Rick Byrd Quotations

We've never backed down from who we've played in the whole time we've been in Division I. We've played a lot of good teams. We've lost by 40 and 50 a couple of times.

I don't go on stage, and he doesn't come into the locker room.

He hadn't had any hits and I hadn't won many games. I was really happy when he got to be a big star because then I'd get on the bus and he'd go to a town and we'd always play the best golf course in the morning and he'd do the show at night.

We're only four practices in, but I was hoping wed be further along than we are right now offensively.

I suspect that they will think about doing both. For us, with Boomer (Herndon), they put Hollins behind him and Boomer couldn't score through him at all. But Davis, to me, is a combination of Shaquille (O'Neal), with his size, and a guy like Charles Barkley with his mobility. He would more likely be able to do that.

I think we have better national anthems than most schools.

Playing better teams makes you better. You might lose, but you'll be better for it.

We'd probably be better off right now if we just let them go and didn't try to get them to learn our offense. And that's a 100-percent true fact.

We became friends before I'd won many games and before he'd had many hits.

There's no question that what my Dad did gave me great access to the inside circle of UT basketball. I don't remember a second in my life when I thought of doing anything other than coaching basketball.

The second half, we weren't as engaged and didn't seem to care as much.

The thing I don't like is that they've got really good players and a really good coach. That's a bad combination for us. They'd be a tough game for Connecticut or Duke or anybody that would be sitting here talking about it. We're Belmont, so it's a tough game.

They took (the three-point game) away from us by getting up in our shooters on the perimeter. We've got to score better inside when people play us that way.

It's not like it can't happen. I just don't know for sure.

It's been a great feeling. Unfortunately, they told us we had to come out here and play the game.

They were too good in the open floor and hurt us on the offensive boards.

I just want our guys to have high expectations. We're the underdog, and we should be. But it's 40 minutes, and we're going to give it all we've got.

He's the kind of player who we don't have anyone to guard him. With what he does, at his size.... He can get you from anywhere. I guess you put your best defender on him and hope he has a bad game.

If I'd have known how great this was, I would've really dreamed about it and worried about it and I'd have been crushed if we hadn't gotten here.

I don't suspect that we'll score anywhere near 80 points and I don't suspect we'll make a lot of 3s. I don't think we'll get a lot of great looks because I don't think they'll let us get a lot of great looks.