---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But it's still a coach's game. Make no…"
description: "\"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. If yo..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0df/bear-bryant-3459_assistants_but-it-s-still-a-coach-s-game-make-no-mi_784648.jpg"
---

#  But it's still a coach's game. Make no mistake. You start…

![“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. If you do, the rest falls into place. You have to have good assistants, and a lot of things, but first you have to have the chairman of the board.” quote by Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0df/bear-bryant-3459_assistants_but-it-s-still-a-coach-s-game-make-no-mi_784648.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0df/bear-bryant-3459_assistants_but-it-s-still-a-coach-s-game-make-no-mi_784648.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0df/bear-bryant-3459_assistants_but-it-s-still-a-coach-s-game-make-no-mi_784648.jpg)

> “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. If you do, the rest falls into place. You have to have good assistants, and a lot of things, but first you have to have the chairman of the board.”

[Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/)

## About This Quote

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

Success depends on strong leadership at the top; a capable chairman sets the tone for the whole organization.

**In simple terms:** Good leaders are essential for success.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize finding the right leader first.

Themes

leadership team dynamics hierarchy

Mood

determined strategic

Type

motivational leadership

When to use this quote

- company formation
- sports team building
- project kickoff
- nonprofit board formation

Key Concepts

organizational behavior strategic management

Questions to Reflect On

- Who is the most influential leader in your current project?
- How does leadership style affect team morale?

A Different Perspective

Even with a great leader, execution can fail without clear strategy.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coach/) [Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Mentorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mentorship/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Wrestling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrestling/)

## Related quotes

> [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,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/but-it-s-still-a-coach-s-game-make-no-mistake-you-start-at-the-top-if-2/)

[Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/)

> [Roy Williams has been a great coach every game since the beginning at Kansas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-boeheim/roy-williams-has-been-a-great-coach-every-game-since-the-beginning-at/)

[Jim Boeheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-boeheim/)

> [From the time I was very little and I first picked up a ball, in the back of my head I thought I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-burke/from-the-time-i-was-very-little-and-i-first-picked-up-a-ball-in-the/)

[Doris Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-burke/)

> [Every coach, during a game, it is important to understand the situation to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-conte/every-coach-during-a-game-it-is-important-to-understand-the-situation/)

[Antonio Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-conte/)

> [If you're versatile, there's no reason a coach can't have you in the game. That's what my dad's philosophy was, so from a young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-anthony-towns/if-you-re-versatile-there-s-no-reason-a-coach-can-t-have-you-in-the/)

[Karl-Anthony Towns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-anthony-towns/)

> [I played for some of the best guys to ever coach this game, a bunch of Hall of Famers, and I've stolen from them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/i-played-for-some-of-the-best-guys-to-ever-coach-this-game-a-bunch-of/)

[Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/)

> [There's nothing like playing. You can coach and you can be around the game, but there is nothing like playing. It's just so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/there-s-nothing-like-playing-you-can-coach-and-you-can-be-around-the/)

[Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/)

> [I'm not sure (whether Demetriou did anything wrong). I wouldn't have thought so ... but I'm not the ACC (Australian Crime Commission), I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hird/i-m-not-sure-whether-demetriou-did-anything-wrong-i-wouldn-t-have/)

James Hird

> [When I talked with an opposing coach before a game and he mentions the pink walls, I know I've got him. I can't recall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayden-fry/when-i-talked-with-an-opposing-coach-before-a-game-and-he-mentions/)

[Hayden Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayden-fry/)

> [I love Coach K's passion to coach his players and to coach the game. I examined and watched the interaction between him and his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-tatum/i-love-coach-k-s-passion-to-coach-his-players-and-to-coach-the-game-i/)

[Jayson Tatum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-tatum/)

> [I always knew I wanted to do music, but it took me a long time to figure out how to exactly do that. With…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skylar-grey/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-do-music-but-it-took-me-a-long-time-to/)

[Skylar Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skylar-grey/)

