Player Solidarity Quotes

I'm going to actively fight for players' rights. Not while I'm in college. I'm always going to keep a consistent track record of what I believe in. But I don't have the clout or the means.

Overwhelmingly, I would say I've had really good support from many of my teammates and guys that I've played with. We want to be able to express our views. You know, we're part of this country, too.

Some of the money from the senior players goes to helping out the younger kids. It is from the players' pool, the fines for being late and so on. Some will go to something like the tsunami appeal and some to helping out young players.

I've been a bit surprised, and encouraged, by the NBA's support for athletes that speak out. Compared to the NFL, it's night and day.

Just having the support from the male players is important as the women's game moves forward.

I never thought I would be in a situation where I would have to go into the stands and actually help my teammate fight fans. But at that time, there's no way I could have lived with myself knowing that my teammate is in the stands fighting and I'm not helping him.

I have the mindset of a mid-level guy or a minimum guy. My path here wasn't expected: my path wasn't that I was going to the NBA and making $16 million a year. So I identify more with those guys, and I want to be a voice for them. I want to help them elevate their status in the league. That's my goal.

I think, because of the lack of guaranteed contracts in the league, there's hesitancy to speaking your minds at times. But I feel like there could be a movement beginning where guys are feeling a little more comfortable talking about things that are important to them.

They thought we were going to hurt the game, but we just wanted to help ourselves, because the players needed to get together to protect their interests.

When it comes to the NFLPA, I don't have problem saying what's right, whether it upsets somebody or not.

I'd like to think I'm always going to defend our players.

When I played, the owners had the power. The prisoners are running the prison now, not the warden. The warden is strong and he has say so but, the balance of power is definitely with the players.

I'm a ballplayer. I know how hard the game is... and anybody that makes it in the Hall of Fame, I support. They become a member of our special fraternity.

I've been through a lot and played for a long time, so I can understand what others will go through. That's why I want to help them out. There are a lot of players who go to Belgium, for example, and have had terrible experiences. I know players, and they have come to me.

Every other sport has player's representation. We don't really have that officially - I know there's like a little players' committee but there's not a players' association, which is what we really need.

The players, when we get in the locker room, we talk about what's going on. And the players always see how the management or how ownership treat other players, treat other players around.

When I got the red card all the Chelsea players come around. It felt like I had a lot of babies around me.