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January 5

Why do coaches always say "We got a pretty good ballclub..."

and then ramble on with even more pointless cliches? I mean it's every damn time, win or lose. After every game it's the same tired, your team here, scripts. One for winning, one for losing. But they both state "we got a pretty good ballclub...". If I was on a bottom of the division team, no shot at the playoffs, and my coach said this, I would kick him in the balls on national tv.--Baseball and and and Popcorn Fanatic (talk) 02:13, 5 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Perhaps because you are only watching imaginary coaches? They must be imaginary if they always say "We got a pretty good ballclub..." I have heard real coaches say many different things, such as "They were who we thought they were" or "This team makes me want to puke" or "It's time to take off the diapers and grow up". -- kainaw ™ 03:17, 5 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

My favorite is the one, I believe for the 1976 Tampa Bay Bucs, who was asked to say something about his team's execution. His response: "I'm in favor of it." :-)

Anyway, it does seem that coaches have a lot of cliches, though they don't always use them. I'd say it comes down to leadership style. Some of the more outspoken coaches will say things like Kainaw mentioned. Others aren't nearly as aggressive, so they're more likely to sound a little wishy-washy at times.

Also, you're asking a coach, in a press conference, to speak for a ballclub that has at least a dozen (basketball) to over 50 (NFL) players. Coaches understand that each players is a little different. Some might need the "in your face" approach to get fired up. Others might need a lot of encouragement, and respond poorly to criticism if that criticism is too harsh. (Though each player should be abled to be coached, at least with constructive criticism.) Such a coach knows that, while it might do some of his players good to hear "we stunk out there," hearing "we really stink" 100% of the time will wind up doing more harm than good to those who tend to get so far down on themselves that the coach needs to encourage them. Though, granted, hearing cliches like "We've got a good team" 500% of the time doesn't help those who need a fire lit under them to get motivated.Somebody or his brother (talk) 13:31, 5 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

What else do you expect him to say? "Our team really sucks." Anyway, good clubs can find themselves out of the playoffs if star players happen to have an off-season or if the team experiences too many injuries. As for kicking a teammate (even the couch is a teammate), I'd kick you off of my team. 216.239.234.196 (talk) 14:08, 5 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

The fault really is in asking coaches stupid questions. What possible answer could you give for why you lost other than "they were better than us" ? You can make a lot of excuses, but that's still the only honest answer. Didn't one coach dodge this question once by saying "we lost because they scored more points than us" ? StuRat (talk) 21:45, 5 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I've heard coaches here say, they were the better team on the day to cushion their comment in public anyway. Maybe their job's at stake if they are too negative. Julia Rossi (talk) 23:57, 5 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

That sounds conveniently like the criminal defense of "temporary insanity". So we don't need to fire the coach or imprison the criminal, do we ? StuRat (talk) 00:24, 6 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Because sports reporters need to report something, every day players and coaches are interviewed about ball games, but there's never anything new to say that hasn't been said a million times. There are just a couple of stock answers for every situation, so the clichés become obvious once you notice them. This process is famously parodied in Bull Durham, where Costner teaches the clichés to the rookie. —Kevin Myers 01:41, 6 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

We've overcome a lot of adversity with pretty good chemistry. We're taking it one game at a time, but this is a must-win game and there needs to be a sense of urgency. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 00:04, 8 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Crash Davis: It's time to work on your interviews.

Ebby Calvin LaLoosh: My interviews? What do I gotta do?

Crash Davis: You're gonna have to learn your clichés. You're gonna have to study them, you're gonna have to know them. They're your ::friends. Write this down: "We gotta play it one day at a time."

Ebby Calvin LaLoosh: Got to play... it's pretty boring.

Crash Davis: 'Course it's boring, that's the point. Write it down.

Bull Durham. DJ Clayworth (talk) 18:42, 8 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Gilmore Girls barbershop song

Hi. I'd like to know the name of the song (or songs) that were performed by the barbershop quartet "The Perfect Gentlemen" in Gilmore Girls. I didn't actually watch that episode, or anything. In fact, I don't watch Gilmore Girls at all. Seriously. I don't. Don't judge me!!! 190.157.120.42 (talk) 14:42, 5 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

...and you are aware of the quartet from your choir master? ;) Julia Rossi (talk) 23:23, 5 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I don't know what they performed, but they are a real group, and here is their discography. (Oh and I don't watch that show either and I had no idea what you were talking about! Really!) Adam Bishop (talk) 14:39, 6 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

How can one rectify a biased article?

I'm unable to discover how to go about bringing bias to the attention of those responsible for an article. In the past, on the very-few occasions when I've added relevant factual information to an article or pointed out excessively-subjective commentary, I've discovered such addenda are merely deleted with neither an explanation nor any attempt at contact for amplification.

However, I'd like to actually have a conversation with whomever is responsible for a particular article. I know there exist cliques which deflect all input apart from their own (because I've encountered them). So how can a person get around that?

Thank you. MisterCat (talk) 19:26, 5 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Nobody can claim responsibility for any Wikipedia article. If you want to discuss changes to a specific article, the best place to do so is on the Talk page for that article - accessed from the "Discussion" tab at the top of the page. --LarryMac | Talk 19:38, 5 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Some articles have been mostly written by one person or a small group of people. In such cases you can find them in the history page and perhaps contact them on their own home pages. Also, what's the article and bias in question ? Perhaps we can offer a neutral opinion. StuRat (talk) 21:39, 5 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Album sales figures

I'm looking for a reference online for the sales figures for David Archuleta (album). Apparently I don't know the proper search string to get Google to show me what I need. Could some kind soul point me to a website that would give me those figures? Thanks, Hermione1980 19:45, 5 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Record companies might not make that information public, especially if the sales figures are lower than expected. So you might not find what you are looking for. --Richardrj ^talk ^email 20:44, 5 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

The article you link to provides sales figures and references. Tomdobb (talk) 13:40, 6 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I know, but they're kind of old and various new users keep posting different figures with no sources to back them up. In an effort to head them off, I was trying to find a more recent source. Hermione1980 14:00, 6 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Billboard Magazine is probably the best source for sales charts. Although I don't think they often feature exact sales figures. I think SoundScan compiles the sales data but its only available to paid subscribers. Tomdobb (talk) 14:03, 6 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Christmas Party

I have this Christmas party and the theme is Casino Royale. I am male and 22 years old. What do I wear?96.53.149.117 (talk) 23:34, 5 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Black tie. Algebraist 23:39, 5 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

You might also want to wear the rest of the tuxedo, to avoid Jack Frost nipping at your...

StuRat (talk) 00:22, 6 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Bond would not be seen dead in anything as American as a tuxedo. Algebraist 00:23, 6 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Nothing but wicker chair, with the seat cut out, tied on to you at the hands and legs. And a carpet beater. DJ Clayworth (talk) 18:37, 8 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]