Coach McKay of the TB Bucs quotes....

[URY914]

From the Tampa Tribune's website today......

"This afternoon, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will announce plans to induct the late John McKay, the first head coach in franchise history, into the team's Ring of Honor during the 2010 season.

McKay, who died in 2001, weathered a 26-game losing streak to begin his NFL tenure after leaving USC, where he won four national championships. During Tampa Bay's fourth season, the Bucs came within 10 points of reaching Super Bowl XIV. In all, the Bucs made three playoff appearances in four seasons.

That alone makes for a sterling legacy.

But McKay's enduring contribution to his profession remains his memorable quips. Never one to offer a cliché, he could be sarcastic, wry, flippant or downright hilarious – but never boring.

Here are some of McKay's most notable quotes:

After a 51-0 loss against Notre Dame while he was at USC:

"I told our players there were 700 million Chinese who didn't even know the game was played. The next week, I got five letters from China saying, 'What happened, Coach?' ''

On matching up against the opposing coach:

"When the game starts, there are two idiots. When the game ends, there's only one. The idea is to make sure that idiot is not you.''

On Bucs place-kicker Pete Rajecki, who said he became nervous when McKay watched him kick:

"Please inform Mr. Rajecki that I plan to attend all games.''

On player introductions prior to the Bucs' first exhibition game, a 26-3 loss against the Los Angeles Rams:

"Our first guy on the field limped noticeably. The second was almost winded by the time he made it to the bench. And the third came out so slow I thought we'd get a delay of game penalty. If it had been a league game, it would have been 100-0.''

On the Bucs' winless streak in 1976:

"Like the fans, I figured at the start of the season we would go 14-0. Then we had the first kickoff and didn't score and I said, 'Well, I'll be damned.' Just give us time, we'll win. I don't know when. I hope it's in this century.''

On what he thought of his team's execution:

"I'm in favor of it.''

Addressing his players after an uninspiring effort:

"Anyone who needs a shower, take one.''

After another uninspiring effort:

"We didn't tackle well today. But we made up for it by not blocking.''

On Tampa Bay's special-teams play:

"They were absolutely horrible and that's the best thing I can say. Besides that, they were bad. These people are not poorly paid, you know.''

Asked where he stood on an upcoming game at Pittsburgh:

"With Custer.''

On announcing Terry Hanratty as starting quarterback against the Steelers, then adding he hadn't yet told Hanratty:

"When he reads about it, maybe he'll leave town.''

After being told his teams didn't play with emotion:

"Emotion is overrated. My wife is very emotional. She can't play worth a damn.''

On a goal-line fumble by Ricky Bell, when two Bucs were close enough to recover the ball, but celebrated prematurely:

"They were too busy officiating. They were standing there with their hands raised, like an Italian during World War II.''

After driving inside the New York Giants' 20-yard line five times in 1977, but failing to score:

"We couldn't score against a stiff wind.''

On trying to alter his routine during the losing streak, including a threat to stand naked on the sideline at Tampa Stadium:

"Maybe that will distract the other quarterback.''

On ending the franchise's 26-game losing streak by beating New Orleans in 1977:

"Three or four plane crashes and we're in the playoffs.''

On declining Johnny Carson's invitation to appear on "The Tonight Show'' following Tampa Bay's historic victory:

"I don't need to do it because I've been on Johnny's show before. I set a ratings record.''

On rookie quarterback Doug Williams suffering a broken jaw after a late above-the-shoulders blow from Los Angeles Rams defensive end Fred Dryer in 1978:

"There was no penalty called on the play. So Doug must have bit himself on the lip and broke his jaw.''

On a game-winning 27-yard field goal by place-kicker Bill Capece, who kept alive the Bucs' playoff hopes in 1982:

"Capece's kick? No, I've never seen anything that gutty. Oh, once in World War II, I saw a guy pull nine people out of an airplane. Besides that, it was the most courageous thing I've ever seen.''

After Capece shanked an extra-point attempt and later a 35-yard field goal that would've beaten the Green Bay Packers, then later blamed his inconsistency on bad center snaps and the changing of his holder:

"Capece is kaput.''

On sportswriters:

"I said on my TV show they didn't know a quarterback from a banana stand, and someone sent me a crate of bananas. This week, I'm going to say most sports writers don't know a quarterback from a Mercedes.''

On the Bucs' change to red-and-pewter uniforms in 1997:

"If the new uniforms are helping the Bucs win, I hope next year they change again. Really, I think you can play in overalls if you win.''

[pwd72s]

Great read! Before USC McKay coached at Oregon State...McKay built a good team that the following coach capitalized on.