Navigating through the dynamic landscape of human experiences, one may find a wealth of wisdom in the spirited commentary and sharp insights of the legendary sportscaster Howard Cosell. His words, echoing through generations, carry the weight of an era defined by its boldness and authenticity.
Howard Cosell quotes have not only carved a niche in the annals of sports broadcasting but also the grander scheme of cultural dialogue, often cutting to the heart of the matter with precision and a touch of his characteristic flamboyance.
Howard Cosell Quotes (2024)
Dive into the profound and often provocative world of Howard Cosell, whose voice shaped an era of sports and left an indelible mark on American culture. His quotes capture the essence of his unapologetically honest and witty spirit.
"I'm just telling it like it is."
"The ultimate victory in competition is derived from the inner satisfaction of knowing that you have done your best and that you have gotten the most out of what you had to give."
"Sports is the toy department of human life."
"Arrogant, pompous, obnoxious, vain, cruel, verbose, a show-off. I have been called all of these. Of course, I am."
"I'm not afraid to die. I just don't want to be there when it happens."
"The importance that our society attaches to sport is incredible. After all, is football a game or a religion? The people of this country have allowed sports to get completely out of hand."
"I've covered the bad stuff, too."
"I don't know what's more discouraging, the fact that the press willfully misrepresents my position or that I was an idiot for not explaining it better."
"I don't believe that there's any such thing as a born announcer."
"If I were to make a list of the people with whom I would most like to have dinner, the majority would be in the field of sports."
"You can't win unless you learn how to lose."
"I'm not a gambler, but I can appreciate a good close-up magic trick."
"The jocks are the white man's answer to the black man's blues."
"I've done more good by fighting the integration issue in sports than I could have done in any other area."
"I'm a defender of the Constitution, and I believe in a strict construction of the Constitution."
"The thing that differentiates man from animals is money."
"I've always loved boxing. It's the ultimate way a man can test himself."
"I'm a professional observer."
"Professional football in America is a special game, a unique game."
"I don't care what's said about me as long as it isn't true."
"I'm not interested in the truth."
"Sports is human life in microcosm."
"I am a very bright man. I have not been given a fair shake."
"You don't tell someone that they're a has-been. You don't tell someone that they're finished. You give them the benefit of the doubt."
"The things that I've said are based on things that have happened in the past, things that are happening right now, and they are certainly going to happen in the future."
"Boxing is the most beautiful thing after women."
"Boxing is the red light district of sports. It's seedy and dirty, and people have always been fascinated by it."
"The professional football player has a job to do. He has to train, practice, play, and perform."
"You don't know what a tough job is until you try to get a job."
"You can't be a good sport in a sick society."
"There's no such thing as an uninteresting sport; the only thing that can make a sport uninteresting is people."
"I'm just doing my job, and I'll say anything to get you to do yours."
"In the United States, the majority undertakes to supply a multitude of ready-made opinions for the use of individuals, who are thus relieved from the necessity of forming opinions of their own."
"I think the biggest problem in boxing is the proliferation of weight classes."
"When Muhammad Ali calls and says, 'Can you do this?' you don't say, 'No.' You don't say, 'What's the date?' You say, 'Where, and what time?'"
"We have no other reason for existing."
"I've been criticized for not signing autographs for 20 years, and I'm not going to stop now."
"It's not the game that's important, it's the color of the jersey."
"You learn not to say something too early and create a problem."
"When you're a real professional, you know how to get around that. You know how to do your job."
"If it's negative, you can't afford to read it. And if it's complimentary, you can't believe it."
"The beauty of our business is you can travel anywhere."
"All kinds of alcohol are medicine."
"I've never played golf, because I've always said I don't like a sport that you can't drink while you're playing it."
"You have to learn to pace yourself. Pressure is a great thing, but you have to learn to control it."
"I've covered more American history than I ever thought I would."
"I've never used a script, and I've never even written an outline."
"The language of sport is not for the faint-hearted."
"The kind of lawyer you hope the other fellow has."
"As a communicator, my job is to present my views. When someone asks me a question, I answer it."
"You can get a lot of things by being obnoxious, by being arrogant, by being loud, by being aggressive."
"I have a pretty good perspective on sports."
"I have always been fascinated by people."
"I don't have any delusions."
"If you don't believe in yourself, you're finished."
"I don't believe in failing."
"I don't know what I'm going to say, but I've always known what I'm going to do."
"I've had to deal with being Jewish and with being black, and it's something that I've always been able to handle."
"I've always believed in myself."
"Arrogance, ignorance, and incompetence. Not a pretty cocktail of personality traits in the best of situations. No sirree. Not a pretty cocktail in an office-mate and not a pretty cocktail in a head of state. In fact, in a leader, it's a lethal cocktail."
