Bret Boone quotes of interest

It's pretty clear that Bret Boone will be the most colourful sports figure in Victoria this year -- if not in the city's entire sports history.  Adjectives like "brash", "opinionated" and "outspoken" fail to adequately describe him.  To get a better idea of just how much fun it will be to have Boonie holding court at Royal Athletic Park this summer, check out the following quotes.

All of these quotes were uttered by "The Boone" himself:

• “I don't know where my brain was. Somewhere it never was before. Well, I'm back from outer space.”
• “Everybody is playing like [doo doo].”
• “I'm not like Ichiro. I don't polish my glove every day.”
• “Usually when I don't talk to him too much, it's a good thing.”
• “I played this game too long and did a lot of good things to go out like that. I played my way out and I didn't want to go out that way. I wanted to go out on my own terms.”
• “He's still playing, and I'm not?”

Obviously he's quite a character... but don't take my word for it.  Consider the quotes from those who know him well:

• “I don’t know if it’s a good memory or a bad one,” Ichiro Suzuki said. “But when I first came over to play in the United States, I had had a few teammates from the U.S. who had played on my team in Japan. So I had somewhat of an idea of what American players would be like.  But when I met him, he was kind of a human being that you would never meet in Japan. So, whenever I was around him, I almost felt like I was witnessing a creature, not a human being. It was fun for me to watch him.” - Ichiro, speaking about his recollections of Bret Boone.
• “I thought (Bret Boone) was the all-time greatest, but (Pedroia) tops him by far. I’ve never, ever seen anyone talk as much (crap) as he does.” - Mike Cameron on the best trash talker of all-time, Dustin Pedroia.
• "Bret Boone is either the most likeable cocky guy I've ever met, or the cockiest likeable guy." - Jim Caple, ESPN.
• "What I do know is that few players have ever spoken as lovingly and intelligently about baseball as Boonie. You could sit next to his locker forever talking ball (as well as about how great a player Boone considered himself)." - Jim Caple, ESPN

By the way, there are only 57 days until the Seals' home opener.