Minor things that annoy you-sports edition

[Takumi]

the MLS

Not grammatically correct, and few people would make the mistake of using "the MLB".

Unfortunately, "the MLB"  is a phrase that's growing in use. I suspect "the MLS"  is too.

[Big John]

Replay absolutists. I'm watching the Minnesota high school hockey championships, which are at the Xcel Energy Center where the Minnesota Wild play, so the high school league makes use of the NHL's replay review equipment. Officials spent 3 minutes going over the same 3 frames of a frame-by-frame breakdown of a possible offside review that could have negated a goal. It was inconclusive and the goal stood.

It's high school. We don't need NHL-style professional reviewing frame by frame like this. And I know most people disagree with me at this point, they think that it would be wrong not to use the technology as much as needed for every possible situation that calls for it.

Just because we can do a thing, does not mean we should do a thing.

I thought there was no replay in high school sports and having the replay equipment available for a playoff game was no exception.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Replay absolutists. I'm watching the Minnesota high school hockey championships, which are at the Xcel Energy Center where the Minnesota Wild play, so the high school league makes use of the NHL's replay review equipment. Officials spent 3 minutes going over the same 3 frames of a frame-by-frame breakdown of a possible offside review that could have negated a goal. It was inconclusive and the goal stood.

It's high school. We don't need NHL-style professional reviewing frame by frame like this. And I know most people disagree with me at this point, they think that it would be wrong not to use the technology as much as needed for every possible situation that calls for it.

Just because we can do a thing, does not mean we should do a thing.

I thought there was no replay in high school sports and having the replay equipment available for a playoff game was no exception.

It was mentioned on TV during a MN HS football championship game at US Bank Stadium a few years ago that Minnesota's high school sports governing body had asked for special permission to be allowed to use replay review systems (not sure if they had to apply for all sports individually or were given a blanket permission to use replay in any facility that contains the systems).

[formulanone]

the MLS

Not grammatically correct, and few people would make the mistake of using "the MLB".

Unfortunately, “the MLB” is a phrase that’s growing in use. I suspect “the MLS” is too.

That's a function of using initialisms as words, because emelbee or emelless are not yet words.

Unless you're Ukraine, it's time to get over it.

[SP Cook]

Also still common is "The Czech Republic" rather than "Czechia".  You could use the same form for lots of place, such as "The French Republic" or "The Republic of Nicaragua", but this is very rare in common speech. 

Back to sports, people that assume that a person is a fan of the university named for the state.  I have a friend who is from Duluth, and his main team is UMD hockey.  Has no interest in "Minnesota" AKA UMTC.  People assume he cares about Gopher football and basketball, he doesn't, and he hates Gopher hockey.  Another friend went to Auburn and people will "Roll Tide" him when he says he is from Alabama.  Personally, I have no use for the university in my state named for the state, in athletics or generally.  It is a money pit that should be closed.

[1995hoo]

the MLS

Not grammatically correct, and few people would make the mistake of using "the MLB".

Unfortunately, "the MLB"  is a phrase that's growing in use. I suspect "the MLS"  is too.

I've never understood why anyone thinks either of those is correct. The full name doesn't take the article other than when the name is used adjectivally (e.g., "the Major League Baseball season is delayed this year), so the abbreviation doesn't either.

[NWI_Irish96]

the MLS

Not grammatically correct, and few people would make the mistake of using "the MLB".

Unfortunately, "the MLB"  is a phrase that's growing in use. I suspect "the MLS"  is too.

I've never understood why anyone thinks either of those is correct. The full name doesn't take the article other than when the name is used adjectivally (e.g., "the Major League Baseball season is delayed this year), so the abbreviation doesn't either.

Along a similar vein, in a few days we'll start seeing TV listings for the "NIT Tournament" and then "MLB Baseball"

[ilpt4u]

the MLS
Not grammatically correct, and few people would make the mistake of using "the MLB".

Unfortunately, "the MLB"  is a phrase that's growing in use. I suspect "the MLS"  is too.

I've never understood why anyone thinks either of those is correct. The full name doesn't take the article other than when the name is used adjectivally (e.g., "the Major League Baseball season is delayed this year), so the abbreviation doesn't either.

