Thread: Favourite Sporting Quotes

England have won the game England have retained the Ashes Australia are beaten well beaten, beaten into the earth at this one of there own favourite grounds.

David Gower.


I'll let the racket do the talking.

John McEnroe

Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical.

Yogi Berra

"I have seen God, he bats at no 4 for India."
Mathew Hayden

"It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings"
Someone out there will know who to attribute it to and it's origin. Popular in N. American sports, hockey, baseball and football.

"The bowler's Holding, the batsman's Willey"
Brian Johnston

Doctors and scientists said that breaking the four-minute mile was impossible, that one would die in the attempt. Thus, when I got up from the track after collapsing at the finish line, I figured I was dead.
Roger Bannister (After becoming the first person to break the four-minute mile, 1952)

Originally Posted by steevee

"It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings"
Someone out there will know who to attribute it to and it's origin. Popular in N. American sports, hockey, baseball and football.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Where_did_the_expression_'It_ain't_over_til'_the_f at_lady_sings'_originate

There are three basic possibilities for the origin of this phrase:

• Opera - the "fat lady" refers to the strongest female diva, who was often large; many popular opera end with an aria, or solo, by this singer
• Southern Sayings - there is a popular saying from the US Deep South from about the same time as the sports saying - this one says "Church ain't over 'til the fat lady sings," and refers to a member of the church choir, which is often composed of several large ladies
• An actual "fat lady" - Kate Smith was a large woman who was very popular as a singer in the 1930s to 1950s (Irving Berlin wrote God Bless America for her); in the 1950s, Kate had her own TV show, which ended right before the station went off the air for the night - thus, the TV broadcast day was not over until this particular fat lady sang her closing song

No matter where it comes from, the saying means "you don't know how this is going to end until the final minute."
Yet more information:


"The adage sounds like it sprung from the mouth of a weary opera patron, but it was actually coined by a sportswriter and broadcaster named Dan Cook.
"Cook covered the NBA's San Antonio Spurs in the 1970s. In 1978, the Spurs were playing the Washington Bullets in the playoffs and down three games to one. Cook, who had used the witticism once before in a column, repeated it on the air as a way to cheer up Spurs fans. Alas, despite making it close, the Spurs lost the series.
"Bullets coach Dick Motta apparently liked the saying and used it to motivate his own team. The Bullets went on to win the championship, proving that while "it's not over 'til the fat lady sings," sometimes inspirational clich�s are "too little, too late." This explanation has allegedly been recorded in the Library of Congress By the way, I was alive during the Kate Smith days and also heard that attribution a few years later, but before Cook used it in the '70s. It makes more sense than the opera reference since many operas do not end with an aria by the strongest female diva, fat or not.

Originally Posted by The Cat

"The bowler's Holding, the batsman's Willey"
Brian Johnston

It's an oldie, but a classic .

“ Well, George, we knocked the bastard off. ”
—Hillary's first words to lifelong friend George Lowe on returning from Everest's summit

"Boxing is a lot of white men watching two black men beat each other up."

Mohammad Ali

"Anyone who doesn't speak English isn't worth speaking to."

Bernie Ecclestone

This is Gregoriava from Bulgaria. I saw her snatch this morning during her warm up and it was amazing. Unknown weightlifting commentator


With half the race gone we still have half the race to go. Murray Walker


We haven't had any more rain since it stopped raining. Harry Carpenter


He used to be fairly indecisive, but now he's not so sure. Peter Alliss


This is really a lovely horse and I speak from personal experience since I once mounted her mother. Ted Walsh

Ray Illingworth has just relieved himself at the pavilion end. Brian Johnston

Originally Posted by Bangyai

This is Gregoriava from Bulgaria. I saw her snatch this morning during her warm up and it was amazing. Unknown weightlifting commentator

Lovely stuff..

Merv Hughes to Ian Botham "Hey Both, you've put on a lot of weight."
Ian Botham to Merv Hughes "I know, every time I shag your wife she gives me a biscuit."

The last one was not Hughes and Botham....

It was Eddo Brandes to Glenn McGrath.

The famous both Hughes one was after Both scored 138 at Bbrisbane 86/87(paraphrased, I don't know the exact wording):

Hughes: I don't know if you remember but last time you were over you gave me some tips in the nets when I was up and coming.

Both: You obviously didn't listen to them.

The other great crickt one was Daryl Cullinan to Shane warne who on the previous tour had been rather successful in getting cullinan's wicket.

Warne: Nice to see you Daryl, I've been waiting four years for this

Cullinan: Looks like you spent the whole time eating.