The Southeastern Conference has entertained die-hard fans for 75 years with countless buzzer-beaters and Hail Mary passes, producing upsets and national champions.
But maybe as satisfying as the nail-biting are the countless memorable quotes from quirky guys like Steve Spurrier and Charles Barkley.
Here is a list of the top 15 quotes to celebrate the SEC’s 75th Anniversary.
Quotes were compiled from SEC Sport Quotes by Chris Warner unless indicated otherwise.
15. “I heard Tonya Harding is calling herself the Charles Barkley of figure skating. I was going to sue her for defamation of character, but then I realized, I have no character.” – Charles Barkley, former Auburn forward, 1994
14. “His speed is deceptive. He’s even slower than he looks.” – Skip Bertman, former LSU baseball coach, describing the heavy-footed nature of one of his players
13. “I want to rush for 1,000 or 1,500 yards, whichever comes first.” – George Rogers, former New Orleans Saints and South Carolina Gamecock running back
12. “We just try to go out there and play the game and just play against the game, like coach Lopez says. We don’t play against a certain team. We play against the game, as coach says, and the game will come to you.” – Brad Wilkerson, former Florida baseball player, 1996
11. “Adolph Rupp has won 800 and some games. Five hundred of them against Southeastern Conference teams. That’s like me going down to Texas with six kids from Canada and starting a hockey league.” – Johnny Dee, former Notre Dame basketball coach
10. “I’m trying my hardest, but I can’t have everything. I can’t have the looks, the rapping ability, and the scoring ability, and shoot free throws. But I’m going to hit ’em one day.” – Shaquille O’Neal, former LSU basketball player, after missing 11 of 15 free throws as part of the Orlando Magic in 1995 9. “Officiating should be developed into a career, with a college degree required.” – Press Maravich, former LSU basketball coach
8. “You can’t spell citrus without the ‘UT.'” – Florida coach Steve Spurrier commenting on the Tennessee Volunteers three Citrus Bowl appearances from 1994 to 1997 (Yahoo Sports)
7. “I can tell you this, [USC] has a much easier road to travel. They’re going to play real knockdown, drag-outs with UCLA and Washington, Cal-Berkeley, Stanford – some real juggernauts. They’re going to end up, it would be my guess, in some position so if they win a game or two, that they’ll end up in the title [game].”- LSU football coach Les Miles commenting on USC, 2007 (Sports Illustrated)
6. “Where did most of the slave ships stop? In the South.” – Nolan Richardson, former Arkansas basketball coach replied when asked why there are so many good athletes in the Southeastern Conference, 1998 5. “The real tragedy was that half of them hadn’t been colored yet.” -Steve Spurrier commenting on a fire on that destroyed some books on Auburn’s Campus
4. “Starkville is an Indian word for trailer park.” – Skip Bertman
3. “When in doubt, punt!” – John Heisman
2. “We have too many Mary’s and not enough William’s.” – Lou Holtz, after taking over as coach of William and Mary
1. “I’m not going to be the Alabama coach.” – Nick Saban, 2007 (espn.com)
—-Contact Amos Morale at [email protected]