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Reader question: Please explain this sentence: “The US Senate has again dropped the ball by not passing an energy bill containing a renewable fuels standard that would increase the size of the nation’s ethanol industry.” The Senate “again dropped the ball”? My comments: The US Senate failed to pass a bill, the energy bill containing blah blah blah which would increase the size of America’s ethanol industry, etc., etc. And the gist of the matter insofar as the above argument goes is that the Senate is supposed to pass it. Failing to do so may in consequence cost the country dear. It’s a mistake on the part of the Senate. “Again dropped the ball” suggests that this is a repeat offense. Apparently the Senate had an opportunity to pass the bill some time before but didn’t. Now it dropped the ball again. Perhaps members of the Senate have an internal disagreement, or perhaps they all thought it a bad bill. I mean, the Senate must have its reasons for not passing the bill but either way, it’s not our major concern at present. Our concern here at present is focused solely on the idiom “dropping the ball”. Dropping the ball is a term borrowed from sports, any sports involving ball playing. In basketball, for example, if a player gathers the ball after dribbling (bouncing the ball up and down the floor) for a distance, he cannot put the ball to the floor again. He may shoot or pass the ball to a teammate, but he cannot drop the ball on the floor and catch it again, which is a violation. If he does, the referee will blow a whistle and terminate the play. The ball will be taken out of his hands and awarded to the opposing team. Then play resumes. | 
