and stomped on the floor just for fun

[musesfool]

You know, I get that many media fans are not sports fans, and really have no interest in the major league American team sports, but jesus, mary and joseph, baseball does not have halftime! Hockey does not have quarters! American football is played from September to February! You can't just throw in a random jumble of sports terms and the name of a

Comments

[kagyakusha]

I concur! I'm not a sports fan so I don't notice the errors in sports fandom within stories, but I can completely see how it would throw anyone with even a BIT of knowledge about sports out if they get it really wrong. x_x I read a novel last week that had the character be a big fan of punk and then go on about "Sid Vicious' vocals on God Save the Queen" *weeps* I gave the author a really really scathing review on Amazon. x_x

[musesfool]

That's exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about! If the character would know it - especially if the character is passionate about it - getting it wrong is just BAD.

And yeah, it does happen in pro fic sometimes, and it irritates me just as much there, too.

[krabapple]

I almost started in on why the designated hitter in American League baseball is a TRAVESTY TO THE GAME and therefore, possibly, to American life was we know it, but then I realized that's not actually what this post was about, so . . .

As for what the post is really about: WORD.

[musesfool]

Hee! I actually deleted a whole rant-within-a-rant about the DH, but yeah, decided it wasn't really on point. *g*

[redfiona99]

As a foreigner, and someone who uses baseball as one of her 'background noise while academic writing' sports, what is wrong with the DH?

[musesfool]

It removes a lot of strategy from the game - if you don't have to worry about clearing the pitcher, or removing him for a pinch hitter in the later innings because your team is staging a rally, you manage the game differently. It also allows players who can hit but no longer field to linger on, adding their bats to lineups that may otherwise be lacking in power hitting.

[musesfool]

Oh man, that would make me SO CRAZY. I mean, okay, I am the kind of person who Googles to make sure that a song or movie was actually released at the time I'm setting my story, and I've Googled sports scores and schedules to make sure if I've sent the characters to a Pirates game, the Pirates were actually playing at home that day, so possibly I am a little crazy, but I feel like it's better than just figuring you can just stick any old information in and hope it's right. Vague it up if you can't get the details right ("he turned on ESPN, hoping there was a game on").

[bridgetmc]

I'm almost tempted to ask what fic is this, but I'm afraid because I love sports and I don't want to scream at the fic about how wrong it is. Oh hell, I have to know. PM me it please?

[teand]

I'd be happy if I never ran across the the word "lounge" again while reading a fic set in America.

My thoughts on the DH varies although, as a fan of an AL team, I really don't mind it. Because it's so much fun watching your closer go on the DL because he sprained his toe while taking an at bat in an interleague game we were already winning fcol!

(Yes, I edited for a comma. We're still tied in the bottom of the 11th; what else do I have to do. *g*)

[musesfool]

I'd be happy if I never ran across the the word "lounge" again while reading a fic set in America.

Unless it's a verb! Or the characters are at poolside. *g*

Because it's so much fun watching your closer go on the DL because he sprained his toe while taking an at bat in an interleague game we were already winning fcol!

If pitchers knew how to bat and had to every five days, he wouldn't have hurt himself! (or it's less likely, though these guys these days, so fragile!)

[trinity_clare]

...How are people using the word "lounge" in a way that Americans don't? I can't think of any.

[eleanorb]

Americans always seem to use 'lounge room' when writing Britfic. It's one of those giveaways I always notice. I presume using it on its own in the USA WAS the mistake.

[withdiamonds]

...wait, there's no halftime in baseball?

It's called research and it drives me crazy when people don't do it.

[musesfool]

THIS IS WHAT I'M SAYING!