Quotes from Alex Spanos

We had to take off our shoes after school to save wear on the soles.

My greatest success story has been my family.

All my kids have worked in the family business. I've been successful at that. My family knows how to work. We all started working very young.

When you're winning, you're a hero. When you're losing, you're a bum... I'm as bad as the fans, believe me. If they only knew how I hate losing and what we go through to try to win.

Nobody who knows me would believe this, but I was always the life of the party. Oh, how I loved to sing and dance, and we had good times. Good clean fun it was, too.

My great frustration is that, more and more, my memories come and go, and friends all my life are not recognized. Many of the things I say and do, I can no longer remember even right afterwards.

I like to think I am the best there is at what I do, and so I have conquered the world like Alexander. But I don't believe I am the reincarnation of Alexander the Great.

My construction business represents 10 or 20 times what I'll ever invest in football. But from the moment I bought the Chargers, I would become forever known as the owner of that NFL franchise.

I'm a screamer and a yeller. When I want something, all I do is yell, and I get responses.

I was on the field praising quarterback Dan Fouts during a ceremony to retire his number. Boos began shaking the stadium. It was a moment of misery like I'd never experienced before. Afterward, dejection hung over me for days.

I've studied the lives of the 20th century's great businessmen and concluded self-confidence was instrumental in all their success.

The best way to learn is by doing. The only way to build a strong work ethic is getting your hands dirty.