The latest episode of Stars on Sports explores the surprising overlap between sports terminology and military idioms, and how language shapes the way we think about teamwork and leadership. Joined by Boots 2 Books Co-host Rebecca Allen, the SOS team unpack familiar phrases like “next man up” and “got your six,” revealing their deeper meaning across both worlds. It’s an engaging look at the shared mindset that drives both athletes, service members, and everyday language.

Mentioned This Episode

Podcast: Boots 2 Books

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Website: LCC Athletics

Related Podcast: Coach Cut’s Corner

It's time for Stars on Sports. A podcast radio show dedicated to sharing stories about our athletic program at LCC, past and present. Lansing Community College athletics has a strong tradition: 25 national championships, over 190 All Americans, 19 MCCAA All Sports Trophies. Stars on Sports will introduce you to individuals that have contributed to our program success and give you the backstory on what it takes to develop it. We'll also dive into and break down the topics and issues facing athletic departments across the nation and right here at LCC. This is Stars on Sports.

Hello, and welcome to another episode of Stars on Sport.

Today, we have a little twist to our podcast, and we're excited to have fun. Rebecca Allen, the VA coordinator here at lcc, and she also co hosts another podcast, boots to books B2B. So welcome to the podcast, Rebecca.

Thanks, Greg. I'm glad to be here.

So can you give us a little bit about your podcast?

Yeah. So Boots to Books is a military and veteran connected podcast.

We talk a lot about veteran life, military life and how that can translate into education, what that may look like as far as how our veterans are able to transition into education, the differences between military life and civilian life, and kind of everything in between.

Excellent.

Well, I would encourage you to listen to that podcast, too, if you're listening here, because as you know, we have a lot of military references on our Stars on Sports podcast, and we're gonna have a fun one today with sports idioms. But again, we. Wait, wait, wait.

Let me bring it in. She's coming in to what, pitch it or pinch it? Cause I forget every time.

Well, again, we had. We struggle.

It's pinch hit.

I think it's pinch hit. Pinch hit. She's pinch hitting for Coach Gunn. Yeah, he had the game today. It is miserable outside. So we had to move our game from tomorrow to today.

So I just wanted to get you.

Started on the segue.

Well, I appreciate that. And as you see, we have our. A producer here, Dadalion Lowry, chiming in already.

Usually it's by invitation, but he's getting a little too comfortable with us.

So, anyway, as he mentioned, the Dalian actually came up with this topic, and I thought it was great, because I think if you're a sports person or not a sports person, sports idioms. And language is such an important part of how we do anything. You know, I'm reading a book right now that it talks about. Language changes the world.

I mean, what to say, when to say it, how to say it, and just making sure you say the right thing. And I believe that's very true in military training, too.

And as I mentioned, you know, coach Cutter has done a lot of research on military training to help bring into our sports leadership today. So we might invite you back and talk. I printed off a script for sports and military leadership, too, if we get to dive into that.

But again, we like to have fun here. We believe, just like the military, that sports transcends all societies. Again, much more serious in value of military than sports is fun for us.

It's a game. So thank you for your service and being here.

So I researched it and actually I looked at when I knew Rebecca was coming, more sports idioms that are military and sports specific. And there were four or five that I found that I thought were pretty good one, you know, relatively new.

But next man up is one that I think both of our fields use. Stay in your lane. A new one, which I have heard a lot more in sport that I had it, and I really wasn't sure what it meant. And maybe we got year six.

Yep.

Yeah.

So now that is a sports one. It is.

They have that more recently because I've.

Always associated that with military.

Well, I think we've stolen that from that one.

Become really popular.

It's definitely hit into the mainstream.

Yeah, it has. There.

I've seen shirts and, you know, just within the last year or two, there was some big sports moment where they had this as like the main theme of that. So we'll dive into that one. Leave it all on the field. Embrace the suck, which we have talked about. Oh, okay, Rebecca.

Oh, yeah.

And then one of my favorites, actually, this is, you know, if I was, you know, gonna make a shirt or have a bracelet or something, it's win the day. And that's not a model we use in stars on sports, but it's one I personally use. And if I didn't, our motto I use is represent lcc.

Well, if you do that, your standard is pretty well set. And then we have shine. And again, that's what sports idioms are. They actually are a language for your standards.

But win the day would be a big one for. And then the last one that came up was hold the line, which is another good one. But, you know, then there's some non military ones.

Step up to the plate, drop the ball. Game plan, level the playing field, move the goal post, throw in the towel out in left field, keep your eye on the ball.

Stuff that I would imagine also ends up in.

Oh, yeah, a lot of stuff. Lots of those. I Heard over the years in my unit. So lots of crossover for sure.

