"Boom goes the dynamite!" is a catchphrase coined by Ball State University student Brian Collins, popularized after a video of him delivering an ill-fated sports broadcast that included the phrase was shared on YouTube in 2005. In the ensuing years it has become a popular phrase, used to indicate a pivotal moment.
During his freshman year, Collins agreed to appear on Ball State University's campus newscast in place of the regular sportscaster, who was ill. The teleprompter was operational, but an inexperienced operator accidentally fast-forwarded through the script, leaving Collins with no choice but to ad-lib most of his script. Among the games Collins had to report on was the March 22, 2005 NBA game between the Indiana Pacers and New Jersey Nets. The phrase can be heard as Pacers shooting guard Fred Jones hits a 3 with 2:03 left in the first quarter.
Collins had coined the phrase earlier in his freshman year while playing the video game Super Mario Kart with his college roommates; the group had enjoyed coming up with new phrases to shout during moments of triumph in the game.
A video of the broadcast was posted on YouTube several months later, and gradually gained significant attention over the next few years.