"The great thing about sports is that it's one place where you can find total commitment, total selflessness, total teamwork, and the excitement of being on the edge. That's what makes it so much fun."
"I've always said, 'When in doubt, go to the bullpen.'"
"Nobody roots for Goliath."
"Boxing is the only sport you can get your brain shook, your money took, and your name in the undertaker book."
"I'm like an old-time general practitioner, or the family doctor. You come to me with a stomachache, and I give you a painkiller. You come with a sore throat, I give you a pill. I treat everybody for what they have."
"If that's what they want, I'm what they want."
"Ladies and gentlemen, the Bronx is burning."
"What's right isn't always popular, and what's popular isn't always right."
"I've always loved the idea of broadcasting."
"I'm not good at being a color man. I'm more interested in the play itself."
"The importance that our society attaches to sport is incredible. After all, is football a game or a religion?"
"In our society, the sound bite has become the bite without the sound."
"Arrogant, egotistical, and a son of a bitch. But I have talent."
"I never knew what real happiness was until I got married, and by then, it was too late."
"The hardest thing about sports is makin' it look easy."
"It may be said with a degree of assurance that not everything that meets the eye is as it appears."
"I'm just a middle-class Jewish boy from New York."
"The biggest sin in the world would be if I lost my love for the sport."
"I tell it like it is."
"I'm a legend in my spare time."
"I'm not a fan, I'm an analyst."
"You can accomplish anything in life, provided that you do not mind who gets the credit."
"I'm the most trustworthy guy in America."
"Remember, television is an entertainment medium."
"I've done more for sports broadcasting than Howard Stern has done for radio."
"I don't like any sport unless I can sit down and have a sandwich at the same time."
"I'm not a politician; I'm a truth-teller."
"In the sports world, I can think of nothing more excruciating than going on a talk show."
"I am who I am, and I don't apologize for it."
"The world of sports knows no religious, racial, or political differences. Athletes, from whatever land they come, speak the same language."
"I tell people I'm too stupid to know what's impossible. I have ridiculously large dreams, and half the time they come true."
"Sports is the only entertainment where, no matter how many times you go back, you never know the ending."
"I never changed my style of broadcasting. I never have changed a hair on my head. They said I was crude and I was this and I was that. I never changed anything. I've always done my job."
"Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability."
"I have no intention of uttering my last words on the stage. Room service and a couple of depraved young women will do me quite nicely for an exit."
"When the great scorer comes to write against your name, he marks not that you won or lost, but how you played the game."
"The worst thing you can do is nothing."
"The world's full of people who talk a big game but don't produce. We need more producers."
"I'm like an old-time general storekeeper. I treat everybody fairly, but I don't give them any credit."
"I don't make mistakes. I make predictions which immediately turn out to be wrong."
"You don't want to become the story; you want to be the guy who tells the story."
"I'm not a person who believes in heaven and hell, but I miss her."
"When you're an intellectual, there is nothing to learn from sports."
"There is no substitute for talent. Industry and all the virtues are of no avail."
"There is nothing in the world of sports like the thrill of walking out onto a field or into an arena full of people who are there only to cheer and boo you."
"It's not arrogance if you can back it up."
"I've always thought that the standard for excellence is the most important thing. You have to be the best at what you do. You have to earn your keep."
"I can stand criticism as long as it's unqualified praise."
"The biggest crime in the world is not a man's preference for a certain brand of beer, but to drink beer privately when he could be drinking it with his friends."
"I am who I am, and I don't apologize for being Howard Cosell."
"I believe in doing the right things for the right reasons. I have no patience for people who put on a mask and pretend to be something they're not."
"I'm a storyteller. I'm an entertainer. I'm a guy who gets on television and radio and tells it like it is."
"If you're not making waves, you're not kicking hard enough."
"I don't make up stuff. I just say what I think, and I say it the way I think it."
"People say I'm controversial. I say, 'You don't understand what I'm saying.' I'm not controversial. I'm just telling it like it is."
"I was given a talent, and I have used that talent to the best of my ability."
"I've always believed that you should be yourself and not try to be someone you're not."
In reflecting upon the enduring wisdom and charisma of Howard Cosell, it becomes evident that his legacy extends far beyond the realm of sports and broadcasting. Howard Cosell Quotes encapsulate not only his unparalleled insight into the world of athletics but also his unwavering commitment to honesty and authenticity.
As we delve into the treasure trove of Howard Cosell Quotes, we uncover not just a collection of words but a profound philosophy of life. Cosell's words serve as a reminder that being true to oneself, embracing challenges, and pursuing excellence are universal principles that transcend any specific field.
