St. John's University Athletics
Bullpen Winter Banquet Quotes And Photo Gallery
2/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
- Photo Gallery
Guest Speaker Roger Clemens
Press Conference Quotes
On making a decision for the 2007 season:
"I know it sounds real simple, but everyone that has covered me in the past, you know how I go about my work. It???s not an easy decision. I say that every year because it???s difficult on me. I have to find out what my body can handle and what it can't. Physically I think I can handle it and mentally, I beat myself up. Once I do sign a contract to continue to play, they (the team) don???t care how old I am, they want results. I want results also.???
On Andy Pettitte???s return to New York:
???I was able to catch some of Andy???s (Pettitte) press conference when he came up here (New York) and made it official. I am excited for him and for what the future holds for Andy. I was kidding with him because from what I understand, its going to be three seasons before they open the new Yankee Stadium, and I told him, he has to be here to open that up so he is going to have to make a three year deal. He just rolled his eyes at me on that one.???
On young pitchers:
"Sitting there with Nolan Ryan and talking to these kids, I can just remember when I was their age, it would be pretty nerve racking for them. I told these kids I still hate it when Nolan watches me warm up.???
Dinner Quotes
On tonight and St. John???s alum John Franco:
???I was excited to take part in this event. I knew of the alumni that have come through St. John???s. They are the best of the best. I tip my hat to John Franco. The time that I have been around this man and have competed against him, I???ve learned so much. He plays with emotion and that tells me he cares about what he does.???
On the St. John???s coaches:
"I tip my hat to the coaches, in all of the sports sitting at these tables because you men are teachers. You know how to maneuver around different personalities. I had some coaches that were really strict. Discipline was expected. Some of them were father figures and some of them yelled a lot. But I told these guys that when your coach stops getting on you a little bit, then you're in trouble because he's moved on to someone else."
On being a student-athlete:
???Your body is your temple. You have to take care of it. Take the time to have fun but also understand what you are doing is a privilege to put that uniform on, at any level. That???s what makes you special. Get your butt up, get to class and let your professors see you. That???s half the battle, giving them the respect that you???re an athlete, spending a lot of your time on the ball field representing your school. It???s special.???
On what keeps him going:
"I???m at a point in my life where the older kids are out of the house and I have two younger ones, so I have a bit of a break. So I do have a little comfort zone there, but it still comes down to how I can perform. I love going out and getting fans out of their seats and giving them something to cheer about.???
On what goals are left for him:
???I???m doing what I love to do right now. I???m talking to young kids and teaching young kids. I also just signed a 70-year pact with Memorial Hermann Hospital. They are going name a children???s wing after me and my wife. That is going to be something that supersedes my career. The neatest thing that I???ve done, a couple years back I went to see our troops in the Middle East.???
Boston Red Sox Reliever/St. John's Alum Craig Hansen
On recent trade rumors:
???I really don???t pay any attention to it. One of my main things is that I don???t read the paper or watch the news so I don???t really know what is going on. I am not too worried about it. I know that all the trades that are offered to the Red Sox have my name in them and I take it with some pride. A lot of teams out there want me and the Red Sox don???t want to give me up.???
On his 2006 season:
???I view it as a huge learning experience. I didn???t have the year that I wanted to, but I had the year that I wanted to mentally by learning so much. I think I will bring it into the season coming up. You learn through mistakes and I know there a couple of things that I have to work on mechanically and mentally.???
On preparing for the 2007 season:
???They told me to be ready to compete and that is the philosophy I will take with me into spring training. I???ve been looking to get into a major spot where the team could count on me whether it would be closing, starting, set up, mid-relief, long-relief, it doesn???t matter.???
Former New York Mets Reliever/St. John's Alum John Franco
On tonight???s event:
???It???s great to see the alums and some of my old teammates that I haven???t seen in a while. It brings back great memories of when we went to the College World Series in 1980 and the ECAC Tournament in 1979 and 1981.???
On the renaming of the ballpark:
???That???s great for Coach Kaiser. He put St. John???s baseball on the map and he started the tradition and Coach Russo followed after him and now Coach Blankmeyer. I think it???s wonderful to put the name of the guy who started everything on the ballpark.???
On Roger Clemens:
???Roger and I were teammates for a little while. He???s a great guy and a great speaker. It???ll be great for the baseball team to listen to what he has to say. He has great work habits and he is a fierce competitor.???
