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Bobby Knight Quotes

Basketball Coach

Bobby Knight, born on October 25, 1940, is a renowned basketball coach. He has a high reputation in the basketball world and has coached at the University of Kentucky and the University of Texas, leading his teams to multiple NCAA championships.

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Famous Bobby Knight Quotes

“You are never going to be driven anywhere worthwhile, but you sure as hell drive yourself to a lot of great places. It is up to you to drive yourself there.”

Hell Driven Worthwhile Up To You

Author:Bobby Knight

“At one point, I said to the officials that you guys haven't called walking for 20 years, now you don't know what it is. When you call walking, you're about half right.”

Knows Years Said Guy Half Havens Walking Officials

Author:Bobby Knight

“I think that we as a people are always prone to think about, well, tomorrow will be a better day. Well, why will it be a better day? And I think the more that we believe in doing things better, doing the right thing rather than hoping that that's going to happen, let's make it happen.”

People Thinking Believe Wells Happens Tomorrow Right Thing Make It Happen Doing The Right Thing Better Days

Author:Bobby Knight

“When I first started coaching, one of the worst things that I think I heard was 'It will be O.K.' I would wonder, 'How the hell is it going to be O.K.?' The worst word in the English language is 'hope.'”

Thinking Firsts Language Wonder Hell Heard Worst Coaching Worst Things English Language

Author:Bobby Knight

“We've gotten into this situation where integrity is really lacking and that's why I'm glad I'm not coaching. You see we've got a coach at Kentucky who put two schools on probation and he's still coaching. I really don't understand that.”

Stills Two School Situation Integrity Coaches Glad Coaching Lacking Kentucky Probation

Author:Bobby Knight

“I don't believe in luck, I believe in preparation.”

Believe I Believe Luck Don't Believe I Believe In Preparation

Author:Bobby Knight

“I was worried about losing until I looked down the floor and saw Dale Brown. Then I knew we had a chance.”

Chance Saws Losing Worried Brown

Author:Bobby Knight

“Victory favors the team making the fewest mistakes.”

Mistake Team Victory Favors

Book:The Power of Negative Thinking: An Unconventional Approach to Achieving Positive Results

Source: The Power of Negative Thinking: An Unconventional Approach to Achieving Positive Results

“There are times when my passion for basketball led me into confrontations that I could have handled a lot better. I've always been too confrontational, especially when I know I'm right.”

Knows Passion Basketball My Passion Confrontation

Author:Bobby Knight

“If universities want to save a little money, they ought to make some cutbacks in administration and in faculty people who teach one class a week.”

People Ifs Want Littles Class Teach Week Ought Basketball University Administration Faculty Little Money Cutbacks

Author:Bobby Knight

“I'm not sure that an athlete is prepared to be a role model. He has a lot of attention paid to him that he shouldn't have, and then the athletes tend to think of themselves as better than they are.”

Thinking Attention Roles Basketball Models Paid Prepared Athlete Not Sure Role Models

Author:Bobby Knight

“Basketball may have been invented in Massachusetts, but it was made for Indiana.”

May Has Beens Made Basketball Indiana Massachusetts

Author:Bobby Knight

“I would rather be thought of as a teacher than a coach.”

Teacher Coaches

Author:Bobby Knight

“You play ball against yourself; your opponent is your potential.”

Play Sports Balls Opponents

Author:Bobby Knight

“I think the ability to motivate might be interpreted as the ability to lead, or to show people their goals or, perhaps more important, what their potential is - as a person as well as a player. You've got to show players that being part of a team will carry over to the experience of becoming part of society.”

People Thinking Wells Persons Important Shows Might Sports Goal Ability Player Team Becoming

Author:Bobby Knight

“Don't fight the rabbits. If you fight the rabbits, the elephants are going to kill you.”

Ifs Fighting Sports Elephants Rabbits

Author:Bobby Knight

“It has always been my thought that the most important single ingredient to success in athletics or life is discipline. I have many times felt that this word is the most ill-defined in all of our language. My definition isas follows: 1. Do what has to be done; 2. When it has to be done; 3. As well as it can be done; and 4. Do it it that way all the time.”

Way Wells Important Done Life Is Language Felt Sports Leadership Discipline Ill Definitions Defined Ingredients My Thoughts Athletics

Author:Bobby Knight

“My overall point is that 'one and dones' are not healthy for college basketball. I should not have made it personal to Kentucky and its players and I apologize.”

Should Made Done Player College Healthy Basketball Made It Apologizing Kentucky I Apologize College Basketball

Author:Bobby Knight

“Discipline is knowing what to do. Knowing when to do it. Doing it to the best of your abilities. Doing it that way every single time.”

Way Ability Knowing Discipline Knowing What To Do

Author:Bobby Knight

About the Author

Born: October 25, 1940
Known for: Basketball Coach
Quotes: 119

Books & Sources

The Power of Negative Thinking: An Unconventional Approach to Achieving Positive ResultsRelated source material

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