> [If we seek first the Kingdom of God and live as we should, all the rest of life seems to fall into place and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-b-haight/if-we-seek-first-the-kingdom-of-god-and-live-as-we-should-all-the/)

[David B. Haight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-b-haight/)

> [America does not hold to the colonial tradition. America came, liberated Afghanistan from the Taliban and al-Qaida, came to an arrangement with Hamid Karzai,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-rashid/america-does-not-hold-to-the-colonial-tradition-america-came/)

[Ahmed Rashid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-rashid/)

> [... life falls into place only with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells/life-falls-into-place-only-with-god/)

[H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells/)

> [If you write really good material, the rest just falls into place. There's really no trick to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/if-you-write-really-good-material-the-rest-just-falls-into-place/)

[Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/)

## More by Bear Bryant

> [Little things make the difference. Everyone is well prepared in the big things, but only the winners perfect the little things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/little-things-make-the-difference-everyone-is-well-prepared-in-the/)

[Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/)

> [Set goals - high goals for you and your organization. When your organization has a goal to shoot for, you create teamwork, people working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/set-goals-high-goals-for-you-and-your-organization-when-your/)

[Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/)

> [I hope to get out before they start football next year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/i-hope-to-get-out-before-they-start-football-next-year/)

[Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/)

> [I'm no innovator. If anything I'm a stealer, or borrower. I've stolen or borrowed from more people than you can shake a stick at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/i-m-no-innovator-if-anything-i-m-a-stealer-or-borrower-i-ve-stolen-or/)

[Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/)

> [It's awfully important to win with humility. It's also important to lose. I hate to lose worse than anyone, but if you never lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/it-s-awfully-important-to-win-with-humility-it-s-also-important-to/)

[Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/)

> [I'm no genius, but I'm a damn good football coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/i-m-no-genius-but-i-m-a-damn-good-football-coach/)

[Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/)

> [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/i-didn-t-have-a-thing-to-do-with-picking-a-coach-and-didn-t-want-to/)

[Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/)

> [The first time you quit, it's hard. The second time, it gets easier. The third time, you don't even have to think about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/the-first-time-you-quit-it-s-hard-the-second-time-it-gets-easier-the/)

[Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/)

> [If you want to coach you have three rules to follow to win. One, surround yourself with people who can't live without football. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/if-you-want-to-coach-you-have-three-rules-to-follow-to-win-one/)

[Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/)

> [Don't give up. Reach down inside of you and you'll find something left.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/don-t-give-up-reach-down-inside-of-you-and-you-ll-find-something-left/)

[Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/)

> [The fun never goes out, but it changes with the years, with winning and losing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/the-fun-never-goes-out-but-it-changes-with-the-years-with-winning-and/)

[Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/)

> [I don't have any ideas; my coaches have them. I just pass the ideas on and referee the arguments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/i-don-t-have-any-ideas-my-coaches-have-them-i-just-pass-the-ideas-on/)

[Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/)

> [Offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/offense-sells-tickets-but-defense-wins-championships/)

[Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/)

> [Losing doesn't make me want to quit. It makes me want to fight that much harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/losing-doesn-t-make-me-want-to-quit-it-makes-me-want-to-fight-that/)

[Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/)

> [First there are those who are winners, and know they are winners. Then there are the losers who know they are losers. Then there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/first-there-are-those-who-are-winners-and-know-they-are-winners-then/)

[Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/)

[Explore all 130 Bear Bryant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/)

## More Assistants quotes

> [I'm a good assistant. That's why I don't have an assistant, because I'm so on it that no one can be as on it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-dunst/i-m-a-good-assistant-that-s-why-i-don-t-have-an-assistant-because-i-m/)

[Kirsten Dunst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-dunst/)

> [Since, however, it is immaterial whether the work is done by assistants or a machine, I decided to build a machine equivalent to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/since-however-it-is-immaterial-whether-the-work-is-done-by-assistants/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [My dad's a prominent theatre director in Toronto, so I grew up in that world, directing and producing theater since I was a teenager.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gass-donnelly/my-dad-s-a-prominent-theatre-director-in-toronto-so-i-grew-up-in-that/)

