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#37743 08/29/01 02:24 PM
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most of us take 5+ years to complete our "four year" undergraduate programs.

Well, more like I always thought that a letter was for something more than just participating; rather participating with a certain degree of outstanditude and could be earned in more than one sport. Someone who excelled in baseball, football and basketball in junior and senior years could easily be a six letter man.

ron's baby brother, ernest obvious

PS

misunderstanding your line of thinking (gee, that'd be a big surprise)

Hey! Sometimes *I don't understand me.


#37744 08/29/01 03:09 PM
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Hey! Sometimes *I don't understand me.

Is that an outside joke?


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Hey! Sometimes *I don't understand me.

Is that an outside joke?


Dunno, do you understand me?


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yeahbut. dat means nuffin'

just 6 more to go, ole feller!


#37747 08/29/01 03:46 PM
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and getting five of them would indicate that you weren't able to graduate in the normative four years

Maybe not. Calling someone a "three letter man" is a high compliment, meaning he is a so good a college athlete as to letter in three separate seasonal sports: a fall sport, a winter sport, and a spring sport.

Is the term five letter man is use? I can't recall it, but am unsure.


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Dunno, do you understand me?

yeahbut. dat means nuffin'

You've got a point there.


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participating with a certain degree of outstanditude

On ma'Gawd - outstanditude? Faldage strikes again. Great word.
My understanding was that you got a "letter" in each sport in which you played with a Varsty team and that therefore, as said previously, you could easily get six letters in four years by participation in different seasonal sports.
How-sum-ever I do believe that the term, as used for the man in question "Six Letter Man" is perjorative in the sense that a six-letter man would be a "bit above you all" perhaps a "know-it-all" and not one to let the opportunity pass to let you know he knows it all ... a real pain in the asterisk.


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All this talk of Letter Man gives one a new scope for thought about Dave Letterman -- the late night talk show host. Sometimes "Six Letter Man" is right on the money in describing Dave, other times he can appear quite charming.


#37751 09/05/01 08:15 PM
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Caradea, thanks for your explanation! I think that could be an outside joke, since I didn't realize that taking 5 years to graduate was NOT a sign of poor grades! This has my vote for an outside joke!


#37752 09/06/01 12:52 AM
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Bill:

I think you answered your own question. I learned MANY years ago that a five letter man was a p*r*i*c*k. So I didn't pay too much attention to this thread after you posted that. I should have!

TEd



TEd
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