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goal suck
DCHP-3 (Mar 2023)
Spelling variants:goal-suck
1an. — Hockey, Informal
a hockey player who waits around the opposing team's net, hoping to score an easy goal.
Type: 5. Frequency — There is an implied insult in the term goal suck (see the 1988, 1998 and 2007 quotations) in that the person who is hoping to score an easy goal by hanging around the opposing team's net is unwilling and/or unable to do the hard, team-based work that precedes the scoring of the goal (see the 2016 and 2020 quotations).
The term goal suck is Canadian by virtue of frequency (see Chart 1). Written evidence starts in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with oral likely preceding these dates by several years if not decades.
COD-2 lists goal suck as "(Hockey) slang", but does not identify it as a Canadianism.
The term goal suck is Canadian by virtue of frequency (see Chart 1). Written evidence starts in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with oral likely preceding these dates by several years if not decades.
COD-2 lists goal suck as "(Hockey) slang", but does not identify it as a Canadianism.
Quotations
1986
In street hockey games in his hometown of Sarnia, Ciccarelli was the quick little kid who stayed up the block and finished off the plays with the tennis ball, the one the other kids called "goal-suck."
1988
If he were a peewee player parents would be screaming, "Goal Suck!" and "Seagull!" They would complain he was getting too much ice time. But his teammates call this guy "The Greatest" and hope his quest to retain his scoring supremacy will be one of the motivating factors in spurring them to first place overall.
1998
Rob Brown broke his left leg when he tried to block a Garry Galley shot against L.A. last Tuesday and needed surgery. Is this the same guy who John Vanbiesbrouck once called a "goal suck?" Yup. Brown, who's been reincarnated in Pittsburgh as a very good checker, is out until late February. "He's one guy who's made the full committment to do the things we need people to do to be successful. Now, he's going to be missed because of those changes to his game," said Pens' coach Kevin Constantine, who's steamed about his team's laissez-faire attitude lately.
2007
After one of my first outings I came back home and proudly announced to my wife that the children liked having me there so much they gave me a nick-name. They called me "Goal Suck."
I confess there were some tears when she sat me down and explained that "Goal Suck" was not exactly an honorable appellation. That one took a jug of milk and a bag of Oreos to get over. Still, I managed to pull it together enough to join a game the next week where, to my everlasting joy, I played well enough to be high-fived by a 7-year-old.
2016
Kessel was demonized in Toronto, especially when it all came apart last season. He was deemed unwilling to fit into a team concept and to play a brand of hockey that could win big games. He was seen as an out-of-shape goal suck capable of only one thing: flinging the puck into the net every few games.
1bn. — Sports, Informal
a player in ball sports who waits around the opposing team's net, hoping to score an easy goal.
Type: 5. Frequency — Extending its usage from hockey (see the 2007 quotation) to other sports, the term goal suck seems to be gaining traction in soccer circles (see the 2013 and 2023 quotations).
Quotations
2007
She was so enamoured with goal-scoring euphoria that she spent the rest of the game near midfield waiting for another loose ball, turning into what we would refer to in ball-hockey as a goal suck.
2013
With Sweden ahead 2-1 they had to press for more goals otherwise Portugal and the great goal suck Renaldo would be out.
References
- COD-2
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