Merriam-Webster expertly trolls NFL teams over Twitter spat
The Indianapolis Colts not only were mocked and ridiculed over the team’s new hashtag-based slogan, #ColtsForged,” it also spawned a Twitter spat with two other NFL teams over its perceived lack of originality.
In the end, however, Merriam-Webster got the last laugh.
It all started with the Colts’ new and somewhat confusing slogan, which was formally introduced Tuesday.
#ColtsForged pic.twitter.com/uZFKcW8kwa
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) August 28, 2017
While many couldn’t make sense of what #ColtsForged” exactly meant, the Tennessee Titans and then the Minnesota Vikings took umbrage over the use of “forged” in the slogan.
#WordOfTheDay “Forged”: copied fraudulently; fake.
Glad we could inspire you. #TitanUp pic.twitter.com/KbV9GI427Q
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) August 29, 2017
*ahem* pic.twitter.com/9L91WSaaFv
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 29, 2017
The Colts next clapped back at the Vikings with a pithy tweet of their own.
We can circle dates too. pic.twitter.com/H1r14jgsOm
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) August 29, 2017
The choice by the Colts to make reference to a Merriam-Webster entry brought the spat to the attention of the official Twitter account of the aforementioned dictionary. This move elicited this brilliant troll take down of all three NFL teams in which the New England Patriots are used as a dose of silencing comeuppance.
Now, teams. There's no reason you can't ALL 'forge ahead,' much like you copied each other when you lost to the Patriots. https://t.co/s6ljyu0y6V
— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) August 30, 2017
Boom. Roasted. There’s no word for how brilliantly Merriam-Webster brought the hammer down. Well, there probably is one. Perhaps one could just look it up somewhere.
