Chick Hearn
Chickisms
Chick Hearn coined numerous basketball phrases (what he referred to as his “word’s-eye view” of basketball) that are now common-place in today’s basketball language.
- Slam dunk
- Air ball
- Dribble-drive
- No-look pass
- Give and go
- Ticky-tack foul
- Throws up a “brick”
- Picked his pocket
- Frozen rope
- Popcorn Machine
- Pressure Cooker
- Finger-roll
- Yo-yoing up and down
"The game's in the refrigerator, the door's closed, the light's out, the eggs are cooling, the butter's getting hard and the jello's jiggling."
"In & out, Heart-brrrreak!"
A shot that appears to go in, but rattles off the rim & misses.
"Building a House"
When a player tosses up a series of "bricks" during the course of a game.
"Bunny hop in the pea patch"
Traveling, (in the lane).
"Can't throw a pea in the ocean"
This team is shooting horribly.
"Caught with his hand in the cookie jar"
Reaching in, got called for a foul.
"The mustard's off the hot-dog"
A player attempts an unnecessarily showy, flashy play which ends up in a turnover or is otherwise unsuccess.
"No harm, no foul (, no blood, no ambulance)"
non-call by an official when significant contact has occurred.
"Slaaaaaam Dunk!!!"
A dunk with authority, also Chick was the first to use the phrase "slam dunk".
"They couldn't beat the Sisters of Mercy"
The Lakers are playing terribly.