When did "compete level" become such a common phrase among hockey commentators? I don't remember hearing it so much in previous years. And for some reason it's bugging me since compete is not a noun. Is it so hard to say competition level?

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Blame Pierre McGuire.

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I usually do.

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I went to a fight the other night and a hockey game broke out.
- Rodney Dangerfield

I was just thinking that. Feels like he's been saying it at the WJC for the past decade.

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English is not my first language and the first time I heard "compete level" I thought it didn't sound right. Wouldn't competitiveness be a better word?

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I hate that expression. It's asinine. "You better bring down your level of expect if these guys don't show a higher compete level." Bah. Idiots.

I blame Mike Babcock. He was using it regularly before Pierre even started saying it.

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60% of the time it would be a better word every time.

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The use of "gap control" is out of control. I've been around hockey for a very long time and I had to think pretty hard to figure out what the hell the announcers were talking about.

I thought with the intelligence level of most play-by-play and colour announcers, that they were naturally talking about their wives and girlfriends, butt in hindsight that was assinine.

The phrase that pisses me off above all others is "time and space".

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Nah... 'eye-hand coordination' is my all time piss off. It is 'hand-eye coordination' you dumb funks.

Huh... according to wikipedia:
Screw it. I still hate eye-hand.

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