Quotes about football
page 3

“Many pro football players run 100 yards with a ball while a bunch of HUGE guys try to stop them, hurt them, stomp on them etc. They do it because they get paid well! Do you REALLY believe God's promises about rewards for the martyrs? (Matthew 5:10; 24:13; 1 Thessalonians 3:4; 1 Timothy 2:12; 3:12, etc.) The 1st century Christians sure did! The Romans were amazed that they seemed so eager to die for their faith! Tens of thousands are dying yearly in Communist, Hindu and Muslim countries RIGHT NOW. Are we willing to suffer for the Lord? We will find out!”

Kent Hovind (1953) American young Earth creationist

Source: What On Earth Is About To Happen… For Heaven’s Sake? (2013), p. 157

God, Faith, Guy, Suffering

“I can’t drive, play football without crying, or successfully use a PS3 controller.”

Derren Brown (1971) British illusionist

TV recordings of stage shows, Svengali (2012), Svengali tour brochure

Cry

“In football you need to have everything in your cake mix to make the cake taste right. One little bit of ingredient that Tony uses in his cake gets talked about all the time is Rory’s throw. Call that cinnamon and he’s got a cinnamon flavoured cake. It’s not fair and it’s not right and it’s only a small part of what he does.”

Ian Holloway (1963) English association football player and manager

On Tony Pulis's style of management. Mirror Football, 10 December 2010 Holloway uses bizarre cake analogy for Pulis' Stoke style, Mirror Football, 2010-12-11, Jeremy, Butler, 2010-12-10 http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Stoke-v-Blackpool-Ian-Holloway-blasts-critics-of-Tony-Pulis-style-by-using-a-bizarre-cake-analogy-article648761.html, Sourced quotes

Time, Parting

“Everything is tres-chique in my life now. I've adapted, set up the house, moved the family in. Sometimes my wife visits me. The only thing left is to start playing football… but this hasn't worked out so far”

Dmitri Bulykin (1979) Russian association football player

Дмитрий Булыкин: «Хочу остаться в «Андерлехте» и доказать, что я – хороший футболист» http://www.sports.ru/football/6390016.html

Life, Family, Housing

“Football's a difficult business and aren't they prima donnas?”

Isabel II do Reino Unido (1926–2022) queen of the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and head of the Commonwealth of Nations

The Queen gives her opinion to Premier League chairman Sir David Richards, as quoted in BBC News (2 January 2007) http://www.bbc.co.uk/china/learningenglish/story/2007/01/070102_quotes_of_the_year_2_jan_07.shtml

Business

“We're talking about terrorism carried out in the name of Islam, by Muslims, and justified using their holy scripture. But apparently it's got nothing to do with Islam. Well, I'm sorry, but just because every Muslim doesn't support it doesn't mean it's not Islamic. People say you can't judge Islam by its followers, but that's like saying you can't judge a football team by its results. Islam is its followers. Because there's no central authority the Koran is open to interpretation by men, who, being human, will always interpret to suit their own cultural prejudices. So Islam is its followers. It's a representation of how they interpret their holy book. And therefore, the only way it can be judged is by their behaviour.”

Pat Condell (1949) Stand-up comedian, writer, and Internet personality

"Sharia fiasco" (10 February 2008) http://youtube.com/watch?v=mM2dC1iWzww 2008

Men, People, Books, Way

“I'm trying to wean myself off sports, it's too time consuming. I don't watch football anymore, I gave that up. I got tired of the interviews after the games, because the winning players always give credit to God, and the losers blame themselves. You know, just once I'd like to hear a player say, 'Yeah, we were in the game, until Jesus made me fumble. He hates our team.”

Jeff Stilson American comedian

Comedy Central Presents Jeff Stilson (2003)

God, Hate, Game, Sport

“To me, Arsenal played much better football two or three years ago. They won matches and were exciting to watch. They create excitement so how can you say Chelsea are the best in the world?”

Rafael Benítez (1960) Spanish association football player and manager

We don't need to give away flags for our fans to wave (2012)

World

“Steven Gerrard was a great player and Rob Brown knows nothing about football”

Juan Román Riquelme (1978) Argentine footballer

“You see mama don't watch your damn football
And your beer drinkin' just won't do
You're just stayin' out late
And you're preachin' the hate
And you never have been trueYou see mama she want her somebody
Who will let her be herself
So she's leavin' you
And your stinky damn ways
Cause she's found somebody else”

Ben Harper (1969) singer-songwriter and musician

Mama's Got a Girlfriend Now.
Song lyrics, Welcome to the Cruel World (1994)

Hate, Way, Beer

“When the iPhone was first announced, CEO Steve Jobs spewed enough BS to cover a football field full of babies 3 feet deep in bullshit, which sounds cool because he could have potentially murdered a football field full of babies, but he passed on this opportunity by introducing the phone instead.”

Maddox (1978) American internet writer

The iPhone is a piece of shit, and so is your face. http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=iphone The Best Page in the Universe

Baby

“That December [1992], we [Barça] lost the Intercontinental Cup match against São Paulo 2–1. It was one of the few times that I had no problems with a defeat. I've always admired the Brazilian coach Telê Santana for his vision, because it always displayed a genuine love of football.”

Johan Cruyff (1947–2016) Dutch association football player

reported in Johan Cruyff (2016). My Turn: The Autobiography.

Love, Problem, Time

“Football is a machismo sport, which is great, but everything can't be machismo. On the field and at practice, yes, you can be machismo, but when it comes to diet, you need to have compassion for your body. … My food is my medication now. … I get a lot of success talking to older guys because they're like 30 years old and have children. I tell them, 'You might want to change the way that you eat because you want to be around longer and see your family and your daughter graduate.”

David Carter (1987) Player of American Football

"NFL veganism? David Carter, Griff Whalen have broken the mold" http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000711369/article/nfl-veganism-david-carter-griff-whalen-have-broken-the-mold, interview with NFL.com (28 September 2016).

