2018 - 2019 BYU Hoops

[falafel]

"cager" = arcane. Lol. Just stop already.

I took at stab at the google machine and found this S.I. article, from 1991:

Here is the pop quiz for today. A cager is:

1) a lion tamer
2) a four-wall handball player
3) a basketball player.

If you answered 3, then you're a fan of a certain age—gray, or at least graying at the temples—because a quarter century ago, basketball players were often called "cagers" and their sport was the "cage game" in the newspapers. The terms were useful shorthand for harried headline writers, most of whom probably had no idea how they had originated.

The words go back to basketball's Stone Age and the first professional players.

https://www.si.com/vault/1991/11/11/...-from-the-fans

A quarter century before 1991 was 1966! I know some of you were watching professional basketball in 1966, but I still had to watch from the P.E.L. for another 13 years before I joined the Saturdays Warriors and the veil wiped my knowledge of the term "cager" from my memory.

[PaloAltoCougar]

It is a very common term.

Wait until falafel hears the word "gridiron".

And note that "cindermen" isn't a reference to firefighters. I liked sportswriters of old who would come up with endless synonyms for routine sports terms.

[Jeff Lebowski]

And note that "cindermen" isn't a reference to firefighters. I liked sportswriters of old who would come up with endless synonyms for routine sports terms.

I am guessing the term "pigskin" also generates tons of confusion.

[falafel]

And note that "cindermen" isn't a reference to firefighters. I liked sportswriters of old who would come up with endless synonyms for routine sports terms.

I am guessing the term "pigskin" also generates tons of confusion.

I am legitimately in the dark about cindermen. I even tried looking it up.

[smokymountainrain]

I am legitimately in the dark about cindermen. I even tried looking it up.

somebody who runs track?

[Surfah]

somebody who runs track?

Yes. They run on cinder tracks.

[PaloAltoCougar]

somebody who runs track?

Correct, because that's what high school and other tracks were composed of, or so I was told. I believe "thinclads" has also been applied to those who run competitively.

I did a google search and the first result was a 1962 Harvard Crimson article about the track team.

[Lost Student]

Count me in as one who never heard of "cagers" in reference to basketball. I was in the PE until around the same time as falafel, for what it's worth.

I do know that edgy motorcycle riders condescendingly refer to any automobile driver as a cager.

[Moliere]

It is a very common term.

Maybe for you, PAC and BYU71.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Maybe for you, PAC and BYU71.

And a bunch of young sportswriters, apparently.

[BigPiney]

Correct, because that's what high school and other tracks were composed of, or so I was told. I believe "thinclads" has also been applied to those who run competitively.

I did a google search and the first result was a 1962 Harvard Crimson article about the track team.

My kids school is so poor they can't even afford cinders. They run on dirt.

[Topper]

My kids school is so poor they can't even afford cinders. They run on dirt.

We had a dirt track in junior high and then graduated to something else in high school. When I first ran on BYU's track, I loved the bouncy feel you had when you ran.

[Clark Addison]

I was very familiar with the term "cagers" but was unaware of the etymology. I had always assumed that the "cage" was the basketball net.

My middle school had a cinder track so I was up to speed on that one.

[LiveCoug]

This dude just committed to BYU.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h3xhRhq9TU


He totally rattles in his free throw attempt in his first highlight. Sorry for the spoiler.

[jay santos]

This dude just committed to BYU.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h3xhRhq9TU


He totally rattles in his free throw attempt in his first highlight. Sorry for the spoiler.

Interesting. I couldn't find much on him. Is this a big deal? Did he choose us over any big name schools? Watching the video, I'm not sure what to think. He plays small for a 7 footer, crouching down on his turn arounds and not really utilizing his body and length. But then he looked decisive and powerful on a couple of his moves. First impression is that I'm not holding my breath for this guy to be a star. But, cool. 7 ft Chinese basketball player is interesting.