--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You don't win by making sensational…" description: "\"You don't win by making sensational plays; you win by not making mistakes.\" — Bum Phillips" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37b/bum-phillips-17483_failure_you-don-t-win-by-making-sensational-play_2586810.png" --- # You don't win by making sensational plays; you win by not… ![“You don't win by making sensational plays; you win by not making mistakes.” quote by Bum Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37b/bum-phillips-17483_failure_you-don-t-win-by-making-sensational-play_2586810.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37b/bum-phillips-17483_failure_you-don-t-win-by-making-sensational-play_2586810.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37b/bum-phillips-17483_failure_you-don-t-win-by-making-sensational-play_2586810.png) > “You don't win by making sensational plays; you win by not making mistakes.” [Bum Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bum-phillips/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Winning comes from consistency and error avoidance, not flashiness. **In simple terms:** Avoid mistakes to win Key Takeaway Prioritize fundamentals; minimize errors Themes sports consistency strategy Mood pragmatic focused Type motivational strategic When to use this quote - practice drills - game planning - review sessions Key Concepts basketball risk management teamwork Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance risk and safety? - What errors cost you most? A Different Perspective High‑risk plays can also create opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Making mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-mistakes/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [Market society is a game where you win by making sure other people are better off with you than without you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-schmidtz/market-society-is-a-game-where-you-win-by-making-sure-other-people/) David Schmidtz > [“If you want to make money at some point, remember this, because this is one of the reasons startups win. Big companies want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-graham/if-you-want-to-make-money-at-some-point-remember-this-because-this-is-2/) [Paul Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-graham/) > [The goal is to win. It's not about making money. I have many much less risky ways of making money than this (buying Chelsea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-abramovich/the-goal-is-to-win-it-s-not-about-making-money-i-have-many-much-less/) [Roman Abramovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-abramovich/) > [You can say what you want about Carlos Tevez, but when he plays, he plays to win, and he plays for his team-mates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hart/you-can-say-what-you-want-about-carlos-tevez-but-when-he-plays-he/) [Joe Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hart/) > [At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter who plays once we win the game, that's the most important thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-doherty/at-the-end-of-the-day-it-doesn-t-really-matter-who-plays-once-we-win/) [Matt Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-doherty/) > [During one of the 4th quarter huddles, LeBron said to him, 'It doesn't matter what happens to this point. No one is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-spoelstra/during-one-of-the-4th-quarter-huddles-lebron-said-to-him-it-doesn-t/) [Erik Spoelstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-spoelstra/) > [“Our life is a game. Everybody plays, some win , some loose and some quit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psychoticsam-sameer-bajaj/our-life-is-a-game-everybody-plays-some-win-some-loose-and-some-quit/) Psychoticsam sameer bajaj > [The biggest thing mentally is I'm just always focused on when I get a chance to be out there to help us make plays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lee/the-biggest-thing-mentally-is-i-m-just-always-focused-on-when-i-get-a/) [David Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lee/) > [You need explosive plays to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-herman/you-need-explosive-plays-to-win/) [Tom Herman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-herman/) > [No cricket team in the world depends on one or two players. The team always plays to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virat-kohli/no-cricket-team-in-the-world-depends-on-one-or-two-players-the-team/) [Virat Kohli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virat-kohli/) > [ Hitler ... lacked the \[inclination\] for anything more than the occasional sensational display of emotion, in particular the great set-piece speech which mesmerized the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keegan/hitler-lacked-the-inclination-for-anything-more-than-the-occasional/) [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) > [from one minute to the next the present is merely an honorary past. It must be filled unceasingly anew to dissemble the curse it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/from-one-minute-to-the-next-the-present-is-merely-an-honorary-past-it/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [I also like to use a sensational headline. Many people read blogs in aggregators, which generally show only the headline. So you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-wilson/i-also-like-to-use-a-sensational-headline-many-people-read-blogs-in/) [Fred Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-wilson/) > [Neuer is simply sensational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schmeichel/neuer-is-simply-sensational/) [Peter Schmeichel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schmeichel/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) ## More by Bum Phillips > [I'd rather have preparation than motivation. Everyone likes to play, but no one likes to practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/i-d-rather-have-preparation-than-motivation-everyone-likes-to-play/) [Bum Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bum-phillips/) > [Dallas Cowboys may be America's team, but the Houston Oilers are Texas' team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/dallas-cowboys-may-be-america-s-team-but-the-houston-oilers-are-texas/) [Bum Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bum-phillips/) > [Respect all. Fear none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/respect-all-fear-none/) [Bum Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bum-phillips/) > [The film looks suspiciously like the game itself!