Whether it’s a tie game or down by 1 or up by five, it was always the same shot. So I always felt comfortable with the ball in my hands because it was in there a million times before.
LARRY BIRDYou can make all the excuses you want, but if you’re not mentally tough and you’re not prepared to play every night, you’re not going to win.
More Larry Bird Quotes
-
-
I like being by myself.
LARRY BIRD -
I think a lot of blue collar people related to me because a lot of people work for their money.
LARRY BIRD -
I’ve always been interested in jobs in the NBA. But I’ve been in this for 20 years and it might be time to do something else.
LARRY BIRD -
There are many times when you are better off practicing than playing; but most people just don’t understand that
LARRY BIRD -
When I was young, I never wanted to leave the court until I got things exactly correct. My dream was to become a pro.
LARRY BIRD -
It makes me sick when I see a guy just stare at a loose ball and watch it go out of bounds.
LARRY BIRD -
The nature of competition is such that any number of people invariably have their eyes on the same prize you do. Recognize your assets and employ them to the best of your ability.
LARRY BIRD -
I don’t know if I practiced more than anybody, but I sure practiced enough. I still wonder if somebody – somewhere – was practicing more than me.
LARRY BIRD -
I wasn’t real quick, and I wasn’t real strong. Some guys will just take off and it’s like, whoa. So I beat them with my mind and my fundamentals.
LARRY BIRD -
If you tell a teammate you’re ready to play as tough as you’re able to, you’d better go out there and do it.
LARRY BIRD -
Players will see right through a phony. And they can tell when you’re not giving it all you’ve got.
LARRY BIRD -
I had control of the ball. As a coach you sort of put the ball in other player’s hands and let them make decisions for you. But I still get a kick out of winning basketball games and that’s what I’m in this for.
LARRY BIRD -
You can make all the excuses you want, but if you’re not mentally tough and you’re not prepared to play every night, you’re not going to win.
LARRY BIRD -
Once you are labeled ‘the best’ you want to stay up there, and you can’t do it by loafing around.
LARRY BIRD -
When it gets down to it, basketball is basketball.
LARRY BIRD -
I knew I was as good as anybody. That’s not really bragging; it’s just that I’d put the time in.
LARRY BIRD -
You’re all playin’ for second place.
LARRY BIRD -
If there was a payment to the bank due, and we needed shoes, she’d get the shoes, and then deal with them guys at the bank. I don’t mean she wouldn’t pay the bank, but the children always came first.
LARRY BIRD -
My name’s been on this check for a week now.
LARRY BIRD -
I mean, the greatest athletes in the world are African-American.
LARRY BIRD -
Coaches can talk and talk and talk about something, but if you get it on tape and show it to them, it is so much more effective.
LARRY BIRD -
As far as playing, I didn’t care who guarded me – red, yellow, black. I just didn’t want a white guy guarding me, because it’s disrespect to my game.
LARRY BIRD -
Practice habits were crucial to my development in basketball.
LARRY BIRD -
The more you win, the better you’re gonna get. It grows on itself.
LARRY BIRD -
What’s better? Dogs or broomsticks? I mean will the world really ever know?
LARRY BIRD -
Basketball has been my life and I worked at it so hard because I enjoyed it so much.
LARRY BIRD