“Pole vaulting is the opposite of limbo”
Pole vaulting is sometimes said to be the opposite or the reverse of limbo. A pole vault is for one to get over a bar, while limbo is for one to get under a bar. "another kristenism:…
“Polo is a passport to the world”
“A polo handicap is a passport to the world" has been credited to British statesman Winston Churchill (1874-1965), a lifelong polo enthusiast, but it's uncertain when he said it.…
“Posting and toasting” (basketball terminology)
"Posting and toasting" is a basketball term popularized by Walt Frazier, a New York Knicks player and later a color commentator for the team. To "post up" in basketball means to…
“Potential is what gets coaches fired”
"Potential is what gets you (coaches) fired" is a popular sports saying. Players are often acquired based on potential, such as great athletic attributes. It's a coach's…
“Power stays with a fighter for years” (boxing adage)
A boxing adage states that while speed might decrease as a fighter ages, punching power stays around longer. "I guess speed is what fades first in the old fighter. Technique and punching power…
“Practice as if you are the worst. Play as if you are the best”
"Practice as if you are the worst. Perform/Play as if you are the best" is a motivational saying that has been printed on many images. "Practice as if you are the worst, perform as…
“Practice doesn’t make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect”
"Practice makes perfect" is a proverb from at least 1730, frequently used in sports and other fields. The popular variation -- "Practice doesn't make perfect; perfect practice…
“Practice puts brains in your muscles”
"Practice puts brains in your muscles" is a sports saying that has been printed on many images. "I figure practice puts your brains in your muscles" has been credited to…
“Prayers work best when you have big players”
University of Notre Dame head football coach Frank Leahy (1908-1973) wrote 10 thoughts in 1946, one of which was: "7 -- Prayers work better when your players are big." The line is often…
“Pressure can burst a pipe or pressure can make a diamond”
"Pressure can burst a pipe or pressure can make a diamond" means that pressure can bring out the best or the worst. ""Pressure made the diamond," entertainer Diana Ross…
“Prospects will break your heart” (baseball adage)
"Prospects will break your heart " is a baseball adage, used and popularized by Baseball Prospectus in February 2011 and in following years. The saying especially applies to pitching…
“Publicity is like poison. It doesn’t hurt unless you swallow it”
The Penn State football team in 1962, under head football coach Rip Engle (1906-1983), had high expectations. (The team would finish 9-2.) Engle was quoted in the Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer on…
“Punch above one’s weight” (boxing metaphor)
In boxing, there are weight classes so that boxers never "punch above their weight." In a street fight, however, a little man must "punch above his weight" to defeat a bigger…
“Put the biscuit in the basket” (put the hockey puck in the net)
"Put the biscuit in the basket" is hockey slang that means to put the puck ("biscuit") in the net ("basket") -- to score a goal. "Put that old biscuit in the…
“Put them in a big bowl and beat for three hours” (college football joke)
College football has a bowl playoff system. “How do you make (insert football team name) cookies?” a classic joke goes. “Put them in a big bowl and beat for three hours” is the answer. The…
“Racetrack—A place where the windows clean the people”
Paul H. Gilbert's syndicated newspaper column of "Daffynitions" (humorous or "daffy" definitions) included the following in October 1947: "RACE TRACK: A place where…
“Real men don’t have Xboxes, they got toolboxes and tackleboxes”
"Real men don't have Xboxes, they got toolboxes and tackleboxes" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "Real men don't have Xboxes, they got toolboxes and…
“Rebounding translates (from college basketball to the pros)”
NBA scouts always look for basketball skills that "translate" from the college level to the pros. A college player might block shots against shorter players, but might struggle against…
“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"…
“Recruiting is a lot like shaving—miss one day and it shows” (college athletic recruiting)
University of Southern California head basketball coach Bob Boyd wrote in March 1970 that he had this sign in his office: "Recruiting is Like Shaving. If You Don't Do It Every Day,…