QUOTES OF  THE  DAY

  More Inspirational Quotes

• The key to being a good manager is keeping the people who hate me away from those who are still undecided. Casey Stengel

• "I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." -Michael Jordan

• Work like you don't need the money.
  Love like you've never been hurt.
  And dance like no one is watching.

• "I give the same halftime speech over and over.  It works best when my players are better than the other coach's players."   Chuck Mills

• A few mistakes don't worry me; what worries me is when you make mistakes and then forget about your role on the team and start to worry about your ego.  Digger Phelps - Notre Dame basketball coach.
• The winners in life think constantly in terms of I can, I will, and I am. Losers, on the other hand, concentrate their waking thoughts on what they should have or would have done, or what they can’t do. Dennis Waitley
• Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration. Thomas Edison
• Its very dangerous to have your self-worth riding on your results as an athlete.  Jim Courier, professional tennis player
• I thought about losing, especially when I was just starting out ...  After I won the title, I didn't worry about it any more.  I knew that if I kept on fighting, (someday) someone would come along and take this title away from me, but not this guy, not tonight.   Joe Louis "The Brown Bomber" - world champion boxer
• I learned that the only way you are going to get ahead in life is to work hard at it. Whether you are a musician, a writer, an athlete, or in business, there’s no getting around it. If you do you’ll win. If you don’t, you won’t. Bruce Jenner – Olympic athlete
• When written in Chinese, the word crisis is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity. John F. Kennedy
• God put me on this earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now I am so far behind, I will live forever. Unknown
• If you are strong enough and bold enough to follow your dreams then you will find success - Oprah Winfrey
• To the world you just might be one person, but to one person you just might be the world. Unknown
• Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity. Louis Pasteur, scientist (1822-1895)
• Success is relative. It is what we can make of the mess we've made of things. T.S. Elliott
• I expect them to try their best, because if nobody demands it of them they'll be mediocre. Doctor Rick Montz on Hopkins-24/7 Sept. 13, 2000
• The secret of happiness is not in doing what one likes, but in liking what one does. James M. Barrie
• Trust is the highest form of human motivation - writer Steven Covey
• To be somebody, you must last. Ruth Gordon - actress of "Harold and Maude" fame
• It's not about beating the other guy, it's about having fun. But nothing is more fun than beating the other guy. Marc Crawford - hockey coach
• Every great batter works on the theory that the pitcher is more afraid of him than he is of the pitcher. Ty Cobb - baseball great
• Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things... I am tempted to think... There are no little things. Bruce Barton
• Anonymous Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened. Billy Graham
• Triumph is "umph" added to try. Anonymous

For all the Moms on Mother's Day

• My Mom taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE: "If you're going to kill each other, do it outside - I just finished cleaning!"
  
• My Mom taught me RELIGION: "You better pray that will come out of the carpet."
  
• My Mom taught me about TIME TRAVEL: "If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"
  
• My Mom taught me LOGIC: "Because I said so, that's why."
  
• My Mom taught me FORESIGHT: "Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."
  
• My Mom taught me IRONY: "Keep laughing and I'll give you something to cry about."
  
• My Mom taught me about the science of OSMOSIS: "Shut your mouth and eat your supper!"
  
• My Mom taught me about CONTORTIONIST: "Will you look just look at the dirt on the back of your neck?"
  
• My Mom taught me about STAMINA: "You'll sit there until all that spinach is finished."
  
• My Mom taught me about WEATHER: "It looks as if a tornado went through your room."
  
• My Mom taught me how to solve PHYSICS PROBLEMS: "If I yelled because I saw a meteor coming toward you, would you listen then?"
  
• My Mom taught me about HYPOCRISY: "If I've told you once, I've told you a million times - Don't Exaggerate!!!"
  
• My Mom taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION: "Stop acting like your father!"
  
• My Mom taught me about taking RESPONSIBILITY for my actions: "If you fall out of that tree and break both legs, don't come running to me!"
  
