The Rice University Neologisms Database

Short for schedule. The author writes for ESPN’s Page 2, which is more sports in jest than anything else. As a result, it is more informal reporting and commentary, often including slang. Simmons, as Page 2’s flagship writer, is given the carte blanche to say what he wants, so he wrote an unorthodox article using unconventional words like sked, as short for schedule. He analyzed the upcoming schedules of a number of teams and, for convenience, shortened it to sked. Clipping for convenience is something I’d expect to manifest in spoken English, not written; but given Page 2’s penchant for slang, this is one of the first places I’d expect slang neologisms to surface. Phonetically, the voiceless ‘k’ sound is more akin to the written ‘ch’ in schedule, than the affricate ‘ch,’ which is a voiced, harder sound. So sked with a ‘k’ is more phonetically appropriate than retaining the ‘ch.’ Simmons’ strong readership may give sked some steam in sports circles.