By Ethan Franke
The world of sports in recent televised history has been more than just feats of athleticism and perseverance on the big stage.
The best athletes of these past generations have made their mark in the sports world with hard-hitting and memorable quotes attached to their legacies, inspiring sports viewers far and wide.
Sports quotes are some of the most impactful ones out there, they encapsulate what it means to be a human being who strives for greatness and to be better every day.
It is for this reason that I have compiled my very serious list which doesn’t slowly and randomly devolve into any form of satire whatsoever.
1: ‘Anything is Possible … ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!’ (Kevin Garnett, 2008)
Fifteen-time NBA All-Star and legendary trash talker Kevin Garnett was the starting power forward for the Boston Celtics from 2007 to 2013.
His elite Celtics squad had made NBA history in 2008, when they prevailed over the legendary Kobe Bryant and his Los Angeles Lakers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.
Kobe was THE face of the league in the 2000s, and to defeat The Mamba and his team 131-92 for the championship was an unreal feat to accomplish.
Garnett was overwhelmed with the emotion of winning his first NBA title, The Big Ticket delivering one of the most inspiring post-game interview quotes of all time.
2: ‘Up for the lay-up … OH BLOCKED BY JAMES‘ (Mike Breen, 2016)
Lebron James and Cleveland Cavaliers found themselves down 3-1 in the 2016 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors
No team had ever come back from a 3-1 deficit in NBA Finals history. To somehow win three straight games against one of the deadliest teams of the 2010’s in the Warriors was a challenge unlike any other.
After clawing their way to a Game 7, the Cavs found themselves in the fourth quarter of the match with tensions high, as a tied 89-89 score was followed by almost three minutes of scoreless possessions from both teams.
Lebron’s iconic block swung the momentum of the entire game, Irving followed up next possession with a stunning side-step three-pointer to put the Cavs up, and it was that dagger of a shot which led to a 93-89 victory for the Cavaliers.
NBA commentator Mike Breen electrified viewers worldwide that day with a genuine tone of disbelief in his voice as he made the call.
3: ‘WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? I AM!’ (Pete Weber, 2012)
Pete Weber was an elite, energetic bowler in the Professional Bowlers Association for 41 years.
In 2012, Weber unintentionally blessed viewers around the world with one of the meanest lines in sports history … in bowling of all sports.
After Weber had landed a cold-hearted strike that helped him win the PBA US Open in 2012 against Mike Hagan, Pete turned to the crowd and had allegedly meant to say: “Who do you think you are f…… with me in my house?”
As the above clip shows, he definitely slipped up a bit, but it’s not every day that a blundering, almost nonsensical phrase becomes one of the most notable moments of your entire career.
4: ‘They had us in the first half, I’m not gonna lie’ (Apollos Hester, 2014)
American teenage football player Apollo Hester went viral back in 2014, following an motivating and vibrant response to a seemingly standard question from a reporter after a 42-41 win by his high school team the East View Patriots.
But it wasn’t his positive views on life and team-oriented mindset that had propelled him to fame. It was that one simple sentence sprinkled into the mix which propelled a random, yet prevalent format into the world of meme culture and internet humour alike.
Although Hester never went on to win a professional major league sports title or ever have a moment as impacting as this ever again, his face will continue to occasionally makes its way on to a social media page.
5: ‘Random Incoherent Screaming’ (Kyriakos Grizzly, 2021)
Kyriakos Grizzly is a 183cm, almost 200kg freak of nature, a Greek strongman known for unconventional lifts that showcase his incredible feats of strength.
Strongmen are very much unlike the popular bodybuilders of the fitness industry. While bodybuilders are all about sculpting the human body into aesthetically pleasing and well-proportioned physiques, strongmen simply lift the heavy thing that is in front of them.
With what appears to be 360kg, Grizzly can be seen performing an exercise called Zercher shrugs, for multiple repetitions with inhumane speed and impeccable form.
This was undoubtedly one of the most important moments in the history of strength athletics. One can only begin to comprehend what was going on in that man’s mind as he gracefully placed down the weight and began to shake the bar like a maniac.
With a list like this, it’s certainly hard to pick a favourite, but Grizzly takes the cake for me.
Featured image: Kevin Garnett lets fly after breaking through in the NBA Finals. Photo: YouTube