“The fans are behind the coach 100 percent, win or tie”
"The fans are behind the coach 100 percent, win or tie" is a jocular statement that has been told about (and by) many coaches in college football, professional baseball and professional…
“The finish line is just the beginning of a whole new race”
"The finish line is just the beginning of a whole new race" is a saying that has been printed on posters. "The finish line is just the beginning" was said by a wheelchair…
“The first automobile race occurred right after the second car was built”
"The first automobile race occurred right after the second car was built" is a saying of uncertain origin. American automaker Henry Ford (1863-1947) is often credited, but there's no…
“The first period is won by the best technician…” (wrestling adage)
A popular wrestling saying is, "The 1st period is won by the best technician. The 2nd period is won by the kid in the best shape. The 3rd period is won by the kid with the biggest heart."…
“The first rule of mud wrestling is fight dirty”
The expression "fight dirty" means to engage an enemy using questionable tactics. It doesn't usually involve dirt, but there are jokes. "The first rule of mud wrestling is fight…
“The first time I played chess I tried to move my castles diagonally. Classic rookie mistake”
There are two players in the game of chess (players with white pieces and black pieces), and each player has two rooks (or "castles"). A rook moves in straight lines, but not diagonally.…
“The fourth win in a series is always the most difficult to get”
It requires four victories for a team to win a best-of-seven-games playoff series. It's often said that the fourth win is the hardest to get. "The fourth one is the toughest to win"…
“The game is the best teacher” (soccer adage)
"The game is the (best) teacher" is a popular saying among soccer coaches, meaning that players learn by playing the game. Tony Waiters and Bobby Howe popularized the saying in their…
“The golf swing starts from the ground up” (golf adage)
"The golf swing starts from the ground up" is an old golf saying. "Swing Production: The golf swing begins as of the earth. It starts from the ground, and is from the ground up"…
“The high-jump event is basically reverse limbo”
In limbo, the object is to go under a bar that gets lower and lower. In the high jump, the object is to go over a bar that gets higher and higher. "I just called high jump 'reverse…
“The higher you go, the better the snow” (skiing adage)
"The higher you go, the better the snow" is a skiing adage. The saying was promoted by the Austrian Tourist Office in 1981 as a way to get skiers to Austria's mountains. Other…
“The horse doesn’t know what its odds are” (horse racing adage)
"The horse doesn't know what its odds are" is a horse racing adage of unknown authorship. "A horse doesn't know what the odds are" was said in 1971 by a fan called…
“The horse I bet on was so slow, the jockey kept a diary of the trip”
"The horse I bet on was so slow," an old joke goes, "that the jockey kept a diary of the trip." The joke was credited to Jewish-American singer and actor Al Jolson (1886-1950)…
“The House That Ruth Built” (Yankee Stadium)
George Herman ("Babe") Ruth (1895-1948) played for the New York Yankees from 1920-1934. Some consider him the greatest baseball player ever. Yankee Stadium opened in 1923. "The House…
“The House That Tex Built” (Boyle’s Thirty Acres)
The boxing "Battle of the Century" between Jack Dempsey and Georges Carpentier couldn't be held in New York State, so promoter Tex Rickard (1870-1929) built a huge octagonal bowl at…
“The House That Tex Built” (Madison Square Garden, 1925-1968)
Entry in progress -- B.P. "The House That Jack Built" is a traditional nursery rhyme. Boyle's Thirty Acres (1921 to 1927) in Jersey City, New Jersey, was a boxing arena that was also…
“The income tax has made more liars out of the American people than golf has”
American humorist Will Rogers (1879-1935) spoke about the income tax in his newspaper column on April 8, 1923: "The Income Tax has made more Liars out of the American People than Golf has.…
“The judo club knows how to throw a party”
People get thrown in judo, and this has led to some "throw a party" jokes. "The GB Judo team are staying at the same hotel. They know how to 'throw' a party...hello...is…
“The last line of the national anthem is often thought to be ‘Play ball!’”
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The anthem has been regularly played at the start of baseball games since World War II. A frequent joke is that the…
“The last ten hits (to 3,000 career hits) are the hardest”
New York Yankee Derek Jeter joined an exclusive baseball club when he got his 3,000 base hit on July 9, 2011. A month earlier, 3,000-hit-club member Tony Gwynn had advised Jeter, "Fortunately,…