This does not surprise me.
I think people who grew up in the United States and were taught metric
alongside WOMBATs sometimes
kind of mentally mix the two into one set of units. They see metric units as
filling in the
gaps. "centimeter" is sometimes (uncommonly) used in conversation to mean
"about a half-inch",
and millimeters are (more commonly) used for smaller lengths just because the
US "system" doesn't
provide a small enough unit. Speaking in "32nds of an inch" or some such
verbose nonsense just
isn't worth consuming the extra joules.
I've said it before: I really do believe most Americans know more metric than
they think they do.
--- James Frysinger <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> With a bit over 2 min left in the third quarter and just after a
> reviewed call on a possible safety, the ball was placed "one millimeter
> from the goal line", according to the lead announcer on the ESPN broadcast.
>
> Ironically, a penalty backed the ball back up into the end zone
> resulting in a call of a safety against Indiana and in favor of Michigan
> State.
>
> That's my first observation of metric units being used in American
> football. Yep, she said "one millimeter".
>
> Jim
>
> --
> James R. Frysinger
> 632 Stony Point Mountain Road
> Doyle, TN 38559-3030
>
> (H) 931.657.3107
> (C) 931.212.0267
>
>