So in your units and that. Did you use any of these as like themes or like mission topics or.

I don't know if we necessarily use them as like mission topics, but, you know, I mean, it's one of those things. Especially in the military, we gotta find something to keep us occupied. So sports usually ends up being a pretty big topic as well.

So a lot of the sports idioms we will have crossover and you're used to having to stay in shape. So a lot of people will play sports on the side.

So in your language though is like, are these like just come up in common conversation or are they like theme that you use for your training or.

A little bit of both.

Okay, yeah, I would, you know, like next man up or, you know, even though we've got your six kind of thing would be, you know, themes that you use as like, discipline is a big one in both fields and that and these kind of are like, I'm a big. What's the word mantra. The one I use motto.

But it is crazy how these sports idioms are, even if you're a non sports person, are used in common conversation throughout everyone daily activities. Dalian, you got any favorites or anyone that you use? I was trying to think like what one I use more than and I really couldn't think of it.

When I'm put under pressure of this.

Podcast, I'm not gonna lie, I brought up the pinch hit. And it's funny because I use that all the time. But I seriously can never remember to this day, even though I've looked it up. Coach cut.

And I have talked about it. You and I have talked about it, but I can never remember if it's pitch or pinch every time it's pinch hit, right?

Yeah, exactly.

You guys know this. But I use it all the time. And then sometimes I'll say pitch it, sometimes I say pinch hit, but that is something I use all the time.

Well, that's something again that we'll have to dive into deeper. Is again like when you think of someone's name but it's not their name. But now you can never remember if it's right or wrong.

And so you're with pitch hit, pitch is the pitcher. The hitter is the opposite of pitching. So maybe think of it that way. But.

And that's common in our society if someone's going to sub in like Rebecca did gratefully today for us, when I.

Think about it, when you say, well, that person's in a Pinch. This person's helping out. If I think of it that way, I remember, but I forget a lot.

We all do nowadays in part of our busy society and so many things on our mind. And I'm sure there's an idiom for that one, too.

Another one I use a lot is batting a hundred. But usually in sarcasm.

So, yeah, that's a big one for us in our house too.

Bat 100.

For us, it's we're batting a thousand. Our kids are real batting a thousand today.

So what's better? Is it batting a thousand or batting a thousand? See. Okay, so Rebecca, you don't know this. Greg knows I'm not a sports guy.

I don't know these question or these. Like a lot of the stuff I don't know like what you should be saying.

See, I'm more of a football fan personally. I played softball and I played hockey, but that was. That was a very long time ago when I was a kid.

Still, that's awesome. You bring a perspective too. I think batting a thousand, like in baseball, it's out of a thousand. Like your batting average is like 386.

Batting 100 is bad.

Yeah, it would be actually one out of ten hits then. Actually not real bad. I mean, hitting baseball, hitting three out of 10 times, you're a Hall of Famer.

So then I am using that idiom in the correct manner then? Because usually that's what I'm referring to is I'm not doing well, so I'm like batting 100%.

Great.

This is great.

I'm not sure that the right idiom, but I don't have that one on my list, so. But that's a good one. What about you?

You got anything you use on a regular basis?

You know, I'm sure I do. As I said when I was trying to struggle right here, my list, you know, calling an audible is one I like to use. Like let's change plans.

We got a, you know, calling audible. Then football when the quarterback's up there and they're supposed to run to play and then, oh, no, call an audible. Let's.

Let's switch it up depending on what the defense against us.

Not what I know.

But again, in our field, you know that you're in the military, dude, you know, you have a plan for everything. But it's going to change because it's not going to have it happen perfectly.

You know, I think of when I think of hockey hat trick, you know, like, you know, getting three or, you know, having a great game down to the wire, you know, a lot of things come down to the wire and our. Our business going the distance, you know, we're big on finishing and going strong all the way through. Those are ones I think I use, like, daily.

Again, they're all so common, you know, the one I hadn't thought I used much is moving the goalpost, which I kind of like. That's when, you know, you change the rules when you. When you. After you get started, which I'm not a believer in.

I mean, we start that, then we finish, and then we change the rules. So that was one that kept popping up when I researched this one.

Win by a mile was another one that I saw that I think is pretty common in society when you win by a lot, which hopefully our stars teams do on a regular basis. They don't, but that's our goal. It makes it easier on me in some ways to do that.

The hat trick and the going distance, I've definitely used from time to time. Sure.

Drop the ball.

Drop the ball.

Yeah. That's pretty often too much, probably. Unfortunately, finish strong is another one about what's similar to going the distance. Take one for the team.

