--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We sure didn't play great, but we played…" description: "\"We sure didn't play great, but we played hard. And I can live with that.\" — Don Meyer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/183/don-meyer-7312_basketball_we-sure-didn-t-play-great-but-we-played_2862209.png" --- # We sure didn't play great, but we played hard. And I can… ![“We sure didn't play great, but we played hard. And I can live with that.” quote by Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/183/don-meyer-7312_basketball_we-sure-didn-t-play-great-but-we-played_2862209.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/183/don-meyer-7312_basketball_we-sure-didn-t-play-great-but-we-played_2862209.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/183/don-meyer-7312_basketball_we-sure-didn-t-play-great-but-we-played_2862209.png) > “We sure didn't play great, but we played hard. And I can live with that.” [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We didn’t play perfectly, but we gave our all and accept that outcome. **In simple terms:** We played hard, not perfectly. Key Takeaway Value effort over perfection. Themes sportsmanship effort acceptance Mood determined accepting Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - coach meetings - team building - personal setbacks Key Concepts psychology team dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you define success? - When is effort enough? A Different Perspective Perfectionism can hinder enjoyment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [I did improv at Yale, with the Exit Players. It was great, but they played a little rough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-silverman/i-did-improv-at-yale-with-the-exit-players-it-was-great-but-they/) [Allison Silverman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-silverman/) > [I've always played hard. That's how I was raised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-smart/i-ve-always-played-hard-that-s-how-i-was-raised/) [Marcus Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-smart/) > [Play off your great player... great teams have a go-to player and they play off of him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/play-off-your-great-player-great-teams-have-a-go-to-player-and-they/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [Guys like Larry Bird -- he played so hard, he wants everybody else to play hard. That's not unreasonable. Any coach would want that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/guys-like-larry-bird-he-played-so-hard-he-wants-everybody-else-to/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [The fans treated me with a lot of respect, and I played as hard as possible every night. I wanted to win. I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajon-rondo/the-fans-treated-me-with-a-lot-of-respect-and-i-played-as-hard-as/) [Rajon Rondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajon-rondo/) > [“My fingers darted, then danced, then flew. I played hard as a hailstorm, like a hammer beating brass. I played soft as sun on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/my-fingers-darted-then-danced-then-flew-i-played-hard-as-a-hailstorm/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I've always worked hard and played hard, and I'm sure I'll be cleaning up my act in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-douglas/i-ve-always-worked-hard-and-played-hard-and-i-m-sure-i-ll-be-cleaning/) [Michael Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-douglas/) > [I was how I was in college because I had to be. I played angry. I played hard. I stepped on guys' chests, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-laettner/i-was-how-i-was-in-college-because-i-had-to-be-i-played-angry-i/) [Christian Laettner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-laettner/) > [I've always played hard. If that's rough and tough, I can't help it. I don't believe there's any such thing as a good loser.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rogers-hornsby/i-ve-always-played-hard-if-that-s-rough-and-tough-i-can-t-help-it-i/) [Rogers Hornsby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rogers-hornsby/) > [We played hard and we partied hard. I'm not ashamed of that. I was no angel - I did some things I shouldn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cone/we-played-hard-and-we-partied-hard-i-m-not-ashamed-of-that-i-was-no/) [David Cone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cone/) > [“Rose worked and played so hard that kids all across the country—not just in Cincinnati—were emulating him on sandlots everywhere, proud to dirty their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-elliot/rose-worked-and-played-so-hard-that-kids-all-across-the-country-not/) [Tucker Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-elliot/) > [We ran out of talent tonight. The guys played as hard as they could, as long as we could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebron-james/we-ran-out-of-talent-tonight-the-guys-played-as-hard-as-they-could-as/) [LeBron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebron-james/) > [People were used to see me in a 3-5-2 because in Fiorentina that was also where I played. But the hard thing was to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/people-were-used-to-see-me-in-a-3-5-2-because-in-fiorentina-that-was/) [Marcos Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/) > [No matter what, if I got in for one minute or five minutes - especially that first year, minutes were really crucial for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cedi-osman/no-matter-what-if-i-got-in-for-one-minute-or-five-minutes-especially/) [Cedi Osman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cedi-osman/) > [I like to be like the old-school guys. They played hard, man, and they played from the heart. They didn't play to just get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-crawford/i-like-to-be-like-the-old-school-guys-they-played-hard-man-and-they/) [Carl Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-crawford/) ## More by Don Meyer > [Every day you teach attitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/every-day-you-teach-attitude/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [Proper prior planning prevents pitiful poor performance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/proper-prior-planning-prevents-pitiful-poor-performance/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [It doesn't matter where you coach, it matters why you coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/it-doesn-t-matter-where-you-coach-it-matters-why-you-coach/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [Sometimes the best recruits are the ones you don't get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/sometimes-the-best-recruits-are-the-ones-you-don-t-get/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [You never realize the value of coaching until your children play for a coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/you-never-realize-the-value-of-coaching-until-your-children-play-for/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [Discover your gift, develop your gift and then give it away every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/discover-your-gift-develop-your-gift-and-then-give-it-away-every-day/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [When the legs go, the heart and the head follow quickly behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/when-the-legs-go-the-heart-and-the-head-follow-quickly-behind/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [Your program must have an overriding purpose which is clearly visible and which teaches lessons beyond winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/your-program-must-have-an-overriding-purpose-which-is-clearly-visible/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [If you are a good team, your offense is born on the defensive end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/if-you-are-a-good-team-your-offense-is-born-on-the-defensive-end/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [Habits are critical for players. They cannot think and play well at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/habits-are-critical-for-players-they-cannot-think-and-play-well-at/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [When I go in for heart surgery, I want a full-time surgeon. I don't want some guy who just does it part-time between rounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/when-i-go-in-for-heart-surgery-i-want-a-full-time-surgeon-i-don-t/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [If you want to thank me, go do something for somebody else](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/if-you-want-to-thank-me-go-do-something-for-somebody-else/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [Parents would rather have their son get all-state than his team win the state championship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/parents-would-rather-have-their-son-get-all-state-than-his-team-win/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [Quickness more than anything else should determine your amount of pressure on the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/quickness-more-than-anything-else-should-determine-your-amount-of/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [If you have to 'try hard' to 'try hard, you are already beaten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/if-you-have-to-try-hard-to-try-hard-you-are-already-beaten/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) [Explore all 92 Don Meyer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) ## More Basketball quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [There is no doubt in my mind and I know in my time, there will be a Canadian basketball player playing for Toronto Raptors, 100%](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/there-is-no-doubt-in-my-mind-and-i-know-in-my-time-there-will-be-a/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [I learned so much from Sue about the Xs and Os of the game of basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/i-learned-so-much-from-sue-about-the-xs-and-os-of-the-game-of/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [ I failed, I think, seven \[or\] eight times before I finally got my first \[championship\]. It was just, you know, just about me growing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-before-i-finally-got-my-first/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [It's not how big you are, it's how big you play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-s-not-how-big-you-are-it-s-how-big-you-play/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Basketball isn't just a sport to me ; it's my ecstasy !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamira-robinson/basketball-isn-t-just-a-sport-to-me-it-s-my-ecstasy/) [Jamira Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamira-robinson/) > [It's similar to basketball: when you go to different gyms and win or lose, you learn something new. So when kids get out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-iguodala/it-s-similar-to-basketball-when-you-go-to-different-gyms-and-win-or/) [Andre Iguodala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-iguodala/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) > [And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a famous figurehead that gets a job because he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-i-want-to-do-it-the-right-way-like-everybody-else-not-just-a/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Well, you can certainly teach free-throwing. And you can teach the boys to pass at angles and run in curves. - University of Kansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-dawkins/well-you-can-certainly-teach-free-throwing-and-you-can-teach-the-boys/) [Darryl Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-dawkins/) > [Practice to beat the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bennett/practice-to-beat-the-best/) [Dick Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bennett/) > [I'm a competitive person. I love the game of basketball. I'm a gym rat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/i-m-a-competitive-person-i-love-the-game-of-basketball-i-m-a-gym-rat/) [Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/) > [I am both humbled and honored to receive the Honda Sports Award for women's basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittney-griner/i-am-both-humbled-and-honored-to-receive-the-honda-sports-award-for/) [Brittney Griner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittney-griner/) > [What I've talked about the entire series and throughout this playoffs is about intensity and effort, desire and will of our players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-laimbeer/what-i-ve-talked-about-the-entire-series-and-throughout-this-playoffs/) [Bill Laimbeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-laimbeer/) [Browse all 5,387 Basketball quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We sure didn't play great, but we played hard. 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