“Three yards and a cloud of dust” (football saying)
A run-oriented football offense has been described as "three/four/five yards and a cloud of dust." The term is usually credited to The Ohio State University football team that was coached…
“Stay on the ice and pay the price” (hockey adage)
"Stay on the ice and pay the price" is an ice hockey adage. Hockey is a tiring game; players who stay on the ice and refuse to be substituted for ultimately "pay the price."…
Old College Try
The term "old college try" was popularized in baseball, as a fielder gamely makes a try to go after the ball. "Old college try" usually describes a futile effort, with the…
“Man is the only animal that can he skinned more than once”
"Man is the only animal that can he skinned more than once" is a joke that dates to at least 1920. The joke centers on the slang sense of "being skinned" (being financially…
“You can’t steal first base” (baseball adage)
"You can't steal first base" is an old baseball saying, meaning that team speed is fine to have, but good hitting is also needed. The saying has been used since at least 1910, when a…
“The team in first on July 4th will win the pennant” (baseball adage)
"The team in first place on July 4th will win the pennant" is a baseball adage that dates to at least 1921. The baseball season is about half over by the July 4th holiday. The adage…
“Anything can happen in Brooklyn”
"Anything can happen it Brooklyn," "Everything happens in Brooklyn" and "It could only happen in Brooklyn" are Brooklyn slogans inspired by the Brooklyn Dodgers…
“Home run hitters drive Cadillacs and singles hitters drive Fords”
"Home run hitters drive Cadillacs and singles hitters drive Fords" is an old baseball saying, often attributed to Pittsburgh Pirates slugger (and New York Mets announcer) Ralph Kiner.…
“No harm, no foul” (“No blood, no foul”)
"No harm, no foul," in the game of basketball, means that a referee will ignore minor infractions off the ball, allowing rough contact between the players but keeping the game continuing…
“Records are made to be broken”
"Records are made to be broken" is a popular sports saying. Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) wrote in 1738, "Promises and Pye-crust are made to be broken." The "records"…
“If you can’t win, make the fellow ahead of you break the record”
"If you can't win, make the fellow ahead of you break the record" is a popular adage in track and field. The saying means that if you can't win, you at least know that the…
“A fool and his money are soon elected”
"A fool and his money are soon parted" is a popular English proverb that dates to the 1500s. An American version is "a fool and his money are soon elected," meaning that money…
“Dead voters vote Democrat”
Political campaigns target to win various groups, such as the Black vote or the Jewish vote or the Hispanic vote. Who wins the dead vote (i.e., voter fraud)? Chicago has had a reputation of dead…
Stump Speech
A "stump speech" originally was a speech (often given by a political candidate) where the speaker stands on a tree stump. The term "stump speech" has been cited in print since…
Clowndidate (clown + candidate)
"Clowndidate" (clown + candidate) is a term used by those who believe that a candidate running for office is a clown (or fool). The term "clowndidate" has been cited in print…
“A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore”
"A nickel ain't worth a dime anymore" is a bit of monetary nonsense that has been credited to New York Yankee baseball great Yogi Berra since at least 1979. A nickel (five cents) is…
“It’s always better to be a pallbearer than to be a body”
Ann Richards (1933-2006), who served as Texas governor from 1991 to 1995, said in 1997: "You know, there's an old Texas political proverb that says: It's always better to be a…
Barclays Center Classic (Brooklyn Hoops)
The Barclays Center is a sports arena in Brooklyn. In November 2011, Barclays announced that it would open its arena on November 9, 2012 with the college basketball "Barclays Center…
“A friend in need is a damned nuisance”
"A friend (when one is in) need is a friend indeed" is an English proverb almost as old as England. An American spin to "a friend in need" defines this as "a needy…
“Shopping days until Christmas”
Many newspaper articles and advertisements count down the number of "shopping days until/'til/till Christmas/Xmas." The "shopping days till Christmas" ads date to at least…