a ball ("fumbles") risks having the ball recovered and carried
by the other team; in baseball, a player who drops a thrown or batted ball
may be charged with an error. AHDI dates the figurative usage to about
the 1950s.[9] Compare carry the ball, above.

drop the gloves

Ice hockey: To engage in a fight, whether figurative or literal. Refers to
the act of hockey players throwing off their gloves to punch with bare
knuckles.

E[edit]
end run
American football: An evasive tactic; an attempt to avoid or bypass
opposition. In America football, it is an attempt to run around one's own
end (of a line of players) and towards the goal. OED dates football usage
to 1902, figurative to 1952.[10]

F[edit]
full-court press
Basketball: An all-out effort to exert pressure. In basketball, full-court
press is an aggressive defence strategy in which the defenders put
pressure on the opposing team over the entire court, trying to disrupt
their dribbling and passing. AHDI cites the usage to the "late 1900s".
[11]
OED cites first basketball usage in 1976, and figurative usage in 1978,
but the cite itself states that the term was used figuratively in "the late
sixties".[12]

G[edit]
gambit
Boxing: A strategem or tactic; chess: an opening system that involves a
pawn sacrifice to gain the initiative right from the start. The term arrives
in modern parlance through chess, but originates in wrestling from the
Italian gambetto, tripping the opponent. OED cites the chess usage to
1656, the figurative usage to 1855.
get the ball rolling
Some ball games: To start an endeavour. Some ball games are started by
rolling a ball into play. AHDI dates to the late 18th century. [13] See
also keep the ball rolling, below.
glass jaw
Boxing: Vulnerability, especially of a public figure, to destructive criticism.
In boxing, a fighter who is especially vulnerable or susceptible to a
knockout is said to have a glass jaw.[14]
the gloves are of

Boxing, Hockey: See take off the gloves, below.

go the distance
Boxing: Carry through a course of action to completion. A boxer goes the
distance when he can fight through all the scheduled rounds. OED cites
the boxing idiom to 1934, but does not date its figurative usage. [15]
go to the mat
Wrestling: to engage in an argument or dispute, especially until one side
is victorious. In wrestling, it means to engage in a wrestling bout, the mat
being the surface on which the contest is fought. OED cites the wrestling
usage to 1908, the figurative to 1912;[16] however, AHDI states it has been
used in its figurative sense "since about 1900". [17]
move the goalposts
Football: to change the rules to make it difficult for others to achieve
something.

H[edit]
hands down
Horse racing: With great ease; unconditionally; often (and originally) in
the phrase to win hands down, in which a jockey, certain of victory, drops
his hands relaxes his hold on the reins. The horse-racing phrase is first
cited by OED in 1867, figurative usage in 1913.[18]
hail mary
Football: A long shot, a desperate last-ditch attempt
hat-trick
Cricket: A threefold feat in an endeavour. In cricket, a bowler who took
three wickets with three successive bowls was entitled to a new hat (or
some other prize) awarded by his club. OED cites to 1877, figurative to
1909.[19] Later used in many other team sports.
have someone in your corner
Boxing: To have the support or help of someone. A boxer's ringside
support staff second, cut man, etc. are in his corner, and assist him
between rounds.[20]
heavy hitter
Boxing: An important or influential individual or organization. Refers to a
boxer who is able to hit hard; AHDI states it "was transferred to other
enterprises in the mid-1900s".[21]

heavyweight
Boxing: A person of great influence or importance. In boxing, it is a
weight division of 175 pounds (79.5 kg) or higher, or a boxer fighting in
this division. OED dates the boxing usage to 1877 (it was previously used
in horse-racing), but does not cite or date the figurative usage. [22] See
also lightweight, below.
hit below the belt
Boxing: To act unfairly or unscrupulously, in disregard of the rules. To hit
an opponent below the belt is an illegal move in boxing. WNM dates this
use to "194146";[23] OED dates to 1891.[24] See low blow, below.
home stretch or homestretch
Horse racing: The final phase of an endeavour or project. On a
racecourse, the home stretch is the final part of track on which the race
finishes. OED dates racing usage to 1841, but does not date or cite a
figurative usage;[25] M-W defines a figurative use but does not date it.[26]
hospital pass
Rugby : Passing the ball to a player who is already marked and sure to be
tackled - implying being put into hospital by the severity of the inevitable
tackle.
hurler on the ditch
Hurling: A non-participant who criticises from outside. Derives from a
spectator (typically a man too old to play any more) criticising the players
whilst observing from an earth bank (a ditch; most hurling clubs do not
have stands so the crowd stand at the pitchside).[27][28]

