Chris Berman Nicknames

 




NFL Training Camps

   







Christopher (Boomer) James Berman (born May 10, 1955, in Greenwich, Connecticut) is a host and anchor of Sports Center, NFL Primetime, Sunday NFL Countdown, Baseball Tonight, U.S. Open golf, and other programming on ESPN. He joined ESPN a month after its founding and has been with the network since. Berman also goes by his alter ego, The Swami when making prognostications on Sunday NFL Countdown. He is currently the highest paid analyst at ESPN.[

Chris Berman, a sportscaster for the American cable network ESPN, has created countless unique nicknames (sometimes called a Bermanism) for professional athletes. This webpage lists many of Berman's more notable creations.

Chris Berman Nicknames

 
Baseball
 
bullet

Jeremy "As good as" Affeldt - A play on the saying, "As good as I felt."
 

bullet

Rick "See ya Later" Aguilera - A play on saying, "See ya later, alligator."
 

bullet

Mike "Enough" Aldrete - A play on saying "Enough already".
 

bullet

Luis Alicea "in Wonderland" - A reference to Alice in Wonderland.
 

bullet

Roberto "Remember the" Alomar - A play on "Remember the Alamo".
 

bullet

Jesus "Skip to my" Alou - A play on "Skip to my lou".
 

bullet

Joaquin "the dog" Andujar - A play on "Walking the dog".
 

bullet

Rich "Protect Your Car with" Amaral - A play on Armor All slogan.
 

bullet

Tony "Brothers in" Armas - A reference to the song "Brothers in Arms".
 

bullet

Steve "Ebony and" Avery - A reference to the song "Ebony and Ivory".
 

bullet

Carlos "One if by Land, Two if by Sea, Three if" Baerga - A play on Old North Church lamp signals.
 

bullet

Jeff "Brown Paper" Bagwell - A reference to the song "Brown Paper Bag".
 

bullet

Kevin "Smallmouth" Bass - Smallmouth bass fish (it was reported that Berman's initial name was "Largemouth" (largemouth bass), but that Bass disliked it, so Berman switched to Smallmouth).
 

bullet

Stan Belinda "Carlisle" - A reference to artist Belinda Carlisle.
 

bullet

Rafael "Good day at the old" Belliard - A play on "Good day at the old ballyard".
 

bullet

Andy "the Merchant of" Benes - A play on The Merchant of Venice.
 

bullet

Lance "You Sunk My" Blankenship - A play on the popular Battleship phrase.
 

bullet

Bert "Be Home" Blyleven - A play on "be home by eleven"; reportedly a favorite of many Major League Baseball players.
 

bullet

Barry "U.S." Bonds - A play on rock performer Gary "U.S." Bonds.
 

bullet

Wade "Cranberry" Boggs - Cranberries are indeed grown in bogs.
 

bullet

Boof "Bourguignon" Bonser - A play on Bœuf Bourguignon, a French stew.
 

bullet

Pedro Borbon "street" - A play on Bourbon Street.
 

bullet

Mike "room and" Bordick - Room and board.
 

bullet

Greg "Crockoile" Brock - A play on Elton John song from the early 1970's.
 

bullet

Scott "Supercalifragilisticexpiali" Brosius - A play on the phrase Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
 

bullet

Steve "Head for the Mountains of" Buechele - Busch beer catch phrase.
 

bullet

Jay "Ferris" Buhner - A play on the movie "Ferris Bueller Days Off".
 

bullet

Ambiorix "and Crake" Burgos - A play on Oryx and Crake, dystopian novel by Margaret Atwood.
 

bullet

Ivan "Bubbling" Calderón - Bubbling cauldron.
 

bullet

"Skim" Melky Cabrera - A play on Skim milk.
 

bullet

Chuck "Baby you can drive my" Carr - A reference to line from The Beatles' "Drive My Car".
 

bullet

Mark Carreon "My Wayward Son" - A reference to the Kansas (band) hit "Carry On My Wayward Son".
 

bullet

Ron "Born in the U.S." Cey - A reference to Bruce Springsteen's song "Born in the U.S.A."
 

bullet

Royce "a Roni" Clayton - Rice-a-Roni the San Francisco treat.
 

