A conversation with 40 year vet Randy Grossman, Sports Director for 107.1 KDSN in Denison, Iowa.… Read More

If you’re a sportscaster, you likely have a love/ hate relationship with road games. We get to travel to unique places and see cool things on the dime of the team we cover. We also get sent to places where, unless you have friends and family to visit, there is no reason for anyone to intentionally go.… Read More

Part of becoming a great broadcaster is having a great vocabulary and finding ways to vary your verbiage. That is why a regular feature on this site will be “Announcer Alterations” where we take short clip of pre-existing play-by-play synced to video and come up with five different ways to call the same sequence of events.… Read More

“Sports radio” is a  format many of us are extremely passionate about.  But to have a passion for “sports radio” you first must have a passion for “radio” in general.  Most sportscasters either are or once were music jocks, salespeople, or programmers who developed a deep love of all different formats and the many ways the medium can entertain a variety of people.… Read More

A conversation with former ESPN Radio executive and current program director for WBAL in Baltimore Scott Masteller.  … Read More

I will keep an up to date glossary of all the terms used.  I also want to encourage others to include their suggestions on different ways to vary vocabulary and I will include those suggestions in the glossary as well.

Basketball Glossary

Setting up an inbound pass:  Jones to trigger it in; Jones the catalyst from the sideline; Jones to set things in motion; Jones surveys the floor from the sideline; Jones to initiate the play; Jones sizing up the defense;  (6)

Starting the offense: Engineering the offense; At the controls; Sets the table; Looking over the chess board; Hits the start button; At the helm; Directing traffic; (7)

Releasing a jump shot:  Flings it up; Chucks it; Fires; Launches; Shoots; Heaves; Lets it fly; Puts up; Pulls the trigger; Floats it up; Shot puts; Line drive; Catch and release; The rainbow; Throws it up; Cuts it loose; Hoists; Rises up; Flutters; Dispatches; Pops; Uncorks; Eyes a jumper; Squares to shoot; Lifts a jumper; Offers it up;  Measures up; Squeezes off; Jacks up;  (29)

Describing a made jumper:  Drills it; Buries it; It’s currency; Deposits the jumper; Goes through; Sticks it; Buckets; Cash; Cashes in; Silk; Nails it; Pure; Clean; Get wet; Splash; Mesh; Cha ching; Money; Nothing but nylon; Tickles the twine; Massages the mesh; Ripples the rope; Finds the mark; Bullseye; Strings; True; Tally up 2; Rattles it in; Shakes it in; Vibrates through the cylinder; Shivers in; Drips through; Soaks; Down the hatch; Bingo; Jackpot; Sinks it; KaBoom; Butter; Rips the chord; Visine; Down the chute; Puts paint in the bucket; Drizzles through; Sprinkles through; Bottom; Velvet; Leather through lace; Toilet bowls; Whirlpools; Swirls; Maelstroms; Bags it; Greases the cylinder; Down the well; Down the rabbit hole; Curls in; Dead Center; Deadeye; Got it; Through the heart; Straight as a string; Creeps over the rim; (63)

Describing a short jump shot in the lane: Floater; Runner; Tear Drop; Leaner;  (4)

Describing a layup: Lay in; Finger roll; Scoop shot; From point blank range; Bunny; Tip in; Taps it in; Gimme; Tear drop; Flip shot; Runs it up; Shovels it up; Muscles it up; (13)

Describing a three point jumper: Triple; Trifecta; Trey bomb; All three of em’; From downtown; From deep; Tres; From distance; From the parking lot; From another area code; Beyond the arc; Thrice; From range; Dials one up from deep; (14)

Describing a jumper that goes half way down and pops out:  Pops out like a jack in the box; Gophers out; Pops out like a whack a mole machine; Sucked out by a vacuum; Regurgitated; Blasted out like old faithful; Pulled up by a magnet; Reverse toilet bowls; Snatches a miss from the jaws of a make; Ejected; Bottle rockets; Spit out; Pop goes the weasel;  (13)

Describing missed jumper off the back of the rim: Off back iron; Off the heel; Off the attachment; Off the bracket; Off the posterior; Off the rump; Kicks off the cast iron; Clangs; Clanks; Catapults off; Off the cup handle; Springs off hind iron; Rockets off the back; Vaults off the back; Pounces off; Launches; Spills out of the cup; Pegs off the back; Pogo’s; (19)

Describing a missed jumper off the side of the rim: Falls off; Trickles; Cascades ; Plunges, Bounces ; Recoils; Ricochets; Vaults; Bucks; Skims; Skitters; Curls off; Deadens off the rims; Flows off; Drifts off; Flutters off; Sprays off; Cast is off; Scratches the rim; Scrapes the iron; Scuffs the tin; Buffs the cylinder; Crawls; Creeps; Drips; Slips; Slides; Off by an eyelash; Sputters off; (29)

Describing a bank shot: Off the glass; Uses the square; Off the clear; Uses the fiberglass; Window shopping; Off the window; Bankboard; Back board; Off the box; Deposits the bank; Earning interest as he banks it in; Catches glass; With the kiss; (13)

Describing A Dunk: Jams; Stuffs; Hammers; Slams; Crushes it; Tries to rip down the rim; Crams; Flushes; Yacks it; Throws Down; Rocks the rim; (11)

Describing a basket cut: Flash; Curl; Angles; Backdoor; V Cut; J Cut; Darts open;  (7)

Describe a rebound: Clears the board; Snares the loose ball; Clears the carom; Wipes the glass; Tracks down the miss; Chases down the rebound; Corrals the miss; Reels in the rebound; Rips the board; Yanks down the rebound; Wrestles the board away; Plucks the miss; Collects the board; Secures the miss; Bags the board; Seizes the missed shot;  Retrieves the ball; Cleans up; Clamps down on the rebound; (19)