I mean, I think we use that one a lot in our. In our daily lives, in our job to, you know, you know, help your team out, you know.

And again, like, talked about, like, an example a boss gave me once is pull the wagon. Sometimes you pull more than the other person, but hopefully at the end, it's an equal weight for everyone.

But sometimes you got to take one for the team and just do more. So I think we use that one a lot.

You know, Cut actually has in his intro, the eyewash. Eyewash is something that I had no idea what it was until he came along and started doing his show.

He had actually explained it to me, a fake hustle, unnecessary flair, which I did not. And he put it in the unnecessary flair. But anyway, in the middle of his podcast, he says, sponsored by eyewash.

And I was like, I had no idea, you know, that that was even an idiom or a term or whatever.

Pretty common in the sense that especially with today's social media and today's highlight reel thing, that eyewash is. You see it, but is it really true? I mean, or do you wash it away? You know, it's like, that's eyewash.

That wasn't, you know, something, again, the Unnecessary flair. And unfortunately, we deal with that more now with celebrations and tauntings and trying to get that social media or highlight moment.

I think we should throw in the towel on that one.

Yeah. See, a lot of the idioms, that's what I find interesting, is throwing the towel.

You definitely know where it's from, but at the same time, it's just become a part of everyday speech now.

Yes.

And that's what I find interesting about idioms. But there are terms like got your six.

Where originally, if you'd asked me that 10 years ago, I don't know that I would have necessarily known what that meant, but I would assume in the military, 10 years ago, it was a regularly used phrase, I would think.

Yep.

Yeah. Are there any phrases in the military that are often used where people might not know that they're associated with the military?

Oh, absolutely. Some of them are kind of obvious. We say a lot of things like bite the bullet, bite the dust. Those are really common phrases.

Bite the bullet, obviously, is going to be a little bit more sometimes associated with military. Bite the dust, not so much.

Boots on the ground obviously, is going to be more of a military term, but it's one that, even when I was working, like, for the state, that was a really common one. Boots on the ground means you're the person that's going to be out, whether you're recruiting or you're going to an event, Anything like that.

That one's interestingly become a song as well. Yes. Yeah.

On the front lines is another one that was mentioned. Stick to your guns.

All of these are phrases that we're used to hearing especially a lot in, like, you get, like, corporate settings and things like that. These are big phrases that they like to use. Another one that I think definitely has a lot of sports crossover is gonna be take a knee.

So, you know, we're told you're out in the field, Take a knee. We need to discuss what our game plan is. We need to talk about, like, what. What is going on next.

And I. I remember when I was going through basic training, that was like, all the time you're, you're. We're doing. They're called sticks lanes. They're training lanes. And just someone hollers, take a knee, take a knee. You stop, you regroup, drink water.

But I know that that was one that we would get a lot when I was playing softball and coach would tell us to take a knee. You know, we're gonna talk about what's next. Take a break, do something. Time out now. So There are other ones like buy the book, fall in line.

Like these are. These are actually technically military idioms, but we just wouldn't necessarily associate them.

Sure, sure. Yeah, yeah.

And those are great actually and I'm glad you brought that up because those have that military reference to them that. But have transcended into corporate world, into sports world, because we use some of those too and in society as a whole.

But, you know, that's what the cool thing even about, you know, this is our first like crossover podcast that there are similarities between our fields and that, you know, boots on the ground. That's a good one because it is. Because we don't. I'm trying to think of a sport that wears boots. They don't.

So that is, you know, where the military wearing boots and that. But that has transferred over to yeah, you're the one.

And that's fits into our world too, that it's about the man in the arena, the person that's out there that is going to be doing the work. So, you know, I want to come back though we've got your six a little bit because I'm not sure if everyone knows what it is.

And again, I do remember a year or so ago seeing shirts being made for it.

So.

And this is what I found. So you let me, anyone let me know if you're wrong. But Ms. Saint says it refers to the six o' clock position is directly behind you.

And if I've got your six, it means you're not alone, I'm covering you. I mean, so it's about trust, teamwork and culture which championship teams and elite units have about, you know, trust and protecting each other.

So I think that's very valuable and I think that is a.

Again, I would like a shirt made of that for our, even our sports team to do that because I listened to Simon Sinek once and I listened to him many times, but he was talking about courage and he uses a military reference that, you know, courage is about trust, relationship, mainly relationship. And in the military, when you're next to someone and you're in a battlefield and they say, I got your back, that gives you courage to do something.

And I think that's what we've got.

Your six really boils down to two, which will lead to, I believe, trust and courage, which are two huge things in military leadership and in sports leadership and in success of unit, especially when you're handling adversity or pressure.

