"I've heard a lot of footballers and people in the sporting codes say it's unfair the scrutiny we're getting. Well, the average bloke probably thinks it's unfair that a footballer can earn a million a year for passing a bit of pigskin around. That's life, get on with it." - Australian swimming legend KIEREN PERKINS, calling for bans on sportspeople taking illicit drugs.
"I'm stoked at the outcome. I'm pumped. We ran the gauntlet and came up trumps." - Bulldogs superstar Sonny Bill Williams after his striking charge was downgraded by the NRL judiciary, meaning he will only miss his side's first final should it progress beyond Week 1.
"They can't run the hospitals, they can't run the transport and they definitely can't run racing. They are the three major industries in the state and they've f***ed them all up." - Trainer JOHN O'SHEA on the NSW Government's handling of the equine influenza outbreak and plans for next year's Papal visit at Randwick.
"I just think she made a lot of lucky shots and I made a lot of errors." - A less than gracious SERENA WILLIAMS accuses world number one Justine Henin of being "lucky" after losing their quarter final at the US Open.
"I don't know what he was saying, but it just got under my skin. I was nearly out of control. Luckily the chair umpire calmed me down a little bit." - Australia's PAUL HANLEY after being fined $US3000 ($A3,648) for "unsportsmanlike conduct" following a foul-mouthed attack on a Polish-speaking heckler during a testing third-round doubles encounter at the US Open.
"That's all right, he can still walk. As long as he can play." - Wallabies coach JOHN CONNOLLY, commenting on some argy-bargy during training which resulted in Drew Mitchell putting a tooth through his bottom lip.
"They brought me in to change British swimming but when it got tough, British swimming wanted to change me. It was heart-breaking." - Australian swimming coach BILL SWEETENHAM, who has resigned his position as Britain's performance director less than a year before the Beijing Olympics.
Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year.
That afternoon, the ABs trailled the Wallabies 7-22 at halftime. Late in the game, they were still behind 22-25, with the Wallabies desperate to cause a boilover. An almost last-minute try gave the ABs a remarkable 32-25 win. At the post match interview, when asked his thoughts of how the game unfolded, Fitzpatrick replied, "At halftime we felt like Perkins in his heat swim. At fulltime we feel like Perkins after his final win".
'The sky has fallen on our heads' - Bernard Laport, coach of France, after the stunning defeat at the hands of Argentina in the first match of the 2007 RWC tournament.
'Laurence Dallalgio was, as ever, oozing passion on Saturday against the USA. His eyes bulged, and he constantly thumped himself in the chest, but it's during the game that England need all of this - not while he's singing the national anthem' - Martin Johnston, The Daily Telegraph (UK)
'We will keep backing ourselves despite what the critics say - they can go stuff themselves' - Morgan Williams giving it to the journalists a bit more effectively than he and his fellow Wales playerts gave it to Canada in their opening game of the 2007 RWC tournament.
'England speak of things going well in training then they deliver a performance of such ineptitude you wonder ig they aredeluding themselves. On the evidence of this display in their opening match of the 2007 RWC tournament, they have as much chance of finding gold at the end of the rainbow of this World Cup, as the USA Eagles' - Mick Cleary, The Daily Telegraph (UK) putting the boot into England.
'Don't me, I'm not a pychiatrist' - Oliver Magne's response when asked why France sometimes turns up, as in the opening match of the 2007 RWC, and doesn't seem to want to play.