I can't divorce myself from my childhood. I try to write as much fiction as I possibly can, but there are so many things that are touchstones of my childhood like being on the swim team and playing soccer and the particularities of sports season and environments that make their way into my books.
When you look at role models, you tend to look at players who have played at the highest level, your Viv Andersons and so on.
I can tell my grandkids that I played with Drew Brees and Tom Brady, and Flacco will definitely be added to that list.
Some of the most inspiring moments in sports have come from players with physical defects. Tom Dempsey, born without toes on his right foot, kicked a 63-yard field goal in 1970, using a straighter, wider shoe.
I got to live through the Tiger Woods era and who knows who's still to come.
The ultimate would be to compete in a couple more Olympics, hopefully break some world records and wind up my sports career with a couple of years in the WNBA.
Growing up, I looked up to major league baseball players, and now these young women have amazing, incredible women all across the board, from swimming to gymnastics to softball to basketball. It is incredible how far women have come and women in sports have come.
I'm just glad to get off three-hundred ninety-nine (career home runs). It sounds like something you'd purchase at a discount store.
I want to be known for my athletic achievements, not my celebrity.
The greatest single moment Ive ever known in Detroit was Jim Northrups triple in the seventh game of the World Series in St. Louis. It was a stunning moment because not only were the Tigers winning a world championship that meant so much to an entire city, they were beating the best pitcher I ever saw-Bob Gibson.
I went to state in track, won the girls' city championship, and did well in volleyball. I was a varsity cheerleader. So you know, shoot, I've got a couple of letters and things! Last I counted, I think there were eight in my mama's house.
I was the sports captain in school. I've done everything - from javelin to discus to basketball to judo.
Lakers were able to maintain a certain level of talent and success and so were the Celtics. So after awhile it became part of people's sports lore...
I let my numbers speak for themselves. I really do. I mean, all of these one-cut runners, you put their numbers up against mine, they're not even close.
The most famous athletes throughout the history of time are fighters.
You can play football and be the next Jim Brown or play baseball and be the next Reggie Jackson.
Yesterday Michael Phelps set an all-time Olympic record for most medals. Phelps has so much gold on his chest he's been asked to join the cast of 'Jersey Shore.'
I played ball in college and semi-professional, and aside from the game and all that, the most valuable thing is the relationships. Who can care how many rings you have or how many championships you've won or how many records you broke. The most valuable stuff is the intangible stuff.
I'm a championship handball player. I'm a championship softball and baseball player. I used to be an extremely talented center in high school in football. I also dabbled in lacrosse and soccer. I'm really good at billiards, darts, shuffleboard.
Before the Olympics, there's always been a part of me that's wanted to write a book about Women's cycling because there isn't one out there and I think there's a lot to be said.
If you want information about sports, I can tell you things from the 1940's, and the couple years that my grandson was kind of a jock, but nothing in between.
When I look back at the world championships, I know there's a lot of room for improvement, I'm always up for a challenge. The Olympics, they don't define me, I've had some good and some bad. But it's all about the Olympic experience.
That's the fastest time ever run - but it's not as fast as the world record
I haven't had the recognition I deserve, You can go back to anybody's career - Ricky Hatton, Joe Calzaghe, David Haye, Amir Khan, Chris Eubank, Nigel Benn, Steve Collins, Naseem Hamed. My record is better than all of theirs.
[If you could have 10 minutes in a room with Barry Bonds] ... I'd ask him for another half hour. And then I'd probably start with the obvious and see how honest he would get. I just think those guys are so protected, that you're not going to get much out of them.