So I just wanted, I think most people know all the other ones and maybe I'm the dumb one and wasn't sure, but, you know, embrace the suck and win the day. They're pretty more common. But, you know, like, I was trying to think in sports idioms, like, what sport?

I mean, you played sports too, so I think of like basketball and boxing. A lot of sports idioms. Basketball, I meant baseball and hockey are where a lot of them come from. But football has its share too.

So I just wonder if those are, you know, because those are like some of the more popular viewing sports in our. In our country. If that's where, you know, people took away.

I don't know if that's just coaches used them all the time and then they just gravitated to the other parts of society. But I did not break down like how many were by sports. But it seems like, you know, those are, you know, I think of, you know, hockey.

I keep coming back to you, you playing hockey, and I love hockey. We used to have a hockey team here at LCC for a short period of time about 10, 15 years ago. That'd be fun.

Ballpark figure. That's another one I use a lot. I need a ballpark figure. Give me an idea.

Level playing field. I didn't think about that one.

Yep, we use that one a lot in corporate world and again, just in leadership meetings and at our institution.

See, game plan, I wouldn't think of as a term that would be considered a sports idiom, but it makes sense.

Yeah.

And I could see that as probably crossing over to military. Yeah.

Oh, yeah, absolutely.

And it'd be interesting to see where it came from first because obviously the military had game plans too.

And see, I like game plan because one of the things I try and teach our coaches and our students that I think, as you know, dydalian, I've said many times on this podcast is that intentional practices are what lead to success. And the best way to have an intentional practice is to have a practice plan.

You need to write out a practice plan, break down the timeframes, and then evaluate it at the end. And I think that carries over. That's what I try and do every day with my day job.

And I know again, the military does that with their battle plans or such. So I actually like game plan because I think you're right, we take it for granted.

But I think in be successful in society, we need a game plan for life. And I'm still figuring mine out.

I think game plan, it's become so commonplace in. In our language because we. You do you hear it everywhere. It doesn't matter what field you're in, someone is saying game plan.

And so I think very likely it probably started with. With a sports connotation, and then it just became so commonplace, so commonly used that that's just.

I agree. I agree.

I don't even think most people would even associate it with sports anymore at this point.

And that's what I was saying is I don't even think. Think of it like par for the course. That's another one I use a lot.

I use that a lot.

I use that a lot. But that one I definitely associate still with sports.

Whereas game plan to this day, I know it's from sports, but I just don't associate it because, I mean, I think this was probably used ever since I was a kid. Even as a kid, somebody would say, what's your game plan?

I want to know what your par is.

My par for the course.

Your handicap, dad.

My handicap's well above what it should be.

Mine is.

We're find out. I'm playing on Friday.

But that's an interesting one because I think a lot of people use it. But do non golfers know what the term par means? I mean, I know it means normal or whatever, but par is what you should get for that hole.

So I think it has probably kind of like got your six. People have grown to understand what it is. You know what I'm saying?

I don't think originally even I'm trying to think of when my brain registered what it actually meant, and I'm not even sure I can tell you.

Right. I know.

I don't know if it was after I started playing golf or before, but I remember that being used for the longest time. Take a time out, slam dunk, step.

Up to the plate. Step up to the plate is, I think, one we used for responsibility.

Out in left field is another one that I use quite a bit.

Yeah.

And off base, I guess I wouldn't.

That makes sense that it would be a sports idiom, but that's another one where I've used that and just never really considered that it might have had a sports background to it.

Yeah. Hit a home. Hit a home run. That one has been used a lot around Lansing Community College.

Well, we hope so. Hopefully it's us and not the other team. But back to Rebecca's point about off base, again, base could mean.

I mean, it means baseball or softball, the base or, you know, in the military, they have a base and it's, you know, not being on that. So that is one that I wouldn't Necessarily attribute to sports. But I can see again with the sports term in it.

And again, that's where I think, you know, some of them cross over and some like bullet would be more a military one than that. And then out left field, I normally use that with my kids. But you know, again, not. Not normal or unexpected or crazy, which again, why left field?

Considered that that cutter question.

When you're. At least when I was playing softball, left field was not where you wanted. Yeah, like that was the worst position to be.

You didn't get a hit.

Nothing happens out there. You're standing out there just in the sun, just waiting.

So that's where you hide people. But no. Yeah, because of right handed hitters mostly, probably. So they see we got. We don't need Cutter. We got Rebecca.

So yeah, there has been quite a few baseball tours terms that come up. So.

Yes.

Anyway, so again, any last one before we head into our next segment?

Is that it?

I think that's what all I really had for mine. I mean, I have a lot of them, but not all of them are like real commonplace.

