Both of their backs were up against a corner

Posted: July 21, 2020 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dylan Bank, director of the documentary “Get Me Roger Stone!” was interviewed on CNN about Trump’s commutation of Stone’s sentence.  Bank was saying that time was running out for both Trump and Stone as Stone was having to report to prison.  This nice malaphor was then uttered.  You can find it in the transcript here:

https://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/2007/13/cnr.12.html

This is a near perfect congruent conflation of “backed into a corner” and “back to the wall”, both meaning to be in a high-pressure situation with no escape.  I did post this malaphor last year when Yamiche Alcindor, PBS journalist, said a similar mixup. https://malaphors.com/2019/09/27/they-have-their-backs-up-against-the-corner/?fbclid=IwAR1vaRUEYsSOIg1IFCxK4DGhZ8Uppno_D1ASi0_GlZKK6UyknvGo56EnL28  However, it was too good to pass when offered up a second time.  A big thanks to Steve Hubbard and Jim Kozlowski who both spotted this one and sent it in almost at the same time.

Advertisement

They have their backs up against the corner

Posted: September 27, 2019 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

MSNBC commentator Yamiche Alcindor uttered this one when talking about the White House after Pelosi’s impeachment announcement.  This is a near perfect congruent conflation of “backed into a corner” and “back to the wall”, both meaning to be in a high-pressure situation with no escape.  “Back up” (to obstruct) might also be in the mix, given the recent news.  A big thanks to David Stephens for hearing this one and passing it on!

 

His back is on the ropes

Posted: July 19, 2017 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
This malaphor was uttered by Brian Johnson, the San Francisco Giants’ color announcer, describing a Detroit Tigers pitcher.   It is a mash up of “on the ropes” (doing badly and likely to fail) and “back against the wall” (to have serious problems which limit the way you can act).  The speaker may have been thinking of the boxer with his back on the ropes, getting pummeled.  A shout out to Pete Mamalis for hearing this one and sending it in!
There are lots of malaphors from the sports world in my book, “He Smokes Like a Fish and other Malaphors”, available on Amazon for a mere $6.99!  Check it out at this link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0692652205

I was painted into a wall

Posted: February 2, 2017 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

This is a nice congruent conflation of “painted into a corner” and “back against the wall”, both describing being in a hard-pressed situation.  A wall mural painting might also have crept into the recesses of the speaker’s mind.  Who knows? Many thanks to Elly Pietrucha who mistakenly uttered this one and passed it on!