Jarome Iginla Quotes

There is no such thing as friends on the field.

You don't have to try to hurt people and be angry to be an athlete.

There's obviously games and a history you have with guys that maybe you're a little more fired up to let them know if maybe you beat them on a play.

I'm against the fighting. But sometimes when you're trying to help your team, trying to win the games, there are moments when you need to get a little aggressive.

Competing is different than violence. Sport is love. It's passion. There's no passion in hurting people.

I had true rivalries. Not only did I want to beat my opponent, but I didn't want to let him up, either. I had a rivalry with Mac, Lendl, Borg. Everybody knew there was tension between us, on court and off. That's what's really ingrained in my mind: 'This is real. This isn't a soft rivalry.' There were no hugs and kisses.

My own little rule was two for one. If one of my teammates got knocked down, then I knocked down two on the other team.

Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence. In other words, it is war minus the shooting.

Sports is like a war without the killing.

When I began playing the game, baseball was about as gentlemanly as a kick in the crotch.

I don't have any concerns fighting a teammate. It's a sport. To me, it doesn't really mean anything.

Just like in everything else, there are people in football who you don't particularly like.

Football is a passionate game, and the emotions are intense. As long you respect the people around you, I don't see any problem with that.

Tempers flare at times. That's what good teams do: they react to things and go out there and leave it all on the field.

I play with a lot of emotion because I'm a passionate guy, and I play with that passion. I love playing that way. Sometimes you're late onto the ball, sometimes you're not. Sometimes you make contact with the guy when you tackle him, sometimes not. It's a sport where individual duels are vital, so I don't see it as a problem.

Of course, everyone knows my history as far as technical fouls, but I don't think you can match the intensity that I bring to the floor.

I don't have no issue with any guy. I'm a football player. I'm a competitor. When we're in the field, we're going to compete and be competitive. It's not personal between none of these guys. It's all in the game.

I don't have any use for the hatred in a football stadium.

I play basketball hard-nosed and if you're not on my team, during that 48 minutes we're enemies.

There are some athletes who don't like me.

I have never fought in my life but I can be very angry, especially on the pitch.

I was aggressive but I played the game because I loved and enjoyed it. I might have hurt people and I got hurt myself a few times, but not with any malice. When I went on to the field I just wanted to play football. I didn't go out to kick anybody purposely. I just enjoyed playing and if that's aggression, then I'm guilty of that.

I have found that the players who have played in that game really do have respect for their adversaries.

Buy a steak for a player on another club after the game, but don't even speak to him on the field. Get out there and beat them to death.

Sportsmanship and easygoing methods are all right, but it is the prospect of a hot fight that brings out the crowds.