The support this city and our fans have shown the Grizzlies made my decision to stay in Memphis an easy one. Memphis deserves a championship team, and I am committed to that.
Jerry WestRead
A lot of people would be happy that they got through a long career and had a chance to play as many times in the finals. To me, I wanted to win for the franchise and for the people. And when you can't do that, it's devastating, particularly for someone like me.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote underscores the importance of winning and fulfilling promises to a community.
In this quote, Jerry West reflects on his career and the deep emotional investment he placed not only in winning championships but in doing so for the franchise and its fans. He acknowledges that while many might be satisfied with merely participating in finals, his desire for victory stemmed from a sense of duty and dedication to the people who supported him, making losses particularly difficult to bear.
Themes
CareerWinningFranchiseDevastatingPeople
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech at a sports gathering about dedication and the drive to win.
More from Jerry West
All quotes →I've seen a lot in my life. I've seen a lot of winning. I've seen a lot of testing times. I think when you're tested, you really find out what you're made of, OK?
Jerry WestRead
That's a strong sign of a good coach, to let an assistant participate. It shows his confidence in the coach's ability not to have to dominate everything.
Jerry WestRead
The Lakers had been home to me, unlike the home I had grown up and felt apart from.
Jerry WestRead
I'm at the point where you look back on your life and reflect. I've always been an unbelievable critic of me. If we lost a game, I blamed myself every night. I'm very proud of some of the things I did as an athlete, as an executive.
Jerry WestRead
The season is a beast within itself. It's not the quickest race; it's a marathon. In the playoffs - if you're fortunate enough to make the playoffs - that's more like a dash. You have to concentrate on one opponent. When they're done, you have to concentrate on another one.
Jerry WestRead
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