When Dennis Rodman met Kim Jong-un
“[Kim] is like his grandfather and his father, who are great leaders, he is an awesome kid, very honest and loves his wife so much" – basketball star Rodman on his visit to reclusive communist country North Korea to shoot a sports documentary
“His country likes him — not like him, love him... Guess what, I love him. The guy’s really awesome... [he's got] a friend for life" - more from Rodman
"Clearly you've got the regime spending money to wine and dine foreign visitors, when they should be feeding their own people. So, this isn't really a time for business as usual at the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea)" – US State Department deputy spokesman Patrick Ventrell disavows any connection with Rodman's trip
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Beckham-mania
"At my age, I don't expect to have a starting position in the XI but it is what you always want as a player. I am proud to be part of this team and was proud to be out there but I will take it step by step and as long as I can come on and make a difference, I would love to that." - David Beckham after his debut for PSG, a cameo performance from the bench.
"It's always nice to start. I really enjoy playing in this team, with special players like these." - Beckham again, three days later, after a very solid showing in his first start for PSG in a Cup match.
"You said it: we signed him only to take pictures, to set news conference and sell shirts. It's up to you to judge. You, the experts, who know football." - PSG's director of football Leonardo lashes out at the French press.
"He played a very good game. He showed that he can play. I think that he did not look like he was 37 tonight." - PSG coach Carlo Ancelotti also rubs press noses in it, if a little more gently.
"His romance with the Parc des Princes continued and swelled new hopes. Without being great but with a great work rate, the Englishman played in front of the defence and erased all the doubts that greeted his signature with PSG... With stars you do not seek; you find." - French newspaper Le Parisien gives its verdict on Beckham, a view shared by just about every news outlet in France.
"Beckham has made a lucrative career out of the shrewd understanding that the surface matters. It is not rocket science. But watching him schmooze with such blissful ease – and seeing so obviously beneficial a result - it makes you wonder why so few of his peers have appreciated the value of adopting communication skills as acute as his." - our own blogger Jim White gives a fascinating analysis of Beckham's ability to make his new audience in France feel good about themselves.
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Benitez goes bonkers
"I have a title, someone decided the title would be interim. Why? Just in case... It was surprise for me, interim. I have a contract to the end of the season, I said before I have to do my job, that's it but this group with [their] agenda they carry on and I think it is wrong because it is bad for the team... Someone decided and I think that was mistake. It's very clear, I don't know who, but it was mistake. Everybody is interim, because after you there is another one. In this case they didn't have anyone so why did they put interim? It's just to say to everyone that he was in Liverpool and then just in case we will put interim and then we wash our hands." - Rafa Benitez lashes out at his employers at Chelsea for making it clear that he wouldn't be in the job for long immediately that he took over. It's hard to anyone imagined anything other than that, however.
"A group of fans, they are not making any favour to the team and they are singing and wasting time preparing banners... I will leave at the end of the season so they do not need to waste time with me, they have to concentrate on supporting the team." - Benitez also found time to have a go at the club's fans. That sound you hear is the clunk of a man's respect in the workplace hitting rock bottom.
"It's business as usual." - Chelsea issue an official reaction to Benitez's rant which says everything. Team on the rocks? War in the dressing room? Manager about to be fired? Of course it's business as usual.
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Violence!
Floyd Mayweather Sr
"I don't give a f*** how old his daddy is, if he get out of line, I'll kick his ass. So my son gonna kick "The Ghost" ass and if his daddy get out of line, I'm gonna kick his ass." - Floyd Mayweather Sr begins a war of words with Ruben Guerrero, Robert's father, ahead of the Mayweather v Guerrero fight in Las Vegas on May 4.
"I'm ready to go. We're ready. However they want to do it, let's do it. It don't even have to be in the MGM, we can do it in the parking lot. I never lost a fight in the street and I never lost a fight in boxing. He better be ready. I don't f*** around. I'm from the barrio holmes. I've been shot, I've been stabbed, I've been everything... I'll kick his f***ing ass, him and his son. I can meet both of them in the parking lot. I don't need Robert. I'll kick both of their f***ing asses. I'm 30-0 in the barrio, knocking fools out. I'm undefeated in street-fighting. I'm a street fighter bro. " - Ruben Guerrero's response.
"It's a crime. It's not the first time Cadu has committed such a foul and I'm curious what his punishment will be." - Viorel Hizo, coach of Bulgarian side Vaslui, on the most shocking foul of the season so far by Cadu. Bulgaria international Zhivko Milanov had five teeth knocked out in the challenge, which you can see here.
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What's up with Rory?
"I'm not in a great place mentally. I can't really say much, guys. I'm just in a bad place mentally” – Rory McIlroy after walking out of the second round of the Honda Classic
"It began bothering me again last night, so I relieved it with Advil. It was very painful again this morning, and I was simply unable to concentrate. It was really bothering me and had begun to affect my playing partners" – McIlroy comes up with another reason for quitting after the US PGA Tour's official twitter feed claimed he withdrew "with severe wisdom tooth pain affecting concentration"
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Simpering sycophant of the week
"He's a big hero of mine, if I'm honest... He's not going to be put off by an idiot like me." - Joe Hart on his critical penalty save against Frank Lampard during the Manchester City v Chelsea match last week.
Crashing idiot of the week
"So, Mo, have you run before?" - a news anchorwoman for a local TV station in New Orleans asks Olympic 5,000m and 10,000m champion Mo Farah about his victory in the New Orleans Half Marathon.
Pull-her-down-as-soon-as-she's-up-there coach of the week
"She probably hasn't got the raw speed yet that Vicky had. Vicky, in her top flight, was incredible. Vicky was born with it. She had a gift; she could pedal at a great cadence. You can't compare the two. Maybe in six years' time. Vicky goes down in my book as one of the legends of the women's sprint." - British cycling coach Shane Sutton puts Becky James in her place by comparing her to the retired Victoria Pendleton. The comment came despite James having won four medals at the Track Cycling World Championships in Minsk, one more than Pendleton ever managed at a world championships.
Tragedy of the week
"Tom had all the looks and talent on earth without an arrogant bone in his body." - Surrey Cricket Club's physio Alex Tyson pays tribute to Tom Maynard at this week's inquest into his death last summer when he was hit by a tube train. Tests showed Maynard was four times over the drink drive limit, had recently taken cocaine and had regularly used cocaine and ecstasy in the months leading up to his tragic death.