Best 134 quotes of Bear Bryant on MyQuotes

A champion pays an extra price to be better than anyone else.

A few minutes ago, I had a hard time getting through the lobby because of all the people. After today, that won't be happening.

A good, quick, small team can beat a big, slow team any time.

All I know is, I don't want to stop coaching, and I don't want to stop winning, so we're gonna break the record unless I die.

At Alabama, our players don't win Heisman Trophies. Our teams win National Championships.

Back 12 years ago, when Dr. Mathews was president here, we had a plan that when I got ready to quit, we'd bring a certain guy in and he'd take over that day and I'd leave. But as time wore on, I realized that wouldn't have been good at all.

Baton Rouge happens to be the worst place in the world for a visiting team. It's like being inside a drum.

Be aware of "yes" men. Generally, they are losers. Surround yourself with winners. Never forget - people win.

Being inside Tiger Stadium is like being on the inside of a drum.

But it's still a coach's game. Make no mistake. You start at the top. If you don't have a good one at the top, you don't have a cut dog's chance.

But there's one thing about quitters you have to guard against - they are contagious. If one boy goes, the chances are he'll take somebody with him, and you don't want that. So when they would start acting that way, I used to pack them up and get them out, or embarrass them, or do something to turn them around.

Don't ever give up on ability. Don't give up on a player who has it.

Don't give up at half time. Concentrate on winning the second half.

Don't give up. Reach down inside of you and you'll find something left.

Don't overwork your squad. If you're going to make a mistake, under-work them.

Don't talk too much. Don't pop off. Don't talk after the game until you cool off.

Don't talk too much or too soon.

Don't tolerate lazy people. They are losers.

Don't worry about making friends; don't worry about making enemies. Worry about winning, because if you win, your enemies can't hurt you, and if you lose, your friends can't stand you.

Everybody's got pretty good players now, more players than there've ever been. If you play poorly, you're going to get beat.

Every time a player goes out there, at least 20 people have some amount of influence on him. His mother has more influence than anyone. I know because I played, and I loved my mama.

Find your own picture, your own self in anything that goes bad. It's awfully easy to mouth off at your staff or chew out players, but if it's bad, and your the head coach, you're responsible. If we have an intercepted pass, I threw it. I'm the head coach. If we get a punt blocked, I caused it. A bad practice, a bad game, it's up to the head coach to assume his responsibility.

First there are those who are winners, and know they are winners. Then there are the losers who know they are losers. Then there are those who are not winners, but don't know it. They're the ones for me. They never quit trying. They're the soul of our game.

Football games are generally won by the boys with the greatest desire.

Georgia Tech beat us and Mississippi Southern tied us last year, and Texas beat us after we had the game won. We only played about five games the way we were capable of playing and lost one of those.

Get the winners into the game.

Have a plan. Follow the plan, and you'll be surprised how successful you can be. Most people don't have a plan. That's why it's easy to beat most folks.

Hell, no! A tie is like kissing your sister!

Here's a twenty, bury two.

I ain't never been nothin but a winner.

I ain't never had much fun. I ain't never been two inches away from a football. Here guys go fishing on the day of the game, hunting, golfing, and all I want to do is be alone, studying how not to lose.

I ain't won but one. My team won the rest in spite of me.

I always want my players to show class, knock'em down, pat on the back, and run back to the huddle.

I can reach a kid who doesn't have any ability as long as he doesn't know it.

I can remember loving to recruit. I knew I was going to do my best. But traveling and recruiting doesn't appeal to me any more. It's not as much fun as it used to be.

I didn't care if we ever quit practicing. I loved it. The only other guy I ever knew who loved it as much was Jerry Duncan. He would beg to practice even when he was hurt. I've actually seen him cry because the trainer told him he couldn't scrimmage.

I didn't have a thing to do with picking a coach, and didn't want to. But I didn't think they'd pick one I didn't like.

I'd like for people to remember me as a winner, because I ain't never been nothin but a winner.

I don't care how much talent a team has - if the boys don't think tough, practice tough, and live tough, how they play tough on Saturday.

I don't have any ideas; my coaches have them. I just pass the ideas on and referee the arguments.

I don't hire anybody not brighter than I am. If they're not brighter than I am, I don't need them.

If a man is a quitter, I'd rather find out in practice than in a game. I ask for all a player has so I'll know later what I can expect.

If anything goes bad, I did it. If anything goes semi-good, we did it. If anything goes real good, then you did it. That's all it takes to get people to win football games for you.

If I miss coaching that much, I could go to some little school where they didn't recruit, where all the kids wanted to go. I believe I could find somewhere to coach.

If they don't have a winning attitude, I don't want them.

If there is one thing that has helped me as a coach, it's my ability to recognize winners, or good people who can become winners by paying the price.

If wanting to win is a fault, as some of my critics seem to insist, then I plead guilty. I like to win. I know no other way. It's in my blood.

If we'd beaten 'em, I wouldn't be going out.

If you are going to be a successful duck hunter, you must go where the ducks are.

If you don't have discipline, you can't have a successful program.