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/the-film-looks-suspiciously-like-the-game-itself/) [Bum Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bum-phillips/) > [I know why we lost the Civil War. We must have had the same officials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/i-know-why-we-lost-the-civil-war-we-must-have-had-the-same-officials/) [Bum Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bum-phillips/) > [An expert is an ordinary fella away from home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/an-expert-is-an-ordinary-fella-away-from-home/) [Bum Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bum-phillips/) > [The trouble with most coaches is that they start with the assumption that everybody is a turd. And that ain't right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/the-trouble-with-most-coaches-is-that-they-start-with-the-assumption/) [Bum Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bum-phillips/) > [You don't know a ladder has splinters until you slide down it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/you-don-t-know-a-ladder-has-splinters-until-you-slide-down-it/) [Bum Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bum-phillips/) > [Yep. And I noticed how slowly he went down each time, too. (When asked if he noticed how slowly Earl Campbell got up after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/yep-and-i-noticed-how-slowly-he-went-down-each-time-too-when-asked-if/) [Bum Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bum-phillips/) > [Loyalty, up and down the line. That's one quality an organization must have to be successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/loyalty-up-and-down-the-line-that-s-one-quality-an-organization-must/) [Bum Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bum-phillips/) > [I don't mind people thinking I'm stupid, but I don't want to give them any proof.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/i-don-t-mind-people-thinking-i-m-stupid-but-i-don-t-want-to-give-them/) [Bum Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bum-phillips/) > [I never scrimmage Oilers against Oilers...What for? Houston isn't on our schedule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/i-never-scrimmage-oilers-against-oilers-what-for-houston-isn-t-on-our/) [Bum Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bum-phillips/) > [I don't need the news. If they have a war, I figure someone will tell me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/i-don-t-need-the-news-if-they-have-a-war-i-figure-someone-will-tell-me/) [Bum Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bum-phillips/) > [I always thought I could coach. I just thought people were poor judges of good coaches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/i-always-thought-i-could-coach-i-just-thought-people-were-poor-judges/) [Bum Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bum-phillips/) > [Yeah, that test says he's dumb as a fence post, but when he hits he looks like Einstein to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/yeah-that-test-says-he-s-dumb-as-a-fence-post-but-when-he-hits-he/) [Bum Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bum-phillips/) [Explore all 37 Bum Phillips quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bum-phillips/) ## More Failure quotes > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Rhiannon's Law #28: If you're going to fuck up, be sure to fuck up good and proper. Nothing makes failure acceptable, so you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rhiannon-s-law-28-if-you-re-going-to-fuck-up-be-sure-to-fuck-up-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [First action was a mistake. What about the second? third? fourth and fifth?...Mehn you are bad...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-action-was-a-mistake-what-about-the-second-third-fourth-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [“Our failure to understand another being's inner reality doesn't make that reality any less real, or any less valuable to that being. (p.255)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/our-failure-to-understand-another-being-s-inner-reality-doesn-t-make/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 27,498 Failure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You don't win by making sensational plays; you win by not making mistakes.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bum Phillips" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/you-don-t-win-by-making-sensational-plays-you-win-by-not-making/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Failure" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/you-don-t-win-by-making-sensational-plays-you-win-by-not-making/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37b/bum-phillips-17483_failure_you-don-t-win-by-making-sensational-play_2586810.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37b/bum-phillips-17483_failure_you-don-t-win-by-making-sensational-play_2586810.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37b/bum-phillips-17483_failure_you-don-t-win-by-making-sensational-play_2586810.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You don't win by making sensational plays; you win by not making mistakes.” — Bum Phillips", "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": "Bum Phillips", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bum-phillips/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You don't win by making sensational...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/you-don-t-win-by-making-sensational-plays-you-win-by-not-making/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/you-don-t-win-by-making-sensational-plays-you-win-by-not-making/#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 } } ] } ```