This has been a topic of discussion in 11W Confessionals and other forums, but I wanted to compile a list of words that make your eyes involuntarily roll to the back of your head. This can be divided into further categories, but I'm interested to see if there are any commonalities with my grievances.
Name Calling: The obvious one. No real explanation is needed... Meatchicken, Hairball, O$U, Suckeyes... It's dull, it's lazy, just don't do it.
Generally Overused Words: The top two words used to the point where they have become mundane are classy and delusional. If someone doesn't agree with you, they're delusional. Every program has very dumb fans. I'm talking Billy Bob from Odessa, Texas calling into the radio show dumb. That doesn't make a program's fans delusional in itself. I've been inundated with that word to the point where I'm not sure it's still even a word.
Every time I hear a fan use the word classy, I envision a middle-aged woman from Sex and the City sipping on shitty wine and berating the plebeians for their lack of class. It also takes minimal effort for someone to be considered classy: "Good luck to Butch Jones and the Tennessee Volunteers." - Wow, what a stylish and sophisticated individual for making such a normal person statement! This word is more often found in the bottom-dwelling comment sections of the sports internet, though it makes its rounds in more respected media outlets.
I could go on but I'll decide to stop here. I'm looking forward to the "tough, gritty, cerebral" answer in the comments.