Athlete Quotes

We have a lot of rookies in the lineup. More than anybody, I would say. Its going to be something new for them.They have to understand that it's totally different hockey in the playoffs. Starting with the fans, the intensity of the game, every mistake counts.

There's probably a lot of people wondering if I can play.

The players don't play the position game as much as we used to play. A lot of young guys go up and down, shoot the puck, go for the rebounds. You're getting tired quicker because the body has to react where the puck is going to go. You cannot read it, because you don't have the puck on your stick.

People judge you by the way you play in the playoffs.

My goal was to play in the NHL, because that is the best hockey in the world.

Many European guys go to the N.H.L. at a young age, even without knowing English. But they quickly adapt to new conditions, another game, a new country. They are also young, receptive, can move mountains.

It's tough in the NHL; you have to produce on a high level. And everybody expects you to do it because you make a lot of money. And I never minded it. I always want to be that guy.

In the U.S., you have so many rules, everything's regulated and structured. When you make a mistake, you pay for it -a lot.

In the K.H.L., you're even more patient at your position because the rink is so big, you cannot play that way.

If I was on a third or fourth line I would probably be in the NHL, because you don't have to produce every night.

I'm not 21 and trying to prove something with my words.

I like the pressure.

I don't really care how we done it, we done it.

First of all, when I was making the decision, I never thought that Pittsburgh fans would want me back. Every time I played there, they were booing me every time I touched the puck. I didn't think it would be such a big deal that I didn't sign with Pittsburgh.

Don't forget, I'm 39. I didn't come here just for the money to impress myself. I'm not saying I am going to be dominating. I'm not saying I'm going to be good. But I can promise you I will do all the right things to play.

When I was up there at the plate, my purpose was to get on base anyway I could, whether by hitting or by getting hit.

I ain't afraid to tell the world that it didn't take school stuff to help a fella play ball.

God knows I gave my best in baseball at all times and no man on earth can truthfully judge me otherwise.

You know, this game's not very much fun when you're only hitting .247.

You don't face Nolan Ryan without your rest. He's the only guy I go against that makes me go to bed before midnight.

When you've played this game for ten years and gone to bat seven-thousand times and gotten two-thousand hits do you know what that really means? It means you've gone zero for five-thousand.

When you take a pitch and line it somewhere, it's like you've thought of something and put it there with beautiful clarity.

The only way I'm going to win a Gold Glove is with a can of spray paint.

The only reason I don't like playing in the World Series is I can't watch myself play.

The only difference between me and those other great Yankees is my skin color.

The greatest manager has a knack for making ballplayers think they are better than they think they are.

October, that's when they pay off for playing ball.

In the building I live in on Park Avenue there are ten people who could buy the Yankees, but none of them could hit the ball out of Yankee Stadium.

I'd like to be able to light the fire a little bit.

I was reminded that when we lose and I strike out, a billion people in China don't care.