Quotes by Larry Bird

“This is a silly place. Half the world has no clean water. The other half has so much that they pooh in it.”

“Leadership is getting players to believe in you. 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. Players will see right through a phony....”

“While day by day the overzealous student stores up facts for future use, he who has learned to trust nature finds need for ever fewer external directions. He will discard formula after formula, unt...”

“I really don't like talking about money. All I can say is that the Good Lord must have wanted me to have it.”

“Leadership is diving for a loose ball, getting the crowd involved, getting other players involved. It's being able to take it as well as dish it out. That's the only way you're going to get respect...”

“I have really enjoyed coaching. It's a great experience. Every player should have the chance to do it. The problem is, I'm not that good at it.”

“Well, I don't worry about ratings. I'm trying to win a ballgame right now. Whatever it takes to win a ballgame, we're going to do it. If it takes a four-hour game, that's what we have to do.”

“I'm a firm believer in that you play the way you practice.”

“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.”

“I hate to lose more than I like to win.”

“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.”

“There is nothing better than being out there when the game is on the line; only now, I get to see what my players will do. How will they react? Retirement is fine for some people, but I got bored. ...”

“I was always making decisions and they were easier decisions because I had control of the game, I had control of the ball. As a coach you sort of put the ball in other player's hands and let them m...”

“I know the rigors of the NBA and what these guys can expect. I know my job is to prepare them, to get them in shape. We'll find a good offense and a good defense. And then let's do it.”

“I wanted to compete at the highest level again - and that's the NBA.”

“When thou was a player, I didn't expect my teammates to play the way I did. I did expect them to work hard hard every day and get better. And I never learned anything by losing.”

“It's unbelievable. But I've never been to a pro football game. I've never been to a pro hockey game, either. I guess I'm not much of a sports fan.”

“I don't miss it at all. I'm glad I'm out.”

“Basketball has been my life and I worked at it so hard because I enjoyed it so much.”