bullet

Pat "OK" Corrales - A reference to the OK Corral.
 

bullet

Jesse "Ichabod" Crain - A reference to the main character in Washington Irving's Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
 

bullet

Jose "can you see" Cruz - A play on first line of The Star Spangled Banner.
 

bullet

Julio "won't you let me take you on a sea" Cruz - A play on "Sea Cruise".
 

bullet

Todd "Caribbean" Cruz - A play on "Caribbean Cruise".
 

bullet

Omar "Barbie" Daal - Barbie Doll.
 

bullet

Jim "Two Silhouettes on" Deshaies - A play on an oldies song lyric about "two silhouettes on the shade(s)".
 

bullet

Jermaine "Live and Let" Dye - After the song and James Bond movie Live and Let Die.
 

bullet

Damion "It don't come" Easley - A reference to the saying "It don't come easy".
 

bullet

Juan "Re" Encarnación - A play on the word "Reincarnation".
 

bullet

Cecil Espy "N" - ESPN.
 

bullet

Rollie "Chicken" Fingers - Chicken fingers.
 

bullet

Todd "which hand does he" Frohwirth - A play on the phrase "Which hand does he throw with?".
 

bullet

Andres "the Giant" Gallaraga - A reference to the wrestler Andre the Giant.
 

bullet

Karim "Of The Crop" Garcia - A play on the expression "Cream of the Crop".
 

bullet

Nomar "Mr. Nice Guy" Garciaparra - A takeoff of the phrase "No more mister nice guy".
 

bullet

Dwight "Johnny B." Gooden - A reference to the song by Chuck Berry "Johnny B. Goode".
 

bullet

Dwight Gooden "Plenty" - A reference to the candy "Good and Plenty".
 

bullet

Bernard "Innocent until proven" Gilkey - A reference to the phrase "Innocent until proven Guilty".
 

bullet

Atlee "If I had a" Hammaker - A reference to the song "If I Had a Hammer".
 

bullet

Von "Purple" Hayes - A play on the Jimi Hendrix classic "Purple Haze".
 

bullet

Todd "Highway to" Helton - A play on the song "Highway to Hell".
 

bullet

Dave "Harry and the" Henderson - A reference to the movie "Harry and the Hendersons".
 

bullet

LaMarr "Where Does It" Hoyt - A play on "Where does it hurt".
 

bullet

Scott "Rock The" Kazmir - A reference to the song "Rock The Casbah".
 

bullet

Chuck "New Kids on" Knoblauch - A reference to the song group "New Kids on the Block".
 

bullet

John "I am not a" Kruk - President Richard Nixon's infamous comment.
 

bullet

Ryan "Islets of" Langerhans - A reference to the Islets of Langerhans, groups of pancreatic cells.
 

bullet

Ricky Ledee "the Earth Stood Still" - A play on the movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still".
 

bullet

Mark "Get Back" Loretta - A reference to the lyrics from The Beatles song "Get Back".
 

bullet

Kirt "What's That" Manwaring.
 

bullet

Oddibe "Young Again" McDowell - A play on "Oh to be young again"; One of the few nicknames using a player's first name instead of his/her last.
 

bullet

"Me And" Willie McGee - A reference to the song by Janis Joplin song "Me and Bobby McGee".
 

bullet

Fred "The Crime Dog" McGriff - A reference to McGruff the Crime Dog.
 

bullet

Mark "Eve of Destruction" McGwire - A reference to the song by Barry McGuire "Eve of Destruction".
 

bullet

Eddie "Eat, Drink, and Be" Murray - A play on the phrase  "Eat, drink, and be merry".
 

bullet

Jonathan “Snap Crackle” Papelbon - A play on the catchphrase of Kellogg's Rice Krispies® breakfast cereal.
 

bullet

Terry "Pit and the" Pendleton - A reference to the Edgar Allen Poe story "The Pit and the Pendulum".
 

bullet

Ken "Good Evening Mister" Phelps - A play on the catchphrase from "Mission: Impossible".
 

bullet

Mike "Pepperoni" Piazza - A reference to Pepperoni Pizza.
 

