Sports Discussions PSA

We'll return to our (semi-)regularly scheduled novella-length posts soon, but in the meantime, there's a pressing matter that we need to get straightened out before regular-season football kicks off and the Mariners (hopefully) play their first meaningful September baseball in over a decade. (After the Phillies series, we're not going to mention October right now.)

The issue: WAY too many people have trouble with the difference between "bias" and "biased", and "dominate" and "dominant". And I simply can't face another 4+ months of seeing the wrong words used. So let's get this figured out, shall we?

Bias: Bias is a noun. (Okay, technically it can be a verb, too, but we're ignoring that for the purposes of this tutorial.). It's a thing, which people can have. It is not a description. You can't be bias any more than you can be tire, or excite, or worry. See how that works?

Examples:

ESPN has an SEC bias. (Good, and oh so true.)
There is a bias in the umpiring system against the Mariners. (Good. Well, not good, but accurate (at least when it comes to Tony Randazzo) and a proper usage.)
Oregon fans are stupidly bias for their stupid team and its stupid uniforms. (Oh so true, but an incorrect usage.)

Biased: Biased is an adjective. It describes a person or attitude. In fairness, I rarely see this used incorrectly (when it is used). The main problem is using "bias" where you should be using "biased", as described above.

Example:

Anyone who suggests that Felix is not the awesomest pitcher in MLB is clearly biased.

Dominate: This is a verb. It's an action; it's something one does. It is not, for the love of all that is holy, an adjective which is used to describe something or someone. Just don't do it. Please.

Examples:

Man, UW really dominated Oregon this year! (Good, and totally going to happen.)
Felix dominates every team he pitches against. (Good.)
The SEC is the most dominate conference! WOOOOOO! (Wrong, and I hate you.)

Dominant: This is an adjective, which is used to describe someone or something. As with "biased", this usually isn't used incorrectly when it is used; the problem is the use of "dominate" when you mean "dominant".

Examples:

Iwakuma is actually just as dominant of a pitcher as Felix is, which is awesome. (Good on all sorts of levels.)
The Huskies' offensive line should be dominant this year with all of the returning experience. (Good, and here's hoping.)
Um, the SEC dominants everyone? (Still wrong. Go have more Franzia.)

I appreciate your attention to this matter. And don't make me unfriend you by thinking it'll be funny to use these incorrectly on purpose in the comments. You'll be as wrong as that SEC fan.

Gratias tibi ago.