take someone’s legs off
v. phr.— «At home the former professional golfer wants to build a multi-million pound indoor golf facility in the region—a project he tried to develop five years ago only to have his planning application rejected in favour of a new training ground for Newcastle United. “Newcastle United came in late and, to use a footballing term, they took our legs off.”» —“Golf supremo has come a fair way” by Andrew Mernin nebusiness.co.uk (United Kingdom) Oct. 22, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Astronauts returning from space say they experience what’s called the overview effect, a new understanding of the fragility of our planet and our need to reflect on what humans all share as a species. A book about the end of the universe...