Defensive Quotations | Page 5

But when I left the Spurs last year I told Pop, 'You're the best defensive coach in the league. You play great defense. Put this thing away and never use it, because you don't need to use it,

But it was probably one of the worst defensive performances I've ever had.

But the Trinity defensive guys kept talking trash, and that just made our line mad. At halftime they told me that they'd just have to open the holes a little bit bigger. And they did.

Buddy Ryan will not be my defensive coordinator.

Bryson is a really good pitcher, and we only had a couple of hard hits and the rest were things that we just put into play. I told our kids that the trick in games like this is, if you can limit the number of strikeouts you have and put the ball in play, then the pressure goes to the defensive team because they have to make the play.

Bryan's a competitor. He hates to lose. He does whatever he can to help the team. He does whatever the coaches ask. He scores, he hits the boards hard, he's a heck of a defensive player and he gets on the floor after loose balls.

Bryan knows our scheme inside and out so he makes all the defensive calls. When the game is on the line, he always steps up an does something special.

BU had a lot of energy; obviously they scouted us well. I think we just had some unfortunate forced turnovers; we weren't aggressive enough on the offensive end. You certainly have to give Boston credit on the defensive end, but I thought we were a little tentative tonight.

Basically the market is continuing its defensive posture.

Basketball is a game of runs. We made our own run and basically stopped them on defense. We kept their shots to a minimum. We just pretty much had the will and desire to get the offensive and defensive boards.

Basilio is a defensive presence. His knee has bothered him, but he's all right now. He makes a big difference for us.

Because of their high yields and stable cash flows, utilities are defensive stocks. But with deregulation, part of the business -- the power generation piece -- is exposed to supply and demand concerns where it wasn't before.

Because of the caution that I see right now, I would emphasize some of the more defensive stocks that are the bigger, stronger leaders in their areas; essential products and services; these tend to experience less than average volatility.

Because we dispersed the workload over all of the defensive coaches everybody has picked up some slack it has gone very, very smoothly. We all have a little increase, but it's not a whole lot. Because Ray was so organized anyway, we just kind of plugged things in and away we go.

Because on the West Coast, you face a lot of firepower. We're going to need all the guys on their defensive game every night.

Chris McAlister is probably the toughest defensive back for a wide receiver. It's a combination of his size and strength. He's the whole package. Troy Vincent , Champ Bailey and Charles Woodson are up there, too, but McAlister is the whole package.

I'm a proud defensive player. I'm not going to let anybody go crazy on me. I've got more pride than that, just having someone go off for a million points.

I'm a little shocked by how our defense played. We've always been a good defensive team, but four five quarters in row now, we haven't shown up.

I'm always going to look to be aggressive and take those shots, but we let this one get away because we lacked defensive intensity in the fourth quarter.

I'm a great defensive player ? I'm just underrated. I think I can play defense on any good guard. If coach gives me any guard to lock up, I think I can do the job.

I have been a big admirer of Don Haskins for a long time. He is one of the top defensive minds in the game and he is good man, a real coach.

I give a lot of credit to Fordham. They played a terrific defensive game. But as far as our effort, it?s not where it?s supposed to be going into a do-or-die situation.

I felt like we played a good game for the most part. But near the end, we played not to lose, instead of playing to win. We were not very smart against their defensive pressure, and we started to panic.

I felt it was our worst defensive performance of the season. We didn't have an answer for what they were doing. We didn't box out well. We didn't locate well.

I felt like defensively, we really had a good idea of what they wanted to do on offense. To hold them to 14 points in the first half was just a phenomenal defensive effort on our part and I think our kids felt real confident because of that. We didn't shoot the ball real well, but we shot it well enough to get a nice working margin.

I felt like our defensive focus and intensity for 40 minutes was the best it's been all year. I'm excited about our team's energy overall.

I felt bad about the fumble. I didn't see a defensive back come up from the side, and he got the ball out of there.

I feel very defensive about that question today. I'm very, very hands-on. I sewed the rhinestones on the wedding dress today. It's my passion, and every bit of the collection starts here.

If I played baseball, and I used to, and somebody game me someone who could hit home runs, could hit singles, steal bases, and was a great defensive player, I'd say bring 'em on. That's how I feel about Hillary.

I feel pretty confident that we'll be able to field a solid defensive team.

If Brittany's shot falls and we play smarter on the defensive end, this game was over at the half.

If Blake (was) not a soccer player, he'd fit in on the football team as a wide receiver or defensive back because he's that athletic and, quite honestly, that tough.

I feel like the strength of our football team is what we have up front, ... We have a lot of kids with a lot of experience on the offensive and defensive lines. I believe thats where the game of football starts.

I feel like I'm one of the best defensive players in the draft but everything happens for a reason. If I go in the second round and I feel like I'm a first-rounder, I'll just go in there and prove myself.

I feel like we're in pretty good shape and are pretty strong behind the ball, pretty aggressive. Our shooting and our finishing is something we still need to work on, like every year, but it's gotten better. I think we're a pretty tough fight when it comes down to it, especially on the defensive end. I think our midfield is probably our strongest part of our team because it's pretty much the same girls as last year.

