Americanisms creeping into our game

[westozfalcon]

There seems to be an ever increasing trend in footy of adopting American sporting parlance.

Examples that spring to mind are:

Rookie: A term borrowed from baseball that refers to first-year players in the Major League.

Assist: A basketball pass to set up a basket now used to describe handballs in footy leading to goals

Running Backs: Not overly prevalent but I've heard some coaches and commentators use this term when describing players of the ilk of Heath Shaw, Tadgh Kennelly etc. Running Back is a specific field position in Gridiron.

And the latest one, borrowed straight from basketball:-

Power Forward: Burly marking forwards are now referred to by commentators and coaches as 'Power Forwards'. This is a specific position in Basketball.
Will the word Full Forward and Centre-Half Forward disappear from our game altogether?

We have a unique game and a great game. There's no need to take on all this American terminology.

[Grahaml]

Some of those words describe things perfectly so what's wrong with them? If there's no term that really sums it up then why not take a term that actually works? Do you object to terms like ruck and mark being used in both rugby and footy? I dislike Americanisms as much as most people, but only when those terms are coming in to replace perfectly reasonable terms. Not coming in to describe something for which our terms no longer apply or for which we have no term.

[Hondo]

Its partly because the game has evolved to the point where all the traditional positions on the field we were used to have almost disappeared.

What's the difference between a ruck-rover, rover and a wing-man these days? Now they are all simply "midfielders". No more HF Flank, CHF or Fwd Pocket - now its "forwards". No more HB flank, CHB and back-pocket, now its simply "defenders". They may as well do team listings based on these categories.

As Malthouse always says the game has evolved in to a basket-ball like game of players surging up and down the field. Players these days seem to play in zones (another basketball term ) rather than positions.

So I agree with GrahamL, in the context of today's game those terms are probably appropriate.

[Booney]

For how much 'Americanisms' hurt our great sport,multiply that impact by 50,000 to try and understand the impact 'Americansisms' have on our children,yo.

I see your point,and take it on board but as Grey-ham said,they describe the modern day game/positions and are going to be part of the commentators calls from now on.

[westozfalcon]

I just think Australians take on American phraseology too readily in all aspects of life and it continues unabated into our own unique national sport.

I agree that the game has evolved to the point where specific positions are redundant on the footy field but it seems that whenever we want a new term or description to use we copy one they use in the USA.

[grant j]

I just think Australians take on American phraseology too readily in all aspects of life and it continues unabated into our own unique national sport.

I don't know if you are right or not but next time I go to the football with my baseball cap on and sit in the nose bleed section and enjoy a dog with mustard and some doughnuts and cotton candy I will ponder this statement.

[Sojourner]

Will be interesting to see how the supporters respond as the game evolves to include mid season trading and player loaning!

[devilsadvocate]

I just think Australians take on American phraseology too readily in all aspects of life and it continues unabated into our own unique national sport.

I don't know if you are right or not but next time I go to the football with my baseball cap on and sit in the nose bleed section and enjoy a dog with mustard and some doughnuts and cotton candy I will ponder this statement.

I say f**k america the crap they inflict on all of us makes me

[Dutchy]

I dont see the issue, I really dont, as said before those terms actually correctly describe things about our game, no mention of Flooding which comes from Soccer? cant blame that one on the US

Was interested to read recently that St Mary's College in the US has 4 Aussies in their NCAA basketball team (inc Pat Mills from the Boomers), before each home game they blast out Down Under from Men at Work and have an Aussie flag hanging from their home court...imangine if that happened here with vice versa?

[redden whites]

Almost did Dutchy.I went to a 36ers game where Bob Francis butchered our anthem while wearing a "stars and stripes" bandana and a "confederation" t-shirt.He did 2 laps of the court on his Harley for some ungodly reason before it...The irrelevance still staggers me........only in Adelaide

Cant say I have ever heard "flooding" used in soccer .

[NFC]

I hate it when they say, "good ball".

[McAlmanac]

I hate cliched bogan rock music blaring before games and during breaks.

[Dutchy]

Cant say I have ever heard "flooding" used in soccer .

but that is where it comes from

[JK]

I just think Australians take on American phraseology too readily in all aspects of life and it continues unabated into our own unique national sport.

I don't know if you are right or not but next time I go to the football with my baseball cap on and sit in the nose bleed section and enjoy a dog with mustard and some doughnuts and cotton candy I will ponder this statement.

During the 3rd Quarter "stretch"

[Leaping Lindner]

I hate cliched bogan rock music blaring before games and during breaks.

I went to a trial match at Subiaco between Essendon and the West Coast in March and every break they play the same two "cliched bogan rock songs" - Thunderstruck and Rock and Roll Nite.
It was even "better" at half time as they repeated them over and over during the entire break

[Dogwatcher]

I agree that the game has evolved to the point where specific positions are redundant on the footy field but it seems that whenever we want a new term or description to use we copy one they use in the USA.

Rather than using the terms that we already had, which mostly evolved from British terminology....ruck, rover, forward, full back etc........

We aren't a large enough society to avoid being influenced by the leading media/cultural protagonists. When the game evolved, the terminology was British, despite the uniqueness of the Australian game. Now our cultural direction has shifted somewhat, we are using terms which might be described as American.

I don't think it's sad - it's just a shift away from white (Anglo) influence to another white influence (American) which is dominant the world over.

Sure, we'll start using these American terms, but as we did with English terms, we will put our twist and definition on them.

[sasquatch]

Today's Advertiser...
"Free-Agency"
FFS!

[NFC]

Today's Advertiser...
"Free-Agency"
FFS!

Hate it.

[JAS]

I think it's just a reflection of the rest of society. If the global market gets flooded with American products, advertising, music and tv (pains me to say that some of it is bloody good) then it's going to have an influence on everything and the younger the audience the greater the influence. As much as I want each sport to retain it's traditional vocabulary I think those involved in presenting it are going to want to emulate what they see as a superior American style just as a kid tries to with a favourite pop star IMHO.

Regards
JAS

[Dogwatcher]

Good response. Expressed far better and much simpler than I did it JAS.