People thought I was cocky because I didn't talk much. When I first turned pro, reporters asked me who was going to win. I'd say, 'I am' because it was the easier than giving some long, drawn-out answer. Ken Venturi
Positive thinking is the key to success in business, education, pro football, anything that you can mention. I go out there thinking that I'm going to complete every pass. Ron Jaworski
Some of the money going to the rookies can now be spent on people who have proved their worth. After all, the average playing life of a pro football player is about eight years and it is only fitting that the veterans get something for their efforts. Bob Lilly
The liberal feminist movement never imagined that women would take seriously the encouragement to become our own heroes and claim life for ourselves, on our terms, no matter who we are. Pro-choice and pro-life, Christian and not, poor and rich, black, white, gay and straight. It is a dream we all hold dear, and it's called the Tea Party. Tammy Bruce
The pro athlete is a sad tale. He signs a big contract and thinks he's set for life. I didn't think I was set for life, and I don't now. As athletes, we are important, celebrities, in demand and rich. Then we are out of the game and we are not important, not celebrities, not in demand and not rich. Fran Tarkenton
They read their sports pages, know their statistics and either root like hell or boo our butts off. I love it. Give me vocal fans, pro or con, over the tourist types who show up in Houston or Montreal and just sit there. Mike Schmidt
They're still considered Olympic eligibles, so there's never an issue whether they're going to turn pro or not. When they get to that level, money is never an issue. They make so much money now. Dorothy Hamill
Ty Tryon made a lot of money after turning pro, but he might not have been ready. I don't want to make a lot of money for a couple of months and then not be ready. Michelle Wie
When I played pro football, I never set out to hurt anyone deliberately - unless it was, you know, important, like a league game or something. Dick Butkus
When I turned pro, Muhammad Ali was laying back, and I was able to fill up an area that was empty. Sugar Ray Leonard
When I was 5 years old, hanging out with my friends who were all older than me, like 8 or 9, I was joking around like, 'Yeah, when I'm 20 that's a perfect age to go pro.' That's what I had in my head. Then I turn pro at 13. It's all been a mystery and its all been awesome. Ryan Sheckler
When I went pro at 13, I had plenty of sponsors that give me endorsement deals and stuff like that. Shaun White
Without a doubt in my mind, I should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. You look at my stats without my USFL stats, and I don't know how you can argue with that. Look at my combined yards. I'm not one to make excuses, so I'll play by their rules and not even count the USFL stats.Herschel Walker
You can't live on last year, you can't live on the year before. I can't bring in my 13 Pro Bowls in the locker room and say, look at me. No. That is gone. That is the best thing about the game of football is that everybody starts over. Junior Seau
You got guys now declaring they're ready to play pro ball in their second or third year of high school. It's crazy! They're missing so much.Kareem Abdul Jabbar