Athletes as role models and heroes is a hoax, a sick hoax. The men and women who are fighting in Iraq, they are the true heroes. |
Both Ray and I are racing fans. Also, we both have the same goals and desire to succeed, to win and to help others. With S&L Racing, we will be able to give people a chance to show what they can do at the highest level of sports. |
Half these people out here who are getting autographs are getting it for somebody else -- a dealer or somebody, or to put it on eBay or whatever, |
He says he won't sign anything because he knows what they're doing with the stuff, and I don't disagree with him. It's a tough deal. Athletes get bad names because adults see us not signing kids' autographs, and they don't know the reason. But I know the reason. It's because they're being sold. |
I learned that if you want to make it bad enough, no matter how bad it is, you can make it. |
I'm 62 years old. You can't tell me that some little kid coming up to me -- he doesn't know me. These guys will ask their sons to come out here and get these autographs, and then they'll take them back and sell them in their stores, or they'll sell them to dealers. The bad thing about the whole thing is when an adult sees Gale Sayers turn away a kid and says, 'Well, Gale Sayers is a so-and-so because he wouldn't sign an autograph for a little kid.' But I know what he's doing. |
There's no way I would have made the Hall of Fame or set any of the records I did by myself. No matter how many yards I gained, whether it was three or 300, someone had to be there to make the block. Well, I played football, but you guys are out here giving a lot to make lives and to save lives. You need each other as much as we need you. Please continue to do what you're doing. |
These dealers in the memorabilia business, they made it bad for everybody. |