Although it's fun and occasionally profitable, sports betting can be an unapologetic and unrelenting pursuit, filled with doubt and uncertainty and with far more failure than success.
Gratefully, we have a seemingly non-ending stream of humorous quotes from athletes, journalists, sports executives and just plain ordinary folks to help entertain us when the ball doesn't always bounce our way.
See for yourself:
"We could not believe it. He was generally pretty useless at picking winners but he liked to put a bet on."
--Pat Shea, after learning that her husband Danny, who had died five month earlier from kidney cancer, had left her a future book ticket, worth $30,000, on 100/1 longshot Mom Mome, the winner of England's Grand National
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"The roots of wife-carrying go back to the early 19th century but it has been run as an official sporting event in Finland since 1992. The men must run a grueling race (273 yards) over obstacles and a water jump with their wives on their back. It should be noted that a 15-second penalty is incurred should a man drop his wife during the course of the race. But the penalty is probably far worse when he gets home."
--Brian Vaszily, founder of intenseexperiences.com, explaining the "sport" of wife-carrying
Two points: 1) The winner gets his wife's weight in beer and 2) What, no betting on the event?
*****
"I hit it so short now I can hear the ball land."
"If there's a golf course in heaven, I hope it's like Augusta National. I just don't want an early tee time."
--Gary Player, at his 52nd and last Masters in April
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"For four years they've been cheering for foul tips."
--Jacqui Sheftz, coach of fast pitch softball pitcher Rachele Fico, whose career record at MasukHigh School in Monroe, Connecticut is 90-2 with an ERA of 0.006 that includes 43 no-hitters and 23 perfect games
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"Option 1: Two tickets to Tuesday night, June 30, Mariners at Yanks, cost for just the tickets, $5,000.
Option 2: Two round-trip airline tickets to Seattle, Friday, Aug. 14, return Sunday the 16th, rental car for three days, two-night double-occupancy stay in four-star hotel, two top tickets to both the Saturday and Sunday Yanks-Mariners games, two best-restaurant-in-town dinners for two. Total cost, $2,800. Plus frequent flyer miles."
Gary Cicio, a New York podiatrist, on why it might be better to foot the bill for baseball in Seattle than New York
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"Less than four tickets to a Yankees game."
--Phil Mushnick, New York Post, putting the original $9,500 purchase price of Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird in perspective
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"They met in 2007 when Roddick saw her picture in Sports Illustrated and—-here's the really romantic part—-had his agent contact hers."
--Bob Molinaro, Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, on the how tennis player Andy Roddick met his future wife, swimsuit model Brooklyn Decker
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"Not that Detroit Red Wing Chris Chelios, 47, is getting a bit long in the tooth or anything but his playoff beard this year is a comb-over."
--Dwight Perry, Seattle Times
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"You didn't see Pete Best go out to try to sign with the Monkees after the Beatles decided to march with a different drummer."
--Mike Hart, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, not buying into the theory that Brett Favre wants to play again so he can exact revenge on the Packers
*****
"Manny Pacquiao has made money in more weight classes than Oprah."
--Mark Kriegel, FoxSports.com
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"There hasn't been anybody this tough at home since Macaulay Culkin."
--Gary Loewen, Toronto Sun, on the Cavaliers' terrific record at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland
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"I'm no chemist so I don't know exactly how HCG works but I think it's important that we keep Manny Ramirez away from OctoMom."
"Michael Phelps, just now getting back to serious training, lost nearly 20 pounds over the last two months. That's good because I thought Phelps looked really flabby in Beijing."
"Allen Iverson denies reports that he's been banned from two Philadelphia casinos. But he hasn't denied reports that when he loses at blackjack, he throws cards and chips at the dealer or other players. His teammates are shocked. AI dishing off?"
--Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle
*****
Yes, Virginia, there really is a humorous side to sports and sports betting.
This article was written by Luken Karel for http://www.thegreek.com. The Greek Sportsbook & Casino is host to one of the top online sportsbooks offering sports betting on NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and all other major sports. The Greek is a must have sports betting and entertainment portal with one of the largest wagering menus available online. Article reproductions must include a link pointing to http://www.thegreek.com