• I remember many of these Quotes. How about you?
  
  Enjoy a Happy Mother's Day and God Bless.
  

More Rules for Life:

• Any and all compliments can be handled by simply saying "Why, thank you" (though it helps if you say it with a Southern accent). 
  
• Some people are working backstage, some are playing in the orchestra, some are on stage singing, some are in the audience as critics and some are there to applaud. Know who and where you are. 
  
• When baking, follow directions. When cooking, go by your own taste.  
  
• Never continue dating anyone who is rude to the waiter and doesn't like dogs/cats. 
  
• You need only two tools. WD-40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and it should, use WD-40. If it moves and shouldn't, use the tape. 
  
• The five most essential words for a healthy, vital relationship: "I apologize" and "You are right. "
  
• Everyone seems normal until you get to know them. 
  
• When you make a mistake, make amends immediately. It's easier to eat crow while it's still warm. 
  
• The only really good advice that I remember my mother ever gave me was "Go! You might meet somebody! "
  
• If he/she says that you are too good for him/her - believe it. 
  
• I've learned to pick my battles; I ask myself, Will this matter one year from now? How about one month? One week? One day? 
  
• If you woke up breathing, congratulations! You have another chance! 
  
• Living well really is the best revenge.  Being miserable because of a bad or former relationship just might mean that the other person was right about you. 
  
• Knowing how to listen to music is as great a talent as knowing how to make it.  
  
• Work is good but it's not that important. 
  
• Never underestimate the kindness of your fellow man. 
  
• And finally. . . Be really nice to your friends. You never know when you are going to need them to empty your bedpan. 

I Hope You Dance

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,
May you never take one single breath for granted,
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed,
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance...

I hope you dance....I hope you dance.

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,
Never settle for the path of least resistance,
Livin' might mean takin' chances but they're worth takin',
Lovin' might be a mistake but it's worth makin',
Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter,
When you come close to sellin' out reconsider,
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I hope you dance....I hope you dance.

(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along,
Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone.)

I hope you dance....I hope you dance.

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean, 
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

Dance....I hope you dance.

I hope you dance....I hope you dance.

(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along,
Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone)

(Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone.)

Lee Ann Womack (http://www.leeannwomack.com/)

More Amazing Sports Quotes 
(Did he really say that?)

• 1982 Chuck Nevitt , North Carolina State basketball player, explaining to Coach Jim Valvano why he appeared nervous at practice: "My sister's expecting a baby, and I don't know if I'm going to be an uncle or an aunt."
  
• 1996 Lou Duva, Veteran boxing trainer, on the Spartan training regimen of heavyweight Andrew Golota: "He's a guy who gets up at six o'clock in the morning regardless of what time it is."
  
• 1981 Tommy Lasorda , Dodger manager, asked what terms Mexican-born pitching sensation Fernando Valenzuela might settle for in his upcoming contract negotiations: "He wants Texas back."
  
• 1976 Alex Hawkins, recalling his playing days against Dick Butkus: "Whenever they gave him the game ball, he ate it."
  
• 1966 Darrell Royal, Texas football coach, asked if the abnormal number of Longhorn injuries this season resulted from poor physical conditioning: "One player was lost because he broke his nose. How do you go about getting a nose in condition for football?"
  
• 1981 Mike McCormack , coach of the hapless Baltimore 
  Colts after the team's co-captain, offensive guard Robert 
  Pratt, pulled a hamstring running onto the field for the coin
  toss against St. Louis: "I'm going to send the injured reserve players out for the toss next time."
  
• 1966 Red Auerbach, the Boston Celtics' general manager, asked if he had any criticism of Bill Russell's coaching: "He has the players too happy."
  
• 1971 Mike Lucci, Detroit Lion linebacker, on his three key interceptions against the Chicago Bears: "Yeah, they gave me the game ball. If they hadn't given it to me, I would have taken it anyway."
  
