A ‘Hail Mary’?_其他_趣味英语-查字典英语网

A ‘Hail Mary’?

Reynolds’ attorney, Frederic Bruno, said it would be a mistake by the defense to attempt to focus the case on his client.

“It’s a classic red herring defense. Mr. Reynolds is an attractive target and makes an interesting sideshow but ultimately it is not going to work,” Bruno said. “This is a Hail Mary shot.”

- Life in witness protection: New identity, but old habits, StarTribune.com, September 16, 2009.

2. It’s the most exciting play in football, and it rarely works.

It’s the “Hail Mary” pass, a term coined 39 years ago Sunday, when Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach heaved a 50-yard, desperation pass for Drew Pearson with 24 seconds left in an NFL divisional playoff game at Minnesota.

Although the ball seemed to hang in the air for ages, the pass was slightly underthrown, allowing Pearson to turn and catch it on his hip as a Vikings defender fell at his feet near the three-yard line. Pearson took a long step across the goal line, and the Cowboys miraculously came away with a 17-14 victory.

Staubach, a devout Catholic, later confided that he said a Hail Mary prayer after releasing the ball, hence the play's nickname that now transcends sports and is used as a metaphor for last-gasp attempts in all sorts of situations.

“It’s crossed over into all parts of life,” Pearson said. “You hear it in church, you hear it in business, you hear it in sports, community life, charity life. What it is is there are Hail Mary moments in people's lives. We all have them, when our backs are against the wall and you don’t know where that rent's going to come from, or the kid needs braces, or the car needs fixing.