bullet

Kirby "Union Gap" Puckett - A reference to the group "Gary Puckett & The Union Gap".
 

bullet

Terry "Swimming" Puhl - Swimming Pool.
 

bullet

Albert "Winnie the" Pujols - A reference to "Winnie the Pooh".
 

bullet

Tim "Purple" Raines - A reference to the song by Prince "Purple Rain".
 

bullet

Dave "Prince" Righetti - A reference to a brand of spaghetti.
 

bullet

Jose "Blame it on" Rijo - A reference to the movie "Blame It on Rio".
 

bullet

Kirk "Roto" Rueter - A reference to Roto Rooter.
 

bullet

C.C. "Splish, splash, I was taking" Sabathia - A reference to the Bobby Darin song "Splish, splash, I was takin a bath".
 

bullet

Olmedo "Do this don't do that, can't you read the" Sáenz - A reference to the lyric from the song "Signs" by Five Man Electrical Band.
 

bullet

Tom "Leave it to" Seaver - A reference to the TV show "Leave It to Beaver".
 

bullet

Gary Sheffield "of Dreams" - A reference to the baseball movie "Field of Dreams".
 

bullet

Eric "Win, Place, and" Show.
 

bullet

Sammy "Say It Ain't" Sosa - A reference to the phrase connected to Shoeless Joe Jackson.
 

bullet

"The Seven-Year" Ichiro Suzuki - A reference to the the Marilyn Monroe movie "The Seven Year Itch".
 

bullet

Frank Tanana "Daiquiri" - A play on the mixed drink "Banana Daiquiri".
 

bullet

Tony Tarasco "Sauce" - A play on Tabasco Sauce.
 

bullet

Miguel "Tejada they come.....Tejada they fall" - A takeoff on the phrase "The harder they come the harder they fall".
 

bullet

Jim Thome "Can You Hear Me?" - A reference to The Who's song "Tommy Can You Hear Me".
 

bullet

Manny "Kingston" Trillo - A reference to the group "The Kingston Trio".
 

bullet

Eric "Gave Up Meat" Valent - A play on the phrase "Gave up meat for Lent".
 

bullet

Todd "Snap, Crackle," Van Poppel - A play on the catchphrase of Kellogg's Rice Krispies® breakfast cereal.
 

bullet

Robin Ventura "Highway" - A reference to the song by the group America "Ventura Highway".
 

bullet

Gary "Hospital" Ward.
 

bullet

Jeff "I'm a Dream" Weaver - A reference to the song by Gary Wright "Dream Weaver".
 

bullet

Mark "Bay City" Wohlers - A reference to the group Bay City Rollers.
 

bullet

Craig "For What It's" Worthington - A play on the saying "For what it's worth".
 

bullet

Gregg "Wrath of" Zaun - A reference to the movie "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan".
 

Football

bullet

David "Green" Akers - A reference to the 1960's TV comedy show "Green Acres".
 

bullet

Shaun Alexander'"s Ragtime Marching Band" - A reference to an old Irving Berlin song.
 

bullet

Mike "You're in good hands with" Alstott - A play on the slogan for Allstate Insurance.
 

bullet

Jerry "Halls of Mont" Azumah - A reference to the words "Halls of Montezuma" in the Marines' hymn.
 

bullet

Eric "Sleeping with" Bienemy - A reference to the movie "Sleeping with the Enemy".
 

bullet

Rob "My" Bironas - A reference to the song "My Sharona".
 

bullet

Matt "Werewolves of" Blundin - A reference to Warren Zevon song "Werewolves of London".
 

bullet

Tom "Here's a story of a man named" Brady - A reference to the theme song of the TV show "The Brady Bunch".
 

bullet

Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, Na Brown - A reference to song "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye".
 

bullet

Vincent "Ultimate" Brisby - A play on the phrase "Ultimate Frisbee".
 

bullet

Troy Brown "and his Band of Renown" - A reference to Les Brown and his Band of Renown, a swing band for over 50 years.
 

bullet

Tedy "Ice Cold" Bruschi - A reference to a cold beer (or "brewski").
 

bullet

"The Reverend" Isaac Bruce.
 

