Athletic Legacy Quotes

I'm amazed that years after I stopped playing tennis, people still recognize me in restaurants and ask for my autograph.

One thing that has irritated me in the sport of boxing since I stopped is I'm really surprised that no one has come along to excite me like me.

I was a mediocre basketball player. But I was there, and I could remember the plays. And my basketball coach, after he retired from teaching, would come to my performances all the time. And I was very happy about that, because I was not memorable as a basketball player.

When I went to the Pro Bowl, I went as a tight end. When I made the All Pro team, I made it as a tight end. When they introduced us and I ran out of the tunnel, they introduced me as a tight end. So how is that possible that now that my career is over, they say, 'Well, he put up stats like a wide receiver?' It's not my fault I was ahead of my time.

The Olympics are great for notoriety right off the bat, but your body of work is what people remember you for.

Defensive awards and accolades aside, to have your jersey retired puts you in a position where you'll be known forever.

I gave it everything in the last 20 minutes. I knew that I still had the energy, that I was ahead of the mark. I felt euphoric — it was the last 20 minutes of my sporting career.

Nellie Kim, an Olympic champion from the former Soviet Union, got a 10 right after me in '76, but nobody talks about that.

I think a great athlete transcends eras.

For me, Lionel Messi is quite clearly the best player ever. It’s a pleasure to put myself against him and when I finish my career it’s something I can look back on and know I’ve tested myself against the very best.

When you're in sports, you have such a limited time and then, it's all over with, finished.

I want to be remembered as a guy who transcended boxing.

You have to retire before you can make the Hall of Fame.

Chris Boardman was my first teammate and my first roommate. I saw him finish his career with an hour record and thought, 'Yeh, what a way to go out!'

I'd like to think I did well. I'd like to think that, if I had a must-win game, the guys I played with would want me to have the ball. But no, I don't think I deserve to be in the Hall of Fame.

Of course, my father was a soccer player. He used to play very good. Then, when I was young, eight or nine years old, ten years old, I just want to be like my father.

I think baseball owes McGwire a gratitude of thanks for putting baseball back on the map where it should be.

No matter how well you do in the regular season, it has to be capped off with a championship to really mark your legacy in the game.

Once I finish playing, I'm still a Manchester City player for the rest of my life. That won't change.

I learned a lot from my father. I'm very lucky to have a father who was a professional athlete.

I don't look at myself as a historical icon, but the reality of it is, yeah, I am playing for history now.

I wasn't even born when dad swam in the Olympics. I've seen videos of some of his swims, although I don't think I've ever seen him in the Olympics. He's been a massive support right through my career, and it's good to have someone so close to talk to who knows all about what it's like to compete in an Olympic Games.

To be a winner of that, and to fall in the long line of traditional great backs at USC, to have your name in perpetuity, the fact that your parents are like icons... that's the greatest thing.

People have the right to support who they want of course but I'm hoping in the future maybe they or their kids will become England fans and players.

It's a legacy thing, and when it's all said and done, I want to leave a legacy in whatever way. If not, if it's helping the division, if it's fighting big names, I just want to be remembered as one of the greatest all-time to ever do this in the sport. That's just what I want to do.