Top quotes by Bill Parcells

You ask yourself, 'What do you want your legacy to be?' I'm content at this point to say, 'Those who follow me.' Romeo Crennel, Bill Belichick, Sean Payton, to name a few. I think I've got a pretty good group, so far. Votes: 22

No matter how much you've won, no matter how many games, no matter how many championships, no matter how many Super Bowls, you're not winning now, so you stink. Votes: 18

You don't get any medal for trying something, you get medals for results. Votes: 14

You as an individual coach have a responsibility to try to give those players who put themselves at risk and in harm's way a chance to achieve success, and that goes for universities and professional teams, as well. Votes: 13

There are two things in New York, euphoria and disaster. Votes: 13

When I was coaching with the Patriots, the players pulled a practical joke and I said, 'Do you think I'm Charlie the Tuna, like a sucker?' After that, they called me Tuna. Votes: 13

I spent a lot of time with my teams, especially in the East Coast teams, talking about dealing with the elements a lot of time, and a lot of instruction about field position and those kind of things. I like that variable. Votes: 12

Blame no one. Expect nothing. Do something. Votes: 11

Look, coaching is about human interaction and trying to know your players. Any coach would tell you that. I'm no different. Votes: 10

When Super Bowl time comes around, I get jealous. Votes: 8

I got more money than I can spend now. Votes: 7

I think there are a lot of good people, a lot of good football guys in the NFL. Votes: 7

I love the game. I think it's a great game because you find out a lot about yourself. You test your mettle every week. There's no grey area, there's instant gratification and there are no quarterly reports. We're not just doing a little bit better. You know every Sunday what happened. Votes: 7

I grew up under demanding people, that demanded things from you, expected you to toe the mark. Votes: 6

If the players don't trust the coach, it is a problem, and vice versa. Votes: 5

I just try to do the best job I possibly can - put the blinders on, go to work and be the best you can possibly be. Once you have done everything that you possibly can - you've put forth your greatest effort - then I can live with whatever's next. Votes: 5

I have a lot of great friends in football. The game was great to me. And I've been able to do other things in television and enjoy that, meeting those people. Votes: 5

By and large, I've been healthy all my life. Votes: 5

Success is never final, but failure can be. Votes: 5

The media dwells mostly on negativity. Votes: 4

Well, I've had a long standing relationship with Gatorade and they've been very, very good to me. And I believe in their products, I really do. I've used them for many, many years. Votes: 4

You get too old to lose. When you were a young guy, you bounced back from losses. Votes: 3

It's a very easy thing to say, 'Go get a backup quarterback.' Now tell me where to get them. You just can't dial them up. Votes: 3

The fans, with all due respect, they don't affect the decisions I would make as a coach. Votes: 2

I love football; I enjoy it. That's why I've been in this game as many years as I have. I still like it. I get excited about it. Votes: 2

I'm not trying to keep anybody happy. Votes: 2

Anybody who watched football last year knows they're good. But that represents a very good opportunity for us. It really does. I think somehow, if we're able to pull that off, I think it will go a long way for our confidence. I look at it as a great opportunity, and hopefully we'll be at our best when we get there. Votes: 2

There is winning and there is misery. Votes: 2

I like linebackers. I collect 'em. You can't have too many good ones. Votes: 2

So if the players trust the coach, it's not a problem. If the players don't trust the coach, it is a problem, and vice versa. Votes: 1

Winning coaches look for opportunities to praise. Anything that reflects a commitment to the team is praiseworthy Votes: 0

The quarterback is in charge of the chuck wagon. He's handing it out here and there, but he can't just throw it out there indiscriminately or the wolves will get him. Votes: 0

I don't look at a problem and put variables in there that don't affect it. Votes: 0

My expectations are greater than the average fan's but, I'm more realistic than the top prognosticators. Votes: 0

What sets disciplined people apart? - The capacity to get past distractions. Focus on the task at hand. Votes: 0

