Sports writers mangling the language like they are coaches
On this week's ESPN Tuesday Morning Quarterback, Gregg Easterbrook (good: Bills fan; bad: anti-Semite) writes:
"New England may have punched Washington in the nose, but on a deep post to Randy Moss, the pass was defensed by middle linebacker London Fletcher, who stayed with Moss deep stride for stride."
What's wrong with "defended?"
A few years ago football coaches started using Warren Hardingesque constructions like "defensed" and "keep contain." What gives? Why must the literate among us perpetuate such violence?
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