Even though my mother had told me growing up that, 'If you win, nobody cares what color you are,' that wasn't necessarily true in the N.F.L.
Interpretation
This quote highlights the disparity between personal beliefs and societal realities regarding race and achievement.
Warren Moon reflects on the lessons taught by his mother about winning and overcoming racial prejudice, emphasizing the stark contrast between her hopeful message and the harsh realities he faced in the NFL. Despite the belief that success would erase racial distinctions, he acknowledges that race still plays a significant role in how individuals are perceived and treated in professional sports.
In practice
During a speech about overcoming adversity, one might use this quote to highlight the complex relationship between race and success.
There are so many bad influences out there. I don't care if a kid is rich or poor, if he lives in a million-dollar house or the ghetto, he is going to find some sick things on the street. And if we don't clean it up soon, we're all going to pay the price.
In football, it's the ultimate team sport. You have to have good people around you as a quarterback for things to happen.
It may be very well to do this and that for good fellowship; but it will never do to lose the friendship of God in order to keep on good terms with men.
I hated hurting him. Most of the time, I could forget about it, but the inexorable truth is this: They might be glad to have me around, but I was the alpha and the omega of my parents' suffering.
They put me in a holding cell with a black kid and a white kid and a Chinese kid. We're the United Nations of juvenile delinquents.
I believe that women should live for love, for motherhood and for intellect, and I believe we shouldn't have to choose. And I believe that's always been difficult for women, to express themselves intellectually, maternally, and passionately.
Human attention tends to be focused on the satisfactions relationships are hoped to bring, precisely because somehow they have not been truly satisfactory. And if they do satisfy, the price of this satisfaction has often been found to be unacceptable.
Everyone wants to be appreciated, so if you appreciate someone, don't keep it a secret.
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