--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He wants to be his own man and be…" description: "\"He wants to be his own man and be recognized for what he's done. He's not asking for anything because of his name. That was a tough situation to go int..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/069/don-shula-11263_alabama_he-wants-to-be-his-own-man-and-be-recogn_331297.jpg" --- # He wants to be his own man and be recognized for what he's… ![“He wants to be his own man and be recognized for what he's done. He's not asking for anything because of his name. That was a tough situation to go into at Alabama, but he probably wouldn't have been given the job if the situation would have been different.” quote by Don Shula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/069/don-shula-11263_alabama_he-wants-to-be-his-own-man-and-be-recogn_331297.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/069/don-shula-11263_alabama_he-wants-to-be-his-own-man-and-be-recogn_331297.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/069/don-shula-11263_alabama_he-wants-to-be-his-own-man-and-be-recogn_331297.jpg) > “He wants to be his own man and be recognized for what he's done. He's not asking for anything because of his name. That was a tough situation to go into at Alabama, but he probably wouldn't have been given the job if the situation would have been different.” [Don Shula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-shula/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He wants recognition based on merit, not family name, and faced a tough decision at Alabama that could have altered his career. **In simple terms:** He seeks merit-based recognition despite challenges. Key Takeaway Focus on personal achievement over legacy. Themes sports leadership integrity Mood determined serious Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - job interviews - team management - personal branding Key Concepts meritocracy career decisions Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal identity with professional expectations? - What strategies help maintain focus on performance? A Different Perspective Name recognition can bias perceptions, creating extra pressure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) ## Related quotes > [Liberty means that a man is recognized as free and treated as free by those who surround him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bakunin/liberty-means-that-a-man-is-recognized-as-free-and-treated-as-free-by/) [Mikhail Bakunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bakunin/) > [The BP settlement is a victory for Alabama: not only for the amount of compensation we were able to secure, but also for avoiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-strange/the-bp-settlement-is-a-victory-for-alabama-not-only-for-the-amount-of/) [Luther Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-strange/) > [It is my goal as governor to steady the ship of state and improve the image of Alabama, part of that entails ending unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ivey/it-is-my-goal-as-governor-to-steady-the-ship-of-state-and-improve-the/) [Kay Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ivey/) > [Beginning in June, Alabama seniors previously without prescription drug coverage should begin to see savings of between 10 and 25 percent on their medications.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-rogers/beginning-in-june-alabama-seniors-previously-without-prescription/) [Mike Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-rogers/) > [On his 916th game as coach at University of Alabama - I've been here so long that when I got here the Dead Sea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winfrey-sanderson/on-his-916th-game-as-coach-at-university-of-alabama-i-ve-been-here-so/) Winfrey Sanderson > [My uncle is a Southern planter. He's an undertaker in Alabama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/my-uncle-is-a-southern-planter-he-s-an-undertaker-in-alabama/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [Because Republicans defected and voted with all the Democrats to reject Jeff Sessions' nomination when they discovered that when he was working as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/because-republicans-defected-and-voted-with-all-the-democrats-to/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [May God continue to bless sweet home Alabama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ivey/may-god-continue-to-bless-sweet-home-alabama/) [Kay Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ivey/) > [When I was growing up in Alabama in the '50s, even though we were poor and the laws were against blacks, we still had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-lee-peterson/when-i-was-growing-up-in-alabama-in-the-50s-even-though-we-were-poor/) [Jesse Lee Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-lee-peterson/) > [Alabama's a football state and you really don't get too many basketball players out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/alabama-s-a-football-state-and-you-really-don-t-get-too-many/) [Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/) > [I'll never forget where I came from, and that my home is forever Sweet Home Alabama!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bearer/i-ll-never-forget-where-i-came-from-and-that-my-home-is-forever-sweet/) Paul Bearer > [The great thing that I appreciate - the fact that my godfather, William 'Sticky' Jackson, was a Tuskegee Airman because my father was first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-west/the-great-thing-that-i-appreciate-the-fact-that-my-godfather-william/) [Allen West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-west/) > [I was haunted always by my other life-my drab room in the Bronx, my square foot of the subway, my fixation upon the day's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-was-haunted-always-by-my-other-life-my-drab-room-in-the-bronx-my/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“Alabama in 1927 alone, 27,701 men were arrested on misdemeanor charges and offered for sale by county sheriffs. In Blackmon’s estimation, “roughly half of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-haney-l-pez/alabama-in-1927-alone-27-701-men-were-arrested-on-misdemeanor-charges/) [Ian Haney López](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-haney-l-pez/) > [Alabama soldiers, all I ask of you is to keep up with the Texans!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/alabama-soldiers-all-i-ask-of-you-is-to-keep-up-with-the-texans/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) ## More by Don Shula > [You can't play enough golf or do any of those other things that fill that kind of excitement that coaching gave me in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-shula/you-can-t-play-enough-golf-or-do-any-of-those-other-things-that-fill/) [Don Shula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-shula/) > [Peyton Manning is doing things that I think no other quarterback in the history of the league has done at the line of scrimmage...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-shula/peyton-manning-is-doing-things-that-i-think-no-other-quarterback-in/) [Don Shula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-shula/) > [Failure isn't fatal, and success isn't final.