Tough Team Quotes & Sayings

I set my sights on making an Olympic team, not realizing how tough it was going to be. — Jackie Joyner-Kersee

It's tough, it's not the scenario that we wanted for sure. I thought our desperation was there, we worked hard, but it was one game, a lot can happen, they're a good team, and unfortunately we didn't win. We had some bad bounces, and in one game those make a big difference, and unfortunately it didn't go our way. But if we play hard like that, we play desperate like that and control the puck the way we did down low, I like our chances against any team. — Sidney Crosby

You are anxious before every game because you had to win it. If you didn't you went down the ladder. I felt proud of the way we beat some teams in tough games. — Sourav Ganguly

Give your product a personality. 37signals may not sell the best project management software in the world, but it has personality. The 37signals team stands for something: uncompromising simplicity. Want an extra feature? Tough. If you want features, buy something else. — Neil Davidson

We're still getting better as a team. We're still learning how to play basketball as a team and how to win tough games. — Carmelo Anthony

I was definitely honored to be chosen, but I just didn't feel ready to be pitching in big games yet. It was a tough decision. I talked to my wife and my mother. I'm not sure I'm ready to be pitching in front of 40,000 to 50,000 people. I don't think I'd be helping Team USA or the Indians if I hurried up (his training schedule) and got hurt. — CC Sabathia

Everybody was ready to put Denver and Indianapolis in the championship game. We're the same team that went 15-1 last year and made it to the championship game. We're coming from a different perspective now, being on the road playing two tough road games. We all believed in one another, even if no one else did. — Hines Ward

You can think about that for everyone you hire: will I bet the future of this company on this single hire? And that's a tough bar. — Sam Altman

In addition to relentlessly resourceful, you want a tough and a calm cofounder. — Sam Altman

Lucas was courting a range of other potential buyers at the same time, including Siemens, Hallmark, General Motors' EDS division, and Philips. But as one deal after another fell through, the balance of power tilted toward Steve, who didn't need the group as much as Lucas needed the money. So he was perfectly willing to play tough himself. "At one point," says Barnes, who helped with the negotiations, "the delays went on forever and he just went and told one of their executives to 'fuck off.' One of the Lucas team said, 'You can't say that to one of our EVPs.' 'Yes I can,' he replied. 'And fuck you, too.' — Brent Schlender

I am pleased with the race and happy with fourth position. It was a real shame for the team that Felipe had an issue at the start. It was a lonely race but the final 20 laps were very tough. Sebastian was quicker than me, and closed up behind very fast, but the fight was really good fun. I know a few tricks that can really help to defend and they all worked today, and I am delighted to come out on top today. — Valtteri Bottas

When your team is winning, be ready to be tough, because winning can make you soft. On the other hand, when your team is losing, stick by them. Keep believing — Bo Schembechler

We're just a fragile team right now. It seems like when we have a little bit of adversity, when something goes wrong, you can feel it on the bench, it kind of sinks. Unless we get a goal or something really positive happens, it's tough. I think falling out of the playoff race takes the wind out of your sails for sure. — Wes Walz

Eddie is the firehouse of this team. When he gets it going, he gets it going. He is definitely tough to stop when he gets in a groove. — Shawn Marion

It was tough to get up for teams from the West. This will put a lot of interest back in the game. — Martin Brodeur

Couples who have been together for a long time say the key to staying together is to work as a team toward the greater good, tolerating some tough (even tragic) times to grow together and work toward a mature kind of union. — Amy Dickinson

Please, I'm your friend -- inside that tough-girl shell is a really tough girl. But you're motivated by how much you care. Being part of Team Lois, it's an honor. There's nothing you wouldn't do for any of us. — Gwenda Bond

If you twisted my arm today, I would probably vote for James Harden, he's single-handedly put that Houston Rockets team in the position they are in today. It would be tough. — Mark Jackson

President Bush gave me a tremendous opportunity to serve as the vice president. I enjoyed very much having the opportunity to be a part of his team. He told me at the outset, he wanted me to sign on to be a part of his team - and he was true to his word, kept it. He was tough. He was decisive. He was also a pretty good politician. — Dick Cheney

Everyone is going to be talking about Chelsea and Liverpool but the others are very tough teams. — Steven Gerrard

Everybody likes each other until things get tough. Then you will find out what kind of team you have, and I understand that as much as anyone. — Doc Rivers

You don't just be a team. You become a team. Through tough games you find that you need each other — Mike Krzyzewski

I think we have a good team, but soccer fans will know that we're in a really tough group. The three teams in our group are really strong. The Czech Republic is a very good team, Italy is traditionally a powerhouse, and Ghana is one of the best teams in Africa. — Claudio Reyna

I have a rule on my team: when we talk to one another, we look each other right in the eye, because I think it's tough to lie to somebody. You give respect to somebody. — Mike Krzyzewski

It's a game of failure [softball]. Everybody would play, that was easy and everyone's not playing because it is so tough. But it's a matter of keep plugging away, keep working hard, believing in yourself and it is a team sport and there is nothing better than being out there, having a ball in your hand, playing the game that you love and ultimately that's what it comes down is having fun and enjoying it. — Jennie Finch

Christian guys had a reputation for being soft or not being tough enough to play the game. But every chapel we've had, our team fighter has been in there. Stu Grimson is very outspoken. Dan Bylsma, the head coach at Pittsburgh, was one guy that really helped me a lot. — Matt Cullen

Beating Pakistan is always special because they are a tough team and we have a bit of a history regarding Pakistan. — Sachin Tendulkar

