Missing sports clichés, the comfort food of English language

I never thought I'd write this, but I don't like being quarantined from athletes, coaches and their clichés, the comfort food of the English language.

I miss them 110%.

I miss them because I'm a glue guy who is invested in this team's culture. Because it's a family environment.

That's why I rise 'n' grind and stay focused every day. Everything we do is for the fans.

It's not about the money.

It's about being someplace you felt wanted. Appreciated. Just getting an opportunity.

You need to feel comfortable with your role to score the basketball, hit good golf shots and appreciate football players who play football games in the National Football League.

I've got my game face on because this is going to be a rivalry game, maybe even a border battle in a hostile environment, and you can throw the records out the window when these teams play.

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There's an "i" in cliché, but this is all about team, and I'm a team-first guy, but it's a business and I've got to be able to feed my family.

It's a week-to-week league, unless it's a make-or-miss league, unless it's a keep-an-even keel and get 'em tomorrow league.

Never get too high or too low, but peak at the right time.

What's important is to avoid distractions. Block out the noise. That's the best way to prove the haters and critics and doubters wrong.

It is what it is.

I play for the name on the front of the jersey, not the back of the jersey. I'd also like to change jerseys if they won't get me the ball more.

That shot was a dagger. But defense wins championships.

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Getting "nicked" might mean missing a game because of general soreness. That's just good load management.

Even though I attended a quality university, I am "hype" and don't like reporters who are "bias." I may have been practicing load management the day they taught about suffixes.

Even though I make millions of dollars and have millions of fans, nobody believed in me. Only the people in this room believed we could win. And maybe the millions of people who bet on us to win.

You've got to compete for 60 minutes. We can't look past anybody because this might be a trap game.

You have to tilt the ice and have goalies stand on their heads.

We have to draft the best players available unless someone falls to us who has great quick twitch and can put a hand in the dirt or a foot in the ground and play well in space and is good in the room. Unless they're a schematic non-fit.

You need players with a motor, or a love of the game, or a love of good motors.

You need gym rats who are popcorn players, or coaches on the field.

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I miss clichés because they can make or break an interview. They're clutch. Games, however, will be won by the team that makes the fewest mistakes, or that makes the most big plays, or that finds its identity.

We want players who are good in the community but everybody deserves a second chance.

Refs need to call it both ways.

You've got to be strong up the middle and get the bounces, but we'll keep that in-house.

It's a funny game.