Say What? (Version 4.0)

From Roger Federer to Kevin Garnett to the Harlem Globetrotters, we take a look at the most memorable quotes from the world of sport in the past week.

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This week, Minnesota Timberwolves’ Flip Saunders has plenty to say about the return of KG, while potential NFL number one draft pick Jameis Winston feels the heat of an anonymous scout. Has “old and fat” crept into professional sport? Big-serving Croatian Ivo Karlovic becomes the oldest man since Jimmy Connors to win an ATP title and Boston’s Pablo Sandoval rightfully defends his body mass. Roger Federer gets us started though as he celebrates the year of, well, Roger Federer.

“The chance to celebrate this, I wasn’t going to miss it.”

Often dubbed GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) himself, Roger Federer officially rang in the “Year of the Goat” as he launched Chinese New Year celebrations at Burj Al Arab ahead of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. February 19, 2015

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 “No matter what they say, it will never change me or the player that I am.”

Boston Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval responds to criticism about his weight. February 20, 2015

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 “It was really satisfying for me to do this at my age.”

Just one week shy of his 36th birthday, tennis’ world No. 29 Ivo Karlovic became the oldest winner in Delray Beach Open history with a 6-3 6-3 win over – ironically – Donald Young. February 22, 2015

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“Someone will take him in the first round, but how could you even let that guy in the building? The second law of thermodynamics basically is the more ways something can happen, the more likely it is to happen. That’s true of players. The more ways they can (expletive) up, the more chances they (expletive) up. This guy’s got a lot of stuff that would lean him more likely to be a bust than a good player.”

An anonymous scout at the NFL combine regarding likely number one pick, Jameis Winston. February 21, 2015

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 “Yaya loves Manchester City and, despite what is sometimes said, he is happy at the club.”

Yaya Toure‘s agent Dimitry Seluk should consider rephrasing that to “despite what I sometimes say”. February 22, 2015

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 “He came in as a kid, he’ll end as an old man … it will be enjoyable. You’re in this so much where we’re in the trenches. You have to be with people you enjoy and that you like to be with. That makes everything a little bit easier.”

Flip Saunders regarding Kevin Garnett’s return to the Minnesota Timberwolves. February 23, 2015

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 “As one of our veteran guys told our young guys yesterday, ‘Hey, listen, when KG walks in the locker room your phones better be tucked away, because if they’re not, they’re going to get thrown in the toilet on game night.'”

Flip again. February 23, 2015

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 “The implications of what he has done will play out, but I’m not going to be piling in with everyone else to diminish what he did.”

Australian Football League (AFL) CEO Gillon McLachlan has a “watching brief” on Karmichael Hunt as the former Gold Coast Sun faces charges of possessing and trafficking cocaine. February 24, 2015

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“Thank you for all the messages, love, and support. It has truly lifted my spirits through this tough process.”

Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh will miss at least the remainder of the season after developing blood clots on one of his lungs. February 24, 2015

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 “The Generals are supposed to lose, and we’re supposed to win. It’d be like if Santa Claus didn’t come on Christmas. All the kids would cry. We can’t let that happen.”

Harlem Globetrotter Nate “Big Easy” Lofton has not lost a game since 2005, when he was a senior at Southeastern Louisiana. February 8, 2015 (Editors note: a late inclusion, but one we figured worthy)

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