Djokovic and Jeter are just some of the names in the spotlight as we look at the most memorable quotes from the world of sport in the past week. (April 2-8)
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World No.1 Novak Djokovic led the way this week after his surprise at being labelled a veteran. He’s only 27-years-old, but the Serb has been on the ATP Tour for some 11 years now. He followed that up by yelling at his coaching staff during the final, scaring a ballboy who thought the tirade was directed at him. Grumpy old man after all?
We also follow the “rent-a-player” saga emerging after Duke’s win over Wisconsin in the national championship, Jeter’s retirement and Craig Kimbrel’s trade to the Padres.
“This is a big thing for me to hear. I have to gather my thoughts here… Reality just hit me. Thank you for that.”
Novak Djokovic, aged 27, after a reporter called him a veteran during the Miami Open. April 2, 2015
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“I really apologise, and also as a parent, I do care about children a lot right now. I look at it in a much different way, so I want to apologise to his parents as well for this situation and as a father I wouldn’t wish something like this happens to my son.”
Dojovic, again, after yelling at his coaching staff during the Miami Open, and scaring a ballboy who was inadvertently caught in the crossfire. April 6, 2015
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“This is entertainment we’re talking about. People have to decide, do I want to play 25 bucks, 30 bucks to go see a college scrum where everybody misses six out of every ten shots they take, or do I want to go to a movie?”
Geno Auriemma on the state of college basketball. Spiteful or somewhat true? April 2, 2015
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“It’s reality. Life had to go on without Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig and Yogi, Mantle. It had to go on without Mo and Jorge [Posada.]”
Joe Girardi after Derek Jeter’s retirement. April 5, 2015
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“Look, he’s a fan favorite, as he should be. If I had a son or a daughter – I’ve got grandchildren, and his poster’s hanging on the wall. He’s that kind of a guy. He’s a guy you want to look at. So yeah, did I think about that as I went through this? Absolutely. I mean, I’m a human being.”
Braves president of baseball operations John Hart, on trading away Craig Kimbrel — the centerpiece of the blockbuster trade between the Braves and Padres. April 5, 2015
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“All the seniors that I’ve had — hard to say the word. But every player that’s played through the program, okay, we don’t do a rent-a-player. You know what I mean? Try to take a fifth-year guy. That’s okay. If other people do that, that’s okay. I like trying to build from within. It’s just the way I am.”
After Wisconsin’s 68-63 loss to Duke in the national championship, Badgers coach Bo Ryan took a shot at some of his opponents’ one-and-done players. April 7, 2015
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“Duke doesn’t rent a player, you know.”
Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski responds. April 7, 2015
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“If you stole a car three times, would the AFL say you can steal a car once and you can steal a car twice but on the third time we’re actually going to [do something]?”
Melbourne Football Club coach Paul Roos on the AFL’s current “three strikes and you’re out” drug policy. April 7, 2015
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“I worked my a** off. Sun up to sun down.”
Tiger Woods on his preparation for a Masters comeback. April 7, 2015
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why does ryan mason have a tattoo of my when i was 12?????? pic.twitter.com/tC7K2SoDm2
— dan (@Danorako) March 31, 2015
“Why does Ryan Mason have a tattoo of my (sic) when I was 12?”
We had to finish with this humorous tweet, even though it was technically last week. Tottenham’s Ryan Mason appears to have a doppelganger on his bicep. April 1, 2015
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Photo Credit: AP/File