Lamar Butler Quotations

We're making history right now. Nobody can take that away from us.

We knew we were playing a tournament team. Coach was saying, 'That's a Sweet 16 team you just beat.' He kept saying that. I never imagined we would see them in the NCAA tournament, and we would be in the same bracket.

We knew they were a young team, and they've had problems all season with turnovers. We got some turnovers and turned them into easy baskets. That got our adrenaline and our juices going, and we just fed off it.

We knew they were a young team and all season they've had a problem with turnovers. We wanted to force those freshmen to make some decisions. That's what we did and that's what got our juices flowing.

We know we match up well with this team. It's going to be an interesting game.

Whenever we talk about the Final Four, you have to mention us making it to the Final Four. This is history.

We're happy to be here, no doubt. At the same time, this is a business trip. We didn't come here to visit and take pictures. We came here to play Florida and win.

Whenever you talk about the Final Four, you have to mention us. This is history. We changed the face of college basketball.

When they talk about the Final Four in the future, they'll have to mention us. We're a part of history. We changed the face of college basketball. It was an amazing run. Unfortunately, it had to come to an end.

Sirens and everything. Usually the drive takes half an hour at least. With the escort it was about 10 minutes.

One I'm going to keep in my pocket wherever I go. One I frame and keep it on my wall.

No one gave us a chance to get to Indianapolis. It's a dream come true.

No one came this far just to settle for the Elite Eight.

My final three were (George Washington), Xavier and George Mason.

I looked up in the stands and saw my mother and father crying. I can't describe what it really felt like. It was just pure joy. This is something I've been dreaming of all of my life.

I e-mailed my teacher. I said 'Man, I can't focus, to be honest with you. I've been playing basketball, it's NCAA time, we're in the Final Four, can I get an extension?' He hasn't replied yet. I'm going to check my e-mail when I get back to my room.

He has just changed my outlook and my attitude on life. He changed me as a person. I have grown up so much since I have been here.

He has very good timing and I think that comes from playing other sports.

He doesn't need a microphone. He uses it and it's an instant headache. After a while your head gets adjusted to that thing but it's ridiculous.

We're playing with so much confidence right now, it really doesn't matter who we play. Coach will have us ready to play.

He's a freak of nature. I have never seen anybody that big and that mobile. His hands and feet are so quick for his size. ... Jai is a finesse big man. He can bully at the same time, but he's a finesse player.

He crossed his legs. He folded his arms. He was just talking like it was a normal conversation.

He knows next year his turn is going to come. He's just stepping up for us. We need him to.

Just to walk in, I kept thinking about Peyton Manning throwing all those touchdowns.

Just to be part of something great, this is history we're living in right now. We changed the face of college basketball.

I think it's a Hollywood story already. If anybody wants to make a movie, come see me. I'll play my part. I'm a good actor. I can make a serious face.

Lamar Butler will you marry me? No, marry me.

I was kind of kidding when I said that.

I was looking at how big the room was, how many media people were here. Never seen this many people here just to ask questions and write a story.

I was looking at how big the room was, how many media people were here. I saw Coach 'L.' He was serious, answering questions, bobbing his head, and I was laughing, that was all.

It didn't change anything. We just had to regroup, keep our poise and fight and claw our way back.

I think I was joking when I said that. I started dreaming when I got to college. It shows you anything can happen.

I think I was joking when I said that. For it to come true, it shows you never to stop dreaming, no matter how old you are. This shows you anything can happen.

I think I was joking when I said that.

We never saw ourselves as the underdog. That's the thing everybody got wrong; we saw everybody we beat as being in trouble once they faced us.

When that final buzzer went off, that was just pure joy, indescribable joy. It just overwhelmed me. I looked at my father, he was smiling, crying. My mother, they were all crying. It was like a dream come true. I used to dream about that when I was a little kid, in front of my hometown, home fans, my family, it's indescribable.

When that final buzzer went off, it was pure joy, indescribable joy.

We didn't come this far just to settle. Nobody on this team wants to settle for the Elite Eight.

We didn't come this far just to settle.

We pride ourselves on our defense; that comes first. We knew they were a young team and have had problems with turnovers. We wanted to force them into making some decisions.

We're like sharks in the water when they smell blood. When they started turning the ball over, that's what we feed off of. When they turned it over, everybody raised their energy level up and started attacking.

We're not going just to go. We can win. We know we can win. Everybody is surprised by us except us.

We have fun with it. The team loves it. It's a way to get away from basketball. It's what we do as a team to get closer.

When I signed, I told coach that my goal was to someday play in the Sweet 16. And for it to finally happen in my senior season is incredible.

We're not ready to pinch ourselves yet. We didn't come this far to just settle.

When the final buzzer sounded, it was pure joy. It's indescribable.

We watched those comments. That kind of hurt us in our hearts. We thought we deserved to be in.

We watched them say those comments. It hurt.

We watched that (selection show) and it kind of hurt us to our heart. We felt we deserved to be in the NCAA tournament.