Children, Family, Food, Way

“"It'll be all right, Jerry." No it won't. He recognized Goober's voice and it was important to share the discovery with Goober. He had to tell Goober to play ball, to play football, to run, to make the team, to sell the chocolates, to do whatever they wanted you to do. He tried to voice the words but there was something wrong with his mouth, his teeth, his face. But he went ahead anyway, telling Goober what he needed to know. They tell you to do your thing but they don't mean it. They don't want you to do your thing, not unless it happens to be their thing, too. It's a laugh, Goober, a fake. Don't disturb the universe, Goober, no matter what the posters say. His eyes fluttered open and he saw Goober's face all askew, like a broken movie film. But he was able to see the concern the worry on his face. Take it easy, Goober, it doesn't even hurt anymore. See? I'm floating, floating above the pain. Just remember what I told you. It's important. Otherwise, they murder you.”

Robert Cormier book The Chocolate War

Source: The Chocolate War (1974), p. 258-259

Pain, Universe, Hurt

“It's unbelievable. But I've never been to a pro football game. I've never been to a pro hockey game, either. I guess I'm not much of a sports fan.”

Larry Bird (1956) basketball player and coach

Dan Shaughnessy (September 7, 1997) "There'll Be No Bird Watching", Boston Globe, p. D1.

Game, Sport, Hockey

“Film-making encompasses everything, from tricking people into investing in it, to putting on the show, to trying to distill down to moments in time, and ape reality but send this other message. It's got everything. When I was a kid I loved to draw, and I loved my electric football sets, and I painted little things and made sculptures and did matte painting and comic books and illustrated stuff, and took pictures, had a darkroom, loved to tape-record stuff. It's all of that. It's not having to grow up. It's four-dimensional chess, it's strategy, and it's being painfully honest, and unbelievably deceitful, and everything in between.”

David Fincher (1962) American film director

Gavin Smith goes one-on-one with David Fincher (1999)

Love, People, Books, Reality

“For three years, nay for fifteen years, I have been preparing for this last year of football…I anticipate becoming the roughest, toughest all-around back yet to hit this conference.”

Nile Kinnick (1918–1943) College football player

Letter to his parents before his senior season (January 9, 1939)

“Baseball is a slow, boring, complex, cerebral game that doesn't lend itself to histrionics. You "take in" a baseball game, something odd to say about a football or basketball game, with the clock running and the bodies flying.”

Charles Krauthammer (1950–2018) American journalist

2010s, 2010, The joys of losing (2010)

Game, Flying

“So we beat the Croations at football and I was there yelling "Ah, you Crotes!" and this guy says "It's cro-at; learn to speak English." So I was about to retort when he said "Hang on, you're Omid Djalili! You're good! I said "Aww thanks." He says "What are you going to do next?" I said "I'm in a pantomime of Wind in the Willows. I play the TO-AD, OF TO-AD HALL! I get in my BO-AT! And it sinks because it can't FLO-AT! And when I get out of the river, I'm wet and cold so I put on my CO-AT! And I can't get in my house because it's full of ferrets and STO-ATS!"”

Omid Djalili (1965) Iranian-British stand-up comedian

Amusing wordplay but ultimately leads nowhere. The Telegraph.
No Agenda (2007)

Guy, Learning, Housing

“It was one to three football fields in length. It was massive, about 300 feet above the ground. It had three lights on the points of its triangle and a large red light beneath.”

Steven M. Greer (1955) American ufologist

Greer describing a close encounter he had with a UFO.
Undated
Source: [Hawley, David, Reach Out And Touch ... An Extraterrestrial, St. Paul Pioneer Press, May 8, 1993, http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PD&s_site=twincities&p_multi=SP&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB5DCD1EE3CE7FE&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM, 2007-05-13, http://nbgoku23.googlepages.com/REACHOUTANDTOUCH...ANEXTRATERRESTRIA.htm, 2007-05-13]

Light

“As graduation neared, neither my classmates nor I could know, of course, that World War II was in the offing. It was destined to expose us to trying and often tragic events. My roommate, Billy Hulse, a flier, disappeared on a training mission over the Great Lakes, his body never recovered. A close friend, Frank Oliver, died in the fighting in Normandy soon after the invasion. Buist Dowling killed in Normandy while leading a patrol. One of the better football players, Jock Clifford, killed as a regimental commander on Okinawa. Bill Priestly, aide to the high commissioner of the Philippines, electing to stay when the fighting started on the islands, also killed. Those and more.”

William Westmoreland book A Soldier Reports

Source: A Soldier Reports (1976), p. 13.

War, World, Fight, Training

“The main problem in Britain is that there are too many competitions and too many games. There is no time to prepare properly for Europe or to introduce new ideas because there is far too much emphasis on domestic football.”

Johan Cruyff (1947–2016) Dutch association football player

International Football Hall of Fame http://www.ifhof.com/hof/cruyff.asp.

Game, Idea, Problem, Time

“I was on the football team because I wanted to experience the different iconic social classes of high school. So football for me was an attempt to socially integrate in an interesting way. And then I didn’t like it anymore and stopped doing it and focused more on drama and science and other forms of art and music.”

Reggie Watts (1972) singer, musician and comedian

Cited in: " Comedy Bang! Bang! sidekick extraordinaire Reggie Watts sits down to talk at SXSW 2013 http://www.ifc.com/fix/2013/03/sxsw-2013-reggie-watts-on-music-high-school-and-hair" ifc.com. Posted March 10th, 2013, 8:03 PM by Melissa Locker: Watts reply to the question "You were on the football team!"

School, Art, Music, Way

“18th September, 1970; Jimi Hendrix dies. I'm still on the football team when I get the news. So I take my helmet off and confront the coach to tell him I'm quitting the team. In a moment of brilliance he gives me one look and says "OK."”

Joe Satriani (1956) American guitar player

Interviewed in Joe Satriani: The Satch Tapes (1993).

“Look, I understand that for a lot of people, the US is superior to their country of residence in myriad ways, but I'm Australian. We have it all: the weather, the beautiful cities, the brand of football that involves neither padding yourself up like Santa Claus nor standing in a line in front of goal and covering your testicles.”

