Top 99 Quotes & Sayings by Pat Connaughton - Page 2

The signing bonus is a ton of money, especially for a 21-year-old. But I'm not going to live off that money. At some point, I'm going to live off a college degree.

Obviously you have to be realistic. You have to figure out how you can succeed.

We were able to change the mold of the regular season for Notre Dame basketball, so we thought, 'Why can't we do it in the postseason?'

You see people say: 'He should go back to baseball. He should do this; he should do that.' Those are people who said I would never even make it here. There's always another hurdle to go over, and it's fun to use that as motivation.

I grew up in a hockey town.

No one thought I could even play D-I basketball.

I'm quick enough to hang with guards and big enough post them up, then when they stick a big man on me, I'm able to use my quickness to go around them.

You don't want to be playing 36 holes on the day before a game.

The tap of the backboard, that's a lot of body control, I've gotta be hanging in the air for a quite a bit of time.

One of the things that I've always had fun with is the stereotype 'white man can't jump.' It's followed me along my whole career and it's something that obviously I've tried to disprove many times.

Every playoff game is kind of like its own movie.

When I was able to come to a school that not only has some of the best athletics but the best academics, I wanted to make sure I didn't let this school down.

You have to make sure you're good enough for basketball and in a good enough position where a team trusts that if you are pitching in the summer, you're still working out with basketball and still be able to succeed when you get back. If that bridge comes along, I'd definitely try to pursue it and make a run at it.

It depends obviously on how the Bucks feel but I'd love - someday - to go over there and play in Ireland. I don't think they've had a ton of NBA players.

As busy as we are and as focused as we are at our sport, there are times the coaches want you to get away from basketball.

I understand assets. My arm is an asset, and I need to take care of it.

Kids specializing at sports at such a young age could be part of the reason why you're seeing so many injuries.

I've done it before where I get guys banging their bat on the ground after their second or third at-bat because you just have so many different combinations to try to get him to swing and miss.

When Coach Mike Brey at Notre Dame was recruiting me, he was like, 'There will be Irish on the front of the jersey; and Irish on the back of the jersey.' But no one actually knows I am a citizen over there.

Everybody gets frustrated with themselves when they are not playing well because they feel like they are letting the team down.

You've gotta feel at home when you're on the mound.

Bubble life hasn't been bad at all. It's different for everybody depending on their personal lives, but I don't have a girlfriend or a wife or kids. Talking with the guys that do, it's a little harder for them, a little less attractive.

I think when it comes to basketball, there's so many different ways you can affect the game.

Even if I have a successful and plentiful N.B.A. career, someday I am going to go back and try to be a big league pitcher.

I rooted for all types of Boston sports.

Sometimes the hardest shot is when people are giving you space to shoot, because it messes with your head.

I play a lot of positions in high school, but in the end I'll probably be a pitcher.

There's nothing like being a pitcher on the mound. You're by yourself. Ever since I was a little kid watching Pedro Martinez do it, night in and night out. I've always loved it.

In today's day and age, where so many kids are taught to specialize so early, I want to show them you don't have to - at a young age, high school age, college age and hopefully a professional age.

In my mind, I will pitch in MLB.

Out of respect for the Baltimore Orioles, it would have to be a crazy scenario for them to look differently on me and for me not to come back.

Basketball has always really helped me physically for baseball.

If you would have told me when I was a kid that I would be sitting here with an ACC championship and been drafted in the fourth round of the Major League Baseball draft, I would have taken it in a heartbeat.

It's just like any job. We're either in the arena or working out during certain hours of the day, but you have other hours for things that you want to do during the day as a human being, and for me, maybe I don't go shopping. Maybe I go into my backyard and throw against a net.

People know I'm from Ireland or have Irish roots.

I think it would be pretty cool, whether it would be basketball or baseball, playing for a national team.

You're using the same body parts over and over again, eventually there will be wear and tear.

Baseball-wise, the Orioles specifically love that I haven't pitched as much as other guys coming into Major League Baseball.

Notre Dame was the first school to offer me basketball-wise.