Eddy Alvarez

“When athletes disrespect the flag and say things about their country that's not prideful, it really hurts me because of the situation that I've had to see my family go through.”

“In speed skating, we want to have the strongest, most powerful lower half of the body and don't want to have any weight on top.”

“I'm full of life.”

“You name it, I've been everywhere in the U.S.”

“I'm as optimistic as I possibly can be.”

“I didn't know if I was gonna make the Olympic roster, but just to be part of that journey to get to the Olympics and inevitably win a medal - even if I wasn't a part of the roster, knowing that I had a part in it, I would have been so content.”

“It was the first time I'd picked up a bat and ball in three years, and it turned out to be a breakout season for me. I was named to the All-Conference team and nominated for All-American.”

“I don't think anyone should be put into a box, nor should you allow yourself to be put into that box.”

“The silver medal is incredible, because we worked so hard for so many years. Sacrificing, absolutely demolishing our bodies for hours a day, 11 months a year, years on end.”

“I was just cruising around the streets of South Beach and got scouted. Two ladies stopped my parents and said, 'This kid needs to try the sport of inline speed skating,' so I did and I remember falling in love with it and the thrill of racing.”

“To be honest, I feel like just an average human being.”

“At some times, my first go-round in the Olympics got a little overwhelming.”

“Baseball, once I got to the Major Leagues, I told myself, 'Now it's begun.'”

“I feel like if I look back at my career, that's all I've ever done is fail.”

“Skating is much more of an individual sport, and then there is a team event once the team is picked.”

“We all deal with our inner pessimist. We just try to find as much positivity as we can find.”

“There's a lot of sacrifices I've made in this life, in my athletic career.”

“Once I retired from skating, never in my wildest dreams did I think I would have the chance to come back to the Olympics.”

“At the Olympics, once I got there it was more about the full experience and skating to the best of my ability.”

“It's a tough pill to swallow, when you come so close to winning and you fall short.”