bullet

David "Please come to" Boston - A reference to the song by David Loggins "Please Come to Boston".
 

bullet

Correll "General" Buckhalter - A reference to the character General "Buck" Turgidson that George C. Scott played in the film Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.
 

bullet

Marc "Ray" Bulger - A reference to actor Ray Bolger who played the scarecrow in "The Wizard of Oz".
 

bullet

"Dom Dom Dom, Dom Be Dooby Dom Dom Dom" Dom Capers - A reference to the lyrics of the song "Come Go With Me" by the Del-Vikings. Berman has also used the popular beginning to the theme of Dragnet, after a Houston Texans loss.
 

bullet

Ahmad "A Christmas" Carroll - A reference to the movie "A Christmas Carol".
 

bullet

Matt "White" Cassel - A reference to the fast food chain "White Castle".
 

bullet

Chris Chambers "Time Has Come Today" - After the Miami Dolphins wide receiver makes a catch, Berman exclaims "Time Has Come Today"; this is a reference to the song by "The Chambers Brothers".
 

bullet

"Hey you get off of" Mike Cloud - A reference to the song by The Rolling Stones song "Hey You, Get off of My Cloud".
 

bullet

Ben "Winter" Coates - "Winter coat".
 

bullet

Jose "Baby" Cortez - A reference to musician Dave "Baby" Cortez.
 

bullet

Zack "Davey" Crockett - A reference to Davey Crockett.
 

bullet

Alge "Cinnamon" Crumpler.
 

bullet

Karlos "Tiny" Dansby - A reference to the song by Elton John "Tiny Dancer".
 

bullet

Jake "Daylight Come and You Gotta" Delhomme - A reference to a line from Harry Belafonte's "Banana Boat Song".
 

bullet

Donald "Duke in the" Driver - A reference to Luke Duke being in the driver's seat from the TV show "The Dukes of Hazard".
 

bullet

Warrick "Well" Dunn.
 

bullet

Tim Dwight "Good Night".
 

bullet

Kevin "Slicin" Dyson.
 

bullet

"Robin Hood and Little" John Elway.
 

bullet

Brett "Long Ago and" Favre "Away".
 

bullet

Harry "The S stands for Sweetness" Truman.
 

bullet

Christian "Eu" Fauria - A play on the word "Euphoria".
 

bullet

Jeff "Philadelphia" Feagles - A reference to the song by Elton John "Philadelphia Eagle" (Feagles actually did play for the Eagles at one point in his career).
 

bullet

A.J. "Touchy" Feeley - A reference to the phrase "Touchy-Feely".
 

bullet

Jay "See Me" Feely "Kicky Goody" - A reference to the song by the Who "See Me Feel Me".
 

bullet

Jay Fiedler "on the roof" - A parody of Fiddler on the Roof. This makes sense, as Fiedler is Jewish.
 

bullet

"Werewolves of" London Fletcher - A reference to the song by Warren Zevon "Werewolves of London".
 

bullet

Doug "The Magic" Flutie - A reference to the opera "The Magic Flute".
 

bullet

Barry "Bananas" Foster - Former running back of the Pittsburgh Steelers, referring to the dessert bananas foster.
 

bullet

Chris Fuamatu "He's a bad" Ma'afala! - A reference to Isaac Hayes' "Theme From Shaft".
 

bullet

Samkon "In" Gado "We Trust"- A twist on the motto of the United States of America "In God We Trust".
 

bullet

Rich "Loose" Gannon - A play on the phrase "Loose Cannon".
 

bullet

Jeff "Boy" George - A reference to the singer Boy George of the 80's band the Culture Club.
 

bullet

Robbie "Solid" Gould - A reference to TV show "Solid Gold".
 

bullet

Jeff Graham "Cracker" - A reference to the snack.
 

bullet

"Ah Ah Ah" Ahman Green - A reference to a person about to sneeze.
 

bullet

"Ah Ah Ah" Az Hakim - Same as Ahman Green.
 

bullet

"Starvin" Marvin Harrison - A reference to South Park or the gas station chain.
 

bullet

Todd "Uriah" Heap - A reference to the music group "Uriah Heep".
 

