Several sportscasters on American television have come and gone, but Howard William Cosell has been remembered for being his usual pompous self.
Rarely do people on American television have the ability to etch a mark on the masses by being arrogant, but sports journalist Howard William Cosell is one of them. However, it is also true that he was also not really liked by some people.
What stands out prominently in his personality is that he always acknowledged his character fallacies. Probably, this is the reason why he could be unabashedly himself. So, today we can learn a thing or two from some famous Howard Cosell quotes!
Great Howard Cosell Quotes
All-time favorite sayings by Howard Cosell!
“The importance that our society attaches to sport is incredible. After all, is football a game or a religion? The people of this country have allowed sports to get completely out of hand.” - Howard Cosell.
“Look at that little monkey run!” - Howard Cosell, 'Monday Night Football', September 24, 1973.
“This is Howard Cosell telling it like it is.” - Howard Cosell.
“Down Goes Ellis! Down Goes Ellis! He is beaten!” - Howard Cosell, On Joe Frazier knocking down Jimmy Ellis in the final round of the World Heavyweight Championship, February 16, 1970.
“There it is, ladies and gentlemen, the Bronx is burning.” - Howard Cosell, October 12, 1977.
“Arrogant, pompous, obnoxious, vain, cruel, verbose, a showoff. I have been called all of these. Of course, I am.” - Howard Cosell.
“I was infected with my desire, my resolve, to make it in broadcasting. I knew exactly what I wanted to do, and how.” - Howard Cosell.
“That little monkey gets loose, doesn't he?” - Howard Cosell, On Alvin Garrett of the Washington Redskins, September 1983.
“History will reflect that Howard Cosell was easily the dominant sportscaster of all time, and certainly the most famous.” - Howard Cosell, 'What's Wrong with Sports'.
“I'm one helluva communicator.” - Howard Cosell, 'I Never Played The Game'.
Howard Cosell Quotes About Sports
Some Howard Cosell quotes on sports, primarily boxing resonate even today!
(Given the kind of person Howard Cosell was, he was jokingly called 'Humble Howard' by fans and the media as well.)
“Had I been black and my name Cassius Clay, I would have changed it!” - Howard Cosell.
“The Rooneys are the finest people, the people I most respect in American sports ownership. I've always felt that way. And there's no reason to change. They are people of integrity and character... I have a whole transcendental feeling for the Steelers and the Rooneys and Pittsburgh.” - Howard Cosell, 1982.
“Boxing is drama on its grandest scale.” - Howard Cosell.
“After all, is football a game or a religion?” - Howard Cosell.
“Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Sonny Liston's not coming( out! Sonny Liston's not coming out! He's out! The winner and new heavyweight champion of the world is Cassius Clay!” - Howard Cosell, Announcing the victory of Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali), February 25, 1964.
“Unlike any other sport, the objective in boxing is chillingly simple: One man purposefully endeavors to inflict bodily harm on another man.” - Howard Cosell.
“The time may have come to say goodbye to Muhammad Ali because very honestly, I don't think he can beat George Foreman.” - Howard Cosell.
“Crowd screaming chanting ALI! ALI! Legends die hard and Ali is learning that even he cannot be forever young” - Howard Cosell, On Muhammad Ali's loss during the absolute twilight of his career, Ninth Round of the Penultimate Fight of Muhammad Ali vs. Larry Holmes World Heavyweight Championship, October 2, 1980.
"I was right to back Muhammad Ali, but it caused me major enmity in many areas of this nation." - Howard Cosell.
Famous Quotes By Howard Cosell
These are some of the most popular Howard Cosell quotes!
“That little monkey. The theorem was that he was too small to play in the NFL.” - Howard Cosell, Talking about Mike Adamle, Exhibition Hall of Fame Game, Fawcett Stadium, July 29, 1972.
“He's going to go all the way.” - Howard Cosell, 'Halftime Highlights', 'ABC's Monday Night Football'.
“This, we have to say it, remember this is just a football game, no matter who wins or loses.
An unspeakable tragedy, confirmed to us by ABC News in New York City: John Lennon, outside of his apartment building on the West Side of New York City, the most famous, perhaps, of all of The Beatles, shot twice in the back, rushed to Roosevelt Hospital, dead … on … arrival.” - Howard Cosell, 'Monday Night Football', December 8, 1980.
“Mommy, why does daddy cuss the TV and call it Howard?” - Howard Cosell.
“He is working Duran effectively…. and Duran must resolve from pulling in…and he does…What? Duran has quit? Roberto Duran has quit!” - Howard Cosell, On the fight between Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard, November 25, 1980.
Howard Cosell Quotes About Life
Here are some Howard Cosell quotes that relate to sports and life.
“Sports is the toy department of human life.” - Howard Cosell.
“What's right isn't always popular. What's popular isn't always right.” - Howard Cosell.
“Stand for something. Don't quest for popularity at the expense of morality and ethics and honesty.” - Howard Cosell.
“Then there is a still higher type of courage - the courage to brave pain, to live with it, to never let others know of it, and to still find joy in life; to wake up in the morning with an enthusiasm for the day ahead.” - Howard Cosell.
“Sports is human life in microcosm.” - Howard Cosell.
“The ultimate victory in competition is derived from the inner satisfaction of knowing that you have done your best and that you have gotten the most out of what you had to give.” - Howard Cosell.
“The people of this country have allowed sports to get completely out of hand.” - Howard Cosell.
Quotes on Howard Cosell
Famous personalities have praised Howard Cosell. Let's see how!
“One of the best ones out there was a guy named Howard Cosell. He was the best.” - Larry Holmes.
“That's the biggest problem with boxing in the United States. They do not promote it like they used to when it used to be Howard Cosell and they showed it on 'Wide World of Sports.' Everybody knew all the fighters. Everybody was looking forward to the year when the Olympics came on.” - Evander Holyfield.
“Sometimes Howard [Cosell] makes me wish I was a dog and he was a fireplug.” - Muhammad Ali.
“I wanted to be Red Barber, Mel Allen, or Howard Cosell. I loved their personalities and all of their sounds.” - John C. McGinley.
“Every person working in sports journalism today owes a tremendous debt to Howard Cosell. His greatest contribution was elevating sports reporting out of daily play-by-play and placing it in the larger context of society.” - Roone Arledge.
“There have always been mixed emotions about Howard Cosell: Some people hate him like poison, and other people just hate him regular.” - Buddy Hackett.
"Historian (showing a tape of Howard Cosell): At first we didn't know exactly what this was, but we've developed a theory. We feel that when citizens in your society were guilty of a crime against the state, they were forced to watch this.
Miles Monroe: Yes. That's exactly what that was."
- Woody Allen, 'Sleeper', 1973.
