The fact of the matter is it doesn't matter. The origins of the phrase "The Whole Nine Yards" is lost to history, and even though there are reasonable guesses for where the phrase originated, the world will probably never know for sure.

One thing that the world should know... The population of the United States in particular, is that it has nothing to do with American Football, and there is no rational twist that you can put on the phrase to make it so. NOTHING in football is 9 yards. Don't mistake it for such.  You are arrogant and foolish to do so.

Understand that the explanations such as the length of a World War II ammunition belt was 27 feet long, make far more sense. "Did you get him?" one pilot asked the other. "Yes, sir! I gave him the whole nine yards!!" (for the Metric speaking parts of the world, there are 27 feet in 9 yards.)

Wikipedia says that 1942 is the earliest known use of the phrase. Maybe yes. Maybe no. But for certain, you don't know, I don't know, and the world may never know. What I do know is that there is gold in those words, and we may all harvest it in time.

It may be another 50 years before it matters, and may be another 509 days until the retirement of the legend begins, but while the end is playing, and the road to victory is ahead of us, understand that the whole nine yards is a fun phrase to say in its own way, even if we have lost the specific meaning of it.

Be content with the idea that it simply means giving it all you’ve got!