garbage time
n.—Gloss: in American sports, “garbage time” refers to the remaining minutes of a game whose outcome is already apparent. «He is trailing in the polls. His numbers are static. Unless he does something now, right now, his January campaign will be the functional equivalent of what the sportscasters brutally refer to as “garbage time.” He will be prattling on about the importance of “public service” and “doing for others” and all those other themes that politicians strike when they are about to get rolled.» —“On Faith: Georgetown Blog; The God Vote: McCain’s Move: Deplorable But Effective” by Jacques Berlinerblau Washingtonpost.com Oct. 4, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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