--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As I look back on the day I signed my…" description: "\"As I look back on the day I signed my professional contract in 1973, I've never gone to sleep wondering if I could pay the bills or take care of my fam..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/doug-collins-24666_back_as-i-look-back-on-the-day-i-signed-my-pr_1835972.png" --- # As I look back on the day I signed my professional… ![“As I look back on the day I signed my professional contract in 1973, I've never gone to sleep wondering if I could pay the bills or take care of my family. That's what basketball has done for me. It's given me the greatest of thrills from high school to college to the Olympics to coaching to…” quote by Doug Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/doug-collins-24666_back_as-i-look-back-on-the-day-i-signed-my-pr_1835972.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/doug-collins-24666_back_as-i-look-back-on-the-day-i-signed-my-pr_1835972.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/doug-collins-24666_back_as-i-look-back-on-the-day-i-signed-my-pr_1835972.png) > “As I look back on the day I signed my professional contract in 1973, I've never gone to sleep wondering if I could pay the bills or take care of my family. That's what basketball has done for me. It's given me the greatest of thrills from high school to college to the Olympics to coaching to broadcasting.” [Doug Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-collins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Basketball provided financial security and personal fulfillment across his life stages. **In simple terms:** Basketball gave him money and joy. Key Takeaway Leverage passion for stability. Themes career sports financial security fulfillment Mood proud reflective Type inspirational personal narrative When to use this quote - Signing contract - Olympic competition - coaching - broadcasting Key Concepts Professional athletics career longevity personal growth Questions to Reflect On - How did basketball shape your identity? - What would you advise young athletes? A Different Perspective Success may depend on physical health and market changes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Broadcasting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broadcasting/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Coaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coaching/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [Olympics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/olympics/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep/) [Thrills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thrills/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) ## Related quotes > [I'm competitive. You can ask my family. Even if it's not basketball, it's anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luka-doncic/i-m-competitive-you-can-ask-my-family-even-if-it-s-not-basketball-it/) [Luka Doncic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luka-doncic/) > [Basketball has given me everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-crawford/basketball-has-given-me-everything/) [Jamal Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-crawford/) > [Basketball has given me everything, but it has to be bigger than basketball. That was the first thing that I said to Under Armour,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/basketball-has-given-me-everything-but-it-has-to-be-bigger-than/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [Basketball has given me so many opportunities, and it's something that's opened the world to me and allowed me to travel really all over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/basketball-has-given-me-so-many-opportunities-and-it-s-something-that/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [I'm very lucky what basketball has given me, so I'd love to give back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-ingles/i-m-very-lucky-what-basketball-has-given-me-so-i-d-love-to-give-back/) [Joe Ingles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-ingles/) > [When I signed my first professional contract in 2009, it was a dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendie-renard/when-i-signed-my-first-professional-contract-in-2009-it-was-a-dream/) [Wendie Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendie-renard/) > [I just enjoyed playing, but I don't think I ever really thought I was going to make it to the first team until I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bukayo-saka/i-just-enjoyed-playing-but-i-don-t-think-i-ever-really-thought-i-was/) [Bukayo Saka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bukayo-saka/) > [When I got my first professional contract from Ian St John - the Portsmouth manager at the time - my wages went up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kamara/when-i-got-my-first-professional-contract-from-ian-st-john-the/) [Chris Kamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kamara/) > [I started playing with my dad, and football was my dream forever. Step by step, I learnt a lot. I worked really hard, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pires/i-started-playing-with-my-dad-and-football-was-my-dream-forever-step/) [Robert Pires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pires/) > [I was lucky to get a professional contract. I wasn't that sort of talent that is considered to be a professional player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-mertesacker/i-was-lucky-to-get-a-professional-contract-i-wasn-t-that-sort-of/) [Per Mertesacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-mertesacker/) > [Dagenham offered me a two-year opportunity really. It wasn't a pro deal, just a chance to impress. I was sent out on loan straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-gayle/dagenham-offered-me-a-two-year-opportunity-really-it-wasn-t-a-pro/) [Dwight Gayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-gayle/) > [Thrills, chills, spine-tingling mystery, and lots of smiles. It's not easy to combine heart-pounding danger with gut-busting laughs and make it work, but Peterson…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-thomas-batson/thrills-chills-spine-tingling-mystery-and-lots-of-smiles-it-s-not/) [Wayne Thomas Batson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-thomas-batson/) > [Natural selection has duped us with an emotion that encourages group thinking. It is an emotion that makes us act as if for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-pagel/natural-selection-has-duped-us-with-an-emotion-that-encourages-group/) [Mark Pagel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-pagel/) > [“I'm one of those people who go through the world giving other people thrills but getting few myself except those I read into men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-m-one-of-those-people-who-go-through-the-world-giving-other-people/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“My job defines me, amuses me, thrills me and makes me feel like I am making a difference.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-primm/my-job-defines-me-amuses-me-thrills-me-and-makes-me-feel-like-i-am/) Kathryn Primm ## More by Doug Collins > [I was taught by teachers, and if it's one thing I have it's a basketball mind and I try to pass it on and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-collins/i-was-taught-by-teachers-and-if-it-s-one-thing-i-have-it-s-a/) [Doug Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-collins/) > [We're talking about being relevant again. I want the Sixers to be on people's tongues again... I want the Sixers to be the basketball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-collins/we-re-talking-about-being-relevant-again-i-want-the-sixers-to-be-on/) [Doug Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-collins/) > [Boston is a very proud franchise. The NBA misses them when they are not in the mix. They, along with teams like the Knicks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-collins/boston-is-a-very-proud-franchise-the-nba-misses-them-when-they-are/) [Doug Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-collins/) > [You don't want to be down 2-0 in a series. It's always important to try and get one on the opponent's home court. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-collins/you-don-t-want-to-be-down-2-0-in-a-series-it-s-always-important-to/) [Doug Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-collins/) > [The great thing about basketball is you work as hard as you can to individually get better so that your team can win](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-collins/the-great-thing-about-basketball-is-you-work-as-hard-as-you-can-to/) [Doug Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-collins/) > [Work as hard as you can to become as good an individual player as you can to help your team win](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-collins/work-as-hard-as-you-can-to-become-as-good-an-individual-player-as-you/) [Doug Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-collins/) > [The one thing about players today is that they're very sensitive, and very fragile. 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So I go all in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-haze/i-never-want-to-look-back-on-any-moment-and-say-i-could-have-done/) [Scott Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-haze/) > [I wish that I had known back then that a mastery of process would lead to a product. Then I probably wouldn't have found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/i-wish-that-i-had-known-back-then-that-a-mastery-of-process-would/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [It's what the people wanted at the time, but the country could not be half-segregated and half-integrated, just as it could not be half-slave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-wallace/it-s-what-the-people-wanted-at-the-time-but-the-country-could-not-be/) [George Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-wallace/) > [I've always stuck my arms behind my back anyway when trying to block a shot in the penalty area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millie-bright/i-ve-always-stuck-my-arms-behind-my-back-anyway-when-trying-to-block/) [Millie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millie-bright/) > [I'm sure at some point I will get back into coaching, but right now I need to focus completely on my kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ewing/i-m-sure-at-some-point-i-will-get-back-into-coaching-but-right-now-i/) [Patrick Ewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ewing/) > [Any time someone achieves success before they've earned it, it always comes back to haunt them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-white/any-time-someone-achieves-success-before-they-ve-earned-it-it-always/) [Ron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-white/) > [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [Back in the really olden days, dinner was seldom a ceremonial event for U.S. families. 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