Max Barry (1973) Australian writer

Great Writing interviewhttp://www.greatwriting.co.uk/content/view/1038/

People, Beauty, Way, Understanding

“Both Abrams and Westmoreland would have been judged as authentic military "heroes" at a different time in history. Both men were outstanding leaders in their own right and in their own way. They offered sharply contrasting examples of military leadership, something akin to the distinct differences between Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant of our Civil War period. They entered the United States Military Academy at the same time in 1932- Westmoreland from a distinguished South Carolina family, and Abrams from a simpler family background in Massachusetts- and graduated together with the Class of 1936. Whereas Westmoreland became the First Captain (the senior cadet in the corps) during their senior year, Abrams was a somewhat nondescript cadet whose major claim to fame was as a loud, boisterous guard on the second-string varsity football squad. Both rose to high rank through outstanding performance in combat command jobs in World War II and the Korean War, as well as through equally commendable work in various staff positions. But as leaders they were vastly different. Abrams was the bold, flamboyant charger who wanted to cut to the heart of the matter quickly and decisively, while Westmoreland was the more shrewdly calculating, prudent commander who chose the more conservative course. Faultlessly attired, Westmoreland constantly worried about his public image and assiduously courted the press. Abrams, on the other hand, usually looked rumpled, as though he might have slept in his uniform, and was indifferent about his appearance, acting as though he could care less about the press. The sharply differing results were startling; Abrams rarely receiving a bad press report, Westmoreland struggling to get a favorable one.”

Bruce Palmer Jr. (1913–2000) United States Army Chief of Staff

Source: The 25-Year War: America's Military Role in Vietnam (1984), p. 134

Men, War, World, Family

“For me, pressure is bird flu. I'm feeling a lot of pressure with the problem in Scotland. It's not fun and I'm more scared of it than football.”

José Mourinho (1963) Portuguese association football player and manager

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1716/champions-league/2009/02/23/1122426/italy-v-england-10-classic-jose-mourinho-quotes 2006

Feeling, Problem, Bird

“Being in politics is like being a football coach. You have to be smart enough to understand the game, and dumb enough to think it's important.”

Eugene McCarthy (1916–2005) American politician

"Washington Post" (12 November 1967)

Game, Understanding, Thinking

“Hey fool, this ain't no football game!”

Mr. T (1952) American actor and retired professional wrestler

A-Team
Quotes from acting

Fools, Game

“People do… need… things… that are bad for them. They do. Stimulants and so on. They always have. Every so often, some politician or footballer or actor or whoever it is is caught in a hotel room, surrounded by hookers and cocaine. And everybody else goes: "Oh, the shame of it! How could he? How absolutely dreadful! I'd never do that… I've never had a chance, but I'd never ever do that! Oh, the disgust that courses through me right now — you could bottle it!" But what else are you supposed to give hookers in a hotel room? "Yogurt, anybody? I made some yogurt this morning, would you like some? It's got Granola and everything. You sure? Go on, have a bit."”

Dylan Moran (1971) Irish actor and comedian

On public figures who get caught in hotel rooms with prostitutes and cocaine.
Monster (2004)

People, Chance

“How much motivation are they going to get by putting a quote from me on the wall saying that I believe in my football team […] If that's where you're going to draw motivation from, hell, we'll probably kick your”

Rex Ryan (1962) American football coach

butt
[NY Jets coach Rex Ryan takes swipe at New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2009/08/ny_jets_coach_rex_ryan_takes_v.html, The Star-Ledger, Advance Publications, Hutchinson, Dave, August 18, 2009, http://www.webcitation.org/5x47EWTG5, March 9, 2011, March 9, 2011]

Quotes, Motivation, Hell, Drawing

“Government is humbug. There is no government. Behind the noisy, smoke-belching, larger-than-life illusion of government are ordinary human beings. It isn't accurate to say government 'is composed of' people; government is simply people. They may be good people but they are very bad wizards. Mortals have no magic. Individuals are the only human reality. All groups are fictions. That is, groups have no concrete existence; they are not beings or entities in themselves; they exist only in the abstract, in the mind. Governments, nations, societies, classes, tribes, cub scout packs, football teams, corporations, labor unions, proletariats, political parties, majorities, elite minorities, communities, civilizations and such are all fictions. Those words only describe, or try to describe, a relationship between persons.”

Roger Lea MacBride (1929–1995) American writer, TV producer, and politician; 1976 Libertarian Party candidate for President

A New Dawn for America : The Libertarian Challenge (1976) p. 16

Life, People, Communication, Reality

“I think it is important for all those young out there, who someday hope to play real football, where you throw it and kick it and run with it and put it in your hands, a distinction should be made that football is democratic, capitalism, whereas soccer is a European socialist sport.”

Jack Kemp (1935–2009) American football player, quarterback, U.S. Congressman

In a 1988 speech to the United States Congress, quoted by himself at Townhall.com http://www.townhall.com/columnists/JackKemp/2006/06/19/what_i_really_think_about_soccer

Hope, Thinking, Sport

“I am very happy to be considered as one of the best defenders in the world and to be mentioned alongside great footballers. It's a great satisfaction to have reached this level at this moment in my career. I know that things will get tougher soon, but I will continue to work hard to be able to maintain this level of performance.”

Thiago Silva (1984) Brazilian footballer

Interview with Surgiu Esporte, 2014 http://www.sambafoot.com/fr/informations/55882_thiago_silva_fier_d_etre_considere_comme_un_des_meilleurs_defenseurs_au_monde.html

World, Happiness

“I'm not the right person to talk about this. It doesn't seem right to me (the price paid by Real Madrid for footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, but I understand the social significance of football.”

José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (1960) Former Prime Minister of Spain

As President, 2008

Understanding, Personality

“A certain type of outdoor activity has been much developed in recent years and calls great throngs together, which may properly be designated as exhibition games. Under this head comes first in importance baseball, which is often known as the national game. Football and polo come in the same class. These activities require such long and intensive training that participation in them is necessarily confined to a class and can not be said to be open to the general public. But for creating an interest which extends to every age and every class, for giving an opportunity for a few hours in the open air which will provide a change of scene, a new trend of thought, and the arousing of new enthusiasm for the great multitude of our people, these have no superior.”

Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933) American politician, 30th president of the United States (in office from 1923 to 1929)

1920s, The Democracy of Sports (1924)

People, Age, Game, Change

“I was in the hockey team in school, played football. One of the challenges for me was to make the team feel better. It helped me evolve, so batting at different positions was never a problem.”

Rahul Dravid (1973) Indian cricketer

School, Feeling, Problem, Help

“I would not be the player I am today without him, I would not have improved without my dad. In the early years, he would have me over the park training when everyone else was at home or playing with their mates, I was jumping on the floor, getting up and running again, sprinting - I will never forget that. I thank him for everything he has done in my football life and for being a dad.”

Frank Lampard (1978) English association football player

Sincerely yours, Frank (May 22, 2005)

Life, Home, Training, Forgetting

“Your biggest fear is the transition from football to business. You feel inferior at the beginning. You don't have the knowledge to compete. But once you start focusing and understanding, then you start relating to things.”

Emmitt Smith (1969) American football player and sports broadcaster

Richard Alm, The Dallas Morning News (October 30, 2002) "Mover and Shaker - As a budding businessman, Emmitt Smith hopes to remain a ...", The Dallas Morning News, p. 6B.

Fear, Feeling, Understanding, Business

“The way the game is, players come to a football club with baggage. Whether that's positive or negative, they come to a new club with some luggage. Tony's baggage over the last four or five years has been not playing so many games at Tottenham.”

Phil Brown (footballer) (1959) English association football player and manager

6-Feb-2009, Hull Daily Mail
Anthony Gardner's suitcase struggled to break into the Tottenham first team.

Way, Game

“If I am hated at Barcelona, it is their problem but not mine. Fear is not a word in my football dictionary.”

José Mourinho (1963) Portuguese association football player and manager

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=791482&sec=europe&cc=3436 2010

Hate, Fear, Problem

“Drawing a comparison to football, it could be said that the Spanish economy has, during this legislature, into the Champions League of the world economy, however bad that may seem to some.”

José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (1960) Former Prime Minister of Spain

11th Sept. 2007, during a speech by the PSOE in the Congress of Deputies. As President, 2007 Source: Zapatero: "El Gobierno ha situado a España en la Champions League de las economías del mundo" Cadena SER http://www.cadenaser.com/espana/articulo/zapatero-gobierno-ha-situado-espana/csrcsrpor/20070911csrcsrnac_5/Tes.

World, Drawing

“I do have one instruction for you, General. Do something about that damned football team.”

Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) American general and politician, 34th president of the United States (in office from 1953 to 1961)

Said to William Westmoreland in 1960 when Westmoreland assumed the post of Superintendent of West Point.
Cited in [Atkinson, Rick, The Long Gray Line, First Pocket Books printing, 1991, Simon & Schuster, New York, ISBN 0-671-72674-9, p. 79, Year of the Tiger]
1950s

“Henry is a beautiful player and has got complete technique, I adore watching him. I respect him very much as a man and as a footballer. He reminds me of myself.”

Thierry Henry (1977) French association football player

Ronaldinho Barcelona chief declares interest in Henry http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=352723&cc=5901, (20 December 2005) About

Beauty

“Because you play football with your head, and your legs are there to help you. If you don't use your head, using your feet won't be sufficient. Why does a player have to chase the ball? Because he started running too late. You have to pay attention, use your brain and find the right position. If you get to the ball late, it means you chose the wrong position. Bergkamp was never late.”

Johan Cruyff (1947–2016) Dutch association football player

reported in Dennis Bergkamp (2013). Stillness and Speed: My Story.

Help

“What on earth has given opera its prestige in western civilisation — a prestige that has outlasted so many different fashions and ways of thought? Why are people prepared to sit silently for three hours listening to a performance of which they do not understand a word and of which they very seldom know the plot? Why do quite small towns all over Germany and Italy still devote a large portion of their budgets to this irrational entertainment? Partly, of course, because it is a display of skill, like a football match. But chiefly, I think, because it is irrational. "What is too silly to be said may be sung" — well, yes; but what is too subtle to be said, or too deeply felt, or too revealing or too mysterious — these things can also be sung and can only be sung.”

Kenneth Clark (1903–1983) Art historian, broadcaster and museum director

Source: Civilisation (1969), Ch. 9: The Pursuit of Happiness; "What is too silly to be said may be sung" is a commonly used translation or paraphrase of lines from Act I, Scene ii of the play The Barber of Seville by Pierre de Beaumarchais, which was the basis of famous operas.

People, Way, Fashion, Understanding

“I am embarrassingly incompetent at football or any kind of team sport. I’m so bad it would anger you.”

Derren Brown (1971) British illusionist

TV Series and Specials (Includes DVDs), Trick of the Mind (2004–2006)

Sport, Anger

“Of course! We have a great team, great players, and in football, it's everything possible.”

Mesut Özil (1988) German footballer

First Club Interview about Arsenal's chances of winning the Premiership

“Sectional football games have the glory and the despair of war, and when a Texas team takes the field against a foreign state, it is an army with banners.”

John Steinbeck (1902–1968) American writer

Pt. 4
Travels With Charley: In Search of America (1962)

War, Game, Despair

“This is how we go on: one day a time, one meal at a time, one pain at a time, one breath at a time. Dentists go on one root canal at a time; boat builders go on one hull at a time. If you write books, you go on one page at a time. We turn from all we know and all we fear. We study catalogues, watch football games, choose Sprint over AT&T. We count the birds in the sky and will not turn from the window when we hear the footsteps behind as something comes up the hall; we say yes, I agree that clouds often look like other things - fish and unicorns and men on horseback - but they are really only clouds. Even when the lightning flashes inside them we say they are only clouds and turn our attention to the next meal, the next pain, the next breath, the next page. This is how we go on.”

