seat belt rule
n.— «Basketball coaches in Iowa must keep their seats in their seats because of what is known as the “seat belt rule.” Iowa boys’ coaches have had this rule for years, and it was approved for girls’ coaches this week (there are separate governing bodies for boys’ and girls’ sports in Iowa). The rule means coaches must sit during games instead of stalking the sideline like a beast on a chain.» —“Coaches, back to your seats” by John Millea Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota) May 24, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Debbie from Keokuk, Iowa, shares a funny story about her family’s tradition of speed-cleaning the house if guests were coming over. Her mother would declare, “Quick, guys! Whited sepulchre approach!” Her use of the term whited...
Jim in Columbia, South Carolina, has noticed sportscasters’ use of the phrase on the season with reference to a period of time. This construction shows up in the sports pages as early as the 1880s, first referring to a team’s revenue and...