“Let’s go to the videotape!”
Warner Wolf did the evening sports for several newscasts for many years. His catchphrase was "Let's go to the videotape!" to cue the sports highlights. 20 January 2005, New York…
“Life is a game—play it” (“What is life?” verses)
"Life is a game -- play it" is a saying that has been printed on many images. Various verses are grouped under the title "What is Life?" The verses appear to come from India,…
“Life is a marathon, not a sprint”
The marathon long-distance running event was introduced to the modern Oluympic events in 1896. The saying that something (life or marriage or business success or winning a war or running for…
“Life is like a game of chess. I don’t know how to play chess”
"Life is like a game of chess. I don't know how to play chess" is a saying that has been printed on many images. That is, the speaker does not know about life, either. "If life…
“Lighting up the scoreboard” (scoring many points)
A player or a team is "lighting up the scoreboard" when points are being scored. However, the scoreboard is usually always lit, even when the score is zero. The expression became popular…
“Little League keeps the kids out of the house”
New York Yankees catcher Yogi Berra (1925-2015) was asked by a radio announcer about Little League. "It's a fine thing," Berra was cited in 1963. "It keeps the kids outta the…
“Live by the three, die by the three” (basketball adage)
"Live by the three (point shot), die by the three" is a basketball adage, borrowing its form from the older proverb "live by the sword, die by the sword." Teams that rely too…
“Long ago, men cursed and beat the ground with sticks…today, it’s called golf”
Entry in progress -- B.P. Google Books20,000 Quips & QuotesBy Evan EsarNew York, NY: Barnes & Noble Books1995, ©1968Pg. 350:In primitive society, when native tribes beat the ground with…
“Looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane” (good athlete, but poor player)
"Tarzan" is a fictional character in the books by Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950). "You look like Tarzan but you swim like Jane" was cited in 1965 and said of a man who…
“Los Mets”
The 2005 Mets fielded a team with many new Latin players. New York magazine called the team "Los Mets," but that isn't the first use of this term. It's also a label that has…
“Lose one’s marbles” (to go crazy)
"To lose one's marbles" is to go crazy; someone who has "lost his marbles" has lost his mind. The phrase comes from the game of marbles. When one is playing…
“Losers quit when they’re tired; winners quit when they’ve won”
"Losers quit when they're tired; winners quit when they've won" is a motivational saying that has been printed on many posters. Authorship of the saying is not known.…
“Losing hurts more than winning feels good”
"Losing hurts worse than winning feels good" is from the book Kathy Sue Loudermilk, I Love You (1979), by American humorist Lewis Grizzard (1946-1994). Sportscaster and author Joe…
“Lost the dressing room” (manager loses confidence of players)
To "lose the dressing room" is for a coach or manager to lose the confidence and support of the players. The dressing room is the changing room, where the manager might address a team…
“Love means nothing to a tennis player”
"Love means nothing to a tennis fan/player" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many gift items, such as T-shirts, buttons and posters. The joke is a pun on the word…
“Low man wins” (football adage)
"Low man wins" is a popular saying in football. When offensive linemen play against defensive linemen, the lineman who goes low on the other lineman is the one who has the leverage.…
“Luck is the residue of design” (Dodgers executive Branch Rickey)
"Luck is the residue of design" was a popular saying of Brooklyn Dodgers executive Branch Rickey (1881-1965), who gave lectures using this catchphrase in 1946. However, Rickey had used…
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”
"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity" is often credited to Seneca the Younger (4BC-65AD), but there's no evidence that he ever wrote anything like this. The first…
“Make your parents proud, your enemies jealous, and yourself happy”
"Make your parents proud, your enemies jealous, and yourself happy" is a popular saying that evolved on Twitter. "Make your parents proud, and if you can't do that, at least…
“Makeup is allowed in beauty pageants, yet steroids aren’t allowed in sports”
"If drugs/steroids aren't allowed in sports, why is makeup allowed in beauty contests/pageants?" is a question that has been printed on many images. "If steroids aren't…