Sports quotes of the week

Sports

Some outrageous comments made by sports figures this week.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, known for speaking freely and frequently about whatever he thinks, made headlines Wednesday with comments about race. In an interview with Inc. magazine, Cuban said the U.S. has “come a long way putting any type of bigotry behind us.” He went on to say: "I mean, we're all prejudiced in one way or another. If I see a black kid in a hoodie and it's late at night, I'm walking to the other side of the street. And if on that side of the street, there's a guy that has tattoos all over his face -- white guy, bald head, tattoos everywhere -- I'm walking back to the other side of the street. And the list goes on of stereotypes that we all live up to and are fearful of." (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

On Thursday, Cuban apologized to the family of Trayvon Martin for using the reference to a hoodie, but in a series of tweets stood by his comments on race. “In hindsight I should have used different examples. I didn't consider the Trayvon Martin family, and I apologize to them for that. … beyond apologizing to the Martin family, I stand by the words and substance of the interview. … I think that helping people improve their lives, helping people engage with people they may fear or may not understand, and helping people realize that while we all may have our prejudices and bigotries … we have to learn that it's an issue that we have to control, that it's part of my responsibility as an entrepreneur to try to solve it.” (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

NBA star-turned analyst Charles Barkley continues to insult. In an interview on ESPN radio Wednesday, Barkley advocated a return to the Cavaliers for LeBron James --- and took a shot at Heat fans. "I've always thought he was going to go back to Cleveland. Nobody dislikes LeBron. … He's a great player, a great person. I hope he goes back to Cleveland. Those fans in Miami are not real fans, those fans in Cleveland are real fans. I've always hoped he would go back to Cleveland. That would be a great way to finish his career." Earlier this month, Barkley drew the ire of San Antonio fans, saying, "There's some big ol' women down there. That's a gold mine for Weight Watchers." (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Before the NBA’s Eastern Conference finals began between the Pacers and the Heat, Lance Stephenson (right) of the Pacers indicated that one strategy for stopping Heat star Dwyane Wade was putting strain on Wade’s knees. He told the Palm Beach Post, “D. Wade — I think his knee is messed up, so I’ve got to be extra aggressive and make him run and have him running around and make his knee flare up or something,” he said after the Pacers practiced this afternoon. “I’ll do anything as much as possible.” In two games, Wade has scored 50 points and made 22 of 34 field goals, and he is still healthy. He scored 10 fourth-quarter points in the Heat’s important Game 2 victory. (Michael Laughlin/Sun Sentinel/MCT)

Earlier this month, Arizona cornerback Patrick Peterson, shown deflecting a pass intended for Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant, said he thought he was worth more than the $57.4 million extension that Seattle corner Richard Sherman signed the day before, so Sherman answered by tweeting a picture of a TV graphic showing Sherman’s interceptions totals and said, “Want what I got? Get the stats I got! Least targeted.” On Thursday, Peterson said on a radio show in Phoenix, "I believe if you put him in our system I don't think he'd be able to last, honestly. I actually do much more than he (does).” As for the stats, Peterson said: "He's only covering space. He's not really covering a guy. At the end of the day, he has great stats and he has great playmaking ability. Not taking that away from him because he is a good corner, but as far as being a shutdown corner, man-to-man guy, in my eyes, I don't believe he's that." (Brad Loper/Dallas Morning News/MCT)

Soon after the NFL draft two weeks ago, Johnny Manziel’s jersey sales topped all the picks. Browns coach Mike Pettine told the NFL Network on Thursday that Manziel’s stardom in the NFL will have to be earned by his on-field play, not his past. "(Manziel) will be the first one to tell you that he earned 'Johnny Football' as a college quarterback, and he knows he has to earn it as an NFL quarterback. We're not going to let jersey sales determine our depth chart." Some Browns fans were ready for "Johnny Cleveland" before he was drafted. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

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Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, known for speaking freely and frequently about whatever he thinks, made headlines Wednesday with comments about race. In an interview with Inc. magazine, Cuban said the U.S. has “come a long way putting any type of bigotry behind us.” He went on to say: "I mean, we're all prejudiced in one way or another. If I see a black kid in a hoodie and it's late at night, I'm walking to the other side of the street. And if on that side of the street, there's a guy that has tattoos all over his face -- white guy, bald head, tattoos everywhere -- I'm walking back to the other side of the street. And the list goes on of stereotypes that we all live up to and are fearful of." (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

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