Sports Terms Glossary

A glossary of some sports terms and their office usage:

FUMBLE: Dropping or losing control of the football.

“Burns really fumbled the ball in thinking that product would sell. I don’t know if the company will be able to recover.”

GOAL-LINE STAND: In football, when the defense is able to keep the offensive team from scoring in the end zone when the ball is just short of the goal line.

“The competition is really chewing into our profits. We need to come up with a new business strategy and make a goal-line stand.”

HONORS: In golf, the right to tee off first by virtue of the low score--a good thing in golf--on the previous hole.

“Jones, you’ve got the honors in making your presentation to the board. We’ll follow you.”

PUNT: To give up the football by kicking it to the other team. Usually follows failure to get a first down and retain possession of the ball.

“Let’s punt the problem to marketing. There’s nothing else we can do.”

ROUGH: In golf, the area off of the fairway where the grass allowed to grow higher. Hitting the ball from the rough is usually more difficult than a fairway shot.

“We’ve got to come up with a new angle because business is down. Profits are in the rough.”

TOUCHDOWN: To score by crossing the goal line with the football.

“We scored a touchdown with that new widget. Sales are through the roof!”

WHIFF: To swing and completely miss the golf ball.

“Looks like old Snodgrass really whiffed on his presentation to investors. They’re talking to another agency now.”