WHAT’S BROKE & NEEDS FIXING. I’m going to take my brethren in the media to task on this one. I am imploring members of the Fourth Estate to refrain from using the word "choke" in describing a failed athletic event.

Did Cooper Flagg of Duke try to miss the game winning shot in the 2025 Men’s Basketball National Championship Semifinals? Did 2025 Masters Champion Rory McElroy try to miss the short putt on the 18th green in the fourth round that led to a playoff?  Did the 1964 Philadelphia Phillies with a 6.5 game lead try to lose 10 straight games with only a dozen to go losing the National League pennant?  Did Scott Norwood try to miss the field goal wide right that would have won Super Bowl XXV for the Buffalo Bills? The answer is an emphatic no.  

In my opinion all the above scenarios occurred because players and teams just didn’t live up to expectations. Not because they intentionally tried to fail but because their effort just wasn’t good enough at that moment.

How about this, my media compatriots? Let’s come up with a different way to describe a late failed effort that affected the outcome. How about “the attempt fell short” or “came so close” or “just couldn’t find a way to win” instead of insinuating by using the term “choke” that the moment was too big for that individual or team.  Especially when the closest you’ve been to that situation was the family Fourth of July wiffle ball game. Right?

Book it Dano!