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Year End

In their own words: Memorable quotes

“You have to look a certain way, you have to be

Annika Sorenstam
Photo by: Getty Images
very feminine, you have to have long hair and nice nails. But then you have to hit it 300 yards. Sometimes it’s a little hard to live up to all those standards.”
— Retired golfer Annika Sorenstam, on the pressures put upon members of the LPGA tour

“It won’t be my decision, or solely my decision. But eventually, Major League Baseball is going to vaporize this team. It could go on nine, 10, 12 more years. But between now and then, it’s going to vaporize this team.”
— Tampa Bay Rays owner Stuart Sternberg, on the team’s long-term future due to its attendance problems

“I’m wishing them ill will, let me be clear. We’re wishing them ill will. I told that to the Anaheim mayor in a delicate way last week. I am rooting against him.”
— Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, on Anaheim being a possible relocation site for the NBA’s Kings

Jered Weaver
Photo by: Getty Images
“If $85 (million) is not enough to take care of my family and other generations of families then I’m pretty stupid, but how much money do you really need in life?”
— Los Angeles Angels pitcher Jered Weaver, on going against the advice of agent Scott Boras before agreeing to a five-year contract extension for $85 million, one year before he reached free agency


“You’ve got this spectacle of these multimillionaires and billionaires out there arguing about how they’re going to divide it up, and then they come and ask us to bribe them with $4 million to have a scrimmage out here in paradise. We’ve got to get our values straight and our priorities straight.”
—Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie, voicing his opposition to the state’s $4 million subsidy to the NFL to host the Pro Bowl

“If you thought I was cocky and obnoxious before … get ready.”
— Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, reading from David Letterman’s Top Ten list

“I had two problems. I had a partner that went

Oren Koules
Photo by: Getty Images
bananas and the second problem is that the economy kicked us in the balls.”
— Former Tampa Bay Lightning co-owner Oren Koules, on his tenure with the club from 2008-10

“We should not be in business if we have to make the playoffs just to break even. That’s not fair. That’s your bonus.”
— Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk, on the team breaking even this season even if it does not qualify for postseason play


“If you’re watching this right now and you’re really hammered on your couch saying, ‘Wait a minute, wow, wow! Wait a minute’ — these highlights are a year old.”
— ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt, while highlights from the 2010-11 NBA opening night aired

Mike Repole
Photo by: Equisponse
“Twenty-five percent and no real voting power, no real control; it’s cheaper to buy front-row tickets. If the deal changes, they know where to find me.”
— Glaceau co-founder Mike Repole, on not being interested in buying a non-controlling stake in the New York Mets

“I should probably have another press conference right now to resign. Because my popularity is definitely going to be at an all-time high right now.”
— Theo Epstein, Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations, at his introductory press conference


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