"A hole big enough to drive a truck through" (1922)

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HOLES YOU COULD DRIVE A TRUCK THROUGH

"We had holes I could have driven a truck through," said Laidlaw after a big game.
--9 October 1976, SPORTING NEWS, pg. 41, col. 2.

   Holes to drive a truck through?
   I found this idiom/catchphrase while searching SPORTING NEWS.  A football offensive line has opened a huge hole for the running back to pass through--so huge you can drive a truck through the hole.  The catchphrase has been used for holes in movie/political logic, but why would you "drive a truck" through there?  Maybe you can drive an SUV through, instead?

"could drive a truck through"--2,480 Google hits, 1,950 Google Groups hits


(GOOGLE GROUPS)
REVIEW: Black Dog (1998)
Directed by: Kevin Hooks Review by: Joy Wyse Reflecting on the movie BLACK DOG I
see holes that you could drive a truck through, but that's exactly what they ...
rec.arts.movies.reviews - May 7, 1998 by Joy Wyse - View Thread (6 articles)

Re: Form-based File Uploadin HTML
... It has security holes you could drive a truck through (with the exception of checking
whether it's a legal filename being uploaded.) It also tries to do things ...
comp.infosystems.www.authoring.cgi - May 19, 1997 by Maestro - View Thread (2 articles)

NEWS: Colorado Senate rejects gun-lock law
... wanted. "The bill is filled with loopholes that most of us could drive
a truck through," said Sen. Mark Hillman, R-Burlington. Committee ...
rec.guns - Jan 22, 1999 by mr_horrible at my-dejanews.com - View Thread (3 articles)


(GOOGLE)
http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2003/11/09/a_tax_loophole_big_enough_to_drive_an_suv_through/


(PROQUEST HISTORICAL NEWSPAPERS)
TECH HIGH ELEVEN DEFEATS EASTERN; Tech Shows Speed Eastern Recovers Kickoff. Tech Caught Holding. Tackled on Free Catch. Hook's Long Run.
The Washington Post (1877-1954). Washington, D.C.: Oct 21, 1922. p. 14 (1 page):
   Shillinger was in every play on the defense and opened up holds in the line for his speedy backs that were big enough to drive a truck through.

SPORTS through Edgren's EYES
The Washington Post (1877-1954). Washington, D.C.: Jul 4, 1924. p. S3 (1 page):
   From the beginning of his career Beckett has pursued one line of strategy.  It has been his scheme to let the enemy knock him down two or three times.  This would naturally induce overconfidence.  The enemy would then rush in hastily, leaving an opening you could drive a truck through.

A HOLE BIG ENOUGH TO DRIVE A TRUCK THROUGH
Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File). Los Angeles, Calif.: Oct 14, 1928. p. I1 (1 page):
(Football photo caption--ed.)

FOUR COACHES PICK HERWIG ON ALL-AMERICAN TEAM; 1936 ALL AMERICAN TEAM
Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File). Los Angeles, Calif.: Nov 29, 1936. p. A9 (2 pages):
(Pg. 10, col. 4--ed.)
   he played in the enemy backfield all the time on the defense, packing the best line Fordham has had in many years and, on the offense, he opened holes big enough to drive a truck through.

THE HYLAND FLING
DICK HYLAND. Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File). Los Angeles, Calif.: Feb 18, 1949. p. C2 (1 page):
       I carried the ball--and that is all that was necessary.  The boys boomed a hole you could drive a truck through off the Bear left tackle and ye ball packer was sprung into the Bear backfield.

SPORTSCRIPTS
PAUL ZIMMERMAN. Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File). Los Angeles, Calif.: Aug 11, 1950. p. C1 (1 page):
   "No trick at all out there," said Williams with a big grin.  "They're opening up holes big enough to drive a truck through."

The Landers poll -- did we say yes, no, or maybe?
Melvin Maddocks. Christian Science Monitor (1908-Current file). Boston, Mass.: Apr 11, 1977. p. 22 (1 page) :
   If one's math is not too erratic--an "if" you could drive a truck through--all this combines to work out to an average of just a hair over 51 percent.

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"UNLESS YOU'VE BEEN LIVING..." (continued)

(GOOGLE GROUPS)
From: Michael Broderick (michael_broderick at bc.sympatico.ca)
Subject: Survivor
Newsgroups: misc.fitness.misc
Date: 2000-08-27 18:35:42 PST
This past two months, the media's favourite segues were, "Unless you
live on another planet, . . ." or, "Unless you've been living on mars .
. ." or "Unless you've been living under a rock these past few weeks,
you've missed all the inane prattle of the headline-generating
television show Survivor." The show didn't mean much to me.

   Yes, SURVIVOR promos used the catchphrase.
   I should have added the Google numbers:

"unless you've been living"--6,070 Google hits, 856 Google Groups hits