Sidelines
Encyclopedia
The "sidelines" is a term commonly used to define the white or colored lines which mark the outer boundaries of a sports field. American football
sidelines, for example, mark the edge of the field. Should a player pass through the sidelines, he is considered out of bounds
. The sidelines are also where the coaching staff and players out of play operate during a game.
The sideline can be used metaphorically to refer to players who have been "benched," meaning that they have been taken out of the game purposefully by the coaching staff due to poor performance in the game or previous play. Establishing shots of these players may be used by televised sports programs to indicate potential roster switches, or to build a narrative of the failure or success of the coaching staff's decision. Likewise, images of the sideline may suggest that the highlighted player had done something of interest outside of the confines of play. For example, in American football, dousing the head coach with water or sports drink
is a popular way of celebrating crucial victories, established as a tradition by the New York Giants
of the National Football League
in the mid 1980's.
The term "to be sidelined" refers to a player in a sports event who is unable to play (e.g. confined to the sideline) for injury, suspension, or other similar reasons. This term has spread into a business context; a project that has been "sidelined" is no longer a major concern or objective of the proponent company.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
sidelines, for example, mark the edge of the field. Should a player pass through the sidelines, he is considered out of bounds
Out of bounds
Out of bounds is the area outside the boundaries of a sport's field of playOut of Bounds may also refer to:* Out of Bounds , a movie starring Anthony Michael Hall...
. The sidelines are also where the coaching staff and players out of play operate during a game.
The sideline can be used metaphorically to refer to players who have been "benched," meaning that they have been taken out of the game purposefully by the coaching staff due to poor performance in the game or previous play. Establishing shots of these players may be used by televised sports programs to indicate potential roster switches, or to build a narrative of the failure or success of the coaching staff's decision. Likewise, images of the sideline may suggest that the highlighted player had done something of interest outside of the confines of play. For example, in American football, dousing the head coach with water or sports drink
Gatorade shower
The Gatorade shower, also known as the Gatorade dunk and the Gatorade bath, is a sports tradition that involves dumping a cooler full of liquid over a coach's head following a meaningful win, like the Super Bowl. The tradition began with the New York Giants football team in the mid-1980s...
is a popular way of celebrating crucial victories, established as a tradition by the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
in the mid 1980's.
The term "to be sidelined" refers to a player in a sports event who is unable to play (e.g. confined to the sideline) for injury, suspension, or other similar reasons. This term has spread into a business context; a project that has been "sidelined" is no longer a major concern or objective of the proponent company.