Athletic Focus Quotes

I've always just wanted to play ball, that's all. I didn't want to do no interviews, because I didn't want to be bothered with reporters.

Now I'm fast and under control. I can just play, seeing the game slower now.

When I went to home plate in a game-tied situation or with a chance to do something and help the ballclub win one, I'd try to make eye contact with the pitcher.

I played everything. I played volleyball, did track, cross-country, but basketball was my main sport, my main focus.

When I was 13, tennis became more of my life. It's when I gave up skiing, I gave up winter sports. I still played varsity basketball my freshman year of high school - basketball was the last sport I gave up for my tennis.

Whenever I have played a game of cricket, whether it is under-16, under-19, or State level, my approach has been the same.

Reading isn't good for a ballplayer. Not good for his eyes. If my eyes went bad even a little bit I couldn't hit home runs. So I gave up reading.

I don't have friends when I'm on the court, besides my team.

For eight years, all I cared about was track.

My last Olympics, I had a girlfriend — big mistake. Now I’m single, so London should be really good. I’m excited.

I'm not thinking home run, I just want to put a good swing on the ball. When you go looking for home runs, you get off of your swing. So you don't think of homers when you go up to the plate.

As a pitcher, you can't afford to get too ticked off.

I don't think college athletes are given enough time to really take advantage of the free education that they're given, and it's frustrating because a lot of people get upset with student-athletes and say, 'They're not focused on school and they're not taking advantage of the opportunity they're given.'

I didn't grow up a theatre kid, going to theatre camps. I played sports, and that was my main direction. But luckily, I never had to choose between sports and theatre.

I'm not saying that the press is wrong to report any internal differences we have, but at the same time, I think it's our job to keep them from becoming public issues, for anything that detracts from the purely athletic aspects of the sport is bad for us.

My mom is great and I make sure that we pray together before every race. She helps me put everything in perspective and remind me of the real reason I run.

It's like there's a moment that happens in baseball, and when it happens, I do everything to concentrate. When you do that, it can be good.

I think every time I go in a game, I have added something positive. I have gotten a rebound or made a defensive play. That is what I try to focus on.

Ever since I joined the Cavilers, my job has always been the same. I just come out and play hard. Be a hard hat guy, punch in the clock and just play my game. That's not going to change.

Once I found my swing, I feel like if I put a good swing on it, I feel like it's got a good chance to go wherever - left, right, center - it doesn't matter. But I'm not just out here going to swing for home runs of anything. I'm just trying to put a good swing on the baseball.

There's so much attached to playing shortstop that you lose your concentration on hitting, unless you're a natural hitter. There's so much to think about in the field, you don't have time to think about what you did at the plate last time. 'How did he get me out?'

I was not a political animal; I could not toady up to the committee men, pour drinks down their necks at the bar, and make them feel important. I was too focused on the cricket.

I spent the nights before the Jets' two biggest games last year - for the AFL championship and the Super Bowl - with girls. But I don't consider that bad or foolish of me... The night before a game, I prepare myself both mentally and physically for the next day. I think a ballplayer has to be relaxed to play well; and if that involves being with a girl that night, he should do it.

I knew there was no money in track and field unless you were unbelievable. So I stopped it when I was 13. I just really wanted to focus on soccer and with soccer training and high school, it would have been too much if I did track and field as well.

My mindset is always focused, which goes up on match days.