---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've never been - and never will be…"
description: "\"I've never been - and never will be - someone who 'plays the game' with people.\" — Andrew Flintoff"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a1/andrew-flintoff-3137_game_i-ve-never-been-and-never-will-be-someon_3113359.jpg"
---

#  I've never been - and never will be - someone who 'plays…

![“I've never been - and never will be - someone who 'plays the game' with people.” quote by Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a1/andrew-flintoff-3137_game_i-ve-never-been-and-never-will-be-someon_3113359.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a1/andrew-flintoff-3137_game_i-ve-never-been-and-never-will-be-someon_3113359.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a1/andrew-flintoff-3137_game_i-ve-never-been-and-never-will-be-someon_3113359.jpg)

> “I've never been - and never will be - someone who 'plays the game' with people.”

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He refuses to engage in manipulative social games, valuing authenticity over strategy.

**In simple terms:** He avoids playing mind games.

Key Takeaway

Stay genuine, reject manipulative tactics.

Themes

authenticity integrity social dynamics

Mood

reflective serious

Type

philosophical advice

When to use this quote

- team leadership
- personal relationships
- conflict resolution

Key Concepts

psychological games personal boundaries trust building

Questions to Reflect On

- When is it okay to play the game?
- How do you maintain honesty under pressure?

A Different Perspective

Some situations require strategic negotiation, not pure authenticity.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Game People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game-people-371408/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plays/) [Plays Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plays-game-623338/) [Ve Plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ve-plays-1845544/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/)

## Related quotes

> [I've always performed. I've done plays at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odeya-rush/i-ve-always-performed-i-ve-done-plays-at-home/)

[Odeya Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odeya-rush/)

> [Since I got out of grad school at NYU, I've always done as many plays as I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marin-hinkle/since-i-got-out-of-grad-school-at-nyu-i-ve-always-done-as-many-plays/)

[Marin Hinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marin-hinkle/)

> [I'd love to do theater. I've done so many plays in my life. I still think of that as my main thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-schilling/i-d-love-to-do-theater-i-ve-done-so-many-plays-in-my-life-i-still/)

[Taylor Schilling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-schilling/)

> ['Bigg Boss' is a game show, and everyone plays their game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hina-khan/bigg-boss-is-a-game-show-and-everyone-plays-their-game/)

[Hina Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hina-khan/)

> [You always have to lie. I've been in plays that people don't enjoy and I pray that they lie to my face when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-lister-jones/you-always-have-to-lie-i-ve-been-in-plays-that-people-don-t-enjoy-and/)

[Zoe Lister-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-lister-jones/)

> [I'd like to think I have good recall of games I've been a part of and plays I've been a part of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-taylor/i-d-like-to-think-i-have-good-recall-of-games-i-ve-been-a-part-of-and/)

[Zac Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zac-taylor/)

> [How a man plays a game shows something of his character, how he loses shows all of it. . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-sutter/how-a-man-plays-a-game-shows-something-of-his-character-how-he-loses/)

[Rick Sutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-sutter/)

> [Everyone who plays this game wants to continue to improve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-bregman/everyone-who-plays-this-game-wants-to-continue-to-improve/)

[Alex Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-bregman/)

> [I understand it's part of the sport, part of the game to have people who like you and people who don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-thompson/i-understand-it-s-part-of-the-sport-part-of-the-game-to-have-people/)

[Stephen Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-thompson/)

> [Well, well. IM (and correspondence GM) Douglas Bryson once told me that he almost never plays a game that flows smoothly from start to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-rowson/well-well-im-and-correspondence-gm-douglas-bryson-once-told-me-that/)

[Jonathan Rowson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-rowson/)

> [ Obviously Javy \[Baez\] is able to control his emotions, he plays it as it should be, it's a game. That's how he plays it. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-maddon/obviously-javy-baez-is-able-to-control-his-emotions-he-plays-it-as-it/)

[Joe Maddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-maddon/)

> [What's funny is that by the time everyone plays the game - you know, we finish it, and then it takes a long time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/what-s-funny-is-that-by-the-time-everyone-plays-the-game-you-know-we/)

[Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/)

> [I believe a champion wins in his mind first, then plays the game, not the other way around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rodriguez/i-believe-a-champion-wins-in-his-mind-first-then-plays-the-game-not/)

[Alex Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rodriguez/)

> [No one plays this or any game perfectly. It's the guy who recovers from his mistakes who wins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/no-one-plays-this-or-any-game-perfectly-it-s-the-guy-who-recovers/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [The one who plays this game the best is Iniesta: he knows exactly when to go forward and when to drop back. He picks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-roman-riquelme/the-one-who-plays-this-game-the-best-is-iniesta-he-knows-exactly-when/)

[Juan Roman Riquelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-roman-riquelme/)