Stephen King book Bag of Bones

Bag of Bones (1998)

Men, Pain, Books, Fear

“One of the things that pushed me to change my diet is that the average football player dies at 56 years of age. That's because they're constantly drinking milk and whey protein shakes, eating steak and chicken. … We thought, 'We're big dudes, we need to eat meat to be men.' I thought that too. But you're screwing your insides up. You're taking advantage of a helpless animal. You're killing a life that you don't need to take. With dairy, you're stealing breast milk that's meant for the baby cows and drinking it yourself. How is that manly? Men are supposed to be protectors.”

David Carter (1987) Player of American Football

Interview in the book What the Health https://books.google.it/books?id=FIY8DgAAQBAJ&pg=PT0 by Eunice Wong (Xlibris, 2017).

Life, Men, Age, Drink

“There is nothing in the contract that says a football coach has to be sane or a good loser.”

Jack Gibson (1929–2008) Australian rugby league player and coach

Jack on the the science of coaching.

“Somebody say once that I like to goof off; that I'm lazy because I don't play winter ball and make a habit of reporting late to spring training. What these fellows don't know is that I have no time for winter ball. When I return home to Puerto Rico after the baseball season, I open my camp right away. It is a camp for boys, where they can come and learn how to play baseball. They come from all ages and get a lot of help. Cepeda spends some time with me. He teaches how to play first base. José Santiago shows them how to pitch. 'Chito' Rios, he comes from Mayagüez and gives base running instruction. Even Frank Lane has been there and talked to my kids. Jim Brown has been there, and Tommy Nobis, to talk football, although most of our kids have little interest in football. But they like to hear these fellows. Bill Russell has been there; so have Oscar Robertson and all the Harlem Globetrotters. The boys love it, and I really believe it has meant a lot in the development of some fine young men for later life.”

Roberto Clemente (1934–1972) Puerto Rican baseball player

As quoted in "All-Star Case of Roberto Clemente"
Baseball-related, <big><big>1970s</big></big>, <big>1970</big>

Love, Life, Men, Age

“I really was more intent on getting out of Iowa than everybody else. I just felt I didn't quite fit in exactly, the way other people did. Then I came here and discovered by living in Britain that being a foreigner is really a treat. It is such a great position to be in. When things are going well you can step forward and take part in the ceremonies and everything is great. And when things are not going well, being entirely hypothetical here, if for example your national football team got beat by Germany, you can stand back and say what a shame.”

Bill Bryson (1951) American author

Interview with Stanford's Newsletter (June 2001)

People, Way, Parting

“My idea, my dream, my goal, is to go out and legitimize this sport and compete at the Olympic Games with my peers in the football arena.”

Emmitt Smith (1969) American football player and sports broadcaster

Doug Robinson (February 10, 1996) "Honest! Emmitt Is Going For Gold", The Deseret News, p. D1.

Dreams, Game, Idea, Sport

“Why did they label me a college dropout? The connotation is, he left to go have fun. Not that I served honorably in the Navy, went to college on the GI Bill, trained to be a pro wrestler, and took a job when the opportunity came up. Isn't that what college is for, to prepare you to earn a living? The positive is, I still have three years of eligibility left — if Harvard wants me for its football team.”

Jesse Ventura (1951) American politician and former professional wrestler

On the "stupid, lazy" media reports on his lack of a college education.
Harvard interview (February 2004)

Training

“I have to say, Mr. Deputy Speaker, the Ministers are like fraudsters in the fairy tale, telling gullible Liberal Democrat MPs about the beautiful progressive clothes that the emperor is wearing, if only they are clever enough and loyal enough to see them. And desperately, we have Liberal Democrats clinging to shreds of invisible cloth, reaching deep into their Liberal and Conservative history to pretend that they can be progressive now. They are claiming that Keynes might have backed the Budget. They are calling on Beveridge for support, kidding themselves that they can call on their history and that they are following in the footsteps of great liberal Conservatives like Winston Churchill, who supported the minimum wage, but the truth is that the emperor has no clothes.
The truth is that if you look at the detail, the Budget is nastier than any brought in by Margaret Thatcher. Instead of Churchill, Keynes or the founders of the welfare state, the Liberal Democrats have signed up, with the Right Honourable Member for Chingford and his Chancellor, to cut support for the poor. It is perhaps apt that in this week of World Cup disappointments, it was actually a footballer who got it right. In 2002, after England were defeated in the World Cup by Brazil, Gareth Southgate reflected ruefully on England's performance and said:
"We were expecting Winston Churchill and instead got Iain Duncan Smith."
That is the reality for the Liberal Democrats now. With all their high hopes, they have betrayed the poor and the vulnerable, whom they stood up to defend.
[The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Steve Webb) rose]
I will give way to the hon. Gentleman because I know he has a history of supporting people on low incomes and I do not know why he is betraying it now.”

Yvette Cooper (1969) British politician

During a budget response debate http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm100628/debtext/100628-0012.htm, 28 July, 2010. Link to the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtORBuxY0MU.

People, Truth, World, Beauty

“Puke football.”

Pat Spillane (1955) Gaelic football player

Spillane on Tyrone's style of play. The team went on to win the 2003, 2005 and 2008 All-Irelands. RTÉ Television http://www.rte.ie/tv/reelingintheyears/2003.html

“There is no medal better than being acclaimed for your style. As a coach, my teams might have won more games if we’d played in a less adventurous way. Maybe I’d have earned a little more and the bonuses would have been bigger, but if people say that Barcelona were playing the nicest football in the world with me as coach, what more can I ask for? If you’re appearing in the World Cup final it may be the biggest occasion of your life, so why be sad and fearful? Be happy, express yourself and play. Make it special for you and for everyone watching. For the good of football, we need a team of invention, attacking ideas and style to emerge. Even if it doesn't win, it will inspire footballers of all ages everywhere. That is the greatest reward.”

Johan Cruyff (1947–2016) Dutch association football player

reported in David Winner (2012). Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Football.

Life, People, Age, World

“A lot of different races and nationalities play football, so it is a good way to try and stop racism.”

Thierry Henry (1977) French association football player

On the "Show Racism the Red Card" campaign, Show Racism the Red Card http://www.theredcard.ie website

Way

“Sometimes in football you have to score goals.”

