Pipp-Speak

To be Wally Pipped or to be Pippa'd, which is worse? As the latter phrase eases into our vernacular post--royal wedding, here's a reminder of what the former means and how the other could be applied in sports.

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	PIPPED	PIPPA'D
MEANING	To be displaced from a lineup for some physical ailment, only to have one's sub steal the spot for good.	To have one's spotlight stolen on some particularly significant or celebratory occasion.
ORIGIN	Famously, in 1925 the Yankees rested former home run champ Wally Pipp, who had a headache. His replacement, a 21-year-old and unproven Lou Gehrig, kept the spot for 2,130 straight games.	At her April wedding to Prince William, bride Kate Middleton was upstaged by her younger sister, Pippa, who dropped jaws with a shape-hugging, low-cut white gown.
EXAMPLE	In '92, Packers QB Don Majkowski injured his ankle, only to see a 22-year-old Brett Favre step in, close the win and start the Packers' next 275 games. (See also: Kevin Kolb vis-à-vis Michael Vick, 2010.)	Often upstaged by Babe Ruth, Gehrig finally earned the spotlight with a rare four-HR game in '32. But the Pipper got Pippa'd in the New York papers, which led with the retirement of Giants skipper John McGraw.

PHOTO

JOHN STILLWELL/REUTERS (PIPPA)

PHOTO

MARK RUCKER/TRANSCENDENTAL GRAPHICS/GETTY IMAGES (PIPP)