"I hate f------ losing" -- Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross, after his team's loss to the Bills on Sunday to finish the season 6-10 (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 1/1).
"I wish we were going. It still kills me that we're not" -- Rangers D Kevin Shattenkirk, who represented the U.S. in the Sochi Games, on the NHL choosing not to participate in this year's Olympics (ESPN.com, 12/31).
"I understand that teams might not want to have me on their team because I kneel, but we’ll see what happens. Colin [Kaepernick] is not in the league, so I’m not naive enough to think that it wouldn’t happen. I’m aware of it" -- 49ers S Eric Reid, on entering free agency after consistently kneeling during the national anthem this season (S.F. CHRONICLE, 1/1).
"It’s going to be a logistical challenge for the NFL because not only has there been no NFL team playing in their own Super Bowl in their own stadium ... but no NFL team has hosted an NFC Championship Game or divisional round playoff game. The closer you get, the harder it is going to be logistically" -- Vikings Exec VP/Public Affairs & Stadium Development Lester Bagley, on the Vikings having the NFC's No. 2 seed ahead of the Super Bowl at U.S. Bank Stadium (STARTRIBUNE.com, 12/31).
