How we cite our quotes: (Book)
Quote #7
In January 2008, in Beijing for the formal opening of the Water Cube, Ian [Thorpe] was asked there by reporters whether that summer I could win eight gold medals.
"I don't think he will do it, but I'd love to see it," Ian said. "There's a thing called competition. It won't just be one athlete that will be competing, and in a lot of events he has a lot of strong competition." (No Limits)
We love that kind of attitude. Thorpe—long considered the Australian Golden Boy of swimming, was the person most likely to be dethroned by Phelps, and yet, he shrugs it off. That's what sports are all about.
Quote #8
"You know, winning by forty isn't fun. Maybe to some guys but not to this team. But watching Michael and Scottie together out there, suckering these guys into a corner, or right before the half-court line… that was fun." (Dream Team)
That's part of what makes sports great. It wouldn't be that much fun if it wasn't so insanely hard. Everyone who has ever played a sport of any kind knows that a complete blowout is a major ego boost, but if you're solidly winning every single time, it's a drag. The fun is in the challenge, the competition, and the people who learn that will always come out ahead.
Quote #9
I made a game out of timing the completion of treatments. I would look at my wristwatch, and stare at the IV bags as they emptied into my body by droplets. I tried to calculate the rate of drip, and time the end of the treatment down to the last second. (It's Not About the Bike)
Some people are just born with a naturally competitive spirit. For Lance Armstrong, even his battle against cancer turned into a sport—one that he was determined to win.