In both cases, the League abbreviated name is being substituted in place of the generic "the league"  - so in that sense, "the MLS"  or "the MLB"  makes grammatical sense. It is the (shorthand) name of the Professional League, that each league markets itself as

In this sense, "the NASCAR"  would also be correct, and even when said fully "The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing..."  the use of "the"  here actually is grammatically correct with the full meaning of the abbreviation, but "NASCAR"  is not commonly used that way as a noun

No one would say The Major League Soccer...; The Major League Baseball...; but usage in place of "the league"  is spot on correct

[ilpt4u]

Along a similar vein, in a few days we'll start seeing TV listings for the "NIT Tournament" and then "MLB Baseball"

"NIT Tournament"  is right up there with "ATM Machine"

NIT stands for National Invitational Tournament...So NIT Tournament is National Invitational Tournament Tournament

"MLB Baseball"  isn't much better: Major League Baseball Baseball, just in case you were looking for Major League Baseball Soccer, or Major League Baseball Football, or Major League Baseball Softball (OK, I could see an MLB-ran Womens Softball league someday, along the lines of the NBA/WNBA relationship)

[snowc]

NIT is the losers tournament. 
Syracuse is a loser, and they will always be. 
Just gonna have to wait until later this year, as Hurricane Matthew destroyed the area in 2016, and they WERE NOT in there in 2016. 

[Alps]

NIT is the losers tournament.
Syracuse is a loser, and they will always be.
Just gonna have to wait until later this year, as Hurricane Matthew destroyed the area in 2016, and they WERE NOT in there in 2016.

your use of emoji annoys me

[Takumi]

the MLS
Not grammatically correct, and few people would make the mistake of using "the MLB".

Unfortunately, "the MLB"  is a phrase that's growing in use. I suspect "the MLS"  is too.

I've never understood why anyone thinks either of those is correct. The full name doesn't take the article other than when the name is used adjectivally (e.g., "the Major League Baseball season is delayed this year), so the abbreviation doesn't either.

In both cases, the League abbreviated name is being substituted in place of the generic "the league"  - so in that sense, "the MLS"  or "the MLB"  makes grammatical sense. It is the (shorthand) name of the Professional League, that each league markets itself as

In this sense, "the NASCAR"  would also be correct, and even when said fully "The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing..."  the use of "the"  here actually is grammatically correct with the full meaning of the abbreviation, but "NASCAR"  is not commonly used that way as a noun

No one would say The Major League Soccer...; The Major League Baseball...; but usage in place of "the league"  is spot on correct

I'm going to start using "the NASCAR"  now.

[GaryV]

Pretending that the NCAA b-ball tournament brackets really reflect East, South, Midwest and West locations.

[snowc]

NIT is the losers tournament.
Syracuse is a loser, and they will always be.
Just gonna have to wait until later this year, as Hurricane Matthew destroyed the area in 2016, and they WERE NOT in there in 2016.

your use of emoji annoys me

lol. 

[kphoger]

Pretending that the NCAA b-ball tournament brackets really reflect East, South, Midwest and West locations.

FTFY

[hotdogPi]

Pretending that the NCAA b-ball tournament brackets really reflect East, South, Midwest and West locations.

FTFY

Nope. It was correct before, since it was being used as an adjective. (Your modification doesn't make it wrong; either way works.)

[kphoger]

Pretending that the NCAA b-ball tournament brackets really reflect East, South, Midwest and West locations.

FTFY

Nope. It was correct before, since it was being used as an adjective.

sarcasm

[SP Cook]

I would lay $100 that, within 10 years, the NCAA will rename the regions something like Coca-Cola region, Draft Kings region, Buick region, and McDonald's region.

[Buck87]

Pretending that the NCAA b-ball tournament brackets really reflect East, South, Midwest and West locations.

Not understanding that a pod system to limit overall travel in the first weekend has been in place for 20 years now and that the regional names refer only to the venues of the 2nd weekend.

[SP Cook]

Not really.  The move of the first/second rounds to a "pod system"  was not to cut travel.  The NCAA is loaded and the cost of travel is not an issue.  It is to sell tickets. 

As big a deal as the NCAAs are, tickets to the early games can be fairly easy to score.  Not that many people in Atlanta are going to take off work on a Thursday to see Texas Tech play Minnesota. 

Thus, the bigger schools with the big followings get sent as near home as they can be.    Then in the second week the venues are actually marginally geographically in the places they are, although the same city has been "east"  one year and "south"  another. 