I feel that I'm the fortunate one because I can play both positions, ... I just do whatever the coaches want me to do. I can play more defensive end one game and then more linebacker the next. ? Not starting does not bother me. If I'm on the field, I don't care. They could put me on the offensive line and play me at tackle.

I feel like I'm the best defensive back in the country.

I did not feel we played very well inside (on the defensive line), and I was disappointed because they had played at a better level.

I can't do much about it, ... I consider myself one of the best centers out there. I'll put myself up against any defensive lineman in the country. But as long as we win, I'm happy.

I can't say enough good things about the bench. I thought early in the game we lacked energy. Guys came in and picked it up for us; picked up our defensive intensity. It was basically the same thing in the second half. We got good shots and good offensive production from our bench.

I can't say enough about what Amy has done for the team. She has brought a lot of new defensive concepts to the team. Last year was tough because we got away from our team defense concept. We're on the brink of getting back to where we were two years ago, in terms of playing as a defensive unit.

I can't separate myself from them; what kind of leader would that be? Also, that's my position. I can't separate myself from that. I'm going to be in everybody's ear from (quarterback) Brad (Smith) to a defensive back or whoever. But my guys who are wide receivers, I'm going to be in their ear the most because that's who I'm with. I'd never abandon those guys.

I can tell you that their activities and buildup in the Gulf seem to go far beyond their defensive need, particularly on those three little islands.

I can't imagine doing what Jon had to do this year. It's hard enough to block defensive ends when you can use your hands. I don't know how he did it.

Gilbert carried us tonight. One of the coaches compared this lineup with Philadelphia's a few years ago - (Allen) Iverson and eight defensive players. That's what it seemed like tonight. Caron carried some of the weight and Daniels hit some big shots, but (Arenas) was the steady scorer.

Gilbert, Caron and myself have got it going offensively. We know that night in and night out that we can do it offensively, it's just that on the defensive end we have to really give the effort 100 percent and really make it tough on our opponents. Once we do that, we really put ourselves in position to win games.

For years, I used to make our offensive and defensive linemen, if they weighed over 275 pounds, lose weight down to 275 or under just for health reasons. Today, we've relaxed that a little bit because these guys have gotten so much bigger.

Four games in five nights and playing a good defensive team on the road, we must be doing something right.

Four errors looks like we didn't play good defense but we did. We executed defensively in key situations. The key to the game was the stretch with key defensive plays. The kids kept their heads. That's a sign of maturity.

Fourteen down, in this league, with 12 minutes left in the game is nothing. We relaxed. On the defensive end, they get any shot they want. And then you try to pick it back up offensively, and you're dead. We have done that three or four times already this season.

Four or five years ago, the U.S. was very much in the mode of urging other countries to abide by decisions, but the shoe is on the other foot now. The U.S. is on the defensive on a number of these cases.

From a leadership point of view, a defensive point of view, and being able to offensively run what we do here, there's no reason why he can't be very successful and help us right away.

From a defensive standpoint, he is very close to being a starting catcher. We are very pleased with how he's developed and his ability to work with the pitching staff. That is why we signed him to a two-year deal.

From a pitching and defensive standpoint, we played well enough to win. We just have to start taking that lump out of our throats offensively.

From that first day to where we are now, we have grown so much, ... And we have the potential to be an even better defensive team.

From what I hear from the defensive players, he's a tremendous athlete. Hopefully we can keep him bottled up.

From tip to buzzer, it will be a defensive battle. I think we match up well with them in the full court and half-court. It should be great.

I don't think Andy has anything to prove to anyone. He's as good of a post player as there is in the state. He's productive on the offensive end, he's dominating on the defensive glass. I think he's the best all-around post player in the state.

If a defensive tackle goes to the wrong gap, nobody knows because the linebacker made the play, so they don't know they screwed up. On offense, a guy can screw up and it can really cost you. On defense, a guy can screw up but people can rally around and cover for him. Everybody is going in the same direction, running to the football.

I don't think we played well as a defensive line. We lost Copeland Bryan. He is our best pass rusher without question. The first play of the game he knocks the ball loose.

I don't think we have had a defensive performance like that this season. We came in with the mind-set to get stops. That was the key to the game for us.

I don't think Yao gets enough credit for the defensive improvement he's made. That last play he went up and out and made (Richardson) take a much more difficult shot.

I don't think we were committed as much to the defensive side as we would have liked. That's why we lost.

I don't understand out lack of defensive pride. It is incredibly disappointing to me.

I expect him to be the best defensive tackle in the Mountain West Conference.

I expect the integrated oil sector to help support the market if it goes down. Aside from the fact that oil prices are expected to be volatile, a lot of these major oil companies are big defensive plays. I expect to see a move into the integrated oil companies stocks throughout the course of next week going forward.

I don't think so. If you're a defensive coordinator and they want you, they're not going to give you permission to go somewhere else. ... So I'm pretty sure that means they're letting you go be a D coordinator elsewhere because they've got other plans here.

I don't think it will take long. We understand what the game plan is every game going out. The transition more than anything will probably be defensively, because everybody played different defensive schemes, and our scheme is probably one of the toughest schemes in the NBA because we work a lot harder.

