#Catchphrases April 27

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CATCHPHRASES can often be associated with various people especially leaders.

Catch Phrase is also a game that has provided me one of the best laughs of my life. I will get to that story later.

In defining CATCHPHRASE it can be summed up as a word or expression that is used repeatedly. It often becomes a way to characterize a person, group, idea, or point of view. Some would even describe it as a tagline, slogan, or motto. Two weeks ago during my leadership reading I came across another great article on mantras. Specifically the mantras of John Wooden. Many years after his former players finished playing for Coach Wooden they still remembered his many CATCHPHRASES. I found the article in The Daily Coach. It is a great email newsletter to receive each morning.

When I think of my many friends a number of CATCHPHRASES come to mind. For my friend Ron Roach he is fond of saying “I’m In”. For Arnold West it is “Live A Great Story”

I did some thinking on what might be some of the CATCHPHRASES I use routinely. I also pondered what people might remember me by. I came up with the following hoping that they might be accurate:

When asked how I am doing?

My CATCHPHRASE is “I am doing fantastic but working on improving” -I acquired that from Zig Ziglar

When asked what does it take to succeed as a college coach?

My CATCHPHRASE is “RDOP -Recruit Daily Or Perish”

When asked how to approach people that don’t embrace your dream or goals?

My CATCHPHRASE is “SW-SW-SW-Some Will-Some Won’t-So What”

When asked about the game of basketball?

My CATCHPHRASE is “It is a simple game played by complex people”

I want to close with a story about the game Catch Phrase. The goal of the game is get your teammates to correctly guess a word or CATCHPHRASE by providing clues. It is a verbal form of charades. One night I played with five other couples (all of them close friends). One response that evening provided a laugh that has lasted for 10 plus years. The response is also a CATCHPHRASE I use to honor my friend who uttered it.

You get the word(s) from the Catch Phrase handheld device shown. The device comes with the game. In this example you can see “Going For Broke” is the CATCHPHRASE.

Once the start button is pressed a timer is activated and you keep passing the device around between partners after each correct response. Whoever is holding the device when the buzzer goes off is assessed a point. Low score wins.

The game we played 10 years ago had a couple named Joe and Janna dealing with the word “Ostrich“.

The photos above are by PaleoNeolitic (montage creator) Diego Delsoninara – Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0,

The game began and Joe was giving the clues and Janna was trying to guess correctly. Here is the narrative:

JOE-Janna it is a bird

JANNA: Robin

JOE: It has long legs

JANNA: Cardinal

JOE: A bit befuddled gives the next clue- It sticks its head in the ground

JANNA: I don’t know

JOE: It has a long neck

JANNA: Oh its a GIRAFFE

Her response ended the game for the night. No one at the table could compose themselves.

Janna’s CATHPHRASE is “Giraffe”. She is a great friend and leader but when she wants to make her friends laugh she has the magic power of a CATCHPHRASE.