They said the darnedest things

Top sports quotes of 2025.

Voices of 2025:

“The bus was out of gas.” – Michael Pierce, 350-pound Baltimore nose tackle, after he intercepted a pass and then knelt instead of returning it against Cleveland, Jan. 4.

“The year is 2025 and 67s are officially not good.” – Max Homa, PGA Tour competitor, after he shot 19-under-par and finished 26th at Kapalua, Jan. 5.

“I hope she has it in the middle of the game. I hope the game is so exciting that I’ll come over there and help her deliver it.” – Kim Mulkey, LSU coach, on Tennessee coach Kim Caldwell’s pregnancy, Jan. 9.

“It’s all going to the Danielle Collins fund. One of the great things about being a professioal athlete is that the people who hate you, they actually pay you bills.” – Danielle Collins, tennis player, responding to booing from the Australian Open crowd as she won $290,000 for reaching the third round, Jan. 17.

“I guess it will force me to read books more – be more of a productive human, probably. Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise.” – Coco Gauff, tennis player, lamenting the TikTok ban after she won a Round of 16 match at the Australian Open, Jan. 18.

“Jack will live in infamy for the plays that he’s made.” – Jim Knowles, Ohio State defensive coordinator, on defensive end Jack Sawyer, Jan. 18.

“We’re starting to need a new word to talk about this pace of play issue, and that’s respect. For your fellow competitors, for the fans, for broadcasts, for all of it, it’s just got to get better.” – Dottie Pepper, CBS golf commentator, on slow play at the Farmers insurance Open at Torrey Pines. Jan. 25.

“A Trump game is what I would call it,, where you just keep lying and making mistakes and then you forget the thing you did the day before. That’s how the game felt.” — Doc Rivers, Bucks coach, after a 144-118 loss to San Antonio, Jan. 31.

“When he’s good, he’s great. When he’s not great, he’s still good.” – Lucas Glover, PGA Tour player, after Rory McIlroy went 65-66 on the weekend to win at Pebble Beach, Feb. 2.

“You’re a money-hungry squirrel looking for your next nut.” – Jake Paul, boxer, to Canelo Alvarez after Canelo signed to fight Terence Crawford and backed out of a fight with Paul, Feb. 8.

“If you don’t draft me, that’s your fault. You’ve got to remember you’re the same team that’s got to play me for the rest of my career, and I’ll remember that.” – Cam Ward, U. of Miami quarterback, leading into the NFL draft. Feb. 19.

“If he were European and white he’d be the top pick in the draft.” – Kevin Willard, Maryland coach, on freshman Derik Queen, Feb. 20.

“So, if I have one message to our president, it’s lay off the ridiculous rhetoric about Canada being the 51st state. As an American, I’m ashamed of the arrogance and disregard that we’ve shown one of our historically oldest, strongest and most loyal allies.” – Jesse Marsch, an American who coaches Canada’s national men’s soccer team, Feb. 25.

“I’m not going to beat around the bush. He was missing.” – Todd McLellan, Red Wings’ coach, on the play of captain Dylan Larkin in a loss to Columbus, Feb. 27.

“I’m done with trying to dot a gnat’s ass. Just, here’s my stuff. If you hit it, good. Odds are, probably not.” – Jackson Jobe, Tigers’ rookie pitcher, March 7.

“My confession is that I’m really icked out.” – Cameron Brink, L.A. Sparks center, on news that the WNBA team will use men in practice sessions, March 17.

“I told you we weren’t a 30-point underdog.” – Robert Jones, Norfolk State coach, after a 93-69 loss to Florida in the NCAA tournament, March 21.

“Usually you wake up from that. You go, ‘Wow. God. That can’t ever happen.’ It just did.” – Pat Murphy, Brewers’ manager, after the Yankees homered in the first three pitches they saw from Nestor Cortes, March 29.

“I started playing tennis because of you.” – Jakub Mensik, 19, to Novak Djokovic, after he beat Djokovic to win the Miami Open, March 30.

“I’ve still got the under.” – Dave Roberts, Dodgers manager, on the odds of his club winning all 162 after a 7-0 start, April 1.