bullet

Joe "don't bother me, I'm on the" Horn - A reference to his 2003 end zone celebration where he pulled a cell phone (horn) from under a goalpost.
 

bullet

Joe "Little Big" Horn - A reference to the "Battle of Little Big Horn".
 

bullet

Michael "Como Esta" Husted - Spanish expression.
 

bullet

"Hanging" Chad Jackson - A reference to voting using punch cards, and the piece of paper hanging was called a "Hanging Chad".
 

bullet

MarTay "O-Tay" Jenkins - A reference to how Buckwheat said "OK" (O-Tay).
 

bullet

"Grandmama" Larry Johnson - A reference to the basketball player of the same name who starred in a commercial where he dressed up as an old lady called "Grandmama".
 

bullet

Rudi Johnson "Rudi! Rudi! Rudi! Rudi!" - Chanted by Berman and Jackson any time Johnson appeared in a highlight.
 

bullet

Pacman Jones - Any NFL Primetime highlight featuring Jones, Berman and co-host Tom Jackson make sound effects from the popular video game Pac-Man. Note that the nickname itself is not a Berman creation, as Jones had that nickname at West Virginia University, and possibly earlier.
 

bullet

John Kasay "at the foot" - A parody of the poem "Casey at the Bat".
 

bullet

Jon Kitna "Kaboodle" - A parody from the phrase "Kit and Kaboodle".
 

bullet

Sean "Personal" Landeta - A play on the phrase "Personal Vendetta".
 

bullet

Reggie "Foghorn" Langhorne - A reference to the cartoon character "Foghorn Leghorn".
 

bullet

Ty "I fought the" Law "and the law won" - A reference to Sonny Curtis and The Clash song "I Fought the Law".
 

bullet

"He's Strong to the finish, cause he's a QB. He's" Peyton "The Sailor" Manning - A refrence to "Popeye The Sailor Man".
 

bullet

Curtis "My Favorite" Martin - A reference to the TV show "My Favorite Martian".
 

bullet

Olindo Mare - Olindo Mareeeeeee Whoa-oooh!.
 

bullet

Terrance Mathis- Every time Mathis scores a touchdown, Berman says "Chances are he is in the endzone".
 

bullet

"Ace and" Duece McAllister.
 

bullet

Josh "Tears of" McCown - A reference to the song by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles' "The Tears of a Clown".
 

bullet

Luke "Send in" McCown (Josh McCown's brother) - A reference to Stephen Sondheim song "Send in the Clowns".
 

bullet

Natrone Means "Business".
 

bullet

Natrone "Refried" Means - A reference to refried beans.
 

bullet

Rick "No Time to Wallow in the" Mirer - A line from The Doors hit "Light My Fire".
 

bullet

Mike "After Dinner" Minter.
 

bullet

Ryan "Longer" Moats "Are Coming to Win Us" - A reference to the Cat Stevens song "Longer Boats".
 

bullet

"Waltzing" Mewelde Moore - A reference to the song "Waltzing Matilda".
 

bullet

Johnnie Morton "Salt" - A reference to the brand Morton Salt.
 

bullet

"Yo" Adrian Murrell - A reference to the movie "Rocky".
 

bullet

Kyle Orton "Hears a Who" - A reference to the Dr. Seuss book "Horton Hears a Who".
 

bullet

Da Da Da Da Da... Heeeere's Carson (Carson Palmer) - A parody of the introduction to the The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
 

bullet

Willie "Wonka" Parker - I reference to "Willy Wonka".
 

bullet

Doug "Bats in the" Pelfrey - A reference to the expression "Bats in the Belfry".
 

bullet

Ricky Proehl "Shampoo" - A reference to Prell shampoo (although Proehl's name is pronounced "prohl", not like the shampoo).
 

bullet

Jonathan "The Medicine Man" Quinn - A reference to "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman".
 

bullet

Gary Reasons "to believe".
 

bullet

"The Human Highlight Reel" Dominic Rhodes - A play on "The Human Highlight Film," nickname of former NBA superstar Dominique Wilkins.
 

bullet

Andre "Bad Moon" Rison - A reference to the expression "Bad Moon Rising"; also a reference to the Credence Clearwater Revival song "Bad Moon Rising".
 