There's a line, players usually don't cross it and coaches usually don't cross it. Every once in a while you get a little temper tantrum on both sides, I certainly have had 'em. I'm not proud of those. Votes: 0

Even when you're successful, even when you win the game, about an hour after the game, you have a litany of things that you now deal with that are problematic... So the times that you are happy are minute compared to the time that you're dealing with problems. Votes: 0

If I have affected someone in a positive way, that means a lot to me. Votes: 0

I was fighting every windmill, especially when I was in college. Votes: 0

If you've ever won a championship, then that's all you're interested in doing. Votes: 0

I think confrontation is healthy, because it clears the air very quickly. Votes: 0

God's been good to me, He really has. I don't know why he picked me out... Just think about it: I virtually coached in my hometown. From the middle of the Meadowlands field, it can't be but a couple of miles. I was lucky to do that. Votes: 0

I just coach the way I was coached when I was young, in my formative years. I grew up under demanding people, that demanded things from you, expected you to toe the mark. Votes: 0

The only players I hurt with my words are the ones who have an inflated opinion of their ability. I can't worry about that. Votes: 0

If you have fun, fine. It's not all life and death. Votes: 0

If you got anything to you at all as an athlete and a competitor, you don't care what the circumstances are. You still got competition. Votes: 0

Nowadays, if you are afraid of confrontation, you are not going to do very well. Votes: 0

My entire life has been spent thinking about this game. That's pretty narrow... I don't view myself as a person who's well-versed in very many subjects. I'm not proud of that. Votes: 0

Something goes wrong, I yell at them -'Fix it'- whether it's their fault or not. You can only really yell at the players you trust. Votes: 0

When you don't know that you don't know, it's a lot different than when you do know that you don't know. Votes: 0

You are what you are. Votes: 0

Usually older players, late in the season, start to get cold. Votes: 0

If you're sensitive, you will have a hard time with me. Votes: 0

Losers assemble in small groups & complain, winners assemble as a team & find ways to win. Votes: 0

If they want you to cook the dinner, at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries. Votes: 0

You are what your record says you are. Votes: 0

Confidence is only born out of one thing ­ demonstrated ability. It is not born of anything else. You cannot dream up confidence. You cannot fabricate it. You cannot wish it. You have to accomplish it. Votes: 0

The more you prepare beforehand, the more relaxed and creative and effective you’ll be when it counts. Votes: 0

A coach wouldn’t throw you to the wolves if he didn’t think you had some wolf in you. Votes: 0

Don't ever let good enough be good enough. Votes: 0

A team divided against itself can break down at any moment. The least bit of pressure or adversity will crack it apart Votes: 0

Accept false steps as opportunities to learn. It's one thing to hate failure, it's another to fear it. Votes: 0

You can easily separate 'team guys' from 'me guys' by how they accept coaching. The guys that accept it are about winning Votes: 0

A good teacher creates an environment which allows the student to succeed. Votes: 0

Part of buying the groceries is having a philosophy and trying to stick to it as best you can, knowing that occasionally you may make an exception. But, you do so knowing you're attempting to do it for a certain reason and you have to be very careful not to try to make too many exceptions, because then you wind up as a franchise with a team full of exceptions, which is not what you want. Votes: 0

If there's one thing I can't stand, it's a quarterback who thinks playing quarterback is just about passing. Votes: 0

Hey fellas! This is what you work all off season for. This is why you lift all them weights! This is why you do all that! Votes: 0

Knowledge is confidence. And confidence lets you play fast. Votes: 0

You lose with potential. You win with performance. Votes: 0

Potential means you haven't done anything yet. Votes: 0

Look, when you are starting to put something together, you want the pudding to come out good. You're trying to put in the right ingredients. Votes: 0

My job is to call attention to the things that I think are the difference between winning and losing. If I can't do that then I have failed as a coach. Votes: 0