## More by Andrew Flintoff

> [I've read a lot of Irvine Welsh - Trainspotting, Glue - he's written some beauties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-ve-read-a-lot-of-irvine-welsh-trainspotting-glue-he-s-written-some/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [While I'm at second slip I'm not just thinking of what I'm going to have for tea. I'm considering the match as well, wondering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/while-i-m-at-second-slip-i-m-not-just-thinking-of-what-i-m-going-to/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [Old Trafford - as a cricket ground, I love playing there. It's a second home for me; I've been going there since I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/old-trafford-as-a-cricket-ground-i-love-playing-there-it-s-a-second/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [But there is no danger of my not concentrating on cricket. I'm comfortable on the pitch, and that will never change. I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/but-there-is-no-danger-of-my-not-concentrating-on-cricket-i-m/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [I'm ugly, I'm overweight, but I'm happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-m-ugly-i-m-overweight-but-i-m-happy/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [In the past five weeks I've trained hard, trying to get my ankle back to where I want it to be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/in-the-past-five-weeks-i-ve-trained-hard-trying-to-get-my-ankle-back/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [I flew to Los Angeles to interview Vinnie Jones and Piers Morgan for the BBC and spent 11 hours in economy on BA, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-flew-to-los-angeles-to-interview-vinnie-jones-and-piers-morgan-for/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [I'm completely different from Pietersen. He would turn up to the opening of an envelope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-m-completely-different-from-pietersen-he-would-turn-up-to-the/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [Now, I am not saying that the world is flat, but it could be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/now-i-am-not-saying-that-the-world-is-flat-but-it-could-be/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [It was an old cricket coach who started calling me Fred - as in Flintstone. There are far worse things to be called in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/it-was-an-old-cricket-coach-who-started-calling-me-fred-as-in/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [I always listen to music before I go out to bat. Any track, really, just whatever I feel like at the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-always-listen-to-music-before-i-go-out-to-bat-any-track-really-just/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [It's usually the funny comments which are the better ones - and they are good for the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/it-s-usually-the-funny-comments-which-are-the-better-ones-and-they/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [I actually love the Discovery Channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-actually-love-the-discovery-channel/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [I'll take my iPod - though I'm not very good with gadgets to be honest - and that has everything I like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-ll-take-my-ipod-though-i-m-not-very-good-with-gadgets-to-be-honest/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

> [Whatever was written in the media was beyond me. The only thing I could control was getting fit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/whatever-was-written-in-the-media-was-beyond-me-the-only-thing-i/)

[Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

[Explore all 138 Andrew Flintoff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/)

## More Game quotes

> [Raised by game where niggas ain't phased by fame. Come to the crib, get banged, they take your chain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/raised-by-game-where-niggas-ain-t-phased-by-fame-come-to-the-crib-get/)

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

> [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/)

[Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/)

> [I've been lucky enough to, for the most part, surround myself with a lot of people who are more talented than me and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-franco/i-ve-been-lucky-enough-to-for-the-most-part-surround-myself-with-a/)

[Dave Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-franco/)

> [It's no wonder Pep is one of the best coaches in the world. When I knew I could work with him I was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ederson/it-s-no-wonder-pep-is-one-of-the-best-coaches-in-the-world-when-i/)

[Ederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ederson/)

> [I loved the game so much that even though our playing field was muddy and we had many trees on it, I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-clemente/i-loved-the-game-so-much-that-even-though-our-playing-field-was-muddy/)

[Roberto Clemente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-clemente/)

> [I've always been very hard on myself, and I never want to get to a point where I'm like, 'Alright, I'm kicking butt,' but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-sauerbrunn/i-ve-always-been-very-hard-on-myself-and-i-never-want-to-get-to-a/)

[Becky Sauerbrunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-sauerbrunn/)

> [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. The best officials are the ones you never notice. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-scott/the-human-element-should-be-the-two-players-on-the-court-not-the/)

[Gene Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-scott/)

> [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. That game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/windmills-and-solar-cells-are-carbon-free-sources-of-electricity-but/)

[Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/)

> [Often in my game as an actor, someone else pays for your travel and there's nothing like being able to lie flat on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioan-gruffudd/often-in-my-game-as-an-actor-someone-else-pays-for-your-travel-and/)

[Ioan Gruffudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioan-gruffudd/)

> [Look at music for what it's worth around the world and not just America. In other countries, people are still buying CDs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/look-at-music-for-what-it-s-worth-around-the-world-and-not-just/)

[Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/)

> [With the Capital One Bowl, the average fan might think whoopty do. But if you are a team member, you win that game and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-herbstreit/with-the-capital-one-bowl-the-average-fan-might-think-whoopty-do-but/)

[Kirk Herbstreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-herbstreit/)

> [I remember throughout middle school and high school how excited my mom, sister and I would be when a UNC game was on TV.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-barnes/i-remember-throughout-middle-school-and-high-school-how-excited-my/)

[Harrison Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-barnes/)

> [Obviously, I want to win, but at the same time, at the end of the day, it's a game and that's what I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-rendon/obviously-i-want-to-win-but-at-the-same-time-at-the-end-of-the-day-it/)

[Anthony Rendon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-rendon/)

> [It's more than a game. It's an institution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hughes/it-s-more-than-a-game-it-s-an-institution/)

[Thomas Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hughes/)

> [There are things you can do in training like learn from the manager and talk with team-mates, but it's the game that tests you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-burke/there-are-things-you-can-do-in-training-like-learn-from-the-manager/)

[Oliver Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burke/)

[Browse all 13,309 Game quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I've never been - and never will be - someone who 'plays the game' with people.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Andrew Flintoff"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-ve-never-been-and-never-will-be-someone-who-plays-the-game-with/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Game"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-ve-never-been-and-never-will-be-someone-who-plays-the-game-with/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a1/andrew-flintoff-3137_game_i-ve-never-been-and-never-will-be-someon_3113359.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a1/andrew-flintoff-3137_game_i-ve-never-been-and-never-will-be-someon_3113359.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a1/andrew-flintoff-3137_game_i-ve-never-been-and-never-will-be-someon_3113359.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I've never been - and never will be - someone who 'plays the game' with people.” — Andrew Flintoff",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Andrew Flintoff",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I've never been - and never...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-ve-never-been-and-never-will-be-someone-who-plays-the-game-with/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-ve-never-been-and-never-will-be-someone-who-plays-the-game-with/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