• 1991 Steve Spurrier, Florida football coach, telling Gator fans that a fire at Auburn's football dorm had destroyed 20 books: "But the real tragedy was that 15 hadn't been colored yet."
  
• 1986 Jim Finks, New Orleans Saints G.M., when asked after a loss what he thought of the refs: "I'm not allowed to comment on lousy officiating."
  
• 1991 Alan Kulwicki, stock car racer, on racing Saturday nights as opposed to Sunday afternoons: "It's basically the same, just darker."
  
• 1976 Greg Buttle, New York Jet linebacker, explaining his contractual obligations: "They pay me to practice. Sundays I play for free."
  
• 1996 Lincoln Kennedy, Oakland Raiders tackle, on his decision not to vote: "I was going to write myself in, but I was afraid I'd get shot."
  
• 1991 Jim Colletto, Purdue football coach and former assistant at Arizona State and Ohio State, on his 11-year-old son's reaction after he took the job with the Boilermakers: "He said: 'Gosh, Dad, that mean's we're not going to any more bowl games.'
   
• 1986 LaVell Edwards, BYU football coach and one of 14 children: "They can't fire me because my family buys too many tickets."
  
• 1981 Dorothy Shula, on the career dedication of her husband, the Miami Dolphins' coach: "I'm fairly confident that if I died tomorrow, Don would find a way to preserve me until the season was over and he had time for a nice funeral."
  
• 1976 Mike Newlin, Houston Rocket guard, after a game his team lost to the New York Nets: "We were the quintessence of athletic atrocity."
  
• 1971 Tom Workman, former NBA-ABA basketball player: "They tell you to join the NBA and see all the big cities: New York with all the lights, San Francisco with its night life, San Diego's sunshine. They also say join the ABA and see the U.S.A. Unfortunately, I found this included Steubenville, Ohio; Amarillo, Texas; Elko, Nevada; Cedar City, Utah; and Biloxi, Mississippi."

The Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant,
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is perennial as the grass.

Take kindly to the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann,``Desiderata'' (1927),

Deteriorata

Go placidly amid the noise and the waste and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.

Avoid quiet & passive persons unless you are in need of sleep. Rotate your tires. Speak glowingly of those greater than yourself & heed well their advice, even though they be turkeys; know what to kiss & when.

Consider that two wrongs never make a right, but that three do. Wherever possible, put people on hold. Be comforted that in the face of all aridity & disillusionment & despite the changing fortunes of time, there is always a big future in computer maintenance. Remember the Pueblo. Strive at all times to bend, fold, spindle & mutilate.

Know yourself; if you need help, call the FBI. Exercise caution in your daily affairs, especially with those persons closest to you -- that lemon on your left, for instance. Be assured that a walk through the ocean of most souls would scarcely get your feet wet. Fall not in love therefore; it will stick to your face.

Gracefully surrender the things of youth, birds, clean air, tuna, Taiwan; & let not the sands of time get in your lunch. Hire people with hooks. For a good time, call 555-4311; ask for Ken. Take heart amid the deepening gloom that your dog is finally getting enough cheese; & reflect that whatever misfortune may be your lot, it could only be worse in Milwaukee.

You are a fluke of the universe; you have no right to be here, & whether you can hear it or not, the universe is laughing behind your back.

Therefore make peace with your God whatever you conceive Him to be -- Hairy Thunderer or Cosmic Muffin.

With all its hopes, dreams, promises, & urban renewal, the world continues to deteriorate. Give up.

