infamous = 'talked-about; popular'

[Laurence Horn]

And yet another infamous golf round, according to the implication of a HuffPost headline today:
Obama Golfed With Oil Men As Climate Protesters Descended On White House
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/20/obama-climate-protest_n_2719338.html

I read one of the comments in response to this piece as proposing an interesting new sports metaphor that I couldn't quite work out:

========
Obama is merely a brand that American people have vicariously bought. The off ice of the presidency, after Kennedy (and perhaps the exception of carter) has become merely a resume builder.
========

But on closer examination the "off ice of the presidency" was not a hockey-inspired allusion to Obama's "on ice" vs. "off ice" activities, but a mere typo.  Unless there really are no mistakes.

LH



On Feb 20, 2013, at 11:08 AM, Ben Zimmer wrote:

> According to the transcript, anchor John Berman said, "Teaming up with
> the leader of the free world, Tiger Woods gushing about the president
> as a golf partner." No ringleader. But you got the quote from sports
> reporter Joe Carter right: "Tiger gave up details yesterday about his
> infamous round with the president saying the commander in chief can
> chip, he can putt; he also has amazing touch."
>
> http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1302/20/es.04.html
>
> It's possible that what made the round of golf "infamous" in Carter's
> eyes was that the White House press corps had complained about not
> getting to see it:
>
> http://www.mediaite.com/tv/cnn-panel-clashes-over-right-to-see-obama-golfing-with-tiger-woods-what-happened-to-transparency/
>
>
> On Wed, Feb 20, 2013 at 10:02 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>>
>> We're talking the lamestream info-edutainment viewpoint.  No feature
>> reporter would ever express a negative judgment of anything legal and
>> intrinsically harmless done for fun by a pair of top celebs.
>>
>> The journo's tone of voice was entirely enthusiastic as Tiger went on to
>> explain the thrill of golfing with the Prez.
>>
>> Possibly I am in error, but as I switched on the TV I thought I heard
>> someone describe the President quite neutrally as "the ringleader of the
>> free world."
>>
>> Not a reliable attestation. Just a warning.
>>
>> On Wed, Feb 20, 2013 at 9:11 AM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:
>>>
>>> At 2/20/2013 06:58 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>>>> CNN mentions "The President's infamous round of golf with Tiger Woods."
>>>>
>>>> The only meaning I can extract is "well reported,esp. if diverting."
>>>
>>> Depends on your opinion of Tiger Woods.  I would extract "disgraceful
>>> social occasion with a dishonored multiple adulterer."  Woods is
>>> infamous; the President becomes so also.
>
> --
> Ben Zimmer
> http://benzimmer.com/
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org