What does a shotgun have to do with Hail Mary? Can a naked bootleg be shown on network TV, on Sunday afternoon? If he drops a dime, do they stop the game so he can pick it up? Aren't they afraid somebody is going to slip on it?
Listening to sports terms and slang being tossed about like cards dealt across the felt of a game table can leave you feeling like the only sucker in the poker game. If you're a woman who always folds her hand during gabfests about sports, then you're never in the game when it comes to what is often male-dominated office chat. Rather than marginalizing yourself during these conversations, get your head in the game.
It may surprise you that you are more interested in professional sports than you think. Do you have a functional knowledge of the rules, plays, scoring and player personnel? Don't worry. You're still holding chips. Are you intrigued by discussions about leadership, relationships and culture? How about astronomical salaries? Race relations? Domestic violence? The hero worship of pop icons by children? Good. Make a bet. These issues and themes are the many threads that make up the fabric of professional sports.
Critically acclaimed and Emmy award-winning shows like the 30 for 30 documentaries on ESPN, Real Sports on HBO and 60 Minutes Sports on Showtime are devoted to eye-opening and revealing analysis of a myriad of social and cultural topics woven into the textile of sports. Viewing such shows will help you focus on topics that are relatable to you. After getting hooked on HBO's Hard Knocks, I decided to finally follow up on a deferred ambition -- to coach the coaches of professional sports teams. There isn't a replay junkie or a couch coach in your office that won't want to chat about whatever is covered by these programs.
This past summer, during a car ride with a couple male colleagues, I mentioned my dismay about police violence against unarmed citizens, including tennis star James Blake, a Black pro tennis player who was attacked by police while standing in front of his hotel during the U.S. Open. This led to a half hour discussion about topics ranging from racial profiling to cultural stereotyping, Second Amendment rights, conceal and carry laws and Trayvon Martin.
Employing broader social-cultural relevance beyond trivia discussions will move sports chat to your comfort zone. Change the game. Make professional sports your interest and gain the home court advantage at your office. And when all else fails, use the phrase that professional athletes use with the media -- "They came out to play."