There are certain situations in life that just get under your skin. The ones you can’t stand, yet can’t avoid. Pet peeves.

Those same unnerving pet peeves apply within the world of sports. There are just some things that people, athletes and fans alike, do and say that rub me the wrong way.

For the sake of reducing my anxiety, here’s my top three pet peeves in sports. Please don’t do them.

Number Three: The first down signal in football. Let me explain. I understand that it is the job of NFL referees to signal when a first down is made. I get that. But when players feel the need to signal as well, it gets on my last nerve.

Dude, we just watched the play. We know what the outcome was, we do not need to be reminded three seconds after the fact, especially since the guy whose signaling actually matters, has already made the call.

So if you’re one of those players who finds it acceptable to boast about what’s usually a dink-and-dunk for a few yards, stop it. Just get back in the huddle and wait until your number is called again on a puny third-and-short.

Number Two: Missing a dunk. Every time that I see precious breakaway points given up when some hothead fumbles a dunk, I cringe.

Unless you are Lebron James or Blake Griffin, you should only dunk when you know it’s going to go in the basket. And when you do go up for a dunk, you better have the confidence to throw it down.

It’s one of the most embarrassing plays in sports. I’d rather get “posterized” in every game, than miss an open dunk opportunity. Not saying I can actually dunk, but the idea stands.

As a fan, it’s extremely hard to watch. You did everything right, got out on the fast-break, but tried to be flashy and ruined it all. Don’t ruin it all. If you aren’t confident with your jam game, there ain’t nothin’ wrong with a finger roller.

Number One: “The Giants scored five points today”. If you are this person, we can never be friends. This is the biggest pet peeve in all of sports, and it drives many, many baseball enthusiasts absolutely bonkers.

For anyone who doesn’t know, RUNS are scored in baseball, NOT POINTS. Every time some uneducated sap utters the word points in baseball, the mighty baseball gods weep.

I’m not saying you have to know everything about baseball. Don’t worry about the double switch or Matt Cain’s WHIP in road night games. That stuff isn’t crucial to the casual baseball fan.

But if you are new to the game and are headed out to the park, take my advice; think before the words come out of your mouth. Please don’t let the word “points” escape during the game. It might just save the sanity of a lot of fans.

Nick Woodard can be reached at [email protected] or @nwoodard25 on Twitter.