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

Sat Oct 21 03:52:00 UTC 2006

At 10:44 PM -0400 10/20/06, Bapopik at AOL.COM wrote:
>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.

I don't know who coined it, but it was Dan Patrick (I believe when he
was still on CNN sports, before jumping to ESPN) who popularized it
in the ironic sense (of a relatively obscure player who goes on a hot
streak), I'm pretty sure in a basketball context.

Is that your take too, Alice?

LH

>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."
>
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