The idiomatic expressions we feature in Sports Idioms 1 & 2 relate to popular sports in the USA, particularly baseball and American football. In business, competition is often understood in terms of athletic competition. That’s why there are so many sports idioms in business English.

You can also check out the new practice pod on sports idioms (BEP 61) to hear these idioms being used in a different context – a business meeting.

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BEP 57 Study Notes	BEP 57 PhraseCast	BEP 57 & 58: Sports Idioms – Quiz BEP 57 & 58: Sports Idioms – Gap-fill
BEP 58 Study Notes	BEP 58 PhraseCast	BEP 57 & 58: Sports Idioms – Language 1 BEP 57 & 58: Sports Idioms – Language 2 BEP 57 & 58: Sports Idioms – Language 3

Listening Quiz (Click a question to see the answer):

BEP 57 – Sports Idioms 1

1) Do Jan and Jen think Accent’s takeover of TelStar was a good idea?

They seem to have a little disagreement on this issue. Jan says Accent “hit a home run,” that is scored a big success. Jen thinks the deal was “overpriced,” or too expensive.

2) Why was there a delay in the takeover?

Apparently the shareholders were “stalling for time,” that is, using delaying tactics to get a better deal.

BEP 58 – Sports Idioms 2

1) Who is McConnel and what do Jan and Jen think of him?

McConnel is the new CEO of Accent. They use three idioms two describe him: He has “stepped up to the plate,” “made a great pitch” and “keeps his eyes on the ball.” Discussed in detail in the debrief, these three idioms all have a positive meaning. We get the feeling that McConnel is energetic, dynamic, and has taken the initiative.

2) What do Jen and Jan say about Accent’s future in American market?

They have a little bit of a disagreement. Jen thinks Accent might “strike out,” that is fail, while Jan believes that McConnel is very aware and smart – “has his eye on the ball”.