Copyright © National Lampoon. Written by Tony Hendra

 

A Little Parent Cooperation

      At one point during a game, the coach said to one of his young players, "Do you understand what cooperation is? What a team is?" The little boy nodded in the affirmative.
      "Do you understand that what matters is how we play together as a team?" The little boy nodded yes.
      "So," the coach continued, "when offsides is called, or a handball is not called, you don't argue or curse or attack the referee. Do you understand all that?"
      Again the little boy nodded.
      "Good," said the coach. "Now go over there and explain it to your mother."
(Submitted by Otto Mueller to the Alabama Ref e-mail list)

Bill Gates' Book For High School and College Graduates:

Here is a list of 11 things they did not learn in school. In his book, Bill Gates talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a full generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

RULE 1
Life is not fair; get used to it.

RULE 2
The world won't care about your self-esteem.  The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

RULE 3
You will NOT make 40 thousand dollars a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice president with a car phone, until you earn both.

RULE 4
If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.  He
doesn't have tenure.

RULE 5
Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity.  Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping; they called it opportunity.

RULE 6
If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

RULE 7
Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you are.  So before you save the rain forest  from the parasites of your parents' generation, try "delousing" the closet  in your own room.

RULE 8
Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life has not.  In some schools they have abolished failing grades; they'll give you as many times as you want to get the right answer.  This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

RULE 9
Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself.  Do that on your own time.

RULE 10
Television is NOT real life. In real life, people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

RULE 11
Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

 l loved you enough...

Someday when my children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates a parent, I will tell them:
I loved you enough... to ask where you were going, with whom, and what time you would be home.
I loved you enough... to insist that you save your money and buy a bike for yourself even though we could afford to buy one for you.
I loved you enough... to be silent and let you discover that your new best friend was a creep.
I loved you enough... to make you go pay for the bubble gum you had taken and tell the clerk, "I stole this yesterday and want to pay for it."
I loved you enough... to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your room, a job that should have taken 15 minutes. 
I loved you enough... to let you see anger, disappointment and tears in my eyes. 
Children must learn that their parents aren't perfect.
I loved you enough... to let you assume the responsibility for your actions even when the penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart.
But most of all, I loved you enough... to say NO when I knew you would hate me for it. 
Those were the most difficult battles of all. 
I'm glad I won them, because in the end you won, too.
And someday when your children are old enough to
understand the logic that motivates parents, you will
tell them.............

Was your Mom mean? I know mine was. We had the meanest mother in the whole world! While other kids ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal, eggs, and toast. When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches. And you can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was different from what other kids had, too. Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were convicts in a prison. She had to know who our friends were, and what we were doing with them. She insisted that if we said we would be gone for an hour, we would be gone for an hour or less. We were ashamed to admit it, but she had the nerve to break the Child Labor Laws by making us work. We had to wash the dishes, make the beds, learn to cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry, empty the trash and all sorts of cruel jobs. I think she would lie awake at night thinking of more things for us to do. She always insisted on us telling the truth the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. By the time we were teenagers, she could read our minds. Then, life was really tough! Mother wouldn't let
our friend's just honk the horn when they drove up. They had to come up to the door so she could meet them. While everyone else could date when they were 12 or 13, we had to wait until we were 16. Because of our mother we missed out on lots of things other kids experienced. None of us have ever been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other's property or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her fault. Now that we have left home, we are all educated, honest adults. We are doing our best to be mean parents just like Mom was. I think that is what's wrong with the world today. It just doesn't have enough mean moms.