I don't think our young defensive linemen played very well, or as well as they can. That was the most disappointing part of our defense.

For us, we may not be the most skillful group, but you can never fault the effort. The defensive end, that?s all it is, it?s heart.

For us to have a chance this season, we need to throw strikes and make the routine defensive plays. When you do that, you have a chance to win.

For us, it's been a really good stretch lately and we just wanted to (make) the last game before the Olympic break a winner and even though there were some bad plays on the defensive end, we still managed to win the game. Sometimes, teams need games like this when you don't play your best, you find a way to win.

For whatever reason, a lot of guys are tentative when it comes to talking out on the court and helping one another. For us to be the defensive team that we need to be, and we're capable of becoming, it all starts with communication. That's our main thing. When we're out there, we need to constantly be talking to one another.

Fort Madison has a lot of balance and is a very good basketball team. We just didn't get the defensive stops we needed in the third quarter. It just seems like a four-minute span is killing us right now, just as it did at Mount Pleasant.

Glidden really showed us that. They made a point to cut him or double team him to keep him from making a play. We decided to move him back and we have some capable linemen to move in there to fill those spots. We weren't worried about the defensive line so much. We just got a bigger linebacker in there and he had a couple of nice, full tackles. We're talking the wrap, pick 'em up and drive them into the ground.

For Michelle, it's an important spring. We will need a defensive specialist or two to step up and that could be her spot. She needs to continue to play volleyball on the side and get better. If she does that, she'll be fine.

I got behind in the count and I was in a defensive mode. I was just trying to put the ball in play and luckily it was soft enough. It doesn't matter what kind of hit - a squibber, a double - as long as we get the 'W'.

I got a pretty good scolding in the locker room at halftime. I took it to heart and picked up my defensive intensity. I frustrated some people, got into their heads. I was having fun out there.

I go back to our turnover situation. If they are down, we are going to rebound the ball better because we're going to get more offensive boards and be able to get back and guard people and get more defensive boards.

If Western Europe were the only market for these carmakers, it would be a headwind, definitely. Companies will have to take an offensive and defensive approach - coming up with new models and attracting more up-market customers.

If we are going to have any chance at all on the road we have to do a better job of rebounding on the defensive boards.

He was a very sound defensive type of individual. We would play a pinch defensively and he picked up on it real good.

He was attacking the basket and he was getting to the basket on them. At the defensive end, he made two or three defensive plays that were really unbelievable plays.

He was a rare one: only 5 feet 7 inches tall, a lawyer and a combat veteran of the Korean War as a Marine officer. Eddie came from Washington in a trade in 1960 and ran the team in the first years while Don Meredith was learning. He was such a fantastic ball handler that even with sorry protection and the defensive line crashing in on him he threw a lot of beautiful long passes. The ball would fly out of the crowd like a mortar shell and sail 50 yards downfield. Eddie did everything by the numbers. If the receiver wasn't there, we knew whose fault it was.

He was all over the place. This was a really well-played defensive game for the most part.

He was by far our best defensive lineman last year. Those are some big shoes to fill.

He typically guards the other team's best guy, regardless of size, and he has for three years. What I thought he did a great job of tonight was keeping everyone focused on the defensive end. I told him I thought it was his best overall game as a Wildcat. He scored well, he shot well and was an outstanding leader.

I always knew that he would still have defensive qualities. They don't go away. He's not fast but he was never that fast. He reads things. He puts attackers on his terms. He knows how to slow guys down. For me, it was just a matter of seeing one, if he was healthy and two, if he was just really strong in terms of his motivation. I think he's shown both.

I always think there are things I can do to improve. I could have finished some shots, or gotten some defensive stops. But I'll keep on trying to improve and look forward to the next game.

He was very comfortable on the defensive end.

He was thrown into a defensive role because of his speed. He can use that the other way, too. He usually gets a chance or two a game where he's all alone on the goalie, so he'll be very effective for us.

He was the leader of the defensive unit. His plan was to have a great game. He played flawlessly. Everything he did was the right decision.

He was the key to their game, getting offensive and defensive rebounds, going to the goal. He was going to do whatever it took.

He was the highest rated guy on our board without any question. We were looking for defensive backs and players who can set the tone.

He's committed and he wants to get better on the defensive side. I want him to be very responsible. I'm asking a lot out of a 20-year-old kid, but on the other hand, he's playing like an elite player. And he is an elite player.

He's certainly a plus defensive player, and if he ends up showing he can swing the bat ... and he gets his foot in the door, it might be one of those situations where you can't get him out.

He's certainly a great team defensive player. You don't get a lot of attention for that, but he makes N.C. State a very tough team defensively.

He's a young guy. We've got to go out there and make things difficult for him, ... If our defensive line can get in his face, I think that's going to make things hard for him." ()

He had a very nice offensive game and whatever he scored was a career high. And it was coupled with a nice defensive game as well. His effort at both ends was big.

He had a tremendous defensive rebound and they fouled him. He had missed his last three free throws, but he stepped up and drained them both.