Thierry Henry (1977) French association football player

Attributed

“Scotland has the only football team in the world that does a lap of disgrace.”

Billy Connolly (1942) British comedian

Billy Connolly by Nigel Huddleston, published June 2004.
Book Sources

World

“Let's look beyond the divisions of football teams and look at the unifying force within our souls… SEX!”

Russell Brand (1975) British comedian, actor, and author

Big Fat Quiz of the Year (2006)

Sex, Soul

“I have been a vegetarian for a few years. Fred Dryer of the Rams has been one for 10 years. It shows you don't need meat to play football.”

Joe Namath (1943) American football player

Quoted in "9 superstar athletes who don't eat meat" https://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/photos/9-superstar-athletes-who-dont-eat-meat/joe-namath by Brian Merchant, MNN.com (March 5, 2013).

“God forbid, if the British rule disappears from India. Hindus will lord over it, and we will be in constant danger of our life, property and honour. The only way for the Muslims to escape this danger is to help in the continuance of the British rule. If the Muslims are heartily with the British, then that rule is bound to endure. Let the Muslims consider themselves as a British army ready to shed their blood and sacrifice their lives for the British Crown… Wherever you are, whether in the football field or in the tennis lawn, you have to consider yourselves as soldiers of a British regiment. You have to defend the British Empire, and to give the enemy [Hindus] a fight in doing so. If you bear it in mind and act accordingly, you will have done that and your name will be written in letters of gold in the British Indian history. The future generations will be grateful to you.”

Nawab Waqar-ul-Mulk Kamboh (1841–1917) Politician for India's independence

Viqar-ul-Mulk addressing a students’ gathering at Aligarh. Cited by R.C. Majumdar (ed.), History and Culture of the Indian People, Volume XI, Bombay, 1981, p.146. Quoted from Goel, Sita Ram (1995). Muslim separatism: Causes and consequences. ISBN 9788185990262

Life, God, Way, History

“For many Americans, these four months have brought sorrow, and pain that will never completely go away. Every day a retired firefighter returns to Ground Zero, to feel closer to his two sons who died there. At a memorial in New York, a little boy left his football with a note for his lost father: Dear Daddy, please take this to heaven. I don't want to play football until I can play with you again some day.”

George W. Bush (1946) 43rd President of the United States

2000s, 2002, State of the Union address (January 2002)

Pain, Feeling, Boy, Memory

“Who am I supporting? I am Dutch but I support the football that Spain is playing. Spain's style is the style of Barcelona. Spain, a replica of Barça, is the best publicity for football.”

Johan Cruyff (1947–2016) Dutch association football player

Cruyff wrote in his weekly column for the Barcelona-based newspaper El Periodico, prior to the 2010 FIFA World Cup final match ( Goal.com, 11 July 2010 http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2890/world-cup-2010/2010/07/11/2018367/from-ajax-to-barcelona-holland-vs-spain-world-cup-2010-final).

Support

“He’d been fearless on the football field, but he couldn’t fight what he couldn’t see or understand. Suddenly, he wasn’t feeling fearless anymore.”

Lis Wiehl (1961) American legal scholar

Source: Waking Hours: Book 1 in East Salem Trilogy with Pete Nelson (Thomas Nelson), p. 140

Feeling, Understanding, Fight

“Colin Corkery on the 45 lets go with the right boot. Its over the bar. This man shouldn't be playing football. He's made an almost Lazarus-like recovery from a heart condition. Lazarus was a great man but he couldn't kick points like Colin Corkery.”

Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh (1930) Gaelic games commentator

Famous quotes, Miscellaneous Source: "Micheal classics" http://homepage.eircom.net/~kilmoyleygaa/funny/micheal.htm. eircom.

Heart

“Football fetish: "We all inhabit this busy mart called America, but are united by nothing meaningful at all. The football fetish in America has intensified in the context of a country whose inhabitants agree on little else than the importance of The Game. Consequently, come playoff time, we come together fleetingly and superficially, to make a religion out of our respective professional football teams."”

Ilana Mercer South African writer

" Taking a Knee is Akin to Taking A Pee, http://dailycaller.com/2017/09/29/the-tribalism-of-kneelism/" The Daily Caller, September 29, 2017. 2010s, 2018

Religion, Game, Business, Time

“"The Vigils are more important than the school," Archie snapped. "You should have come to me, Carter. Told me your doubts. I'm not the enemy. Instead, you went to the enemy-" "I thought it was the right thing to do." "The right thing to do," Archie mocked. "You guys make me want to vomit. With your precious honor and pride. Football hero. Boxing champ. Strutting the campus with your chest out and your head high. Carter, the ace of aces…" Carter had never heard such rancor, such venom in Archie's voice, Archie, who was always so cool, so detached, like he had been a moment before.”

Robert Cormier book Beyond the Chocolate War

Source: Beyond the Chocolate War (1985), p. 207

School, Guy, Box

“I know some people look at foreign companies investing in our businesses, financing our infrastructure or taking over our football clubs and ask – shouldn’t we do something to stop it? Well, let me tell you, the answer is “no.””

David Cameron (1966) Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Speech at the ninth World Islamic Economic Forum in 2013 - "World Islamic Economic Forum: Prime Minister's speech" Gov.uk (29 October 2013) https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/world-islamic-economic-forum-prime-ministers-speech 2010s, 2013

People, Business

“The last jobs I had were fixing cars and covering football games for a local access TV station. As in driving the mobile van to the field, setting up 3 cameras, teaching depressed grownups and interns how to use them and directing the game from the van and then wanting to kill myself.”

Louis C.K. (1967) American comedian and actor

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/n9tef/hi_im_louis_ck_and_this_is_a_thing/

Cars, Game

“But realistically, we don’t have that many problems at QuakeCon. If it was a football convention or something, there would probably be a lot more incidents.”

