You often hear in the analysis of a sporting event the term “intangibles.” Usually, this means things like which team has momentum coming in, or the team that might get an extra boost for the crowd, a team that is used to playing close games. Things that generally should not be considered intangibles: speed, size, skill, etc. These are tangible factors in determining the outcome.

However, we are always excited to locate someone misusing the word “intangibles.” Seeing as most sports commentators are not the brightest, you see this happen more often than you might think.

Enter Heather Dinich. This writer for ESPN put together a piece discussing Duke’s strong start, especially in light of its win over Maryland yesterday. You can check here for the full article.

But here’s the line we liked the most: “Maryland’s supposed inside advantage was one of several intangibles the Terps had going in their favor — along with the fact they just shocked the top-ranked Tar Heels with a stunning 82-80 upset Jan. 19.”

Nicely played. Nothing quite like the intangible of one team being taller, stronger, and more skilled than the opponent near the rim. Fantastic!