Sports Opportunity Quotes

Without a lot of college film, a lot of people had written me off already. When the Patriots called, I was pretty happy.

I changed my position when I was 16 or 17. I started in midfield or further forward as a number 10, and then in one tournament, we lost two defenders to injury in the same game, and we didn't have any on the bench. So I played at the back, and the manager of the first team saw me, and he said, 'I want this guy in the first team,' and that was that!

When I got to Central Arkansas, I was a small, slim guy with little chance of playing in the NBA. Then, I went through a two-year growth spurt, and suddenly, I was 6-foot-7.

I had little or no expectations coming in. I was thrilled when I was drafted in the first round because that meant I was going to be given a full year's chance to make the team.

When I was 18, I moved across the ocean just for the opportunity to play for a club that played against Barcelona. So to have the honour of playing for Barca? It was incredible.

Every kid in America dreams of playing in the big leagues and they don't, just because. It's not because they blew out their knee. It's just because they didn't make it.

Where I came from, sports were the only way to get out front.

I'm very thankful to players like John Stockton and Spud Webb. They've made it possible for someone like me to make it. I think teams are actually looking for one player under 6-feet now, because they make things happen.

I was about six, and Liverpool had a community summer camp. They sent a few invites to my school and my age group, to my class specifically, and they were like, 'Who wants to go?' So every lad in the class put their hands up, as you'd imagine, so the only fair way was to pick names out of a hat, and luckily, my name was picked out.

When I look at the way I was able to play in my 17th year, I feel like I earned the right to play in the NFL for another one.

I am a kid who played university cricket, so to be around international cricket is a blessing.

For so many years, I wished it could have been different. I wished I could have gotten the opportunity sooner. I would have loved to see what had happened had I got to the NFL right out of college and all of those different things.

The game of soccer has been able to give me what I wanted out of life. I just remember being a total Tomboy and athlete as a girl, but never having a lack of opportunity.

My dad was able to give me everything through football.

I fight for everybody, national and international, no matter where they are. I want to help those athletes. Not only those in the UFC - those that are in the big league and can have a better future - but those in the small promotions and need our help.

My father is a first-generation Mexican-American and sports changed his life. It allowed him to basically live his dream, but it was only because he was given the opportunity by one person.

There's not really much of an opportunity for a girl from Georgia like me or a girl like Aja (Evans) from Chicago to grow up bobsledding. I think it's great that we have such a diverse group.

The opportunity to play for Duke University is great, and that's the reason I chose the school.

Coming all the way from one scholarship offer, you know, Coach Bohl and Coach Vigen, they believed in me when I came out of junior college.

I never said I want to be the football guy. But when that opportunity started to become real, I said, 'Okay, let's see where this goes.'

But because I could throw so hard when I got to college they made me a pitcher.

There's not a whole bunch of options in America for a black man. But sports gives you that opportunity... So where would my life be without football? I don't know.

Football is open to anyone, especially somebody like me who grew up in the Paris suburbs.

I was just fortunate to move to the States and have an opportunity to play organized football.

I think it's great the opportunity is given to all of us really to come out and play major championships after the real major championships have gone beyond us.