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-shula/failure-isn-t-fatal-and-success-isn-t-final/) [Don Shula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-shula/) > [As a coach, your high standards of performance, attention to detail and - above all - how hard you work set the stage for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-shula/as-a-coach-your-high-standards-of-performance-attention-to-detail-and/) [Don Shula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-shula/) > [I'm not going to worry about the critics until some of my peers start saying I'm a softie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-shula/i-m-not-going-to-worry-about-the-critics-until-some-of-my-peers-start/) [Don Shula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-shula/) > [I have no magic formula. The only way I know to win is through hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-shula/i-have-no-magic-formula-the-only-way-i-know-to-win-is-through-hard/) [Don Shula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-shula/) > [I never felt I knew it all. I always felt there's something new to learn, something new to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-shula/i-never-felt-i-knew-it-all-i-always-felt-there-s-something-new-to/) [Don Shula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-shula/) > [Leadership implies movement toward something and convictions provide that direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-shula/leadership-implies-movement-toward-something-and-convictions-provide/) [Don Shula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-shula/) > [Success is not forever, and failure is never final.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-shula/success-is-not-forever-and-failure-is-never-final/) [Don Shula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-shula/) > [If you're going to take gambles, you must have one thing: self-confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-shula/if-you-re-going-to-take-gambles-you-must-have-one-thing-self/) [Don Shula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-shula/) > [The ultimate goal is victory. And if you refuse to work as hard as you possibly can toward that aim, or if you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-shula/the-ultimate-goal-is-victory-and-if-you-refuse-to-work-as-hard-as-you/) [Don Shula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-shula/) > [I don't know any other way to lead but by example.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-shula/i-don-t-know-any-other-way-to-lead-but-by-example/) [Don Shula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-shula/) > [And then to end up with a total of 347 wins, averaging 10 regular season wins for 33 years and the best winning percentage,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-shula/and-then-to-end-up-with-a-total-of-347-wins-averaging-10-regular/) [Don Shula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-shula/) > [Sure, luck means a lot in football. Not having a good quarterback is bad luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-shula/sure-luck-means-a-lot-in-football-not-having-a-good-quarterback-is/) [Don Shula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-shula/) > [I don't want a player that's content with not playing... But we wanted to play the guys that got us here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-shula/i-don-t-want-a-player-that-s-content-with-not-playing-but-we-wanted/) [Don Shula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-shula/) [Explore all 60 Don Shula quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-shula/) ## More Alabama quotes > [Alabama soldiers, all I ask of you is to keep up with the Texans!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/alabama-soldiers-all-i-ask-of-you-is-to-keep-up-with-the-texans/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [“Alabama in 1927 alone, 27,701 men were arrested on misdemeanor charges and offered for sale by county sheriffs. In Blackmon’s estimation, “roughly half of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-haney-l-pez/alabama-in-1927-alone-27-701-men-were-arrested-on-misdemeanor-charges/) [Ian Haney López](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-haney-l-pez/) > [I was haunted always by my other life-my drab room in the Bronx, my square foot of the subway, my fixation upon the day's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-was-haunted-always-by-my-other-life-my-drab-room-in-the-bronx-my/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [The great thing that I appreciate - the fact that my godfather, William 'Sticky' Jackson, was a Tuskegee Airman because my father was first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-west/the-great-thing-that-i-appreciate-the-fact-that-my-godfather-william/) [Allen West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-west/) > [I'll never forget where I came from, and that my home is forever Sweet Home Alabama!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bearer/i-ll-never-forget-where-i-came-from-and-that-my-home-is-forever-sweet/) Paul Bearer > [Alabama's a football state and you really don't get too many basketball players out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/alabama-s-a-football-state-and-you-really-don-t-get-too-many/) [Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/) > [When I was growing up in Alabama in the '50s, even though we were poor and the laws were against blacks, we still had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-lee-peterson/when-i-was-growing-up-in-alabama-in-the-50s-even-though-we-were-poor/) [Jesse Lee Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-lee-peterson/) > [May God continue to bless sweet home Alabama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ivey/may-god-continue-to-bless-sweet-home-alabama/) [Kay Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ivey/) > [Because Republicans defected and voted with all the Democrats to reject Jeff Sessions' nomination when they discovered that when he was working as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/because-republicans-defected-and-voted-with-all-the-democrats-to/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [My uncle is a Southern planter. He's an undertaker in Alabama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/my-uncle-is-a-southern-planter-he-s-an-undertaker-in-alabama/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [On his 916th game as coach at University of Alabama - I've been here so long that when I got here the Dead Sea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winfrey-sanderson/on-his-916th-game-as-coach-at-university-of-alabama-i-ve-been-here-so/) Winfrey Sanderson > [Beginning in June, Alabama seniors previously without prescription drug coverage should begin to see savings of between 10 and 25 percent on their medications.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-rogers/beginning-in-june-alabama-seniors-previously-without-prescription/) [Mike Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-rogers/) > [It is my goal as governor to steady the ship of state and improve the image of Alabama, part of that entails ending unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ivey/it-is-my-goal-as-governor-to-steady-the-ship-of-state-and-improve-the/) [Kay Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ivey/) > [The BP settlement is a victory for Alabama: not only for the amount of compensation we were able to secure, but also for avoiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-strange/the-bp-settlement-is-a-victory-for-alabama-not-only-for-the-amount-of/) [Luther Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-strange/) > [I had an art teacher who's the reason I got there in high school who encouraged me to go to Alabama. That's where she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sela-ward/i-had-an-art-teacher-who-s-the-reason-i-got-there-in-high-school-who/) [Sela Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sela-ward/) Browse all 371 Alabama quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He wants to be his own man and be recognized for what he's done. He's not asking for anything because of his name. 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