The Poise Is Back In Town

Another week, another victory for Mark Sanchez, another opportunity for New York Times Jets writer Greg Bishop to limn the quarterback's lukewarm heroics with his favorite word. You know the one.

In today's paper, Bishop, whom we've met before, writes of the Jets:

The two constants have been the poise of their rookie quarterback and the defense.

To which we can now add a third: a beat writer who doesn't seem to have access to a thesaurus. Bishop's stories have accounted for six "poise"s since Aug. 6. Sept. 25: "... Sanchez's poise, pocket presence and decision-making" (this appeared online under the headline, "Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez has already shown the poise of a more experienced player")

Sept. 15: "... the poise exhibited by Sanchez ..."

Sept. 13: "... displayed poise rarely seen from rookie quarterbacks ..." Aug. 6, quoting coach Rex Ryan: '' ... wanted to see poise ..."

This has now officially gotten out of hand. Sanchez had a nice broken-play touchdown run yesterday and a largely unremarkable day throwing the ball. The English language fairly bulges with hollow compliments for a performance like that. Sanchez was self-possessed. He was serene. Assured. Phlegmatic. He played with confidence and aplomb and equanimity. Any of those, and a thousand more, would serviceably evoke the notion of a quarterback who looks like a quarterback and doesn't constantly throw the ball to the other team's safety, which is all "poise" really means in this context anyway. Deadlines are a bitch, and all writers have their crutches, but for a reporter at our country's paper of record to turn time and again to the same lame cliché shows a distinct lack of — oh, what's the word? — sangfroid.

Photo via GQ

It's Sloppy, but Jets Are 3-0, and That's No Mistake [New York Times]