"I feel like a blind dog in a meat house."
    – Jimy Williams, Former Red Sox Manager

Dirt Dog Idioms and Definitions
idiom n. An expression conforming or appropriate to the peculiar structural form of a language; in extend use, an expression sanctioned by usage, having a sense peculiar to itself and not agreeing with the logical sense of its structural form; The term red herring, an idiom meaning 'false trail', is used of something which is neither red nor a herring. The Red Sox Dirt Dog idioms and definitions follow:

Bark up the wrong tree
Pursue an erroneous course of action. 
Dirt Dog Definition:  Red Sox ongoing pursuit to end legacy of 83-years-of-World-Series-futility.

Gone to the dogs
Taken a turn for the worse.
Dirt Dog Definition:  Sox staff ERA or offensive prowess since the All-Star break, take your pick.

The hair of the dog that bit you
The drink you drink in the morning to get over the drinks you drank the night before.
Dirt Dog Definition:  A blown save on a Friday; a ninth-inning come-from-behind win on Saturday.

The dog ate my homework
An excuse for not getting something done or completing a project. 
Dirt Dog Definition:  Players' excuses, e.g., it's the manager's fault; I need to bat third in the line-up; I'd be better if I played every day, for their poor performance this season.

My dogs are barking
My feet are hurting.  
Dirt Dog Definition:  My feet are hurting (and so are my hands, arms, back, and shoulders) from carrying those signs around in 94 degree heat for that entire season-long/dirt-dog-introduction 13 day home stand.

In the dog house
In trouble.
Dirt Dog Definition:  Old Dog Sabes after yet another shoulder problem. Plenty of time to Rome around now.

Dog tired
Very tired.
Dirt Dog Definition:  Sox after having to fly cross-country to play three games with Oakland because of this ridiculous, unfair and unbalanced schedule.

Sick as a dog
Very sick.
Dirt Dog Definition:  How we all felt when Pedro came out of the most important game of the season to date in the 7^th inning in Yankee Stadium on June 4th.
Alt.: How anyone feels whose name is not on Jimy’s line-up card.

A barking dog never bites
Someone who makes threats all the time, seldom carries out the threats.  
Dirt Dog Definition:  The Yankee fans in and around the Stadium when I'm wearing my "Boston Red Sox 1967 American League Champions" Jacket.

Dog and pony show
Put on a good performance to impress someone, such as "I've got to do the 'dog and pony show' for my boss today."
Dirt Dog Definition:  Pedro’s next start.

Look like somebody just shot your dog
Dirt Dog Definition:  11:17pm on October 25, 1986

Two (or three) dog night
Australian. The number of dogs needed to sleep cuddled up to for keeping warm.
Dirt Dog Definition:  The number of relief pitchers needed to finish a game beyond the 7th inning these days.

Dog days of summer
Very hot days in July and August. It is the period in which the Dog Star, Sirius, rises in conjunction with the sun.
Dirt Dog Definition:  Hoping Sox bats get as hot as the weather this summer.

A dogs breakfast
Something bad.
Dirt Dog Definition:  Insert latest Red Sox injury press release here.

Why keep a dog and bark yourself
You should not do something you hired someone else to do.
Dirt Dog Definition:  Jimy letting Joe Kerrigan manage all things pitching.

Dog-leg right or dog-leg left
The fairway turns in a golf course.
Dirt Dog Definition:  The tricky right field or left field corners at the old Fenway bone yard.

Better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion
Dirt Dog Definition:  Better to be Dan than Jimy when the new owners come to town ...TO FINALIZE THE DEAL ON THE SPECTACULAR, RETRACTABLE-ROOFED, 58,000-EVERY-SEAT-A-GOOD-ONE, VIEW OF THE HARBOR FOR ALL, ICED-COLD-BUDWEISER-BOTTLES-SERVED-IN-THE-STANDS-LIKE-EVERY-OTHER-STADIUM-ON-THE-PLANET, STOP BEING SMALL-MINDED, COME TOGETHER AND GET THIS THING DONE RIGHT AND BUILD THE NEW FENWAY PARK NOW.

Dog does not eat dog
One disreputable person will not harm another disreputable person.
Dirt Dog Definition:  Terry Glenn and his agent Jim Gould (sorry, couldn’t resist).

It’s a dog eat dog world
Vicious world.
Dirt Dog Definition:  The Red Sox clubhouse if you’re a reporter and dare to glance at the rented movie playing on the television after a game.

His bark is worse than his bite
Someone comes across as being very mean and nasty, but doesn't necessarily act on their threats.
Dirt Dog Definition:  Carl having a discussion with Jimy.
Alt.: Hench’s Hardball column.

It's a dog's life
It’s an easy life
Dirt Dog Definition:  ...Tampa Bay for another six games in September.

Dog my cats
my goodness; what do you know
Dirt Dog Definition:  Shea Hillenbrand’s spring training surprise.

If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch
Dirt Dog Definition:  Jimy’s advice to Carl after his leg injury suffered when he "fell" in Tampa.