Russia has got to be the team to beat, in my opinion. When they are playing together as a team, they are tough to beat. — Jaromir Jagr

It was going to be really tough to juggle the two as far as rehab and strength training, getting the shoulder back to where it needed to be and also worrying about the weight cut. We thought as a team that the best option for me right now with the recovery was to stay at middleweight, for this fight at least. We'll see what happens after this. — Dylan Andrews

Loyalty is very important when things get a little tough, as they often do when the challenge is great. Loyalty is a powerful force in producing one's individual best and more so in producing a team's best. — John Wooden

I think it was good, we wanted to win no matter if it was 1-0 or 8-2, we got to win. The Russians are a great team, but so are we. So we've gotta prepare the way we can and play the way we can tomorrow. I think that every game, every practice together we've continue to get better. It's tough in these short tournaments you gotta bond quickly and you've gotta have good chemistry; so hopefully now we can build on that and keep going. — Shea Weber

It's a great start, but we have a tough group: we have big teams like Denmark, Armenia and Serbia, so starting here gives us a good opportunity to fight until the end. — Lorik Cana

The doors had a peephole, and periodically an Iranian guard would look through and choose who he would let in. It was a bit like waiting to be picked for a sports team at school. You stand there trying to look as useful as possible to the two kids lucky enough to have been chosen as captains. If they were picking you for footy you tried to look as tough as possible. For basketball, you tried to look as tall as possible. For cricket, as long-suffering and patient as possible. That day, every time the guard looked through the peephole, I tried to look as un-Great Satan-like as I could. — Peter Moore

Also, you may want to consider having each potential fresh meat fill out a questionnaire to consider their commitment prior to accepting them into your training program. Sample questions may include: 1. Have you ever participated in a team sport? 2. Why do you want to train in roller derby? 3. Do you have aspirations to join a team? 4. Can you attend x% of the following practice schedule (list dates/locations/times)? 5. Will you be committed to personal and athletic growth within your training? 6. Will you be committed to pushing yourself when training gets tough? 7. Can you be comfortable with failing your way to success? — Punchy O'Guts

It was a tough school. The kids on the debating team took steroids! — Milton Berle

1. I believe in myself.
2. My self-talk will always be positive.
3. I will come to compete every day.
4. I will not surrender.
5. I will not turn against myself during tough times.
6. I cannot choose what is happening around me, but I can (and will) choose how I respond.
7. I will use setbacks as learning opportunities.
8. I will focus on my strengths and contain my weaknesses.
9. I understand that my role as a team member is to help my teammates win.
10. I will not come in second best to myself.
There's a choice you make in everything you do. And you must always keep in mind The choice you make makes you! — Bill Beswick

What keeps you motivated? The challenge of putting all the elements of a team together and seeing how you do and what you become is the thing that I still enjoy. I also enjoy the associations and relationships with the players and other coaches - to be in the arena, so to speak. I still enjoy that. I'm also at the point, though, that if we're not doing well - it's tough enough as it is - that I'm not going to be hanging on just to be hanging on. Because it's not anything I need from an ego standpoint or anything else. I just thoroughly enjoy what I'm doing. — LaVell Edwards

I promise to stand by you and not run away when things get tough," I told him solemnly. "I promise to always talk to you about the things that are bothering me, no matter how stupid and insignificant I think they are. I promise to be a better team player. Because there isn't a game on earth I want to play if you're not by my side. — J. Sterling

Players who are committed to the team first will find a way to help when things are going bad, they will do whatever it takes. Kids that are more into themselves will not do that. They will take care of themselves and get more individual when things are tough. — Dick Bennett

I had 11 years of managerial experience and four years of coaching before I managed a big-league team. To me, it was important, because I learned a lot through trial and error. And it's tough to have to go through trial and error when you're a big-league manager. — Jim Leyland

Teams make it tough on us, we make it tough on them. When you have two well coached teams that wanna win, it's going to be a competitive game. — LeBron James

Last year, the surgery was a tough decision, but I had to make a decision based on my career. It was a decision to get healthy, and start over with a new team at 100 percent. — Brian Jordan

Consistent motivation usually comes from a consuming desire to be able to perform at your best under pressure, namely, the pressure produced by tough competition. If a player needed me to light a fire under him by turning the other team into a demon, he was lacking something I couldn't give him. — Bill Walsh

It was a great Olympics - Team USA finished the games with 17 more medals than China. China said it was tough to swallow - especially when they had to make all of our "We're #1" T-shirts. — Jimmy Fallon

I don't care how much talent a team has - if the boys don't think tough, practice tough, and live tough, how they play tough on Saturday. — Bear Bryant

Tough minded enough to do the necessary things
this is the epitome of what a team is. — Don Meyer

Some guys milk injuries and miss a couple games at the beginning. Other guys, they tough it out for the betterment of the team. — Ryan Kalil

Playing half court or even organising a practise game against another team is a great way to train. It ensures a tough session and is often the best way to learn what works and what doesn't — Catherine Cox

Rick Tocchet is what I call a warrior. He really brings a lot to a team because he really believes in team play. He's tough on himself and he's tough on the team. As a coach, if you had even one guy like him on your team, you'd have a heckuva chance to do your job well. — Scotty Bowman

Every time I step onto the field, whether people like it or not, I'm not trying to play dirty - I'm just playing tough. And I'm trying to earn my spot on the team. I'm trying to earn a starting spot. I'm trying to become a complete midfielder who attacks, who defends. So that's the mindset. — Carli Lloyd