“I like watching him bleed on the court. I think it’s important.” – Joe Mazzulla, Celtics coach, after Kristaps Porzingis took an elbow from Orlando’s Goga Bitadze during a first-round playoff game. April 23.

“They do the work. We just drink coffee and swear.” – Paul Maurice, Florida Panthers coach, on why players and not coaches should be shown in the handshake line after a Stanley Cup series, May 4.

“Call the fire department. Put your hair out. Let’s move on, please.” – Paul Maurice, Florida Panthers coach, after Sam Bennett’s elbow knocked Toronto goalie Anthony Stolarz out of Game 1 of the Eastern semifinals, May 5.

“Eighty is the new 60.” – Pat Riley, Miami Heat president, indicating he’ll continue working past his 80th birthday, May 11.

“It’s like a Kardashian. It’s very modern, beautiful and well-kept. But it lacks a soul or character.” – Hunter Mahan, former PGA tour player, on Quail Hollow Golf Club, home of the 2025 PGA Championship, May 13.

“He needs to quit riding him like a rented mule.” – Steve Asmussen, horse trainer, after he watched Umberto Rispoli ride Journalism to a bumpy victory in the Preakness, May 17.

“That to me is just a joke. That guy needs to stay in California. Go somewhere and chew on bark and whisper to the gods out there.” – Terry Bradshaw, former Steelers Hall of Fame quarterback, on the chances that the Steelers will sign Aaron Rodgers, May 27.

“I’ll bring some tissues next time.” – Max Verstappen, Formula One champion, reacting to criticism of his crash into George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix, June 1.

“I’m probably their favorite member because I never come.” – Dustin Johnson, winner of the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont, after the club gave him an honorary membership, June 9.

“I’m 48 years old. I shouldn’t get shooed by another grown man.” – Kevin Schnall, Coastal Carolina coach, after being ejected by Angel Campos at the College World Series, June 22.

“Holy doodle. I’m shaking.” – Joe Thornton, former NHL MVP, upon learning he’d been selected to the Hockey Hall of Fame, June 25.

“I saw the bounce and then I just told myself, don’t fall over.” – Patrick Bailey, Giants catcher, on his walk-off, inside-the-park home run that beat the Phillies, July 8.

“This is turning into the Savannah Bananas.” – Nick Castellanos, Phillies’ outfielder, after teammates Christopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez were snubbed for the All-Star Game in favor of Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski, who had made five career starts, July 11.

“The golf industry loves a good lunch and a good dinner.” – Mark Darbon, new chief executive of the Royal & Ancient,, when asked about what has surprised him about the job, July 15.

“If you see a Port-a-Potty on the sideline, it is real. I’m just telling you..” – Deion Sanders, Colorado coach, on the details of his fight against bladder cancer, July 28.

“He’s catching Rickey Henderson slowly, I think. He’ll have to play a little longer.” – Chris Bassitt, Blue Jays pitcher, after teammate Alejandro Kirk stole the first base of his career. Aug. 16.

“I always tell them Pokemon is the safest instrument. They look at me like I have a third eye, and I go, ‘Pikachu is not gonna tear his ACL and miss the whole season. Charizard is not gonna get a DUI driving home. It’s not gonna happen.’’’ – Matt Strahm, Phillies’ pitcher, on why he doesn’t invest in sports cards, Aug. 18.

“The sad thing is we can’t sit here and tell them that help is on the way, because we’re not going to do a damn thing about it.” – Cheryl Reeve, Lynx coach, after the Annunciation Catholic School shootings in Minneapolis, Aug. 27.

“I never won a match from the toilet before.” – Adrian Manarinno, after Ben Shelton retired with a shoulder injury at the U.S. Open while Manarinno was taking a bathroom break. Aug. 28.

“I’m seeing you more than my family.” – Carlos Alcaraz, U.S. Open champion, after he had met Jannick Sinner for the third consecutive time in a Grand Slam final, Sept. 7.

“There is not a group more thrilled about us getting ready to unveil this bronze statue over here than the bird population. They’ve got another target to shoot at.” – Marty Brennaman, former Reds broadcaster, as the Reds presented a statue of him at Great American Ballpark, Sept. 6.