[Ed Gass-Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gass-donnelly/)

> [To this day, I've never had an assistant. I really insist on doing everything myself because I value the role of the artist's hand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dario-robleto/to-this-day-i-ve-never-had-an-assistant-i-really-insist-on-doing/)

[Dario Robleto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dario-robleto/)

> [ Well, that would be a title \[the busiest guy in Hollywood\] still reserved for Ryan Seacrest. I have one assistant; he has about nine.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mchale/well-that-would-be-a-title-the-busiest-guy-in-hollywood-still/)

[Joel McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mchale/)

> [Everyone believed the Senate could not really be led. It used to take so long to rise up through seniority. In two years Lyndon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/everyone-believed-the-senate-could-not-really-be-led-it-used-to-take/)

[Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/)

> [I know that you observe Christmas Day as you learned it at home. I do not observe it. However, as assistant director of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odilo-globocnik/i-know-that-you-observe-christmas-day-as-you-learned-it-at-home-i-do/)

Odilo Globocnik

> [Hollywood is a whole other level of crazy. I've never met so many assistants who have assistants. It's a stratified society on its own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/hollywood-is-a-whole-other-level-of-crazy-i-ve-never-met-so-many/)

[Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/)

> [Photoshop is useful in many ways but must NEVER be used for the altering of photographs. My assistants and my agency do whatever Photoshop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-erwitt/photoshop-is-useful-in-many-ways-but-must-never-be-used-for-the/)

[Elliott Erwitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-erwitt/)

> [Remember, this is back in the '40s, and the idea of a museum being a place where interested people could come in direct contact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-mackenzie/remember-this-is-back-in-the-40s-and-the-idea-of-a-museum-being-a/)

[Warren MacKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-mackenzie/)

> [The mind reels at the multiplication of books intended to justify the author's promotion from assistant to associate professor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-northcote-parkinson/the-mind-reels-at-the-multiplication-of-books-intended-to-justify-the/)

[C. Northcote Parkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-northcote-parkinson/)

> [I was in Japan, and my assistant director had worked with Kurosawa. I used quite of number of Kurosawa's crew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boorman/i-was-in-japan-and-my-assistant-director-had-worked-with-kurosawa-i/)

[John Boorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boorman/)

> [It's one of the most beautiful memories of my life. Not everyone has a chance to meet Greta Garbo! I was so in awe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanna-cau/it-s-one-of-the-most-beautiful-memories-of-my-life-not-everyone-has-a/)

[Giovanna Cau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanna-cau/)

> [Think like a head coach, but act like an assistant coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-amaker/think-like-a-head-coach-but-act-like-an-assistant-coach/)

Tommy Amaker

> [I must have assistants who will solve their own problems and tell me later what they've done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-marshall/i-must-have-assistants-who-will-solve-their-own-problems-and-tell-me/)

[George C. Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-marshall/)

Browse all 322 Assistants quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "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. If you do, the rest falls into place. You have to have good assistants, and a lot of things, but first you have to have the chairman of the board.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Bear Bryant"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/but-it-s-still-a-coach-s-game-make-no-mistake-you-start-at-the-top-if/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Assistants"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/but-it-s-still-a-coach-s-game-make-no-mistake-you-start-at-the-top-if/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0df/bear-bryant-3459_assistants_but-it-s-still-a-coach-s-game-make-no-mi_784648.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0df/bear-bryant-3459_assistants_but-it-s-still-a-coach-s-game-make-no-mi_784648.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0df/bear-bryant-3459_assistants_but-it-s-still-a-coach-s-game-make-no-mi_784648.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“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…” — Bear Bryant",
                "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": "Bear Bryant",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "But it's still a coach's game....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/but-it-s-still-a-coach-s-game-make-no-mistake-you-start-at-the-top-if/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/but-it-s-still-a-coach-s-game-make-no-mistake-you-start-at-the-top-if/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
