What Did You Say?

It's August 11, which means there are now just two weeks until the first Princeton athletic event of the 2023-24 academic year. 

It'll be Colgate at Princeton in women's soccer on Friday, Aug. 25, at 7:30. If you look at the two school's Directors of Athletics, Princeton's John Mack and Colgate's (interim, at least) Yariv Amir go way, way, way back, to when both were early in the careers and worked together at Princeton.

Mack graduated from Princeton in 2000, one year before Amir graduated from Colgate. TB hired Amir at Princeton based on his hockey background and desire to work in Division I hockey in Mercer County, New Jersey, which sort of narrowed his options. At the same time, the Princeton Office of Athletic Communications was looking for someone to cover men's and women's hockey, so it worked out well for everyone involved.

It's hard to believe that it's been two decades since. Well, maybe not, considering how quickly time has sailed by this summer. 

Anyway, make sure you check out the composite schedule, because it's only three weeks until pretty much every Tiger fall team will be underway.

Ah, but that leaves us the rest of today. 

TigerBlog wanted to share this with you every since his college roommate Charlie Frohman sent him these sports quotes two weeks ago or so. 

Some of them are classics. Which one is your favorite? You can think about it and let TB know. 

In the meantime, enjoy them, and enjoy the weekend.

Some of these are epic. Enjoy, and TB will be back tomorrow with some thoughts on this question: Who are the most accomplished Princeton athletes beyond what they did as Tigers?

Babe Ruth became the first baseball player to sign a contract giving him a salary of $100,000 a year.  A reporter asked him "how do you feel making so much money, even more than the President of the United States? "Ruth replied "Well I had a better year than he did."

Don Meredith, Dallas Cowboys Quarterback once said: "Coach Tom Landry is such a perfectionist that if he was married to Raquel Welch, he would expect her to cook."

Harry Neale, professional hockey coach: "Last year we couldn't win at home and we were losing on the road. My failure as a coach was that I couldn't think of anyplace else to play."

Reggie Jackson commenting on Tom Seaver: "Blind people come to the ballpark just to listen to him pitch."

Doug Sanders, professional golfer: "I'm working as hard as I can to get my life and my cash to run out at the same time. If I can just die after lunch Tuesday, everything will be perfect."

Mickey Lolich, Detroit Tigers pitcher: "All the fat guys watch me and say to their wives, 'See, there's a fat guy doing okay. Bring me another beer."

Max McGee, Green Bay Packers receiver: "When it's third and ten, you can have the milk drinkers; I'll take the whiskey drinkers every time."

Tommy LaSorda, L A Dodgers manager: "I found out that it's not good to talk about my troubles. Eighty percent of the people who hear them don't care and the other twenty percent are glad I'm having them."

E.J. Holub, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker regarding his 12 knee operations: "My knees look like they lost a knife fight with a midget."

Vic Braden, tennis instructor: "My theory is that if you buy an ice cream cone and make it hit your mouth, you can learn to play tennis. If you stick it on your forehead, your chances aren't as good."

Tommy John, N.Y. Yankees, recalling his 1974 arm surgery: "When they operated, I told them to add in a Koufax fastball. They did, but unfortunately it was Mrs. Koufax's."

Walt Garrison, Dallas Cowboys fullback when asked if Tom Landry ever smiles: "I don't know. I only played there for nine years."

John Breen, Houston Oilers: "We were tipping off our plays. Whenever we broke from the huddle, three backs were laughing and one was pale as a ghost."

Bum Phillips, New Orleans Saints, after viewing a lopsided loss to the Atlanta Falcons: "The film looks suspiciously like the game itself."

Al Hrabosky, major league relief pitcher: "When I'm on the road, my greatest ambition is to get a standing boo."

Bill Veeck, Chicago White Sox owner: "I have discovered in 20 years of moving around the ballpark that the knowledge of the game is usually in inverse proportion to the price of the seats."

Paul Horning, Green Bay Packers running back on why his marriage ceremony was before noon: "Because if it didn't work out, I didn't want to blow the whole day."

Lou Holtz, Arkansas football coach: "I have a lifetime contract. That means I can't be fired during the third quarter if we're ahead and moving the ball."

Knute Rockne, when asked why Notre Dame had lost a game: "I won't know until my barber tells me on Monday".

Jim Frey, K.C. Royals manager when asked what advice he gives George Brett on hitting: "I tell him "Attaway to hit, George."

Bill Walton, Portland Trail Blazers: "I learned a long time ago that 'minor surgery' is when they do the operation on someone else, not you."

George MacIntyre, Vanderbilt football coach surveying the team roster that included 26 freshmen and 25 sophomores: "Our biggest concern this season will be diaper rash."

Rick Venturi, Northwestern football coach: "The only difference between me and General Custer is that I have to watch the films on Sunday."

Bum Phillips, Oilers coach on why he always takes his wife on road trips . . . " She's too ugly to kiss goodbye."

The great John McKay, who coached USC for a bunch of years and later became the initial head coach of those terrible expansion Tampa Bay Bucs teams, had a few zingers. He was once asked after a lopsided loss what he thought of his team's execution. He said: "I’m all for it.”   On another occasion, after a serious whipping he was asked what the turning point of the game had been. He replied: "The Star-Spangled Banner."