But if you go back far enough, the regional tournaments really were regional.    You had to win your league, or be a very good independent (independent was a thing back then) and you went to the regional tournament in YOUR region, every year. 

[NWI_Irish96]

Not really.  The move of the first/second rounds to a "pod system"  was not to cut travel.  The NCAA is loaded and the cost of travel is not an issue.  It is to sell tickets. 

As big a deal as the NCAAs are, tickets to the early games can be fairly easy to score.  Not that many people in Atlanta are going to take off work on a Thursday to see Texas Tech play Minnesota. 

Thus, the bigger schools with the big followings get sent as near home as they can be.  Then in the second week the venues are actually marginally geographically in the places they are, although the same city has been "east"  one year and "south"  another. 

But if you go back far enough, the regional tournaments really were regional.    You had to win your league, or be a very good independent (independent was a thing back then) and you went to the regional tournament in YOUR region, every year. 

The pod system does both, cutting down travel and drawing more fans. Take this year's field. The four regions sort out like this:

East: Rounds 1/2 at Buffalo and Pittsburgh, Regional at Philadelphia
Midwest: Rounds 1/2 at Indianapolis and Milwaukee, Regional at Chicago
South: Rounds 1/2 at Greenville and Fort Worth, Regional at San Antonio
West: Rounds 1/2 at Portland and San Diego, Regional at San Francisco

Now look at this year's #1 seeds (in order) Gonzaga, Arizona, Kansas, Baylor. Under the old, old system, Arizona would be a #2 seed in the West even as the #2 overall team because teams weren't moved. That would be unfair to both Arizona and Gonzaga. Now, the integrity of the bracket ensures that the four best teams going to four different regions overrides geography. Gonzaga as the overall #1 gets priority in the West. Arizona as the overall #2 gets the next closest for them which is the South. Kansas slots into their natural territory in the Midwest, and Baylor gets sent East.

Under the old system, Baylor being in the East region meant that they also had to play their 1st/2nd round games in either Buffalo or Pittsburgh. The pod system allows you to play 1st/2nd round games in a different region than your regional, so they can play their 1st/2nd round in Fort Worth before heading out to Philadelphia. Arizona can play their 1st/2nd rounds at San Diego before going to Fort Worth.

[Buck87]

The move of the first/second rounds to a “pod system” was not to cut travel.
...
It is to sell tickets.
the bigger schools with the big followings get sent as near home as they can be.   

It wasn't to cut travel.....but to sell more tickets....by cutting travel?

My comment was about "overall travel", meaning everyone involved. 

[abefroman329]

People who talk about the purity of baseball.  Makes me wonder what else you think should be pure.

People who propose at a sporting event AND arrange to have it on the Jumbotron, but aren't 100% sure the other person is going to say "yes."  I've seen proposals at hockey games twice, and luckily they said "yes" both times, but oh, are the videos of the proposal being turned down uncomfortable to watch.

[kphoger]

the MLS

Not grammatically correct, and few people would make the mistake of using "the MLB".

Unfortunately, "the MLB"  is a phrase that's growing in use. I suspect "the MLS"  is too.

I've never understood why anyone thinks either of those is correct. The full name doesn't take the article other than when the name is used adjectivally (e.g., "the Major League Baseball season is delayed this year), so the abbreviation doesn't either.

When they make such a point of branding themselves as MLB and MLS, I actually think it's kind of unreasonable to expect people to continue thinking of them by their full names and then speak/write accordingly.  I mean, remember when Kentucky Fried Chicken went to such great lengths to get people to think of them only as "KFC" instead?  It's the same basic thing:  they apparently want people to think of them only as "MLB" and "MLS" more than they want people to think of them as "Major League Baseball" and "Major League Soccer".

With that in mind, there then ceases to be any compelling reason for people to make a verbal distinction between MLB, AFC, NHL, NFL, MLS, NBA, and NFC.  And, considering that all the others in that list get the definite article, it seems quite natural that people would likewise append it to the two in question.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

More replay review shenanigans, this time in the stands as a spectator. The visiting team is challenging a call that went in favor of the home team. Stadium jumbotron shows no replay (or maybe shows it once at near-regular speed) thinking it has some weird influence over helping the call stay in the home team's favor after the review. Instead you sit there wondering what the heck happened because they won't show it again in any manner that lets you decide for yourself what the right call should be.

The opposite is when the home team challenges a call, and they show it 50 times when that happens.