Buzz
Sportswriters often face criticism for their frequent reliance on clichés (and other shortcomings; Hunter S. Thompson famously said that the only tools a sports reporter needs are "a Roget's Thesaurus to avoid repeating verbs and adjectives in the same paragraph" and "a blind willingness to believe anything you're told"). However, it's important to note that they cover events that are inherently repetitive and difficult to give fresh terminology to.
For anyone keeping up with NBA free agency, it's clear that the clichés keep coming, even when the games have ended. This particular phase — revolving around yet another LeBron James decision — has turned sports journalists into aspiring fortune tellers, scrambling to back up their predictions with vague "anonymous sources."
One phrase has been used so frequently that we actually received a question from a reader asking about its origins. The expression "reading the tea leaves" has become a well-worn cliché, especially when discussing NBA free agency.
Many LeBron-related questions: No set timeline for his decision. Numerous tea leaves, and the majority suggest Cleveland — those close to LeBron want this to happen.
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) July 10, 2014
The expression "reading the tea leaves" originates from tasseography, an ancient practice of predicting someone's future by interpreting the patterns left by a smeared or splattered substance. During the Middle Ages, clairvoyants would use melted wax or molten metals for the process, but as the tea trade flourished in the 17th century, tea leaves from the Far East became the go-to material for this Western tradition (coffee was also popular).
The method varies from one psychic to another, but it generally works like this: Unstrained tea is poured into a cup or vessel. The individual then drinks or discards the liquid. What remains are the wet tea leaves clinging to the cup's sides and bottom, which the reader interprets as a series of symbols or distinct imagery. Spot an acorn? That could signify good health ahead. A sword? You might soon face a conflict. A 90-foot-tall talking water buffalo? You might not have been drinking regular tea, my friend.
LeBron James has made the decision to return to Cleveland, but the smudge at the bottom of our cup looks oddly like a thimble — signaling trouble at home. Prepare to break out the Earl Grey again in a couple of years; James's contract is only for two seasons.
