There are a few nicknames and monikers that become so ingrained into the sport of football that they become inseparable from the game itself. The most famous is probably the concept of a “hail Mary” pass, which is now more often thought of and referred to as a football concept than the pious act itself. This relational transformation is known as ubiquity, and boy do sports love their ubiquity!
The concept of tying a memorable phrase to a sports figure or action is not new. Gladiators, including the famous animal fighter Carpophorus, were given nicknames that were meant to be both memorable and descriptive.