I[edit]
in-fighting, infighting
Boxing: Close-quarter fighting. Also, conflict between members of the
same organization, often concealed from outsiders. Infighting in boxing is
fighting in close quarters; when the fighters are extremely close, it may
sometimes be difficult for spectators (or even the referee) to see each
blow. OED dates the boxing usage to 1812, and the first non-boxing
meaning to 1928, and the first non-physical meaning to 1960. [29] OED
does not refer to the second meaning, which is the one stated (but
undatd) by AHD and WordNet.[30]

K[edit]
kayo, K.O.

Boxing: To put out of commission. From the boxing phrase "knockout"

(knock unconscious), abbreviated "K.O." and pronounced and often
written as "kayo". OED dates "K.O." to 1922, figurative use to 1923;
[31]
"kayo" to 1923, figurative sense 1939.[32] See knockout, below.
keep one's eye on the ball
Ball games: To remain alert. In most games involving balls, it is important
for players to keep track of the ball. AHDI dates to circa 1900. [33]
keep the ball rolling
Some ball games: To keep a conversation or endeavour from flagging. In
some games, the ball must be kept moving or play stops. AHDI dates to
the late 18th century;[13]See also get the ball rolling, above.
kisser
The mouth or face. Although the etymology is obvious that which kisses
it apparently first appeared as boxing slang in 1860 (OED). [34]
knock for six
Cricket To surprise or shock (someone).[35]
knockout, knock-out
Boxing: In boxing a "knockout" is scored when one boxer "knocks out"
another boxer, either by striking him unconscious, or knocking him to the
canvas such that he cannot rise within a count of ten (a "technical
knockout"). AHD derives the figurative term from the boxing in the "early
20th century";[36] OED does not.[37] Both seem to suggest, however, that
the verb phrase "knock out" or "knock someone out" predates boxing.

L[edit]
lead with one's chin
Boxing: To speak without caution, or to leave oneself unprotected. Refers
to a boxer leaving his chin, a vulnerable point, unprotected. AHDI dates
this usage to the "mid-1900s";[38] OED cites Erle Stanley Gardner in 1949.
[39]

lightweight
Boxing: (A person or thing) of little importance, consequence, intelligence
or ability. In boxing, it is a weight division of boxers weighing no more
than 135 pounds or 60.7 kg, or a boxer who fights in that division. OED
cites boxing usage to 1823, figurative usage to 1885. [40]
low blow

Boxing: An unscrupulous or unfair attack, action, or insult. Refers to an

illegal blow aimed at the area below another boxer's waist or belt. AHDI
cites this usage to about 1950.[41] See hit below the belt, above.

M[edit]
Monday morning quarterback
American football: A person who criticizes or passes judgment with the
benefit of hindsight. Monday morning refers to the games played or
broadcast on Sunday, with criticisms leveled by commentators the
following week. See also hindsight bias and quarterback, below. OED cites
football usage to 1932.[42]

N[edit]
no holds barred
Wrestling: With all restrictions relaxed. The rules of wrestling bar or
proscribe certain holds or grips on one's opponent. OED cites figurative
usage to 1942,[43] while AHDI indicates its wrestling origins.[44]
by a nose
see win by a nose, below.

O[edit]
on the ropes
Boxing: On the verge of defeat. Refers to a boxer who has been knocked
against the ropes that enclose the boxing ring and kept there by the
blows of his opponent. OED cites the boxing usage to 1958, figurative use
to 1970.[45]
one-two (punch), the old one-two
Boxing An attack consisting of two punches in rapid succession with
alternate hands. OED cites boxing usage to 1811, figurative usage to
1948. The phrase the old one-two is cited in 1960, but quotes it from "a
more vulgarly robust age".[46]
out for the count
See down for the count, above.
out of the park, to hit it out of the park
Baseball: To be wildly successful, to exceed expectations.