John D. Carmack (1970) American computer programmer, engineer, and businessman

Quoted in Billy Berghammer, "CES 2007: John Carmack And Todd Hollenshead Speak" http://www.team5150.com/~andrew/carmack/johnc_interview_2007_CES_2007__John_Carmack_And_Todd_Hollenshead_Speak.html Game Informer (2007-01-09)

Problem

“Imagine my surprise when it turned out the main thing that I was qualified for was to get another degree and teach Political Science to other people, who would, in turn, teach it to other people! This wasn't higher education, this was Amway with a football team!”

Richard Jeni (1957–2007) American comedian

A Big, Steaming Pile Of Me

People, Education, Imagination, Science

“Sadly, they played very dirty. This ugly, vulgar, hard, hermetic, hardly eye-catching, hardly football style… If with this they got satisfaction, fine, but they lost.”

Johan Cruyff (1947–2016) Dutch association football player

Criticising the Dutch team's play in the 2010 World Cup final, in BBC Sport (12 July 2010) http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8812484.stm.

“I've seen him a couple of times in the arena, and was profoundly impressed by his virtuosity. Rugby football is more or less a sealed book to me, I never having gone in for it, but even I could see he was good. The lissomness with which he moved hither and thither was most impressive, as was his homicidal ardour when doing what I believe is called tackling. Like the Canadian Mounted Police he always got his man, and when he did so the air was vibrant with the excited cries of the morticians in the audience making bids for the body.”

P.G. Wodehouse book Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves

Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves (1963)

Books, Time

“… the National Football League needs "a guardian, not a CEO" to deal with the fact that "the sport is simply more and more identified with violence, both in its inherent nature and in its savage personnel.”

Frank Deford (1938–2017) American sportswriter

White House Honors For Frank Deford, Joan Didion & Others, 2013-07-10, 2013-07-10, Morning Edition, National Public Radio http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/07/10/200735930/white-house-honors-for-frank-deford-joan-didion-others,

Nature, Sport

“(To a football player) If you lie to me, I'll mop the floor with you worse than anyone who's ever tackled you.”

Judith Sheindlin (1942) American lawyer, judge, television personality, and author

Quotes from Judge Judy cases, Being cocky

Lie

“I was lucky to come from a difficult area. It teaches you not just about football but also life. There were lots of kids from different races and poor families. People had to struggle to get through the day. Music was important. Football was the easy part.”

Zinedine Zidane (1972) French association football player and manager

Interview, 2004 http://www.theguardian.com/football/2004/apr/04/sport.features

Life, People, Family, Music

“You know what I wish for? I wish for an NFL that produced a man like Pat Tillman! Y'all remember him, chances are these young folks do not. Pat Tillman was an outstanding college football athlete from Arizona State University, the Sun Devils. Tillman played professional football for the Arizona Cardinals but he answered a greater call of duty – and not a video game.”

Allen West (politician) (1961) American politician; retired United States Army officer

2010s, Folks, you’re missing the point about the NFL protests (19 October 2017)

Game, Universe, Chance, Sun

“I'll put it this way, it's like when you play football and you put on all the gear — the shoes and the pads and the helmet. At first, it's bulky and cumbersome. But then, when you go in the game and you start to play, you don't even know you have it on. Swimming in the suit was like that. Once you get into it, you forget about the suit.”

Ricou Browning (1930) American film actor and director

Ricou Browning performed swimmingly as movie monster http://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2013/04/creature_from_the_black_lagoon.html (April 26, 2013)

Shoe, Way, Game, Forgetting

“When people talk about my dark days, when I sit down and think about it - the misdemeanours I've had, with the things that go on in the real world, - the things I have done are stupid and foolish. But they are not war crimes. That's what gets me. When footballers are on the front page and on page seven is something about soldiers dying or floods or the real tragedies in this world, I ask myself how we can justify that.”

Joey Barton (1982) English association football player

Barton questioning whether modern-day footballers receive too much media coverage. [August 8, 2007, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=474623&in_page_id=1779, Barton slams the players who just don't try, Daily Mail, 2007-08-15].

War, People, Stupidity, World

“Conventional wisdom notwithstanding, there is no reason either in football or in poetry why the two should not meet in a man's life if he has the weight and cares about the words.”

Archibald Macleish (1892–1982) American poet and Librarian of Congress

Moonlighting on Yale Field, Riders on Earth (1978)

Life, Wisdom

“There is no academic virtue in playing mediocre football and no academic vice in winning a game that by all odds one should lose…There has indeed been a surrender at Notre Dame, but it is a surrender to excellence on all fronts, and in this we hope to rise above ourselves with the help of God.”

Theodore Hesburgh (1917–2015) Congressional Gold Medal recipient

"The Facts Of The Matter," Sports Illustrated (1959-01-19), ( online http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1070047/1/index.htm)

God, Hope, Game, Help

“I am ashamed that we had football players, Americans, on the Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars team who knelt for our national anthem, and stood for the British national anthem. I am disturbed to know there are teams who will just stay in the locker room during the playing of our anthem. This is an issue that the American people and football fans need resolved. Americans want to check out of politics sometimes and just enjoy a good sporting event. Sadly, there appears to be no “safe space” away from the progressive socialist agenda.”

Allen West (politician) (1961) American politician; retired United States Army officer

2010s, Here’s what I wish the president had said about this NFL business (24 September 2017)

People, Sport, Appearance

“It has changed a bit, of course. The speed and all that. But let me tell you something: in the olden times, let's say the year, I don't know, in the Sixties for instance, we would eat a plate of spaghetti and run out onto the pitch. Then people started saying 'they're too full', meaning you'd get bloated like a pig if you ate spaghetti. But this shows you those guys were clever because nowadays all the medical experts recommend pasta for athletes and footballers because you digest it slowly.”

Alfredo Di Stéfano (1926–2014) Argentine association football player

The Guardian interview (2008)

People, Guy, Change, Time

“He likes having the ball, playing football, passes. It's like an orchestra. But it's a silent song. I like heavy metal.”

