the.com/starting lineup
The eleven-ish people blamed first if it goes wrong, praised last if it goes right.
means The official list of players chosen to begin a game, as opposed to those starting on the bench.
from A straightforward pairing — 'starting' (from Old English 'steartan,' to move suddenly, later extended to mean 'beginning') and 'lineup,' a late-1800s baseball term for the literal line of players arranged in batting order before a game. The phrase spread from baseball's dugout-card tradition into football, basketball, and eventually anything with a roster, carrying with it that faint whiff of ceremony — the moment before blame or glory gets assigned.
- origin
- baseball term, codified when lineup cards became official
- bench truth
- not always your best players, just your best fit
- coach's tell
- announced late enough to mess with opponents
- captaincy myth
- starting does not require being the loudest player