Every dog has its day
The time will come to each of us to chuck one's weight around; to exhibit a periods of ostentation, influence or power.
Dirt Dog Definition:  Dare I say Sox celebrating a World Series championship in late October?

If you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas
If you associate with bad people, you will acquire their faults.
Dirt Dog Definition:  Jimy’s warning to players on out-of-town days off.

Call off the dogs
Cease some objectionable line of conduct. The analogy is that of the chase, in which dogs following a wrong sent are called off.
Dirt Dog Definition:  Red Sox PR Man Kevin Shea addressing the Boston media on Monday morning.

Mean as a junk-yard dog
Very Mean.
Dirt Dog Definition:  Carl, if you question his foot position in the batter’s box.

Dog eat dog
ruthless competition or self-interest
Dirt Dog Definition:  The Sox uphill battle to make the playoffs in 2001... self interest... hmmm, very undirtdog-like.

Quick as a dog can lick a dish
fast, very quickly
Dirt Dog Definition:  Kerrigan's hook once a starting pitcher reaches six-and-two-thirds or 85 pitches, whichever comes first, e.g., Frank's almost-perfect game against the Yankees during the Last Stand.

Sad as a hound dog's eye
very sad
Dirt Dog Definition:  How Hideo Nomo looks after throwing a no-hitter... or getting pounded for 5 runs... same look... love the guy... more Horse than Dog... changing his name to The Horse...

A dog's chance
no chance at all
Dirt Dog Definition:  Red Sox winning a World Series in my lifetime (hope not).

A dog's life
a wretched existence
Dirt Dog Definition:  Anyone who is a card-carrying member of Red Sox Nation.

Bar-dog
bartender
Dirt Dog Definition:  Anyone serving the Red Sox drinks at The Rack or Daisy Buchanan’s.

Big dog
important person
Dirt Dog Definition:  Daugback as Red Sox Dirt Dog co-captain.
Alt.: Me if you have a question on this web site.

Cut dog has no pups
I don't want to cut the cards
Dirt Dog Definition:  Gene Lamont does not want to fill out the line-up card and thus suffer the vicious arm-chair attacks that Jimy was dealt every day.

Like cat and dog
quarrelling savagely
Dirt Dog Definition:  Dan and Jimy; Jimy and Carl; Carl and the media; the media and bostondirtdogs.com...

Bird dog
someone's buttock's
Dirt Dog Definition:  Mo Vaughn’s must be huge right about now.

Like a dog's dinner
dressed smartly or ostentatiously
Dirt Dog Definition:  Certainly not the Dirt Dogs with mud, grass, and pine tar stains a nightly staple on their uniforms.

Put on the dog
To behave or dress in an ostentatious or showy manner
Dirt Dog Definition:  Any Dirt Dog who needlessly dives for a ball for the sake of getting on Baseball Tonight.

Let sleeping dogs lie
Don't bring up an old issue/topic that will raise tempers or cause an argument
Dirt Dog Definition:  Asking Carl about his behavior during the 2000 season.
Alt.: Asking me about the champagne cork popping incident from October 25, 1986.

Love me, love my dog
If you love someone, you should accept everything and everyone that person loves.
Dirt Dog Definition:  Topic of discussion for any member of Red Sox Nation on a first date.

Rain cats and dogs
Raining heavily.
Dirt Dog Definition:  The Mess with Texas, Friday night, August 3^rd.

You cannot teach an old dog new tricks
Someone who is used to doing things a certain way cannot change.
Dirt Dog Definition:  Remind yourself of this if you ever expect to hear a straight answer from Dan or Jimy on anything Red Sox related.

Crooked as a dog's hind leg
dishonest
Dirt Dog Definition:  Can’t resist referencing Terry Glenn’s agent Jim Gould once again. I have to take a shower every time I hear him speak.

Happy as a flea in a doghouse
very happy
Dirt Dog Definition:  How we’ll all feel when the you-know-who’s finally win the you-know-what.

The tail wagging the dog
Dirt Dog Definition:  Any 'Save Fenway' ultimatums.

Work like a dog
Work very hard.
Dirt Dog Definition:  Me and my partner, trying to launch this little labor of love.

Dog-faced liar
a terrible liar
Dirt Dog Definition:  You guessed it. Insert Terry Glenn or Jim Gould here.

It takes a big dog to weigh a ton
Dirt Dog Definition:  The handsome one – El Guapo.
Alt.: The future one - Carlos Castillo.

Enough money to burn a wet dog
Dirt Dog Definition:  Manny’s contract.

Like two fleas on a dog arguing who owns the dog
Dirt Dog Definition:  Jimy and Dan at lunch with John Harrington.

A dog's dinner or breakfast
Informal. something that is messy or bungled
Dirt Dog Definition:  The Sox lineup card against lefty starters.

Go see a man about a dog
go use the toilet
Dirt Dog Definition:  Something you shouldn’t do when Manny steps to the plate.
Alt.: Me. Now. Goodbye.