matriculate

stupid football announcers. in consecutive days i have heard announcers talk about a quarterback matriculating the ball down the field. i think in both cases they've used it in the present tense, to matriculate. both times i've thought, "i don't think that word means what they think it does."

here's a few definitions

from answers.com
tr. & intr.v., -lat·ed, -lat·ing, -lates.

To admit or be admitted into a group, especially a college or university.
n. (-lĭt, -lāt')

One who is admitted as a student to a college or university.

from merriam webster:
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): -lat·ed; -lat·ing
Etymology: Medieval Latin matriculatus, past participle of matriculare, from Late Latin matricula public roll, diminutive of matric-, matrix list, from Latin, breeding female
transitive verb : to enroll as a member of a body and especially of a college or university
intransitive verb : to become matriculated

from wikipedia
Matriculation, in the broadest sense, means to be registered or added to a list, from the Latin matrix. In Scottish heraldry, for instance, a matriculation is a registration of armorial bearings. The most common meaning, however, refers to the formal process of entering a university, or of becoming eligible to enter by acquiring the meeting prerequisities.

the first hope for this incorrect usage would be this bit o' trivia found on wiki (where trivia is discouraged)
During Super Bowl IV, Kansas City Chiefs coach Hank Stram famously pressed his American football team to "matriculate the ball down the field, boys". It is not certain if this was intentional word play on Stram's part.


and finally, the urban dictionary gives that trivia bit, although as a slightly different quote than wiki, as well as a few other user submitted definitions that echo the misuse of the word.