P[edit]
par for the course

Golf: Typical; what is expected. Derived from the literal meaning of par for
the course in golf.[47]
play ball (with)
Baseball: To cooperate (with) or act fairly (with). Derives from a baseball
umpire's call to "Play ball!" to start a game. AHDI dates the term to the
late 19th century;[48] OED dates the figurative usage to 1903.[49]
pull one's punches
Boxing: To use less force than one is capable of; to be gentle or lenient. In
boxing, a boxer who holds back from using all his strength is said to pull
his punches. Often used in a negative sense, in the phrase "pull no
punches". The boxing term dates to 1934, the figurative to 1937 (OED). [50]
punch-drunk
Boxing: dazed, bewildered, or confused; or behaving in such a manner. In
boxing, it refers to Dementia pugilistica, a neurological disorder in boxers
triggered by repeated dazing blows or punches to the head over an
extended period of time; symptoms include dementia, inappropriate
behaviour, slurring of speech, etc., which resemble symptoms of alcoholic
intoxication (hence punch-drunk). Figuratively, it refers to a state of
dazedness or confusion resulting from fatigue, overwork, burnout,
continuous exposure to unpleasant situations, or perhaps even emotional
upheaval, as in suffering repeated figurative blows to one's ego,
emotional well-being, etc. OED dates the boxing usage to 1918, the
figurative to 1934.[51] See punchy, slap-happy, below..
punchy
Boxing: See punch-drunk, above; also, in a state of nervous tension,
fatigued. OED cites as synonym for "punch-drunk" to 1937, alternate
meaning to 1943.[52] See punch-drunk, above, slap-happy, below.
push it over the goal line
American Football: Complete the activity or project, finish to job. Value of
work often has little value until its completion. In American football, a
team's drive to move the football down the field doesn't count until the
ball crosses the goal line.

Q[edit]
quarterback
American football: One who directs or leads; a mastermind; also used as
a verb, to quarterback. It is also used as a term for a supporter or critic of
a football team or game, and by extension, an uninvolved observer who

criticizes or second-guesses; see Monday morning quarterback, above. In

American football, the quarterback is the player on the field responsible
for coordinating and directing play, and the one to whom the ball is
snapped at the beginning of each play. OED cites figurative use of
"leader" to 1961;[42] it dates the verb usage to 1952, a cite which in itself
cites the term to 1945.[53]

R[edit]
ringer
Horse racing: An impostor, especially one who misrepresents his or her
identity or ability in order to gain an advantage in a competition. In horse
racing, when a fast horse was substituted for a slower one that it
resembled (a "ring-in"), the term now applies to any athlete entered in a
team competition under false pretenses in order to gain a competitive
advantage by strengthening the team.[54][55]
ringside judge
Boxing: A person who follows a topic or situation closely. In boxing,
the ringside judges who score a boxing match sit at the ringside
table (see below), and thus have an excellent view of the proceedings.
OED cites this use to 1976.[56]
ringside seat, ringside table
Boxing: A place providing a good view of something. In boxing, a ringside
seat is immediately adjacent to the ring in which the boxers fight, as is
the ringside table, at which the ringside judges (see above) sit. OED
cites ringside seat to 1934, ringside table to 1929.[56]
roll with the punches
Boxing: To take adversity in stride; to adapt to difficult circumstances. A
boxer who "rolls with the punches" moves his body away from the force
of a blow so as to lessen their impact. OED cites the boxing term to 1941,
the figurative to 1956.[57]
round
Boxing: A single phase of an endeavour or contest: "The defence attorney
started round two by filing a writ of habeas corpus." Also, an encounter,
often confrontational, as in the phrase go a few rounds or go a couple of
rounds: "I went a couple of rounds with the ex-wife's lawyer." A round in
boxing is one of a set number of small contests (usually three minutes)
that make up the entire match. OED dates the boxing term to 1812,
extends it to battling animals in 1846, then to a figurative sense in 1937.
[58]

run interference
American football: To handle problems for another person or to clear the
way for another. In American football, a player who runs
interference interferes or obstructs opponents to let the ball carrier
advance. AHDI dates the usage to the mid-20th century. [59]

