Bad behavior as detritus

[Charles C Doyle]

Michael is highly adept at shedding would-be tacklers.

--Charlie  (a Falcon fan)

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From: American Dialect Society [ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] on behalf of Laurence Horn [laurence.horn at YALE.EDU]
Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2012 10:17 AM
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On Sep 19, 2012, at 9:27 AM, Joel S. Berson wrote:

> In an article in the Boston Globe reporting the arrest of Atlanta
> Falcons running back Michael Turner for drunken driving and speeding
> "just hours after he scored a touchdown", coach Mike Smith is quoted as saying:
>
> "First and foremost, any time a player sheds negatively on our
> football team and on our organization, we are very disappointed."
>
> "Sheds negatively" seems odd in itself.  (Casting off
> electrons?)  More disturbing is the comparison of an alleged criminal
> act with the flaking of skin, and the belief that the worst sin is
> giving the team a negative images.
>
Aha!  A new idea for making our cats feel guilty about their shedding negatively around the house!  I have a feeling it's not going to work with me, or with Michael Turner.

LH

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