Describe a pass: Finds; Delivers the ball; Chest pass; Bounce Pass; Overhead Pass; Zips; Shovels; Scoops; Lasers; Rifles; Lobs; Arcs; Lofts; Slips; Threads; Feeds; Dishes; Sends; Delivers; Skips; Bounces; Kicks; Whistles; Whips; Swings; Whisks; Wings; Fires; Bullet pass; Works over to; On the hop; (31)

Describing a ball reversal: Around the horn; Navigates the Arc; Turns around the Wheel; Follows the curve; Orbits the arch; Revolves around the outside; Circles the hump; Relays around the radius; Circuits along the circle; Cycles around; Works it around; Traces the arc; (12)

Dribbles: Handles; Pounds the pebbled leather; Yo-yo’s in place; Bounces; Pulsing off the wood; Metronome dribble; Raps the roundball; Pats the pill; Slaps the sphere; Operates with the orb; (11)

Steals the ball: Dislodge; Rips; Swipes; Slaps away; Pokes; Digs it out; Pilfers; Strips; Picks his pocket; The theft; With the robbery; Takes his cookies; (12)

Blocks a shot: Swats; Rejects; Makes him eat leather; Denied; Deflects; Slaps away; Stuffs; Volleyball spiked; (8)

Describing a post up: Gets the seal; Buries a defender low; Digs in; (3)

Describing a Drive: Slices; Dices; Slithers; Wiggles; Snakes; Attacks; Penetrates; Tap-dances; Barrels; Bowling Balls; Zig Zags; Navigates; Torpedos; Dances; Careens; Waterbugs; Picks through traffic; Bulldozes; Forces; Bullies; Weaves; Steers; Charges; Rack attack; Surges; Knifes; Maneuvers;  (27)

Pushes the ball quickly down the floor:  Races; Sprints; Dashes; Hustles; Scoots; Scurries; Beelines; Zips; Darts; Blazes; (10)

Brings the ball slowly up the floor: Saunters; Jogs; Trots; Mosey; Strolls; Lumbers; (6)

Slows Down: Taps the breaks; decelerates; Skids to a halt; Pulls the reigns; Pulls the parachute; Changes gears; Shifts down; (7)

The middle area near the baseline:  Short corner; Midrange near the baseline; Corner; (3)

Sideline:  Right/ left sideline; Near/far sideline; Boundary; Border line; (4)

Corner: Deep corner; High Corner; Coffin Corner; Corner Pocket;  (4)

Lane: Alley; Paint; Runway; Main Street; Interior;  (6)

Elbow: High post; Right/left stripe; foul line right/left; high post office; arm joint (6)

Center of Free Throw Line: The Nail; The stripe; 15 feet straight away; (3)

Top of the arc: Top of the key; Head of the key; Straight Away; Straight on; Front and center; The Point; The circle; Straightaway; Head on; (9)

Describing the rim: Hoop; Cylinder; Hole;  Tin; Cup; Iron; Basket; Bucket; Metal; Ring; Circumference; Rack; The Steel; (13)

Faces a defender: Squares up; Faces up; Sizes up; (4)

Half Court Line: Dividing line; Time line; Midcourt stripe; (4)

Between half court and the three point arc: Between the circles; Near the volleyball spike line; Between the rings; Out in no man’s land; Between the arcs; Way behind the three point line;  (6)

Ways to say a team needs a stop:  Put the clamps on; Turn the light to red; Put the brakes on; Bear down on; Wall up against; Lock down; Needs to hold firm; Bar the door on a comeback; Tighten the screws on; Get the ball back with no further damage; Keep the scorekeeper bored; Drop an anchor on the offense; Put a straightjacket on; Pull the reins on; Put a muzzle on (15)

Ways to describe someone playing defense: Shadows; Follows; Gets into; D’s up on; Mirrors; Chases; Tracks; Hounds; Harass; Shades; Smothers; Pesters; Under the guard; On guard duty; Buttons up; Keeps an eye on; Watches; Deters; Hassles; Draped; Like white on rice; (21)

Forced in a direction: Funneled; Directed; Ushered;  (3)

Clock: Timer; Ticker; Timepiece; (3)

Tie Game: Knotted up; Even on the board; Dead heat; Playing to a draw; Wash; All square; Carbon Copy;  (7)

Traveling: Walks; Steps; Picks up his pivot; Packs his bags; Uses frequent flyer miles; Official makes him show his passport; (6)

Foul: Hack; Contact; Hammers; Clobbers; Violation; Harm; Reaches in; Harmed; Roughed up; Undresses; (10)

Part of becoming a great broadcaster is having a great vocabulary and finding ways to vary your verbiage.  That is why a regular feature on this site will be “Announcer Alterations” where we take short clip of pre-existing play-by-play synced to video and come up with five different ways to call the same sequence of events.… Read More

Welcome to SayTheDamnScore.com.  Simply put, SayTheDamnScore is a website dedicated to the sports broadcast industry, as seen through my eyes as a growing sportscaster. I’m living the life and trying to scratch and claw my way to the top of the industry.

My name is Logan Anderson and I am a small-college sportscaster in rural South Dakota.  … Read More

A conversation with long time Pacers broadcaster Mark Boyle.… Read More

I want to be a great sportscaster.  I’m not.  As I’ve been reflecting on my career’s successes and failures, one of the things I’ve come to believe can be found right in front of our noses by watching the improvement of the athletes we cover.

Some athletes have an abundance of God-given ability that makes them great and the same can be said for announcers.   … Read More