--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'd like to say this was our worst game…" description: "\"I'd like to say this was our worst game. Unfortunately, I can't.\" — Don Mattingly" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44d/don-mattingly-23498_football_i-d-like-to-say-this-was-our-worst-game_47800.png" --- # I'd like to say this was our worst game. Unfortunately, I… ![“I'd like to say this was our worst game. Unfortunately, I can't.” quote by Don Mattingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44d/don-mattingly-23498_football_i-d-like-to-say-this-was-our-worst-game_47800.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44d/don-mattingly-23498_football_i-d-like-to-say-this-was-our-worst-game_47800.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44d/don-mattingly-23498_football_i-d-like-to-say-this-was-our-worst-game_47800.png) > “I'd like to say this was our worst game. Unfortunately, I can't.” [Don Mattingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mattingly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acknowledges a poor performance while refusing to label it as the worst, highlighting reluctance to fully condemn the effort. **In simple terms:** Reluctant self‑critique Key Takeaway Avoid absolute negativity Themes self‑assessment humility performance communication leadership Mood reflective cautious Type statement self‑observation When to use this quote - post‑game debrief - coach press conference - team meeting Key Concepts feedback team dynamics expectations Practical Applications - maintain morale - encourage improvement Questions to Reflect On - How does framing criticism affect team morale? - When is it appropriate to be blunt about performance? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) ## Related quotes > [Bob Hope has a beautiful short game. 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"After the game, he waited for me outside of the locker room, and I came out and he hugged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-played-terrible-recalls-covey-after-the-game-he-waited-for-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [MY LIFE BAD LIFE MY GAME BAD GAME MY NATURE BAD NATURE BUT MY GAME WORST GAME](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raj/my-life-bad-life-my-game-bad-game-my-nature-bad-nature-but-my-game/) [RAJ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raj/) > [WHAT EVER SITUATION YOU MAY BE,JUST DONT SAY WHY ME,BECAUSE IT IS NOT THE WORST LIFE AS EVER GIVE](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jah-reign/what-ever-situation-you-may-be-just-dont-say-why-me-because-it-is-not/) [Jah Reign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jah-reign/) > [I always say that even if this were the worst movie in the world, I'd do it again because it was such a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-leigh-cook/i-always-say-that-even-if-this-were-the-worst-movie-in-the-world-i-d/) [Rachael Leigh Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-leigh-cook/) > [I would say the worst period of my life was between 1997 and 2000. I was lost, I was all at odds. I needed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-hucknall/i-would-say-the-worst-period-of-my-life-was-between-1997-and-2000-i/) [Mick Hucknall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-hucknall/) > [Some people say we're (Coldplay) talented and some say we're the worst thing ever to happen to music, and it's a bit confusing being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-martin/some-people-say-we-re-coldplay-talented-and-some-say-we-re-the-worst/) [Chris Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-martin/) > [And worse I may be yet: the worst is not So long as we can say 'This is the worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/and-worse-i-may-be-yet-the-worst-is-not-so-long-as-we-can-say-this-is/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I think probably anyone would say, the worst and the hardest things to deal with is when people say things that aren't true. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-electra/i-think-probably-anyone-would-say-the-worst-and-the-hardest-things-to/) [Carmen Electra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-electra/) > [My mom loved to sing - and I'll go on record and say she was the worst singer ever. I'd get up and move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-rogers/my-mom-loved-to-sing-and-i-ll-go-on-record-and-say-she-was-the-worst/) [Kenny Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-rogers/) > [You can be the best left back in the world, but if you play badly in the final, people will say you're the worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrice-evra/you-can-be-the-best-left-back-in-the-world-but-if-you-play-badly-in/) [Patrice Evra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrice-evra/) ## More by Don Mattingly > [I can't concern myself with what's going on with the club or what the media is writing. If you pay attention to those things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mattingly/i-can-t-concern-myself-with-what-s-going-on-with-the-club-or-what-the/) [Don Mattingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mattingly/) > [The players get no respect around here. They give you money, that's it, not respect. We get constantly dogged and players from other teams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mattingly/the-players-get-no-respect-around-here-they-give-you-money-that-s-it/) [Don Mattingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mattingly/) > [Has he (Rickey Henderson) ever been here (Spring Training) the first day? You have to say Rickey's consistent. That's what you want in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mattingly/has-he-rickey-henderson-ever-been-here-spring-training-the-first-day/) [Don Mattingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mattingly/) > [Baseball's still a game. I don't want it to be work. I want it to be a game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mattingly/baseball-s-still-a-game-i-don-t-want-it-to-be-work-i-want-it-to-be-a/) [Don Mattingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mattingly/) > [Managers have people second-guessing them all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mattingly/managers-have-people-second-guessing-them-all-the-time/) [Don Mattingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mattingly/) > [On the playing side, a lot of guys I played under were pretty good managers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mattingly/on-the-playing-side-a-lot-of-guys-i-played-under-were-pretty-good/) [Don Mattingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mattingly/) > [I definitely want to manage. I just don't think it's the time right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mattingly/i-definitely-want-to-manage-i-just-don-t-think-it-s-the-time-right-now/) [Don Mattingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mattingly/) > [We all have the temptation to be backseat drivers when it comes to decisions that don't work out the way we want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mattingly/we-all-have-the-temptation-to-be-backseat-drivers-when-it-comes-to/) [Don Mattingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mattingly/) > [You never know who’s watching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mattingly/you-never-know-who-s-watching/) [Don Mattingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mattingly/) > [Nobody can see into the future. Nobody knows what going to go on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mattingly/nobody-can-see-into-the-future-nobody-knows-what-going-to-go-on/) [Don Mattingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mattingly/) > [Honestly, at one time I thought Babe Ruth was a cartoon character. I really did, I mean, I wasn't born until 1961, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mattingly/honestly-at-one-time-i-thought-babe-ruth-was-a-cartoon-character-i/) [Don Mattingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mattingly/) > [I have had many occasions this year where I questioned and second-guessed my decision in a game, but it comes down to learning from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mattingly/i-have-had-many-occasions-this-year-where-i-questioned-and-second/) [Don Mattingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mattingly/) > [The players get no respect around here. They (the Yankees) give you money, that's it, not respect. We get constantly dogged and players from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mattingly/the-players-get-no-respect-around-here-they-the-yankees-give-you/) [Don Mattingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mattingly/) > [I want to be on the field. It's a better place to talk to the guys. It's a relaxed atmosphere. You want to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mattingly/i-want-to-be-on-the-field-it-s-a-better-place-to-talk-to-the-guys-it/) [Don Mattingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mattingly/) > [When I write a note, it sticks in my head differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mattingly/when-i-write-a-note-it-sticks-in-my-head-differently/) [Don Mattingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mattingly/) [Explore all 26 Don Mattingly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mattingly/) ## More Football quotes > [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. So I went to Belgium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorgan-hazard/when-i-came-to-chelsea-it-was-clear-that-like-many-other-players-i/) [Thorgan Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorgan-hazard/) > [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/) > [There are guys who play lacrosse, and there are lacrosse players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-mundorf/there-are-guys-who-play-lacrosse-and-there-are-lacrosse-players/) Brendan Mundorf > [Giggs is the realest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kaluuya/giggs-is-the-realest/) [Daniel Kaluuya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kaluuya/) > [You get a new coach; you do things a little differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-manning/you-get-a-new-coach-you-do-things-a-little-differently/) [Archie Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-manning/) > [You gotta have a little kid in you to play football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-edwards/you-gotta-have-a-little-kid-in-you-to-play-football/) [Herman Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-edwards/) > [I don't really like too much credit. 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I can be a diamond; I can be a spade. Whatever you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-healy/wild-card-got-it-duncan-said-just-like-in-crazy-eights-i-can-be-a/) [Christopher Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-healy/) > [Leo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Eden. Every year, you look at their numbers - score goals, assists, minutes - to see they play very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/leo-cristiano-ronaldo-neymar-eden-every-year-you-look-at-their/) [Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/) > [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) > [I just enjoy winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xander-bogaerts/i-just-enjoy-winning/) [Xander Bogaerts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xander-bogaerts/) > [I think you can get, as a player, stuck in the mindset of trying too hard to prove yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-rodman/i-think-you-can-get-as-a-player-stuck-in-the-mindset-of-trying-too/) [Trinity Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinity-rodman/) > [We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/we-cannot-change-the-cards-we-are-dealt-just-how-we-play-the-hand/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) [Browse all 59,646 Football quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'd like to say this was our worst game. 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