Brian Collins, a nervous sports anchor, fumbles highlights, concluding with this infamous catchphrase. It's become commonly used in many things, including an episode of Family Guy and being quoted by Will Smith when he flubbed a line on stage during the 81st Academy Awards telecast. As of March 2009, Collins was a reporter for KXXV in Waco, Texas.

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 hit a three-pointer 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.

A trademark application on the phrase was filed but ultimately abandoned by a San Diego-based speculator who offered it on T-shirts, saying that part of the proceeds would go to a scholarship fund at Ball State for journalism students.

ESPN SportsCenter anchor Scott Van Pelt sent Collins words of encouragement and paid homage to him using the "boom" catchphrase on the air several times.