S[edit]
saved by the bell
Boxing: to be saved from misfortune or unpleasantness by a timely
interruption. Alludes to a boxer who is knocked to the canvas, and must
regain his feet before a count of ten or lose the contest; if the bell
signalling the end of the round is rung before the count is finished, the
fighter now has until the start of the next round to recover and resume
fighting. ADHI dates this to the "mid-1900s";[60] OED cites first boxing use
in 1932, figurative use in 1959.[61]
sideline; on/from the sidelines
Sports: To remove from participation. A player who it is injured, benched,
etc. is removed from play and forced to sit on or observe from the
sidelines. The sidelines themselves are the lines on the side of the
playing field which define the playing area from that of spectators, nonplaying team members, etc. OED defines sidelines in terms of
"spec[ifically] Football and other sports", figurative use from 1934. [62] See
also bench.
slam dunk, slam-dunk
Basketball: A forceful, dramatic move, especially against someone. In
basketball, it is a forceful shot in which the player jumps to the basket
and slams the ball in. OED only cites the basketball definition, and that to
1976;[63] AHDI cites a figurative usage from "about 1980 on".[64] Figurative
usage commonly includes the sense of "can't miss", a sure thing [65]
slap-happy
Boxing: Synonym for punch-drunk, above; also, dizzy with happiness;
carefree, casual, thoughtless, irresponsible. The "punch-drunk" meaning
OED cites to 1936; the "dizzy" meaning appears two years later. The
"carefreeetc" connotation appears in 1937; [66] it appears the evolution of
the idiomatic meaning was influenced by the element "happy" over that
of "slap".
sparring partner
Boxing: A person with whom one routinely argues or enjoys arguing.
Refers to a boxer who is hired to practise with another for training

purposes.[67] Other phrases such as "sparring match" (for a verbal

argument), and even the verb "to spar" (to bandy words), may actually
come from cockfighting.[68]
square of
Boxing: To assume a fighting stance or attitude. In boxing, the term
derives from the square shape of the ring, and the stance fighters
assume immediately before the fight commences. AHD derives the
figurative use from boxing in a note at the entry knockout.[36] OED does
not specifically refer to boxing, but cites a physical fighting usage to 1838
and a figurative in 1873.[69]
Sticky wicket
Cricket: a metaphor used to describe a difficult circumstance. It
originated as a term to describe difficult playing conditions, caused by a
damp and soft pitch.
Stumped
Cricket: to be out due to the wicket-keeper disrupting the stumps with the
batsman being out of their ground. Batsmen who are out stumped do not
often realise what has happened until they are asked to walk away from
the pitch.
sucker punch
Boxing: An unexpected blow. In boxing, a sucker punch is one delivered
unexpectedly. OED dates boxing term to 1947, but does not cite first
figurative usage.
Sunday punch
Boxing: A destructive blow to an opponent as in "knocked him into next
Sunday". In boxing, a Sunday punch is a knockout blow. WordNet refers to
it specifically in terms of boxing.[70] OED cites a meaning as a knockout
punch to 1929, figurative use to 1944, but does not ascribe it to the sport
of boxing directly.

T[edit]
take a dive
Boxing: To pretend or feign, with intent to deceive. Refers to boxers who
would pretend to be knocked out by a light or even non-existent punch,
thus intentionally losing the fight; this was one method of losing a "fixed"
fight (one with an unlawfully prearranged outcome). OED gives the
boxing reference as 1952, the non-boxing in 1982. [71] Also infootball
take it on the chin