Jürgen Klopp (1967) German association football player and manager

Klopp comparing his team's style of play to Arsène Wenger's Arsenal. Source: 14 of the best Jurgen Klopp quotes: Top of the Klopps http://www.espnfc.com/blog/the-toe-poke/65/post/2402760/14-of-the-best-jurgen-klopp-quotes-top-of-the-klopps

“The number of American presidential candidates varies with the sunspot cycle and the phases of the moon. Being a Republican, I'm backing Hillary Clinton. Because she could lose. The reason is not that she's a woman. The reason is that she's the particular woman who taught the 4th grade class that every man in America wished he were dead in. Hillary Clinton is Lucy holding the football for Charlie Brown. Hillary Clinton is 'America's ex-wife.”

P. J. O'Rourke (1947) American journalist

"Letter to Our European Friends" (4 February 2008)

Dead

“And because he didn't do it by football season, we are ready to throw him out on the street and bring back the guys who messed it up just two years ago. That's a little too impatient.”

Bill Maher (1956) American stand-up comedian

Source: Larry King Live interview (2010)
Context: The country can't get well if the people are sick. And the people are sick. Now, I know Obama's not been the best president and the Democrats are not the best politicians, but you know what? We elected him just two years ago to fix this massive bunch of problems we have. And because he didn't do it by football season, we are ready to throw him out on the street and bring back the guys who messed it up just two years ago. That's a little too impatient. Yes, when he got the patient, the patient was bleeding to death — he got the patient to stop bleeding. But, OK, the patient is not up and back at the office quite yet. It's no reason to throw the doctor out and get back the doctor who was using leaches.

Guy, Season

“Football, bloody hell!”

Alex Ferguson (1941) Scottish footballer and manager

"Football... Bloody Hell - Manchester United's Treble 1998/99" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0GWQkovu5c

Hell

“He was a gentleman and an incredible footballer.”

Pelé (1940–2022) Brazilian association football player

Interviewedby Lee Clayton, "Welcome into Pelé's World" in Daily Mail [England] (27 May 2006)
Context: Bobby Moore — he defended like a lord. Let me tell you about this man. When I played, I would face up to a defender, I would beat him with my eyes, send him the wrong way; I would look one way and then go the other. Defenders would just kick me in frustration. They would foul me because they couldn't stop me, or because I would confuse them with my movement. I would move my eyes, my legs or my body, but not always the ball. They would follow my move, but not Bobby, not ever. He would watch the ball, he would ignore my eyes and my movement and then, when he was ready and his balance was right, he would take the ball, always hard, always fair. He was a gentleman and an incredible footballer.

“I keep saying appalling. Because, I'm running out words. They've just given in. They've just completely given in, actually trying to run around and play football.”

Steve McManaman (1972) English footballer

2010s, 2014 FIFA World Cup, Brazil v. Germany (2014)
Context: It's hard to decipher this game. It's been a very good German performance, but Ian? You cannot underestimate how bad Brazil have been today, it's like? It's like amateur hour watching them. But, their attitude has just been appalling. I know, I keep saying appalling. Because, I'm running out words. They've just given in. They've just completely given in, actually trying to run around and play football.

“We've been remarkably consistent, haven't lost a game and we have played stylish football. We have entertained people who just love football.”

Arsène Wenger (1949) French footballer and manager

Tottenham 2-2 Arsenal (25 April 2004) http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/3650757.stm Interviews

Love, People

“Nobody has single-handedly done more for the US image than me, I really believe this. When I won the World Championship in '72, the United States had an image of, you know, a football country, baseball country, but nobody thought of it as an intellectual country. I turned all that around single-handedly”

Bobby Fischer (1943–2008) American chess prodigy, chess player, and chess writer

Radio Interview, September 11 2001 http://www.geocities.jp/bobbby_b/mp3/F_19_1.MP3 Context: Look at all I've done for the US. Nobody has single-handedly done more for the US image than me, I really believe this. When I won the World Championship in '72, the United States had an image of, you know, a football country, baseball country, but nobody thought of it as an intellectual country. I turned all that around single-handedly, right? But I was useful then because there was the Cold War, right? But now I'm not useful anymore, you see, the Cold War is over, and now they want to wipe me out, steal everything I have, put me in prison, and so on.

World, Country

“This guy should never play football again. What is he doing on the football pitch?”

Arsène Wenger (1949) French footballer and manager

Martin Taylor, who injured Arsenal striker Eduardo. (23 February 2008) http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/feb/23/newsstory.birminghamcityfc Context: This guy should never play football again. What is he doing on the football pitch? I've gone along with the idea for a long time that to stop Arsenal, you have to kick Arsenal. I knew that was coming for a long time now.

Guy

“We're in a special place, Ian. We've seen some football matches in our time. But, I've never seen? Seen a game like this, or been in a spectacle like this. I'll remember this for the rest of my life.”

Steve McManaman (1972) English footballer

2010s, 2014 FIFA World Cup, Brazil v. Germany (2014)
Context: Yeah. We're in a special place, Ian. We've seen some football matches in our time. But, I've never seen? Seen a game like this, or been in a spectacle like this. I'll remember this for the rest of my life. Yeah, yeah. You'd much rather see seven goals than a one-nil defensive display, wouldn't you? At least they're getting entertained.

Life, Game, Time

“And at the same time it is a forced importance — you know, football stars and theatre stars — It is man-made so the press can feed off it.”

Kate Bush (1958) British recording artist; singer, songwriter, musician and record producer

Profiles in Rock interview (December 1980)
Context: Artists shouldn't be made famous. You know… they're just … as important as… um doctors, and priests … or maybe not as important sometimes, and yet they have this huge aura of almost god-like quality about them, just because their craft makes a lot of money. And at the same time it is a forced importance — you know, football stars and theatre stars — It is man-made so the press can feed off it.

Star, Time

“I would say that the quality of each man’s life is the full measure of that man’s commitment of excellence and victory – whether it be football, whether it be business, whether it be politics or government or what have you. ”

Vince Lombardi (1913–1970) American football player, coach, and executive

Life, Business, Victory

“I used to tease the other kids because I played better than them. Then my father said, Come here. Don’t do this with the kids, because God gave you the gift to play football. You didn’t do anything.”

Pelé (1940–2022) Brazilian association football player

God

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Quotes about football
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