Gruden: Martavis is ‘white tiger,’ King sees Graham scoring 12 TDs

Football 

“You go to Busch Gardens and they’ve got a white tiger.  You go there 12, 13 times, the tiger’s always in his cage.  But the white tiger came out today.  (Martavis) Bryant came out. . . . It’s good to see him because he’s really special, like the white tiger.  It’s getting late in the day here.”

Oakland Raiders coach John Gruden, formerly of Tampa Bay

“Pre-snap penalties make me sick.  They really do.  I’m sick now.  I don’t feel like eating.”

Gruden again

“I remember preseason games when it’s third-stringers, and Gruden is yelling at the refs like it’s a playoff game.  . . .  I’m glad old Chuckie’s back in the ballgame.” 

Chris Simms, Pro Football Talk, had been concerned that a coach who usually addressed him as “Dolt” had mellowed at 54

“Nick Foles did not play well.  We saw the Nick Foles that everybody saw at the end of the regular season last year. . . .  I don’t think he’s the Super Bowl MVP that we saw. . . . He was 3-of-9 but it’s not the stats but pep on the ball, lack of accuracy, lack of quick movements.”

Simms on champion Philadelphia losing to New England in Super Bowl mini-revenge  

“Jimmy Graham, if he plays 16 games, I will be very surprised if it’s not an 80-catch, 12-touchdown year.  In this offense he could have the greatest year in what could end up being a Hall of Fame career.”

Peter King, on Pro Football Talk, previewing the Green Bay Packers

“I think everyone has the right to do whatever they want to do.  If you don’t agree, that is fine.  You can voice your disagreement.  That is part of our democracy.  As long as it is done in a peaceful, respectful way, that is what our country has been about.”

Tom Brady, All-Pro quarterback, on kneeling for the national anthem 

“Colin Kaepernick was very short-sighted in not voting.  His non-vote was a vote for Donald Trump.  It was a vote for what’s happening now.  . . . His kneeling on the field was great, but refusing to go to the ballot box hurt the very cause he initially championed.”

D.L. Hughley, African-American satirist, author of How Not to Get Shot, and Other Advice From White People

Golf

“The PGA is is the fourth major, the Ringo Starr of the majors.  This is the one no one cares about.  They had to have four, so they could go to a grand slam from a triple crown.”  

Mike Florio, NBCSN

“I do all the things that are conducive to longevity.  . . . You live in this phenomenal country of America, and yet it’s one of the most obese nations and a country that probably looks after itself less than any part of the world that I know of.  We need to get more exercise into schools.  Instead, schools are taking exercise out, and that’s a tragedy.”

South African Gary Player, 81-year-old golfing legend

Baseball

“The Times has become so disdainful of local sports that the downtrodden Mets go uncovered by Times repoters.  Even when they play in New York (so there is no travel expense), the Times gives a vanilla account of the game by the Associated Press.”

Retired Timesman Murray Chass

“I can die now.”

Milwaukee Brewers’ Jhoulys Chacin, who was 0-6 lifetime against St. Louis before winning Sunday with 6 shutout innings.