It’s better than a kick in the eye with a stick

This tortured saying scrambles “a kick in the pants (or kick up the ass/arse)” (to do or say something to motivate someone who is lazy) and “better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick” (better than nothing).   Kick and stick rhyme, creating the confusion.  Also poke and kick are similar assaults on the body.  A big thanks to Ezz for hearing this from a colleague who apparently utters unintentional idiom blends on a frequent basis.  Keep ’em coming, Ezz!