"You can't stop him! You can only hope to contain him!"

Sat Oct 21 02:44:53 UTC 2006

CAN'T STOP HIM + CONTAIN HIM--750 Google hits, 310 Google Groups hits
...
I heard the old "You can't stop him! You can only hope to contain him!"  used
again in a sports context. It's such a cliche that it's now used in  jest,
such as when a seldom used bench player makes an  unexpected contribution.
...
I can't recall who started this sports cliche. Is it in Fred's book?
...

(GOOGLE GROUPS)
_Good Wiemer Line on ESPN_
(http://groups.google.com/group/rec.sport.hockey/browse_thread/thread/697b1f4358b184a5/8164f5f261be1322?lnk=st&q="can't+stop+him"
+and+"contain+him"&rnum=306&hl=en#8164f5f261be1322)        Wiemer, you can't
stop him, you can only  contain him." ^^^ Laugh! :)
Of course, Wiemer isn't known  for filling the net. ...
_rec.sport.hockey_
(http://groups.google.com/group/rec.sport.hockey?lnk=sg&hl=en)  - May 8 1992, 12:55 pm by David R.  Jaracz - 5 messages - 4 authors
...
...
...
_Hardin  Feels SMU Can't Stop Tranchini, Maxfield; Navy Hopes 'to Contain'
Meredith in  Key Spots _
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=0&did=176962942&SrchMode=1&sid=2&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1161398559&cli
entId=65882)
By George Minot Staff Reporter.  The Washington Post, Times Herald
(1959-1973).  Washington, D.C.: Oct 1, 1959. p. D3 (1 page) :
"I don't think it's possible to stop him (SMU all-American quarterback Don
Meredith--ed.)," he said. "We know he'll complete passes and run, but we hope
to  contain him in key situations."
...
...
_'REAL'  O.J. LOOK-ALIKE WILL PLAY AGAINST SANTA ANA_
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=3&did=527552252&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT
=309&VName=HNP&TS=1161398383&clientId=65882)
MITCH  CHORTKOFF. Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File).  Los Angeles,
Calif.: Nov 16, 1968. p. D7 (1 page) :
"But we'll have to stop him (O.J. Simpson--ed.) or at least contain  him to
have a chance to win," Gorrie says.
...
...
_No  'special challenge'; Jabbar? Artis won't fret _
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=5&did=611879562&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=
309&VName=HNP&TS=1161398155&clientId=65882)
Ed  Stone. Chicago Tribune (1963-Current file).  Chicago, Ill.: Dec 7, 1976.
p. C4 (1 page) :
"I respect the fact that Jabbar is an exceptional scorer. I can't stop him
from scoring, just try to contain him."
...
...
_Wild  card foes no strangers_
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=11&did=619991802&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1161
397973&clientId=65882)
Chicago Tribune (1963-Current  file). Chicago, Ill.: Dec 24, 1980. p. C3 (1
page) :
"I've practiced against Dave (Casper--ed.) forthree years. You can't stop
him, just try to contain him."
..
...
_A  View From Crosstown: It's Praise for USC's Allen_
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=12&did=655275852&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQ
T=309&VName=HNP&TS=1161397876&clientId=65882)
RICHARD HOFFER. Los Angeles Times  (1886-Current File). Los Angeles, Calif.:
Nov 17, 1981. p. D2 (1 page)  :
"Also, he's improved to the point where you can't stop him (Marcus
Allen--ed.), you just try to contain him."
...
...
_The  Lions' First Impression of Dickerson Is a Good One_
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=20&did=686202262&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQ
D&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1161397755&clientId=65882)
CHRIS BAKER. Los Angeles Times  (1886-Current File). Los Angeles, Calif.: Oct
3, 1983. p. D16 (1 page)  :
"I knew he (Eric Dickerson--ed.) was super. We didn't think we were going  to
stop him cold, but we did think we could contain him."
...
...
_Lakers  Outrun Hobbled Celtics; Take Opener By 126-113 Lakers Rout Celtics
In Opener,  126-113 _
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=22&did=120550237&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1161397262&clie
ntId=65882)
By ROY S. JOHNSONSpecial to The New York  Times. New York Times (1857-Current
file). New  York, N.Y.: Jun 3, 1987. p. D29 (2 pages)
Firs page:
"I don't think there's anyone who can stop him (James Worthy--ed.)," said
Larry Bird. "We're just hoping was can contain him the rest of the way.
...
...
_Manning  Just Too Much For Blue Devils to Handle_
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=23&did=115339409&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=3
09&VName=HNP&TS=1161397348&clientId=65882)
By WILLIAM C.  RHODENSpecial to The New York Times. New York Times
(1857-Current file). New York, N.Y.: Apr 3, 1988. p. 284 (1 page) :
"We knew we couldn't stop him, we wanted to contain him." (Basketball  player
Danny Manning--ed.)
...
...
_The  Giants' Plan: Don't Let Elway Disappear in Thin Air_
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=24&did=116221011&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=P
QD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1161397505&clientId=65882)
By  FRANK LITSKYSpecial to The New York Times. New York  Times (1857-Current
file). New York, N.Y.: Nov 13, 1992. p. B10 (1 page)  :
"When you play a quarterback like Elway," said Pepper Johnson, the Giants'
inside linebacker, "you don't take the attitude that you can stop him. You try
to contain him and not let him get going, or their whole offense will get
going."
...
...
_Nets'  Defense Is Sound Against a Shaq Attack_
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=25&did=115848070&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&
VName=HNP&TS=1161397505&clientId=65882)
By MIKE  WISE. New York Times (1857-Current file). New  York, N.Y.: Mar 15,
1995. p. B19 (1 page) :
"You're not going to stop him," Schintius said. "It's like playing against
Michael Jordan. You're only going to contain him. I really don't know why we
have success at it."

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org