So that's interesting. I'm sure not all of these were either. And some have stuck more than others.

And some, you know, maybe even different parts of society or different groups like we talked about corporate leadership or maybe other fields use certain ones that apply more to what they're doing. But in the end, I mean, we're team.

It's trust, it's accountability and all these like kind of give a fun term, a fun language to addressing that among the group without using the same term all the time. And so I'm glad sports can contribute some way into society. We already know the military does. So again, it's a partnership.

We can continue to grow and develop.

So is it time?

It is time.

Greg's food question.

This is by most, the five people that listen to this podcast, they into the end.

But Rebecca, we always have a unique food question and some dates. The Dalian and I are on the same page some days, the Dahlia and Cutter on the same page.

But our very first question was and we've kind of asked all guests, but I'm going to have you come up with a question too. Daddy, does pineapple belong on a pizza?

Ooh, I think it depends on what else is on the pizza.

Okay. Okay. What would you have on it with if you had pineapple?

So for me it'd be ham and pineapple, but if I'm just having like pepperoni or sausage or something, then no.

Would you want it on your pizza, or is that a second option?

I don't think I'd want it on your pizza.

What about on cold pizza?

Maybe. Maybe.

Okay. I can't remember.

For me, it is a matter of. It's not my go to. But I have absolutely no problem with pineapple on a pizza.

I agree with Rebecca with a little bit of ham is great, but I also like it with a little bit of bacon. And I would throw some jalapeno in there as well, because it gives you that sweet, savory vibe. Yeah, it is pretty awesome.

That could be good.

But I could still do just ham and pineapple, and I am perfectly fine with that. Does not bother me.

Yeah, it's not my go to either. I would put ham and pineapple on something kind of like that Hawaiian pizza that you mentioned, too. But.

But folks who do not like pineapple on a pizza, right? Absolutely. Do not.

Like. We've had our share of guests on here. That. That is. There's no way it belongs. And I can't remember even where Cutter sit.

That was what, our first question a couple years ago. The dallian food questions you got for Rebecca from our history that you like.

Oh, man, you kind of threw me off here. I didn't know that you were gonna throw this at me. I would say we can. We can roll back to the last one. First of all, are you a soda or are you a pop?

Do you say soda or pop?

Oh, I think I kind of use it interchangeably.

You forget, don't you?

Yes,.

Because I tend to say pop. I think growing up, I did all the time, and then after a while, I found myself saying soda.

And then when I'm down south, I'm very cognizant about making sure I say soda instead of soda pop or soda pop together. I don't know, but one way or the other, you got a favorite one?

A favorite pop, probably root beer.

Oh, root beer.

That's a new one for us.

Have you heard of the dirty soda thing going on right now where you add creamer to your pop? Yes. So root beer, the common one, I think that you add. You probably haven't tried it in the last. I have not. Not yet.

No. No. I need to look it up, and I want to find out about it and dive into it. And I believe we landed on the same. Did we? We. Mountain Dew.

Yeah.

Yeah, We're Mountain Dew guys.

We do. We're actually. I drink cherry goat, which you said more now than.

Yeah, that's my second go to zero sugar now.

I'm trying, too. Trying to be healthier.

Yeah, no, I want sugar in mine.

I want sugar in mine, too. But I already eat two. Drink. As you heard from all my food questions, sugar is a common denominator in my diet, so I am trying to cut back on that.

If you're on a stranded island and you only had one food, what would it be?

Oh, I don't know.

Because our two guys here. Pizza. Every answer we have for food for Cutter and Denallion, the top five were hamburger, grilled cheese, french fries, chicken tenders, and pizza.

Those were the top five that we've learned. And they were disappointed. Pizza was so down on the list.

I mean, I guess if I have unlimited options of toppings, I could do burgers.

Okay. Yeah. That's the one nice thing about a burger is you can change it up. That's why they like pizza. Cause they can put different topics.

You can make a different meal every day.

Yeah.

So again, Rebecca, thank you so much for joining us. Short notice.

Pinch hitting.

Pinch hitting. Very good. You're getting. Practice makes perfect. That's another.

That is one. That is one.

You are getting better at that word because you're practicing and being intentional about it. But again, we thank our listeners out there for Stars on Sports. We'd encourage you to also listen to Boots da Books. So with Rebecca and Dustin.

So until next time, go Starz.

Stars on Sports is recorded live at the WLNZ studio. Engineering and production assistance are provided by Daedalian Lowry and you can listen to the episode and other episodes of Stars on Sports on demand lccconnect.org to find more information about our athletic program, visit lccstars.com thanks for listening. Be sure to join us next time for more Star on Sports. Go Stars!