Quotes by Mike Hamilton

“When you look at programs like Nebraska, Oklahoma and Florida State and Ohio State and others and you see the retired numbers there, we felt like this was a logical progression that we needed to really consider. We have a great football heritage, and maybe we need to start recognizing that more so.”

“[Pearl] thinks that will energize the crowd. We want to help the basketball coach, and I think the students want to help the basketball coach.”

“The preliminary plan ... was to add four to five rows in those door areas, about 60 to 70 seats in each corner. Weve got to see about the viability of that. We still have to have an 8-foot clearance for fans to walk out and it has to be approved by the fire marshal.”

“We have been blessed with great tradition - established by having a great University, great coaches and great players. In establishing a set of criteria with extremely high standards, these three stood out among the rest. Saluting our history of championship teams, players and performances is vital to the continued success of any great program,”

“UT has had a lot of outstanding athletes. We are constantly looking for new ways to recognize these young men for their contributions to our program. This is one way we acknowledge all they have done, and continue to do, for the University.”

“Were not living in the middle of that every day. Its life. There are folks in Baton Rouge who are having to deal with circumstances that hopefully none of us will ever have to deal with personally. Thats what makes it touchy.”

“Pending any unforeseen circumstances, I dont anticipate that changing,”

“Playing it in the day would allow fans to get there and then drive wherever they needed to drive to find a hotel room,”

“We can build on this. We will probably continue to have some type of basketball lettermens reunion every year. It might not be this same formal process where theyre recognized at a football game, but it might be at a basketball game.”

“This will be a great series for our team and our fans, and it continues our model of playing major interconference rivals that bring national attention to our program,”