I'm throwing "throwing under the bus" under the bus

Okay, I tried a little too hard to be clever with that headline, but the point is I am getting really tired of the newest cliche to sweep broadcasting: to throw somebody under the bus.

I hear this analogy mostly in sports broadcasting. Typically, it occurs when an athlete is unnecessarily critical of a teammate in public. For example, if a team loses a game, an athlete might throw a teammate under the bus if he implies that the teammate was the reason they lost. Many times, it is taboo for an athlete to criticize a teammate in public, and when it happens there is a backlash.

One athlete that I have heard this saying applied to has been Dallas Cowboys' wide receiver Terrell Owens. Back when Owens played for the Philadelphia Eagles, he was publicly critical of quarterback Donovan McNabb's reluctance to support him when he wanted to re-negotiate his contract. He attacked McNabb's leadership, and many accused Owens of 'throwing McNabb under the bus' in order to get what he wanted.

Of course, this is just one example. It is a cliché that is used ad nauseum. Sports broadcasters who use this cliche are usually the same broadcasters who describe the simplest plays with words like 'unbelievable' or 'incredible.' With all this repetition, broadcasters either don't have a whole lot of imagination any more when it comes to word choice or they believe the audience is so dumb that they have to keep things basic and simple.

So, no more throwing under the bus. The bus stops here. I will not use that cliche on this blog. Never. It's gone to the graveyard that houses repetition.

Say goodbye.