Famous Quotes & Sayings

Two years ago a lot of people didn't even think our conference was going to make it, ... There was a lot of discussion about separation. ... Two years, for our members, have been pretty difficult. Collectively, we think we have a significant upside.

We were in the same situation last year, so I know how it feels. My goal every year is to get five or six teams from this conference in, so I hope that happens.

Tubby Smith

We don't have room for any mistakes right now. We've already dropped two conference games at home, so we've got to play with a real sense of urgency. We need intensity on every possession.

We are really a good team, and I have no doubt we will work through these struggles and be ready for conference play. I love these kids. They have a lot of heart. They just have to learn that when they step onto the field, they have to be focused and ready to play.

Dana Perino

We are reaching out frequently and regularly in a variety of ways, including conference calls, small group meetings and personal meetings to a variety of groups.

We are playing better now and we just need to keep improving on it. You want to be peaking at the end of the season. We're definitely not happy going into conference 3-8, but there's nothing we can do about that now. It's a new season, we're 0-0, we just have to focus on conference now and learn from the preseason.

Avery Johnson

Nick is so hungry for a championship. I remember when we lost to San Antonio in the Western Conference finals. I had never really seen Nick that emotional. All he had on his mind was trying to get back ... trying to get back. I think that's why when that trade happened he took it so hard.

Jim Nabors

Nine years ago you would never have heard of this. We have no empirical data, but you go to a conference and you hear people talking about this more and more. I'd say the numbers have probably increased dramatically.

Jay Bilas

I was surprised. It's not that (Air Force) was not good. They didn't have any top-50 wins to stand upon, and they lost in the first round of their conference tournament, to a team with a losing record.

I was scared. As the night went on it started swelling more and more and started throbbing. It's just frustrating -- especially at this point in the season. It would be frustrating anytime, but we are so deep in the conference race and postseason is coming.

I was so happy we won. I didn't want to come out of conference with two back-to-back losses. That would start to mess with your head.

I wouldn't say there's no trouble because I think there is frustration and disappointment at going out early in your conference tournament. But this has been a resilient team all year long. We'll be ready to go (tonight).

Gale Norton

I look forward to visiting a national park and not holding a press conference in there. I look forward to being able to contemplate the wilderness without having reporters and their notebooks following me.

I have a great group of kids. This hurts us for conference contention, but we can still go out there and work for other achievements.

Stephane Dion

I have a responsibility for this conference that is key for the planet. Period,

Jamie Dixon

I don't think we've ever had a conference this deep. You look at our situation. We're a team that is 15th in RPI and the sixth seed. You're going to have some teams that in a normal situation would be getting a bye but in this conference they are going to be playing Wednesday night.

I don't think we've been down by that much (17 points) to a Southern Conference opponent this year. For us to be able to pull through it should make us that much stronger.

I don't think we understood what it took. We haven't been in that situation - since I have been here - in a game situation like that, where you are playing to go to Nationals and in a conference tournament championship. We haven't been in a game of that importance. So it was very good for us to be put in that situation.

I don't think we should get penalized for losing an overtime game to (the conference champions). I think that game puts in perspective how far this team has come this season.

Charles Davis

I don't think we're hitting as good as we were earlier in the season but it's a conference win and that's good.

I don't think it's a secret. Our familiarity with the conference and our past wins have made us feel more confident and we're more focused on getting the job done now. If you can't get excited for conference games, you just can't get excited at all.

I don't think people (Purdue) will be unbeaten. I just think there are too many good teams and too many teams doing good things. I can't say when that will occur or I can't say how that will occur but I just think that the league is too good. ... It's a stronger conference this year, especially in the middle portion of it.

Tommy Amaker

For us, we know the rivalry, the proximity and that we hadn't won this game in a long time, so we're pleased. The focus for us was to try to stay in the hunt for the conference title.

For us to win I think we are going to have to have 180 points. I think we can have five guys in the finals again, but I'm not sure which five. We could get as many as seven or eight, which shouldn't be unusual for a team that could win the conference dual title.

For us to win a conference game on the road at Sauk Prairie, it's a huge momentum lift for the second half of the season. We have lost eight games and seven of those losses have been by six points or less.

For us to be a conference contender, we've got to be a better team defensively. You can't give up (35) points in the first half and expect to win. Our offense played well, but didn't get the stops when we needed to.

Fortuna always plays us tough here. For whatever reason, they're tougher than nails here and tonight was no exception. Fortuna's a quick team and they have some strong players but our guys knew our position in conference right now and they really stepped up.

Given the TBLI Conference organizer's refusal to drop Mr. Keiser, we are now requesting that conference sponsors Calvert Investments and KLD Research & Analytics withdraw their sponsorships of the conference.

Give Westbrook credit. Those kids play hard. They don't quit. They did the same thing to us at our place when they got us. They play tough wire-to-wire. They could have rolled over. Teams are well-coached in this conference and they all play hard every night. And if you don't play hard for 32 minutes you're not going to get a W.

Going from two wins (overall) to seven is progress. But if there's any program in the country that needed early success in conference play, it would be us. We didn't get those but we just have to continue on.

Golf is a funny game; anything can happen. Our conference is strong and well-balanced. There are no guarantees.

Michael White

He said I might be tied for the Big West Conference record for injuries.

Just making the conference tournament is huge for us. The MIAA has a lot of pride, history and tradition in its programs.