Friday, July 3, 2009
Homo / Sports / Theater / The Ladies Overheard in the Office
Posted by Bethany Jean Clement on Fri, Jul 3, 2009 at 10:06 AM
Yesterday I had a sad conversation with Dan Savage. "Do you know what the term 'triple threat' refers to?" I asked him (ungrammatically). "It's a person who can sing, dance, AND act," he said. It's not a sports thing? I wondered; no, he was sure. Then I had to go and check, after which I had to inform him that heteronormative Merriam Webster is at odds with his rainbow-colored worldview.
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1
I'd never heard of the sporty version before. Seems odd that MW omitted the more well-known definition with a half-assed "someone who is good at three things."
2
What?? I always knew it as someone who can sing, dance and act -- hence the sarcastic line from Singin' in the Rain, "She can't act, she can't sing, and she can't dance. A triple threat!"
Okay, so I watch a lot of musicals.
Okay, so I watch a lot of musicals.
3
While it's entirely possible the sports definition preceded the theatrical one, it's also indisputable that the latter has completely overshadowed the former in the common vernacular.
Seriously, aside from Doug Flutie's bizarro drop kick extra point in '06, when was the last time anyone saw a backfielder kick a football? Even legendary Oakland Raiders QB/Kicker George Blanda (the only professional player in the last half century SFAIA to successfully transition between the two positions) never successfully pulled this one off.
Technical point to Bethany, win to Dan.
Seriously, aside from Doug Flutie's bizarro drop kick extra point in '06, when was the last time anyone saw a backfielder kick a football? Even legendary Oakland Raiders QB/Kicker George Blanda (the only professional player in the last half century SFAIA to successfully transition between the two positions) never successfully pulled this one off.
Technical point to Bethany, win to Dan.
4
Dan's definition does fit with the second dictionary definition. Now see if you can stump him with the definition of a 5 tool player. Dan, if you're reading, no cheating and looking it up, mmmkay.
5
I'd guess that the football definition fell into disuse as the game evolved and it became less likely that a single player would have to run *and* pass *and* punt the ball as part of a single game. Meanwhile, as the Broadway (and Hollywood) musical formats developed, the ability to sing and dance and act became a very valuable skill set. So the football definition might have been first, but it's archaic. The showbiz usage will probably last until Broadway collapses.
(I guess George Blanda would have been the last steady run-pass-punt triple threat in football. Wikipedia has a good entry for "Triple_threat", btw.)
(I guess George Blanda would have been the last steady run-pass-punt triple threat in football. Wikipedia has a good entry for "Triple_threat", btw.)
6
I always thought of the basketball version of triple-threat position, where you hold the ball at your hip and can go from that into passing, dribbling, or shooting
11
In sports, they used to call that tools; e.g., a baseball player who excels at hitting for average, hitting for power, running the bases (esp. if they can steal a lot), fielding his position, and throwing the ball fast and accurately is a "five tool player." Think Ken Griffey Jr. in his prime.
The fact that "triple threat" is infiltrating sports is another bit of evidence on how overwhelmingly gay sports really are. In a few years people are going to wonder how they missed it, just like the Village People back in '79.
The fact that "triple threat" is infiltrating sports is another bit of evidence on how overwhelmingly gay sports really are. In a few years people are going to wonder how they missed it, just like the Village People back in '79.
13
This is the first time that I'd ever heard of the "sports" version of that term.
I've always heard it used to describe someone who can sing, dance, and act or someone who writes, acts, and directs those are the only two variations that I'm aware of. The first coming from the stage and the second having evolved as cinema and television became more prevalent, though it can also fit with stage folk as well.
Outside of the arts, I didn't know that there was another definition. huh.
I've always heard it used to describe someone who can sing, dance, and act or someone who writes, acts, and directs those are the only two variations that I'm aware of. The first coming from the stage and the second having evolved as cinema and television became more prevalent, though it can also fit with stage folk as well.
Outside of the arts, I didn't know that there was another definition. huh.
14
Thanks Matt, now no one in the office can stump Dan! How do you know no one who works there wasn't going to take my suggestion there. God Dammit!
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