"It's amazing. Who would think at 41 I'd win an Aussie Open?" - CRAIG PARRY after winning the national title at his 24th attempt.
"Retire." - CRAIG PARRY'S joking response when asked what he'd do after finally clinching the Australian Open golf title.
"It's rather like your mother-in-law driving your brand new Ferrari over a cliff - you don't know whether to be happy or sad about it." - Englishman MIKE SLADE, owner of City Index Leopard, feeling ambivalent about winning the Sydney to Hobart first and denying his Wild Oats XI counterpart Bob Oatley a record-equalling third consecutive win.
"It's down as `rested', but they're not for me to reveal ... it's not necessarily rested." - After suggesting Shaun Tait was a chucker just days before, New Zealand cricket coach JOHN BRACEWELL antagonising Australia further by claiming to have inside knowledge about why Adam Gilchrist was rested from the third match of the one-day series. Bracewell apologised to the vice-captain a few hours later.
"I'd probably be off the coast of Florida somewhere eating lobster with Tiger." - Australian golfer PAUL MARANTZ on what his life would be like if he always played as well as he did in the final round of the Australian Open, when he shot 65.
"I'm not thinking about a comeback at the moment ... you've got to understand it's more a mental battle getting back from injury after injury." - MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS after learning he required a fourth round of major knee surgery.
"Had I been offered the same amount of money that I was on this year for the next few years (by the ARU), I would have definitely stayed." - Wallabies fullback CHRIS LATHAM after confirming he would leave Australian rugby in 2008 and take up a lucrative three-year deal with English club Worcester.
"The (ARU) offer was incentive-based and I really didn't think given my position that I needed incentives to play rugby - I never have." LATHAM again, disappointed about the ARU's offer.
"If people want to play hardball, I guess there is that option to go overseas. I know that there are a few world-class players (including Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock next season) that are coming off contract and it will be interesting to see what happens." - LOTE TUQIRI fearing Latham's departure might trigger an exodus of Wallabies to cashed-up foreign clubs.
"He just got better with age and it's quite disappointing to see him leave." - TUQIRI again on Latham.
"There's a lot of people that don't like him but personally he's done a lot for me. I'll always appreciate what he's done for me and he turned me into a better player." - TIMANA TAHU offering rare praise for much-maligned NRL coach Brian Smith.
"It is nice to be recognised in your old age." - 86-year-old KEL NAGLE on being inducted into the Golf World Hall of Fame 47 years after winning the centenary British Open.
"Of all the people I have ever met in the world of golf, this fellow is the finest." - Five-times British Open winner PETER THOMSON on Kel Nagle.
