Eat, sleep, breathe Basketball .: "I learned early that if I wanted to achieve anything in life, I'd have to do it myself. I learned that I had to be accountable."

I'm not out there sweating for three hours every day just to find out what it feels like to sweat.. I play to win, whether during practice or a real game. And I will not let anything get in the way of me and my competitive enthusiasm to win. I have no individual goals. We play for one reason and that's to win the title. Practice is more important than the games, and I will practice when I'm hurt, when 95 percent of the players in this league would sit out. I expect all of you to do the same thing. You will follow my lead.

"If what you have done yesterday still looks big to you. You haven't done much today."-- Coach K.

"Nothing will work unless you do." -- John Wooden

"I've always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come. I don't do things half-heartedly. Because I know if I do, then I can expect half-hearted results."-- MJ

"Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen."--MJ

"My attitude is that if you push me towards something that you think is a weakness, then I will turn that perceived weakness into a strength."--MJ

"Be strong in body, clean in mind, lofty in ideals." -- James Naismith

Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today. --James Dean

"Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Until your good is better and your better is best." -- Tim Duncan

"They say that nobody is perfect. Then they tell you practice makes perfect. I wish they'd make up their minds." -- Wilt Chamberlain

"You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them."--MJ

"People ask me if I could fly, I said, "yeah.... for a little while."--MJ

"A guy who gives you less than what he has to give is, one, telling you what he thinks of you, and two, telling you what he thinks of himself." -- Pete Carill

"Never underestimate the heart of a champion." - Rudy Tomjanovich

"Don't go to the grave with life unused." - Bobby Bowden

"In my enthusiasm and intensity I will often push people to the limits of their capabilities -- and that must entail a certain degree of risk. The great thing is that the risk pays off when that person suddenly finds something in themselves they didn't know was there."--Sir Georg Solti

Those who risk nothing risk being nothing.

Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you.

The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking places.

Sir Charles Barkley, The Round Mound of Rebound

Making the NBA's All-Interview Team for each of his last 13 seasons in the league,

"I was asked for years about being a Republican, probably because most black people are Democrats. My mother heard it once and called me and said "Charles, Republicans are for the rich people." And I said, "Mom, I'm rich."

"I am not a role model. I am paid to wreak havoc on the basketball court. Parents should be role models. Just because I dunk a basketball doesn't mean I should raise your kids."

"I don't care what people think. people are stupid."

"What does politically correct mean? If you're fat, don't ask me if you're fat, because I'm gonna tell you the truth. You're fat."

"Sometimes that light at the end of the tunnel is a train."

"We don't need refs, but I guess white guys need something to do."

"If I weren't earning $3 million a year to dunk a basketball, most people on the street would run in the other direction if they saw me coming."

"Kids are great. That's one of the best things about our business, all the kids you get to meet. It's a shame they have to grow up to be regular people and come to the games and call you names."

"I got pulled over when I was behind the wheel of a Porsche in Philly once for what we call DWB - Driving While Black."

"I don't how anybody taller than 6-4 can sit in those seats. And the airline executives don't give a damn 'cause they never walk back there in the first place. I don't fly first class because I have a lot of money. I do it because I need the room."

"Any time a little midget does something like this, you gotta give him a 10 (regarding a Nate Robinson dunk at All-Star weekend)!."

"Thank God for Jerry Springer's show. I thought only black folks were that screwed up until I watched Jerry Springer."

"I came to the realization a couple months ago that I am fat. If you get tired from walking - and that's all that golf is - then you are officially fat."

“You know it's going to hell when the best rapper out there is white and the best golfer is black.”

“If somebody hits you with an object you should beat the hell out of them.”

Sunday, February 22, 2009

"I learned early that if I wanted to achieve anything in life, I'd have to do it myself. I learned that I had to be accountable."

Just watched the BOS-PHX game, 128-108. The key is defense. If you just trade basket for basket, you won't win, no matter how talented or athletic you may be. I love the PHX Suns but I respect Boston's gameplan and mentality. Although PHX had steals, they gave up too many OFF boards. It was unfortunate to watch after a while. Plus, the announcers kept on noting how rondo's having the best scoring game of his career. He's good but when you play PHX who never defend and score like 32 on 13-18, then yea who are you kidding? Plus Ray allen shot 10-15 for 31. It was real unlikely to score 140+ against BOS this time, plus when PHX scored 140+ in their last 3 games, it was against lower level teams, LAC and OKH. Defense is not playing with your hands but its playing with good feet. Effort and intelligence make up good defense. Of course fast break ball is fun to watch but I've grown to appreciate half court more. Just how often are you gonna try to outscore them? Look at former defensive player of the yr's GP (PG), MJ (SG), Ben Wallace (4x center) and their mentalities. You need skills to play offense but defense cna bring out the best in players who don't jump as high, etc. You need intelligence, quickness, desire, will and mental toughness. You gotta want to play d, and make your opponent ineffective and you need to shut them down.