We wanted to deliver the first blow. We didn't want to take any blows tonight.

This was history. We're living it. When you talk about the Final Four, you have to talk about us making the Final Four. We changed the face of college basketball. Unfortunately, it had to come to an end.

This team is probably the loosest I've played on. Coach does a great job of keeping us loose. We play baseball at practice. He dances, claps, sings, and we all rally around that. There was no tension around the team.

We go out there with no worries. That's how we play.

Tony knew we had his back. We told him to forget about it. New game, five minutes left.

As soon as I walked in, people were clapping. It was like, 'Wow, they really do watch us!' My com professor had a joke: 'Anything big happen this weekend?' Like nothing happened, trying to get a response. I just smiled. I knew he watched the games.

There's no such thing as mid-majors anymore. Throw that label away.

The whole world kind of went mute for me. I didn't hear anything, didn't see anything, didn't notice anything. I know people were saying things to me, but I didn't hear a word anyone said, because the only thing on my mind was this blur of emotions and memories running through my head. I was thinking about where the road started for me and some of the guys. Man, we've been through a lot, and now it's all over.

I've played football in a gym but I've never played basketball in a football stadium.

The students were just happy, excited, clapping. It was a fun greeting.

I've never even been inside of a dome. I've played football in a basketball gym, but never basketball inside a football arena.

Pure joy. Indescribable joy. It's just overwhelming. It's like a dream come true.

Probably the two biggest wins in Mason history. I'm just glad to be a part of it. Nobody expected us to win those two games but the guys in this locker room.

People say they feel like they go to a real university now.

Off the court, he's goofy. But on the court, his demeanor doesn't change if he's down 30 or up 30.

Now he calls for the ball and he definitely wants it, so I don't mind giving it to him. He's going to score all day if teams are letting him, so I don't mind passing it to him. He's done it all year, he's produced.

Coach puts a lot on his shoulders. He says 'make sure Jai gets the ball.' Down the stretch, he knows he's getting the ball so he has to produce.

Coach has no rhythm. We laugh every time.

Coach does a great job of keeping us loose, and we just rally around that. We're just having a lot of fun. We play baseball in practice, he sings, he dances ...

That's how they beat us last year. We knew if we kept them off the glass, we had a chance to win.

This is history, we're living it now. We changed the face of college basketball. It was an amazing run.

This is history we're living in. When you look up at the Final Four, we'll be part of it. Unfortunately it had to come to an end, but we're part of history.

This is history we're living in right now. Unfortunately, it had to come to an end.

This is history. Every time you mention the NCAA tournament from now on, you have to mention our run. But we're not finished yet.

This is going to piggy-back the little guys. This is history. Whenever they mention the Final Four, they have to mention us.

This is probably the loosest team I've ever been on. There is no tension whatsoever on this team.

They were kind of going through the motions during warm-ups. It just seemed like they were arrogant. We noticed it. When teams are arrogant, it does something to you inside you can't describe.

They play so well together. It's like they know each other like the back of their hand. It helps us on the court. They just shut down the other team's big men. They've been doing it all season long.

It was probably the worst dance move I've ever seen in my life. Coach has no rhythm. We laugh every time.

It was an amazing run. Unfortunately, it had to come to an end.

It?s not like we?re supposed to be here. So we?re just having fun.

Everybody was saying we don't belong here, and now we're in the Elite Eight. We just came out loose tonight. There was no tension whatsoever.

Everybody said we weren't supposed to be here, and now we're in the Elite Eight. I'm just enjoying the rush from my head down to my feet.

It's indescribable. It's like a dream come true.

It's Coach. He plays baseball during practice, he dances, sings and claps. He keeps us loose.

It's hard to believe we're both in the Sweet 16.

I've got two. I'm going to keep it in my pocket wherever I go, for luck, and I'm going to frame the other one and keep it on my wall.

Never stop dreaming. We didn't. I looked up and saw my mother crying. My father was crying. This is pure joy.

They weren't interacting with one another. They didn't look loose.

It was just an awesome feeling. I just looked at my father. He was smiling ear to ear. My brother, my mother . . . it was just an awesome feeling.

After that, I felt like I was on fire. I just kept running around, trying to get open.

I hope they come out and cheer us on. Nobody even expected us to get in the Final Four. For us to get in, people have something to cheer for. We?re the Dallas Cowboys of 2006.

I'm picking up every memento I can find in this building. I'm taking everything back home.

I just recall everyone saying we weren't supposed to be here, and now we're in the Elite Eight. It was just an adrenaline rush from my head down to my feet. I can't describe it. It was an awesome feeling.

I just knew how he felt. Selection Sunday, I'd never seen him that emotional, and he got real emotional. I just gave him a big hug and told him I couldn't let his career end.

I don't know if you saw the North Carolina game. We were down 16-2 in that one. We just had to regroup, keep our poise and come back.

I can't believe how big this room is.

I can't wait, man, I can't wait. I don't think they know what's coming.

The difference between the mid-majors and majors is definitely shrinking. Just look at what we've done.