Author Unknown

• "A lot of people run a race to see who is fastest. I run to see who has the most guts, who can punish himself into exhausting pace, and then at the end, punish himself even more. Nobody is going to win a 5,000 meter race after running an easy 2 miles. Not with me. If I lose forcing the 
  pace all the way, well, at least I can live with myself." - Steve Prefontaine "The price of excellence is discipline. 
• The cost of mediocrity is disappointment." - William W. Ward
• "If you want to run, then run a mile. If you want to experience another life, run a marathon." - Emil Zatopek
• "The marathon can humble you." - Bill Rodgers
• "Jogging through the forest is pleasant, as is relaxing by the fire with a glass of gentle Bordeaux and discussing one's travels. Racing is another matter. The frontrunner's mind is filled with an anguished fearfulness, a panic, which drives into pain." - Kenny Moore
• "If you run 100 miles a week, you can eat anything you want. Why? Because: (a) You'll burn all the calories you consume, (b) you deserve it, and (c) you'll be injured soon and back 
  on a restricted diet anyway." - Don Kardong
• "Significant problems you face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." - Albert Einstein
• "We can blaze! Become legends in our own time, strike fear in the heart of mediocre talent everywhere! We can scald dogs, put records out of reach! Make the stands gasp as we blow into an unearthly kick from three hundred yards out! We can become God's own messengers delivering the dreaded scrolls! We can race dark Satan himself till he wheezes fiery cinders down the back straightaway! They'll speak our names in hushed tones, 'Those guys are animals' they'll say! We can lay it on the line, bust a gut, show them a clean pair of heels. We can sprint the turn on a spring breeze and feel the winter leave our feet!" - Anonymous
• "Most die" - middle-aged Japanese triathlete, just after the Ironman
• "Enjoy your pain, you've earned it." - Anonymous
• "Winner's don't do different things. Winners do things differently." - Anonymous
• "To a runner, a side stich is like a car alarm. It signifies something is wrong, but you ignore it until it goes away." - Anonymous
• "The only way to define your limits is by going beyond them." Anonymous
• "Self-conquest is the greatest of victories." - Anonymous
• "Obstacles are those frightening things that become visible when we take our eyes off our goals." - Henry Ford
• "Remember, the second most important thing to choosing
  the right shoe, is choosing the left one." - High school coach
  to his runners
• "The man in the arena... who at best knows the triumphs of high achievement and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place will never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." - President Teddy Roosevelt"
• He's a well-balanced athlete; he has a chip on both shoulders." - Derek Redmond, on Linford Christie
• "The will to run is not as nearly as important as the will to prepare." - Anonymous
• "When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on." - President Teddy Roosevelt
• "Somewhere in the world someone is training when you are not. When you race him, he will win." - Tom Fleming
• "Those who say that I will lose and am finished will have to run over my body to beat me." - Said Aouita
• "It is true that speed kills. In distance running, it kills anyone who does not have it." - Brooks Johnson
• "I just run as hard as I can for 20 miles, and then race." - Steve Jones
• "Some running is good, more is better, and too much is just enough." - Anonymous
• "No doubt a brain and some shoes are essential for marathon success, although if it comes down to a choice, pick the shoes. More people finish marathons with no brains than with no shoes." - Don Kardong
• "It hurts up to a point and then it doesn't get any worse." -  Ann Trason
• "Start slow, then taper off." - Walt Stack
• "Live clean and train hard." - JoeDom
• "If you race merely for the tributes from others, you will be at the mercy of their expectations." - Scott Tinley
• "If you start to feel good during an ultra, don't worry you will get over it." - Gene Thibeault

The Price of Freedom

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?
Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War. 

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

VVandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr, noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months. John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart.

Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates. Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more. Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged: "For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

They gave you and me a free and independent America. The history books never told you a lot about what happened in the Revolutionary War. We didn't fight just the British. We were British subjects at that time and we fought our own government! Some of us take these liberties so much for granted, but we shouldn't.

So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.

Remember: freedom is never free!

1. All reports are in. Life is now officially unfair.
2. If all is not lost, where is it?
3. It is easier to get older than it is to get wiser.
4. If at first you do succeed, try not to look too astonished.
5. The first rule of holes: If you are in one, stop digging.
6. I went to school to become a wit, only got halfway through.
7. Some days you're the dog, some days the hydrant.
8. It's not the pace of life that concerns me, it's the sudden stop at the end.
9. It's hard to make a comeback when you haven't been anywhere.
10. Lead me not into temptation (I can find the way myself).
11. There are two kinds of pedestrians...the quick and the dead.
12. An unbreakable toy is useful for breaking other toys.
13. A closed mouth gathers no feet.
14. It's not hard to meet expenses...they're everywhere.
15. The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.

