Since Brian Collins became an Internet legend, for better or for worse, with his Boom Goes The Dynamite sportscast as a college freshman in 2005, the phrase has become a part of the culture. "Family Guy," "Gossip Girl" and "King of the Hill" have used it. So has Jon Stewart, and Will Smith even uttered it at The Oscars.
Collins was ridiculed after his painful broadcast on the Ball State campus station, but ultimately he is enjoying the last laugh. How many sportscasters have force-fed viewers a slogan that just doesn't stick? Meanwhile, Collins, who is still working in the broadcast biz as a freelance reporter, has seen his catchphrase go global without even trying.
The popularity of the phrase in itself has gone a long way toward rehabbing Collins' image. On Tuesday night, Collins himself took it a step further by agreeing to be featured in the "Web Redemption" segment of the Comedy Central show "Tosh.0."
Collins said he coined the phrase during video game battles with his college buddies.
"We used to play Mario Kart a lot, and that's what we did: We all kind of came up with our own catchphrases," Collins told show host Daniel Tosh. "A good point to yell it out is when you hit somebody with a green shell because the green shells are harder. They are not easy. They just don't zip on to them. You gotta have some aim."
The segment included a comedy sketch centered around a pick-up basketball game that showcased Collins as a play-by-play announcer. We don't want to spoil everything here, but his broadcast partner in this bit is an announcer whose reputation is built on several successful catchphrases.