“There’s no more Canelos, there’s no more. So when you look around, you say I’m that Canelo. I’m the face of boxing now.” – Terence Crawford, after a unanimous decision over Canelo Alvarez that made him the undisputed champion in his third weight class, Sept. 13.

“I’m gonna eat some Haagen-Dazs coffee ice cream with my wife, and smoke a Cuban cigar and then probably go to the hospital.” – Biff Poggi, acting Michigan head coach, after a win over Nebraska, Sept. 20,

“We have the best players in the world. We have the best fans. But right now we have the worst leadership in the world.” – Napheesha Collier, of the Minnesota Lynx, criticizing WNBA management, Sept. 29.

“There is zero chance I’ll be watching. I’m just going to be honest with you.” – Ben McDonald, ESPN baseball analyst, after a promo for the NHL’s opening night. Oct. 1.

“I told them that’s exactly what was gonna happen. They’ll get over it. Hockey season is coming up.” – Cam Schlittler, rookie Yankee pitcher, on what he told his fellow Walpole,, Mass. residents after he eliminated the Red Sox from the Wild Card series, Oct. 2.

“That’s how to lose a game 101.” – Kyler Murray, Cardinals’ quarterback, after Arizona lost to Tennessee after it led 21-3, Oct. 5.

“You have Mount Rushmore, she’s alone on Everest. There’s no one else around.” – Becky Hammon, Aces coach, after four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson led Las Vegas to another league championship, Oct. 10.

“It’s the World Series. You have a lot of adrenalin and that gets you through it. Along with a lot of caffeine.” – Addison Barger, Blue Jays’ outfielder, after an 18-inning loss to the Dodgers in Game 3, Oct. 27.

“I’m probably not going to think about another man when I’m in bed.” – Mookie Betts, Dodgers’ shortstop, when asked if he’d gone to sleep thinking about the heroics of Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman in the 18th-inning Game 3 win in the World Series, Oct. 27.

“I’d let Donald Trump do it before I’d let him do it again.” – Jeff Landry, Louisiana governor, on the prospect of LSU athletic director Scott Drummond hiring a successor to fired football coach Brian Kelly, Oct. 28.

“Humbly speaking, I”m the best rebounding guard ever.” – Russell Westbrook, Kings’ guard, after getting 16 boards in a win over Golden State, Nov. 5.

“We won that game six months ago. We didn’t win that game because I walked in at halftime and said something.” – Mike Elko, Texas A&M coach, after the Aggies trailed South Carolina at halftime by 27 points and won, 31-30, Nov. 15.

“He doesn’t even know what he’s looking at. He has no idea what’s going on. Take that for what it’s worth. And I hope he hears it.” – Dave Toub, Chiefs’ special teams coach, upon hearing that President Trump had criticized the new NFL kickoff rules, Nov. 20.

“They’re giving us $1 million. If they put a court down on some vacant lot and they’d give us $1 million, I’d go there too.” – Kelvin Sampson, Houston coach, on why the Cougars are playing in the Players Era Festival tournament, Nov. 24.

“We’re going to win a Pac-12 championship, we’re going to compete for a national championship, and I’m going to scale fifty-four 14,000-foot mountains.” – Jim Mora, new Colorado State coach, at his introductory press conference, Dec. 2.

“I don’t have a GOAT but I have many horses.” – Nikola Jokic, Nuggets center, when asked who he thinks the greatest player of all time is, Dec. 6.

“They had me at hello. Actually, they had me at quack.” –Anson Carter, TNT hockey analyst, when asked if the Anaheim Ducks were legitimate contenders, Dec. 9.

“My mom thinks we’re going to win, so that’s all that matters.” — Bo Nix, Broncos’ quarterback, after Denver was designated an underdog at home against Green Bay,, Dec. 10.

“I’m going to pay my rent.” – Jordan Clarkson, Knicks’ guard, after winning $525,000 as a member of the NBA Cup champions, Dec. 16.

“I didn’t want to be the hanger-on that people got sick of.” – Kyle Whittingham, Utah coach, announcing his resignation after 20 years on the job, Dec. 17.

“I didn’t have enough wipes to clean myself.” – Mario Cristobal, Miami coach, after getting a big kiss from ex-Hurricane star Michael Irvin in the wake of Miami’s CFP win over Texas A&M, Dec. 20.