Bear Bryant Quotes

• "How many people watch you give a final exam? [About fifty is the reply.]
  Well, I have 50,000 watch me give mine - every Saturday!"
  To English Professor Tommy Mayo (at Texas A&M) when questioned about his emphasis on winning and his salary.
  
• "Stephenson was a man among children - he didn't say very much, but he didn't have to."
  About Dwight Stevenson, the center on the Championship 1979 squad. Bryant also called Stevenson "the best center I've ever coached."
  
• "Sure I'd like to beat Notre Dame, don't get me wrong. But nothing matters more than beating that cow college on the other side of the state." To a group of boosters before an Auburn game. This comment was widely reported, and AU upset the Tide a few days later.
  
• "I left Texas A&M because my school called me. Mama called, and when Mama calls, then you just have to come running."
  On why he had to leave A&M with six years left on his contract.
  
• You couldn't play four years and be good enough to cost the University of Alabama thirty yards!" An irate Coach Bryant to a player who had just received his second fifteen yard penalty of the game.
  
• "He can't run, he can't pass, and he can't kick - all he can do is beat you."
  Speaking of Tide QB Pat Trammel.
  
• "All I know is, I don't want to stop coaching, and I don't want to stop winning, so we're gonna break the record unless I die."  Bryant, when asked if he would break Alonzo Staggs record of 314 college wins.
  
• "I know one thing, I'd rather die now than to have died this morning and missed this game." Coach Bryant after Bama's win over unbeaten Auburn in '71.
  
• "Hell, no! A tie is like kissing your sister!"  After being asked if he had considered going for a field goal when trailing by three points.
  
• What the hell's the matter with you people down there? Don't y'all take your football seriously?" Coach Bryant, upon calling Auburn at 6 AM only to find out that none of the coaches were in their offices yet.
  
• "Here's a twenty, bury two." Coach Bryant, after being asked to chip in ten dollars to help cover the cost of a sportswriters funeral.
  
• "This is the saddest day of my life." Coach Bryant, Upon hearing of Pat Trammell's death.
  
• "I'm just a simple plowhand from Arkansas, but I have learned over the years how to hold a team together. How to lift some men up, how to calm others down, until finally they've got one heartbeat, together, a team."
  Bryant, when asked why he was so successful as a coach.
  
• Bear Bryant's Three Rules for Coaching:
  1."Surround yourself with people who can't live without football."
  2."Recognize winners. They come in all forms."
  3."Have a plan for everything."
  
• "What matters...is not the size of the dog in the fight, but of the fight in the dog."
  
  
• "Don't talk too much or too soon."
  
• "In a crisis, don't hide behind anything or anybody. They're going to find you anyway."
  
• "When you make a mistake, admit it; learn from it and don't repeat it."
  
• "Football changes and so do people. The successful coach is the one who sets the trend, not the one who follows it."
  
• "If you don't have discipline, you can't have a successful program." 
  
• "I can reach a kid who doesn't have any ability as long as he doesn't know it."
  
• "You have to be willing to out-condition your opponents."
  
• "Sacrifice. Work. Self-descipline. I teach these things, and my boys don't forget them when they leave."
  
• "When you win, there's glory enough for everybody. When you lose, there's glory for none."
  
• "When you're number one, you don't play for the tie."
  
• "I don't have any ideas; my coaches have them. I just pass the ideas on and referee the arguments."
  
• "I don't hire anybody not brighter than I am. If they're not smarter than me, I don't need them."
  
• "Every time a player goes out there, at least 20 people have some amount of influence on him. His mother has more influence than anyone. I know because I played, and I loved my mama."
  
• "If anything goes bad, I did it. If anything goes semi-good, we did it. If anything goes real good, you did it. That's all it takes to get people to win football games."
  
