old college try

“Garvey adds an element of cheer, if you will. At least his candidacy will add some fun for Republicans. I think most people understand he doesn’t have a chance to win. But he will give it the old college try and definitely make it a more interesting race.”

Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo recently gave it the old college try, explaining both one of the conspiracy theories and why it's not true.

That said, you can hardly blame Zuckerberg for wanting to give it the old college try.

Biden almost certainly had some real hope that he could bridge the bipartisan divide when he took office and he was determined to give it the old college try.

But Dickert seems willing to give it the old college try.