“If you look good, you play good” (sports adage)

“If you look good, you play good” is a sports saying that has been printed on many images. “If you look good, you feel good and you play good” was printed in The Evening Sun (Baltimore, MD) on July 7, 1972. “When you look good, you play good” was printed in the Los Angeles (CA) Times on April 12, 1974.
 
“If you look good, you feel good. If you feel good, you play good. If you play good, they pay good” was said by football player Deion Sanders in 1989.
 
“If it looks good, it flies good” is a similar aviation adage.
 
     
7 July 1972, The Evening Sun (Baltimore, MD), “Evelyn’s Health Kick Pays” by Mike Klingaman, pg. C8, col. 3:
It’s all part of Evelyn Scott’s health kick.
 
“If you look good, you feel good and you play good,” she explained.
 
12 April 1974, Los Angeles (CA) Times, pt. 3, pg. 6, col. 3 ad:
When you look good, you play good.
(Campbell’s Golf Shop.—ed.)
   
9 February 1975, Boston (MA) Sunday Herald Advertiser “Women in Sports: Wimbledon officials ‘skirt’ issue” by Lean Williams (New York Times News Service), pg. 42, col. 4:
Referring to tennis players as “entertainers” who must be concerned about their fans and audiences, (Ted—ed.) Tinling says that most of the players for whom he designs operate under the assumption that if you look good, you play good.
 
21 February 1988, Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN), “There should be several challenges in the champions’ camp” by Mark Vancil, pg. 11C:
If you look good, you play good, according to (Yankees manager Billy—ed.) Martin, who has instituted a dress code. Beards are outlawed, mustaches must be trimmed, shoes are to be black with black shoelaces, and everyone needs a sports coat on the road.
 
24 April 1989, Atlanta (GA) Constitution, “A Gleaming Entrance Done in ‘Prime Time’” by Mark Bradley, pg. 1E, col. 1:
Said Deion (Sanders—ed.): “You look good, you feel good. You feel good, you play good…” Huge smile here. “...you get paid good.”
   
Google Groups: rec.sport.soccer
us-soccer-digest Digest V94 #125
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
8/4/94
(...)
Hey, if Nike gets this contract, then someone had better call up Jorge Campos to design some new digs!  Campos says if you look good, then you play good, and it seems to work well for him.
   
Google Groups: alt.sport.street-hockey
My Mask
Eddie
2/22/98
(...)
I hope the old adage “If you look good, you play good” holds true.  I’ll find out Thursday!!!!
   
Twitter
Elliot Iriarte
@E_Iriarte
“If you look good, you feel good, If you feel good, you play good, If you play good, they pay good.”
—Deion Sanders
Quote Tweet
SNF on NBC
@SNFonNBC
· Jun 24
Quote tweet this with the player who made you fall in love with football.
10:32 AM · Jun 25, 2019 · Twitter for iPhone
   
Twitter
Joseph Welock
@CoachWelock
. #WARRIORS
Deon Sanders said it best ....
If you look good, you feel good.
If you feel good, you play good.
If you play good, you get paid good…
💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻 😂😂😂😂😂
Image
11:33 AM · Jul 12, 2019 · Twitter for iPhone
 
Fan Buzz
LSU Unveils $28 Million Locker Room Upgrades, And You Could Basically Live Here
John Duffley, July 22, 2019 12:31 pm
(...)
When it comes to college football, massive American universities spare no expense. Perception and appearance are equally as important as on-field success, and that starts in the locker room. There’s an old saying in sports that goes, “if you look good, you play good.”
 
Twitter
Kate Blubaugh
@KaitlynBlubaugh
Playing high school softball for 6 years under Coach Yelding we always dressed the best, looked the best, and felt the best. I’ll never forget him telling us “you look good, you play good.” The man has style.
Quote Tweet
Ben Thomas
@BenThomasPreps
· Jul 22
First-year B.C. Rain head coach L.T. Yelding and his players looking sharp for Mobile HS Media Day. Yelding said he wanted his players to dress like they were going to an interview because they are. #alpreps
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12:39 AM · Jul 23, 2019 · Twitter for iPhone