• "In life, you'll have your back up against the wall many times. You might as well get used to it."
  
• "You never know how a horse will pull until you hook him to a heavy load."
  
• "The first time you quit, it's hard. The second time, it gets easier. The third time, you don't even have to think about it."
  
• "Don't give up at half time. Concentrate on winning the second half."
  
• "One man doesn't make a team. It takes 11."
  
• "If you were to ask me if football is a coach's game, I'd have to say it is. And always was."
  
  
• "I'm known as a recruiter. Well you've got to have chicken to make chicken salad."
  
• "The first thing a football coach needs when he's starting out is a wife who's willing to put up with a whole lot of neglect. The second thing is a five-year contract."
  
• "The alumni are starting to grumble, and I'm the one starting it."
  
• "No coach has ever won a game by what he knows; it's what his players know that counts."
  
  
• "There ought to be a special place in heaven for coaches' wives."
  
• "I don't care how much talent a team has -- if the boys don't think tough, practice tough, and live tough, how can they play tough on Saturday?."
  
• "Winning isn't imperative, but getting tougher in the fourth quarter is."
  
• "I had to leave Texas. As long as Gordon Wood was there, I could never be the best coach in the state."
  
• "Boys, I'd like to introduce you to Coach Wallace Wade. He's the man responsible for the great tradition of Alabama football."
  
• "When we have a good team, I know it's because we have boys that come from good mommas and poppas."
  
• "Age has nothing to do with it. You can be out of touch at any age."
  
• "The price of victory is high, but so are the rewards."

The Cracked Pot

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the masters house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in his masters house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you." "Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?" "I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your masters house.  Because of my flaws you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts" the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said," As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path." Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again the Pot apologized to the bearer for its failure. The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path but not on the other pots side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."

Each of us has our own unique flaws. We are all cracked pots. But if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His Father's table. In God's great economy, nothing goes to waste. Don't be afraid of your flaws. Acknowledge them, and you too can be the cause of beauty. Know that in our weakness we find our strength.

(Author Unknown)

Reach For Your Star

Do not take anything as being forever, because forever is only as long as today.

Know that the people who are the richest are not those who have the most, but those who need the least.

That we are at our strongest when life is at it's worst, and at our weakest when life no longer offers a challenge.

That it is wiser not to expect, but to hope, for in expecting you ask for disappointment, whereas in hoping you invite surprise.

That unhappiness doesn't come from not having something you want, but from the lack of something inside that you need.

That there are things to hold and things to let go.  and letting go doesn't mean you lose, but that you acquire that which has been waiting around the corner.

Most of all......
remember to use your dreams as a way of knowing yourself better, and as an inspiration to reach for
Your Star!

Author: Nancye Sims

The Handwriting On the Wall

A weary mother returned from the store, Lugging groceries through the kitchen door.

Awaiting her arrival was her eight-year-old son, eager to relate what his younger brother had done.

"While I was out playing and Dad was on a call, T.J. took his crayons and wrote on the wall!  It's on the new paper you just hung in the den. I told him you'd be mad at having to do it again."

She let out a moan and furrowed her brow. "Where is your little brother right now?"
She emptied her arms and with a purposeful stride, she marched to his closet where he had gone to hide.

She called his full name as she entered his room.  He trembled with fear -- he knew that meant doom!

For the next ten minutes, she ranted and raved about the expensive wallpaper and how she had slaved.

Lamenting all the work it would take to repair, She condemned his actions and total lack of care.

The more she scolded, the madder she got. She then stomped from his room, totally distraught!

She headed for the den to confirm her fears. When she saw the wall, her eyes flooded with tears.

The message she read pierced her soul
with a dart.  It said, "I love Mommy," surrounded by a heart.

Well, the wallpaper remained, just as she found it, With an empty picture frame hung to surround it.

A reminder to her, and indeed to all..

Take time to read the handwriting on the wall !!!

No More "Buts"