Athletic Leadership Quotes

Look at France and Didier Deschamps; he was just a guy who just did his job but he was captain of one of France's most successful teams. Then you've got Iker Casillas; he's not into PR or things like that, but he's one of the most successful captains of Spain.

I've got the opportunity to manage a big football club, a seriously big football club, and I wasn't going to turn that down.

Coaching in college is not a right. It's a privilege.

Throughout my entire life, I've always been a captain. I was the captain of my high school team. I was the captain at Oklahoma State University. I was the captain of the 2008 Olympic team.

My main influence was my father. He was a great high school coach. I thought one day, if I got lucky, I could be a head high school coach.

I think that sports, particularly football, gave me an opportunity to be out front, to be a leader, which helped me later on, when I got into politics.

I do like Peyton Manning. I mean, you can't lose with a guy like that - especially with the amount of touchdowns he's been able to produce.

I'd rather be a football coach. That way you only lose eleven games a year.

Why does everyone always assume the quarterback is the leader?

As I've said, basketball has been, I think, a real cooperative venture. There have been a lot of people that have been involved in it: coaches, administrators - not recently - fans and nobody, nobody any more so than students over the years.

Well, I think it's pretty much established that I just didn't have any interest in coaching in the pros.

The leadership aspect of U.S.A. basketball has really helped me out a lot.

I don't want to be a Major League coach.

I wanted the opportunity to play for Tom Osborne. Here we are in the locker room at half-time, gathering around Coach Osborne. It grows quiet, and I'll never forget what he said. He said, 'Let's get this over with.'

Peyton Manning is a true leader. A legend. I love the way he is always in control. You never see him too frustrated, never see him too happy.

I must have been a failed football coach in a previous incarnation.

You hit .350 you're a leader. You hit .250 and you're not.

I've been the captain of my wrestling team, my college team, so to me, I've been in that leadership role for a very long time.

I think I always naturally lead on the court by just working.

You coach to coach. You don't coach to satisfy media, satisfy fans.

I am who I am. In the end, I feel that what I'm accountable for is doing a good job as a football coach.

But I noted with real satisfaction how well ex-footballers seemed to have leadership qualifications . . . I believe that football, perhaps more than any other sport, tends to instill in men the feeling that victory comes through hard - almost slavish - work, team play, self-confidence, and an enthusiasm that amounts to dedication.

When you lose a good player, it's like losing a quarterback.

He reminds me of Michael Jordan. "You look and they have similar games where they want to lead their team to victory, no matter if they have to shoot the ball every time or if they have to rebound or pass, they're going to find a way to win." I've always said that Kobe Bryant is the best scorer in our game today and he's definitely proving himself.

Quarterbacks are leaders; it is what it is.