For a very long time, I have been looking to write a blog that explains some sporting references and I always find it strange how the world is so familiar with terms like "Home Run" and "Touch Down" even though we don't play much Baseball or American Football in Europe.
Through television and films, we have gotten used to many expression and before I "knock this one out of the park" or "pitch" any more American sporting references, let's look at some soccer.
The editor of a local newspaper in Ireland has made fun of a situation to do with football, in particular, soccer and he has picked some nice expressions to add humour to the situation. His post is referenced below but my "goal" is to make sense of his hat-trick of soccer puns.
PUNNY: A pun meaning that something has more than one meaning and I want you to imagine that pun sounds like fun. Puns should be funny but I have been accused of using too many puns and have actually had a student call me the PUNisher as he thought my puns were PUNishment.
Firstly, I am not a football fan but do you know why football is called football?
Unlike polo or hunting or other gentlemen's sporting events from years ago, football does not use a horse and you are on foot. I always presumed football had something to do with kicking a ball with your foot but certainly in the case of both American Football and Gaelic Football, people are not restricted from using their hands to carry the ball.
If you can follow me so far, "you are on the ball" which means you are "with it" or "get it" which means you understand. "To be on the ball" I would also use "to get something" quickly.
"Field day" like a picnic means you are having a nice leisurely time or are being entertained. "He is having a field day with this" would imply no stress or worries and is generally used negatively to describe a relaxed attitude to a job or task or maybe someone is taking too long to do something.
"Let's get the ball rolling" here and look at James Wim's witty Post and "hope that it doesn't go over your head." Unlike "being on the ball" if something goes over your head, it means that you missed it or didn't understand something. "To get the ball rolling" means to start something moving and if you imagine in football, from the kick-off, the game quickly begins and people will start passing to one another and trying to score and if this post, "doesn't go over your head", "you've scored". To score can also be meant in a sexual way but let's just stick to soccer if your goal is to improve your understanding of sporting terms.
Taken from journalist James Wim Facebook post:
BALL CONTROL 🙄 - So, it has emerged that our taxes over the last 10 years have been helping to pay the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) overheads such as the €360,000 annual salary (€6,923 per week, €30,000 per month, nearly €1,000 per day) of its Chief Executive until yestetday, John Delaney PLUS his over €3,000 per month rent on each of TWO houses, that's over €6,000 per month altogether for rent on the two houses (over €72,000 per year) - adding that to the €360,000 salary, that's over €432,000 per year (€1,184 per day, €8,308 per week, €36,000 per month) - then there's the other perks, and the match tickets and flights, hotel and restaurant meals, accommodation, etc. - I'm glad our taxes for the advancement of soccer are so well spent - the Government is looking for explanations on how our money was spent, and maybe it'll all add up - happily the Public Accounts Committee are 'on the ball'! - they should have 'a field day' with this - thank God for the 'Sunday Times' revelations that got 'the ball rolling', the High Court judge who refused John Delaney a double injunction gagging order, and the freedom of the responsible media - interesting times ahead...! ⚽️
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