bullet

"Koo Koo Kachoo" Marcus Robinson - A reference to the Simon & Garfunkel song "Mrs. Robinson".
 

bullet

Ben "in the Big Blue" Roethlisberger - A reference to the TV Show title "Bear in the Big Blue House".
 

bullet

Samari "Shake, Rattle, N" Rolle.
 

bullet

Allen "Playin' Possum" Rossum.
 

bullet

Sage "Drew" Rosenfels - A reference to sports agent Drew Rosenhaus.
 

bullet

"Parsley" Sage Rosenfels "and Thyme" - A reference to the Simon and Garfunkel album

bullet

"Who Framed" Roger Ruzek"?".
 

bullet

Sean Salisbury "Steak".
 

bullet

Matt "Stump the" Schaub - A reference to the ESPN sports trivia game show "Stump the Schwab".
 

bullet

T.J. "Sgt." Slaughter - A reference to Sgt. Slaughter from G.I. Joe the Pro Wrestler.
 

bullet

Lance "Sergeant" Schulters - A reference to Hogan's Heroes character Sgt. Schultz.
 

bullet

Lito "Whoa-ohhh" Sheppard - A reference to the lyric in the Boz Scaggs song "Lido Shuffle".
 

bullet

Onterrio "Yours to Discover" Smith - A reference to the slogan of Ontario Tourism.
 

bullet

Matt "Smokey" Stover - A reference to the comic strip "Smokey Stover".
 

bullet

Patrick "Yes, I'm" Surtain - A play on the the phrase, "Yes, I'm certain."

bullet

Steve "A Tisker a" Tasker - A reference to the nursery rhyme "A-Tisket, A-Tasket".
 

bullet

George "Iced" Teague - "Iced Tea".
 

bullet

"Well-dressed" Amani Toomer - A reference to the upscale clothing brand Armani. Another variation is Amani "It's Not A" Toomer. Refers to Arnold Schwarzenegger quote from film Kindergarten Cop.
 

bullet

Jeremiah "Was a Bullfrog" Trotter - A reference to a lyric in the song "Joy to the World" by Three Dog Night.
 

bullet

Michael Turner "Overdrive" - A reference to the group "Bachman-Turner Overdrive".
 

bullet

Jonathan Villllmaaaaa - Boomer will try to sound like Fred Flintstone when yelling for Wilma.
 

bullet

"H.J." Hines "Company" Ward - A reference to the H.J. Heinz Company Charles "Get Out of My" Way.
 

bullet

Benjamin "Dr." Watson - A reference to the character "Dr. Watson" from the Sherlock Holmes novels.
 

bullet

Reggie "Bruce" Wayne (to the batcave!) - A reference to the Batman series.
 

bullet

Jed "Friedman" Weaver - A reference to Brooklyn icon "Jedediah Friedman".
 

bullet Karl "The Truth" Williams - A reference to the boxer Carl "The Truth" Williams.
 
bullet

Eric "Wallow in the" Zeier - A reference to lyrics from The Doors song Light My Fire.
 

Other Sports

bullet

"Ground Control to" David Toms - A reference to a song by  David Bowie "Space Oddity".
 

bullet

Roger "Chocolate" Maltbie - A reference to "Chocolate Malt".
 

bullet

Joey "Seven Deadly" Sindelar.
 

bullet

Lionel "Snake" Chalmers.
 

bullet

Chris "You're with me, leather" Berman.
 

bullet

Adam "Grateful" Deadmarsh - A reference to the Grateful Dead.
 

bullet

Stephane "Rebel" Yelle.
 

bullet

Milan "Na...Na,Na,Na,Na,Na,Naaaaa...Na,Na,Na,Naaaaa" Hejduk - A reference to the Beattles' song "Hey Jude".
 

bullet

Martin "He Ain't Heavy, He's My" Brodeur - A reference to the Hollies' song "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother".
 

bullet

Chris "Peanut Butter and" Chelios.
 

bullet

"Lions and" Tigers "and" Woods "OH MY!" .
 

Last Updated Sunday, July 18, 2010