Heisman (was Re: verb eponyms)

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 09:33:13 -0400, Laurence Horn wrote:

>At 6:00 AM -0700 9/21/05, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>>I heard this once around 1995 as "give her the Heisman."  It must
>>have been before I reached the coffee machine because my brain could
>>not even begin to figure out what about the Heisman Trophy would
>>have lent it to this application.
>>
>>So I forgot about it.
>>
>>Early cites of any of these Heisman slang forms would be welcomed.
>
>I wonder if the famous incident(s?) in which Desmond Howard, wide
>receiver at the U. of Michigan, struck the Heisman pose after scoring
>a touchdown to promote his own candidacy for the award--together with
>the fact that he did in fact win it, in 1991--contributed to raising
>the profile of that pose for lexical as well as commercial purposes.

Possibly. Connie Eble says the figurative "Heisman" usage was popularized
during the 1990—91 academic year, which roughly accords with my memory as
a Yale undergrad. She also mentions the song "The Heisman" by Johnny Quest
as being popular that year (it later appeared on their 1992 album _10
Million Summers_). The group Johnny Quest is from Raleigh, NC, so it would
make sense if that was a point of reference for Eble's UNC students (it
wasn't for Yale students). Some lyrics I found online:

-----
http://heresahint.org/portal/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=24
She's cashing your checks, got the car in a wreck;
poured Diet Coke, into your tape deck.
You should give that girl: The Heisman!
...
Washin' those dishes every day of the week,
for a skinny little slave-drivin' torture freak
Down the street Johnny Quest is playin'
He wants you to work, but instead you're sayin:
I should give this job: The Heisman!
-----

And here are various Usenet cites from the early '90s...

* the Heisman principle

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.humor/msg/a67d54eab82fca78
rec.humor, "The jester's tale...", Mar 15 1991
Drunk Trek Rules: Version 4.1 [...]
BACK IN YO FACE (THE HEISMANN PRINCIPLE):  Drink when a character totally
humiliates someone else.

* give (someone) the Heisman

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.personals.ads/msg/1550efe2615a092f
alt.personals.ads, "Women", Sep 17 1992
I had a short lived relationship with a VERY attractive girl who then gave
me the Heisman (Probably misspelled) or dissed, whatever.

http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.japan/msg/026c29e8a1cc711f
soc.culture.japan, "SF Bay Area Scj'ers - the Three Amigos", Jun 5 1993
Setsuko must have given him the Heismann. (visual onomatopoeia - the
Heismann award shows a football player in the strong-arm running position
used to push off would be tacklers)

* get the Heisman (treatment)

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.music.phish/msg/71020a049f329f14
rec.music.phish, "Ohio get the Heisman", Aug 24 1994
Once again it looks like Phish will not be playing in the southwest Ohio
area during a non-summer tour.

http://groups.google.com/group/bit.listserv.lawsch-l/msg/aad2e048497a43ad
bit.listserv.lawsch-l, "Question: Pros and Cons Med or Law?", Mar 6 1995
I've been having similar thoughts the end of first year approaches,
especially since I've been getting the Heisman treatment in my job search.

* generalized "Heisman"

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.kids-talk/msg/5b77c76ca7e23c36
alt.kids-talk, "The old guard shows up momentarily...", Oct 3 1993
So I just had a horribly traumatic heisman from a girl who I genuinely
fell in love with, and I'm writing to Bear.

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.music.gdead/msg/15748bc084afe686
rec.music.gdead, "Atlanta Heisman by GDTS", Feb 22 1994
I had the sinking feeling that was immediatly confirmed upon opening the
envelope that I had been rejected by GDTS.  Yes, excuse #14, 'we were sold
out by the time they got to my order'.  The Heisman from GDTS.

* be/get Heismanned

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.music.gdead/msg/01d94f526acf4202
rec.music.gdead, "Funny Audience Tapes", Nov 4 1994
I also heard a tape from the same tour but at Darien Lake Amphitheater
where the guy holding the mikes is trying to pick up a woman at the show.
This is a funny tape because he tries every single imaginable combination
of lines.  Eventually he strikes out.  I guess that it was even funnier to
me since I knew the guy that was Heismanned.

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.music.gdead/msg/1e17a2a0b1a2cc3f
rec.music.gdead, "HEISMANNED by GDTS for Philly :(", Feb 15 1995
Unfortunately, I got Heismanned.  This is the first time that I've ever
been negged by GDTS!!!!!


--Ben Zimmer