Blake Griffin Quotes

The first few years I was competing, I'd ride so well in practice, then choke and fall in competition. Now I take a deep breath and say, 'Look at me. I'm outside. I'm doing what I love.' Still, nothing's matched the pressure I felt standing at the top of the halfpipe for the first time at the Olympics.

Being in a Grand Slam, doesn't matter what you did before, it's always nervous and excitement.

As a player you are always made to feel welcome, but at the same time, there is too much pressure.

First round of the tournament being a Major, I think the butterflies were a little different than that.

Sledging makes things interesting. There are no robots playing. They are humans who want to perform well for the country. So when stakes are so high, emotions will take over. Sometimes sledging gets the best out of you.

Even if we're in fifth place in September, I get butterflies before a game. I'm nervous.

I am nervous all the way through the national anthem and the first play. Once I get up and down the court a few times, it fades.

The first game I played against the University of Miami, I was very nervous - eyes wide open.

Anytime I play another rookie, there's that extra edge.

I've actually enjoyed pitching on the road in the postseason. You go out there, and you're getting booed, and it's fun to try to silence the crowd.

You never forget when you beat - or when you lose - to your city rival.

I cannot see a situation when I won't feel pressure to play well and win.

You think it's so easy? Get in goal.

Any time you go into the playoff game everyone's adrenaline is high and tensions are going, stuff like that.

I like it when the captain comes to me and says, 'We're really desperate for a wicket, can you get us one?' or when we really need something to happen in a Test match.

The regular season is awesome. It's fun. But postseason, that intensity and adrenaline you get from it is a lot.

I love writing in compressed time periods because the act of survival in the midst of panic and fear, that's where true heroism comes. If you have a uniform, and you're expected to do things, it's a sort of incremental heroism.

I've played in the big games and I've done well.

I like the fact that when I check in the game, the other players start getting nervous. The other team gets nervous. I like that.

When we are with the national team we are playing against much better players.

I knew my first game at Everton wasn't going to be a stroll around the pitch.

Sometimes thinking about the Olympics makes me a little nervous.

Before matches, there is a little bit of pressure, but on the pitch, you forget it all. You only think about playing football.

It is pretty daunting - the Cell has been responsible for some amazing matches, but it can also lead to some pretty real injuries, so that plays into your mind.

I'm a pretty laid-back person but when I first played on TV against Jimmy White at the Masters it was daunting. The more times you play you get used to it and you eventually come to love it.