It's better to decide wrongly than weakly. If you're weak, you're likely to be wrong anyway. Votes: 0

Don't tell me about the pain. Show me the baby. Votes: 0

Give role players love. Praise can be most valuable when it’s merited by someone whose supporting role is often overlooked Votes: 0

I've been around enough to know what it takes to get a team to reach its potential, and I want players who want to reach their potential. Votes: 0

You can't dream up confidence. Confidence is born of demonstrated ability. Votes: 0

Never let the world define you as less than Great. Votes: 0

I don't have to make examples out of players to establish my own place. I don't feel like I have to. Votes: 0

I'm trying to keep my own house from burning down. I can't worry about someone else's house. Votes: 0

You can only really yell at the players you trust. Votes: 0

In the end, I've found, people like the direct approach. It's much more valuable to them to have a leader who's absolutely clear and open than to have one who soft-soaps or talks in circles. Votes: 0

Individuals play the game, but teams win championships. Votes: 0

I can't live my life worrying about something that might never happen. Votes: 0

The time to worry is before you place the bet - not after the wheel is spinning. Once it spins, you forget about it. Votes: 0

The thing I really look for in this business is there are guys who are into football and there are guys who are in the profession for other reasons. Votes: 0

Resourceful coaches strive to have more ways to win than the other team. Votes: 0

Creatures of similar plumages habitually congregate in places of closest proximity. Votes: 0

I'd like to be somewhere near Lawrence Taylor so I can keep an eye on that sucker, Votes: 0

Don't worry about it. It's just a bunch of guys with an odd-shaped ball. Votes: 0

Any penalty - I've told you a hundred times - can be eliminated by concentration or good judgment. Votes: 0

I'll call somebody 'dumb' or 'stupid' if they make a dumb or stupid play. I don't know any other word for it, and if they don't like the word, that's too bad. Votes: 0

I'm not really in the excuse business. Votes: 0

All you have to do is play better than the other guy and things go well. If you don't play better than the other players then somebody takes your place. Now a lot of guys, in this day and time with the transient nature of the sport, as soon as the competition gets too good, they want out. Votes: 0

I only want my team to play to its potential, as I perceive it to be. I really don't have any regard for anyone else's perception. Votes: 0

There are two sides to a pancake. One is brown and fluffy; the other is burnt. Votes: 0

I'm a little superstitious. Votes: 0

I have a house in Saratoga Springs. Votes: 0

I have always felt like you really don't have a genuine confidence unless you demonstrate the ability to do something. You can talk about it, but you have to demonstrate it. Votes: 0

The only players I hurt with my words are the ones who have an inflated opinion of their ability. Votes: 0

All the backs in the history of this game are the same when there isn't any hole to run through. Votes: 0

Why would you live your life worrying about something that's not going to happen? Votes: 0

God's been good to me, He really has. Votes: 0

I'm glad we were able to win this last one. I saw some good things tonight, ... It's just preseason, but we ran the ball good. I'm happy about that, and the first-team offense was pretty sharp. Votes: 0

I think he's got good potential, but he needs a lot of work. Votes: 0

I see a little progress, ... So as long as I keep seeing that, then I'm willing to give him everything I've got. Votes: 0

It's a lot easier to lose than it is to win. It's easier, but it's not more comfortable. Votes: 0

We're not playing solitaire out here. Votes: 0

I talked to the team a lot about staying power. You never find out if you have that until you've been beaten down a few times. Votes: 0

Some guys are just very, very interested in their sport and their predecessors. I know I was a guy like that when I was a young coach. I wanted to know about George Halas, I wanted to know about Jim Lee Howell, guys you don't even know. I wanted to know what they were like. So I read whatever I could get my hands on. Votes: 0

I don't like celebrity quarterbacks. We don't need those. We need battlefield commanders. Votes: 0

This season isn't going to be without several crises. There's no doubt about it. They're coming. Votes: 0