Athletes Try to Cash in on Catchphrases

Don’t even think of printing the words “Revis Island” on a T-shirt before asking the Jets’ cornerback Darrelle Revis. It is his catchphrase—he has the trademark to prove it. And like Revis, more and more athletes are now claiming that what they say is so valuable it should be protected as their intellectual property. “You’ve got to catch on to it, if you’re that high-profile type of player,” Revis said. “Basically, anybody can market themselves. It don’t matter if you’re a high-profile player or not. You can find a way to market yourself and get yourself out there.” Among the more notable examples are Michael Strahan’s “Stomp You Out,” Terrell Owens’ “I Love Me Some Me,” and Manny Ramirez’s “Manny Being Manny.” But perhaps the oldest one is Pat Riley’s trademark of the word “three-peat” in 1989 as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.