Spring game not a game
April 16, 2007
It’s in our nature to give everything a name.
But sometimes providing everything with a name can cause confusion.
Take, for example, the Happy Meal. Why is it “happy?”
Surely it isn’t the hamburger. That’s just a meat patty, some ketchup and a bun.
And after extensive Googling, I couldn’t find a “happy dust” to mix with the salt for the fries.
OK, I’ll admit the toy is pretty sweet. But if that’s the happy part, shouldn’t it be called a meal with a happy toy?
Need more proof? Look again at “permanent” markers.
Super-strong cleaning products, paint thinners and steel wool can remove the supposed eternal markings. Scars left over from the steel wool are more permanent than the marker.
The problem of naming conventions affects us all. Even the casual NIU football fan is plagued by the English language.
Play names, positions and more can causes confusion to the average fan. But one term especially misleading is the annual spring “game.”
In all reality, the event isn’t a game, it’s a scrimmage. Look at the words of wide receiver Britt Davis.
“It’s just a time to get out and knock all the rust off from the off-season,” Davis said. “Obviously nothing is going to be perfect at it.”
This doesn’t sound like a quote you would hear before a game.
Even NIU Head Coach Joe Novak’s statements seem to point to Saturday’s event as a scrimmage.
“It also gives you a chance to experiment with some wrinkles, if you want to do that,” Novak said.
Experiment? In a game? Novak definitely wouldn’t do that if this was a legitimate game.
Once again, naming conventions have led us astray. A normal football game won’t be played this Saturday at Huskie Stadium. Instead, a “shake-off-the-rust,” “experimental” open practice to the public will take place.
But there’s nothing wrong with practice. For the spring “game” is a time when everyone – the players, the coaches and even the fans – get a chance to practice.
Yes, it’s the fist time the fans get a chance to shake off the rust.
It’s a time to try a new tail gate recipes, experiment with chants and of course, get back into the rhythm of banging ThunderStix.
So, break out the grill and get your cardboard and markers ready, fans – it’s time for the spring “game”.