Boxing: To suffer misfortune or defeat. It alludes to taking a physical blow

on the chin; AHDI dates this usage to the "first half of [the] 1900s";
[72]
OED, however, qualifies this definition, adding "courageously", and
citing its first use to 1928.[73]
take of the gloves
Boxing, ice hockey: To attack earnestly, without mercy. Boxing gloves are
worn for protection of the boxer's hands and to lessen the impact of the
punches; bare-knuckle boxing is much more savage and dangerous. Used
also in ice hockey, as two (or more) players signal their intention
to fight by dropping their gloves. Often used as in the gloves are off,
meaning the fight or dispute has escalated (CIDI [74]). This phrase may
derive from earlier forms; the boxing sense OED cites to 1922, the
figurative to 1928.[75]
take the (full) count
Boxing: To be defeated. Refers to a boxer being knocked down, the
referee counting off ten seconds, the time allotted for the boxer to regain
his feet or lose the fight. A boxer who takes the full count accepts defeat.
OED cites this usage in 1902.[7] Compare down for the count, above
throw in the towel
Boxing: To surrender, admit defeat. Originally throw up the
sponge or chuck up the sponge; OED cites "from the practice of throwing
up the sponge used to cleanse the combatants' faces, at a prize~fight, as
a signal that the mill is concluded." (1860) [76] The phrase throw in the
towel in a non-boxing sense first dates to 1916 in a book by C. J. Dennis.
[76]

throw one's hat into the ring

Boxing: To signify one's candidacy for (political) office or election; to enter
a contest. In early days of boxing, one signified a challenge by throwing
one's hat into the boxing ring. AHDI cites the boxing use to 1900; [77] OED
cites the figurative to 1928.[78]
thursday morning tippy tappys
Soccer:A person who criticizes or passes judgement with benefit of
hindsight. Thursday morning refers to the Champions League games
played or broadcast midweek, usually on Wednesday nights.

U[edit]
under the wire

Horse racing: At the very last moment; in the nick of time; barely within
some accepted parameters or limits. "The report was handed in just
under the wire." Or, "At five-foot-five, he was under the wire for the
height requirement for enlistment." From the practice of stretching a wire
over the finish line at a racetrack. AHDI dates to the first half of the 20th
century;[79] OED dates the horse-racing term to 1889 and the figurative
sense to 1929.[80]

W[edit]
win by a nose
Horse racing: To succeed by a very narrow margin. "Our bid for the
construction contract won by a nose." In horse racing, it describes a win
so close that only the nose of the winning horse came in ahead of the
other. AHDI dates the sports usage to about 1900, the figurative to
sometime after 1950.[81] OED, however, cites a literal usage in 1851, but
does not cite a figurative usage until 1997, and that in the phrase "lost by
a nose."[82]
wheelhouse
Baseball: A person's area of expertise,or where they are most
comfortable. In baseball this is the part of an individual's swinging range
in which as a hitter they can make the best contact with the ball. If a
pitch is right in your wheelhouse it is right where you want it, in the spot
where you have the best chance of hitting it well.[83]
work out, work-out, workout
Boxing: To exercise or practice, especially in terms of physical training;
also, the act of working out. Work out was a term for boxing for practice
as opposed to a set contest. OED gives the earliest boxing reference as
1927, non-boxing as 1929.[84]

He's a physical player.

PLAYER ANALYSIS
He's an impact player.

He's an explosive player.

He's a tough, hard-nosed player.

He's a scrappy player.

He's a leader on and off the field.

He's an unselfish player.

He's their workhorse.

He's a finesse player.

He's their floor general.

He's some kind of player. (Mind telling us

what kind?)

He's their field general.

He can take over a game.

He can flat out play.
He's a proven winner.
He has a passion for the game.
He's a serious student of the game.

The team looks to him for leadership.

He's their playmaker.
He's as good a player as there is in this league.
He's a warrior.
He can carry the team on his shoulders.

He has great baseball IQ.

He's their go-to guy when the game's on the

line.

He has a great feel for the game.

He always comes through in the clutch.

You can't say enough about him.

He thrives under pressure.

He's one of the best in the business.

He's got ice-water in his veins.

He's the real deal.

He has a tireless work ethic.

He's legit.

He plays with a lot of emotion.

He's in a league of his own.

He plays with reckless abandon.

He's silenced all the critics.

He's all heart.

He's silenced all the naysayers.

He has great instincts.

He's their spark plug.

He has a killer instinct.

He's their role player.

He has elevated his game.

He understands his role on this team.

He can take you to school.

He's the consumate team player.

He's really been in the zone.

He's a good guy to have in your locker room.

He's really been in the groove.

He's a steady player.

He's been feeling it.

