Before releasing the best sporting quotes from 2015 and some classics from back in the day, please note that the second full class of the Fictitious Athlete Hall of Fame has been announced.
The Hanson Brothers, Happy Gilmore and Reggie Dunlop join inaugural inductee, Rocky Balboa and last year’s class of Ricky (Wild Thing) Vaughn, Crash Davis and Roy Hobbs into the participant section.
Joining Harry Doyle (Major League) who was the first contributing inductee from last year’s vote are Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), the karate instructor from the Karate Kid series of movies and Carl Spackler, the groundskeeper played by Bill Murray in Caddyshack.
n “That’s right — he’s signing with the Philadelphia 76ers.” – Jimmy Fallon of NBC, on Kobe Bryant deciding he is packing it in on pro basketball.
n The San Diego Padres unveiled their new 2016 uniforms the other day, after which blogger Chad Picasner wrote: “It won’t help; they’ll still be recognized.” . . .
n Dwight Perry, in the Seattle Times: “And you thought Kobe Bryant was having trouble hitting a shot? When Portland Timbers defender Nat Borchers scored in stoppage time against FC Dallas on Nov. 22, it was his first MLS playoff goal in 12 years and 18 days.” .
n Mark Whicker of the Los Angeles News Group, with a tweet: “If this idiot Manziel wanted to be an NFL QB half as much as everybody else wants him to be, he’d be in the Pro Bowl by now.” .
n A man in Lincoln, Neb., has started a magazine about prison convicts. Here’s Brad Dickson of the Omaha World-Herald: “We already have that, it’s called Sports Illustrated.”
n “…From the moment I got my first pair of hockey skates at five years old, I got the living sh*t kicked out of me every single day. Every day after hockey, no matter how many goals I scored, he would hit me. The man was 6-foot-2, 250 lbs. It would start as soon as we got in the car, and sometimes right out in the parking lot.” – Ex-NHler Patrick O’Sullivan on being physically abused by his father.
n The halftime act for Super Bowl 50 will be Coldplay —shouldn’t they have been at the Super Bowl 48 halftime outdoors at the Meadowlands? – Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, Calif.
n Ex-Yankee great Derek Jeter retired with 260 major league home runs. Or 261 if you include getting engaged to SI Swimsuit Issue cover girl Hannah Davis. – Comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com.
n A Google self-driving car recently was pulled over for going too slowly. No, wait — that was Danica Patrick in the NASCAR race. – Ian Hamilton of the Regina Leader-Post.
n “You can’t get much done in life if you only work on the days when you feel good.” – NBA legend Jerry West.
n “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’”– Boxing superstar Muhammad Ali
n University of Utah punter Tom Hackett, an Australian, on why he chose American football over his native Australian Rules Football: “I’m fat and I’m not really into running.”
n “Oh God, I hate pretense. I also hate the thought that anyone would put me on a pedestal because of my job. I am on TV which means I do my job in front of millions, but it’s still just a job. If you are going to judge me, do it on the basis of the way I treat people. “ – Ron MacLean.
n “My best drinker couldn’t drink and my best goal scorer was the best drinker.” – Don Cherry on coaching the sadsack Colorado Rockies.
n “The truth is, I’d give it all up to be a rock star.” – Don Ohlmeyer, NBC sports producer.
n “This year, I’d like to steal a team plane.” – Greg Minton, Giants’ relief pitcher on what his goals were for the 1983 season.
n “Sammy (Pollock) sent me down on a 24-hour recall, but he must of meant 24 years because he hasn’t called me up yet.” – former WHL Canuck captain Larry McNabb.
n “You can’t think and hit at the same time.” – Yankee catcher Yogi Berra.
