OK boys, let's hear 'em...

I don't like to assume that it's only boys who like football. But in fifteen years in the business world I find that when a sports analogy is used, it's something like 99(.9999%) likely that it's delivered by a man. And now, as luck would have it, I need some good "coaching" and "football" one-liners for a piece I'm working on.

See, we're going to be using these metaphors to tell the client's story and value--it's actually strangely perfect for the offering.

But it's not strangely perfect for me.

Last time I used a metaphor--for an entirely different client/different industry--it revolved around the natural and universal laws so I dug deep into the likes of Darwin, Newton, Einstein and others (and hence my high school science teacher WAS right...I DID use those boring lessons in real life!).

But this time it's more "coaching" and "football". Which is cool except that AstroTurf is new terrain for me.

Truth be told, I've attended a Super bowl, a Sugar Bowl and a Citrus Bowl in my life but I didn't really pay attention to the games, I just ate A LOT of junk and asked a lot of questions (which, now that I think about it, probably explains why my father stopped asking me to accompany him to games).

So maybe you guys (or gals!) could share some well-known sayings, famous quotes and/or one-liners on either coaching or football (with an emphasis on coaching). Please? I promise to help you brainstorm metaphorical stuff when it's something I know something about. So take the ball and run with it (and that's about the only one I know). Thank you ;-).

P.S.: Why yes, that is a picture from the TV series "Friday Night Lights" as no, I don't have a favorite team (if I did I would likely know some catchy sayings and stuff).

Comments

[Cam Beck]

"It's not whether you win or lose. It's how you play the game that counts."

[Mike Brewer]

When you want to win a game, you have to teach. When you lose a game, you have to learn. - Tom Landry

[Mike]

Try these -

http://www.vincelombardi.com/about/quotes.htm

- from one of the greatest football coaches of all time.

[Matt Dickman]

Not all football:

- The best defense is a good offense
- Full court press
- It's a slam dunk
- Hail mary
- There is no i in team

[CK]

these are great (thanks!)...keep 'em coming. I just thought of one "you've got to be in it to win it" (though I'm not sure that's coaching/football but it felt good to think of one).

[Katie Chatfield]

Hi CK
"A good, quick, small team can beat a big, slow team any time."
-- Paul "Bear" Bryant

Some resources for you:
http://www.footballquotes.info/quote.php?c_id=15
Coaching resources (and motivation tips):
http://dovadesigns.com/
Beautiful NFL pictures with quotes here:
http://www.artexpressed.com/SportsGrid4.html

More than you can poke a stick at here:
http://quotes-swicki.eurekster.com/football+motivational+quotes/

[JakeNudge]

- at the end of the day, a wins a win
- he/she dropped the ball on that one
- he/she spent it before they had it
- hate the player not the game
- its the 1%ers that make the difference
- that kick was centremeter perfect

There are a few from Aussie Rules football for you.. :)

[gianandrea facchini]

it's about soccer and not football but it's a great quote from the former trainer of milan football club, arrigo sacchi, one of the most winning trainer in history. when he was appointed trainer of one of the most important soccer team worldwide, some journalists wrote that he had never been very good as a footballer and his career was rather poor. his answer was: to be a great jockey, you do not need to have been a great horse.
he won everything for three years in a row and the team was playing in a fantastic way.

[Marc Sirkin]

I read an article about not using sports metaphors so I've tried to banish them... but I can't help myself at times.

The one that always seems to come up, especially when managing my staff is about going the distance. "It's not enough to go 99 yards - and the worst part is that the last yard is the hardest."

And of course, from Friday Night Lights: "Clear Eyes, Full Hearts Can't Lose" (man, that is a really good show).

[Lewis Green]

We have to play hard for all four quarters. We have to eliminate the mistakes. We need to hit them hard and often. They are a good team but today we were better.

[Nick Ellinger]

There was a great quote about Bear Bryant that illustrates the importance of coaching: "He can beat your team with his, or beat his with yours." I use it when the coach/teacher is more important than the players/students. If you want the flip side, you can say "They are Secretariat, I'm just Ron Turcotte." It's extra bonus points for being a little obscure (Ron Turcotte was a good jockey, but it was the horse that made it in that case).

Thanks once again for the help with the MADD campaign -- we've raised $1600 in a day and a half toward the $500K goal. It's slow going, as I'm finding spam filters are killing emails with "Paris Hilton" in them. If you or anyone reading has any ideas on how to get around that, I'd love to hear them.

[Valeria Maltoni]

"Blame no one.
Expect nothing.
Do something."

Attributed to Bill Parcells.

CK -- you are an inspiration and a pleasure to be around.

[CK]

@All: I can't tell you how much these quotes and links are helping me with my newfound learning curve (ha!).

While I learn so much from you smarties everyday it really helps to call upon expertise that this non-football minded marketer just doesn't have. But now I'm "getting my game on" (hee, hee).

[Drew McLellan]

CK,

If you need more detail on the origin or meaning of these, let me know.

Hit them low and hard (tackle at body mass, where you can actually knock them down)
A hail Mary (a long shot that will either win the game or fail miserably)
A double end run (doing something sneaky)
Face-masking (grabbing a guy by his face mask -- can break his neck)
3rd and long (one more play and lots of yards to go)
Monday Morning Quarterback or Armchair Quarterback (someone who criticizes but isn't actually in the game)
The whole nine yards (you need 10 yards to get a first down)
Third and goal (one more play to score)

Want more?

Drew