He's a complete player.

He's finally playing his natural position.

He's a real throwback.

He's on top of his game.

They count on him week in and week out.

He knows what it takes to win.

He's the heart and soul of this team.

He's really coming into his own.

He's the unsung hero on this team.

He's finally getting his due.

This has been his breakout season.

He's the stalwart of their defense.

He's having a career year.

He has a rifle for an arm.

He let's the game come to him.

He's built low to the ground.

He makes it look easy.

He has a low center of gravity.

You can't stop him; you can only hope to

contain him.

He's a speed merchant.

He has speed to burn.

Just watching him is worth the price of

admission.

He has blazing speed.

He has a nose for the ball.

He has blinding speed.

He'll have his game-face on.

He can turn on the jets.

His ability to do that is just uncanny.

He can turn on the after-burners.

He's got game.

He has both speed and quickness.

He has great vision.

He has eyes on the back of his head.

He's a cutter and a slasher. (Fallen out of

favor in the wake of the O.J. Simpson
murders)

He has great lateral mobility.

He's poetry in motion.

He moves well for a big man.

He's the best player you've never heard of.

He has a great pair of hands.

He's the league's most underrated player.

He has lightning-fast reflexes.

He does things that don't show up in the stat

column.

He has cat-quick reflexes.

He has the heart of a champion.
He makes the players around him better.
He's the glue that holds this team together.
He can break the game wide open.

Last week was his coming-out party.

He's a rookie sensation.
He's a highly touted freshman.
He's a talented young freshman. (Aren't all
freshmen young?)

He can make things happen out there.

He gets stronger as the game goes on.
He makes his presence known out there.
He plays bigger than his size.
He's an integral part of their offense.
He adds a new dimension to their offense.
He has a linebacker mentality.

TEAMS GOING UP
He's a good X's and O's coach.
He runs a squeaky-clean program. (Said
when any college team has not been under
NCAA investigation within the last 5 years)
They're a blue collar team.

They've gone to a youth movement.

These guys have been working their tails off.

They've got tremendous mental toughness.

These guys have been busting their butts.

They're a dark horse team.

They're finally getting the respect they

deserve.

This team is showing flashes of brilliance.

They're finally hitting their stride.
This team is really starting to gel.
This team is starting to make some noise.
This could be a sleeper team.
They're a team to be reckoned with.
Everybody's on the same page.
The players have bought into the system.
They're doing all the little things you need to
win.
This team is not going to sneak up on
anybody.
This team has turned the corner.
This team has raised the bar.
They've gotten over the hump.
This team has finally gotten off the schneid.
They're loaded this year.
They have a strong supporting cast.
They've added a new wrinkle to their offense.
This team travels well.
Those players form their nucleus.
He's really whipped them into shape.
He's got them headed in the right direction.
This team takes on the personality of their
coach.
He must challenge his players.

They've been playing with confidence.

They've got great team chemistry.
This team is like a family.
They've got die-hard fans.
The city has rallied around this team.
You have to respect their quickness.
You have to respect their athleticism.
You have to respect their
physicality. (`Physicality' was invented by
college basketball analyst Clark Kellogg and
is currently spreading to different
announcers)
They do a great job defensively.
They're a multi-faceted team.
They're an offensive-minded team.
They have a high-octane offense.
They have a potent offense.
They've got a lot of depth.
They pride themselves on their defense.
They have a stingy defense.
They have a swarming defense.
They play tough "D".
They play tenacious defense.
They play punishing defense.
They play tremendous pressure defense.

They play in-your-face defense.

Theyve been on a roll.
Theyre over-achievers.
They can go the distance.
They won't be denied.
They strike fear in the hearts of their
opponents.
Theyve come out of nowhere.
Theyve returned from oblivion.
What an incredible turnaround.
They're a real Cinderella story.
They're having a storybook season.
They're having a dream season.

Theyre a better team than their record

indicates.
They're no pushovers.
They give you so many different looks.
They have a lot of weapons.
They've got a tremendous ballclub.
This franchise has a storied past.
They're the winningest team in league
history. Winningest?
They can put up big numbers.
They're playing with swagger.
They're a team of destiny.
They're on a mission.