--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On today's athletes: I wish I could turn…" description: "\"On today's athletes: I wish I could turn back the clock a little bit so I'd have a chance to cut it up with those guys.\" — Eric Heiden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/500/eric-heiden-22924_athlete_on-today-s-athletes-i-wish-i-could-turn_1126459.jpg" --- # On today's athletes: I wish I could turn back the clock a… ![“On today's athletes: I wish I could turn back the clock a little bit so I'd have a chance to cut it up with those guys.” quote by Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/500/eric-heiden-22924_athlete_on-today-s-athletes-i-wish-i-could-turn_1126459.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/500/eric-heiden-22924_athlete_on-today-s-athletes-i-wish-i-could-turn_1126459.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/500/eric-heiden-22924_athlete_on-today-s-athletes-i-wish-i-could-turn_1126459.jpg) > “On today's athletes: I wish I could turn back the clock a little bit so I'd have a chance to cut it up with those guys.” [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He wishes he could go back in time to compete with today’s athletes, expressing nostalgia and desire. **In simple terms:** He wants to race against modern athletes. Key Takeaway Learn from past and present athletes. Themes nostalgia competition legacy Mood reflective hopeful Type conversational inspirational When to use this quote - coaching - training methodology - sports analytics Key Concepts sports history generational comparison Questions to Reflect On - What can current athletes learn from past legends? - How does nostalgia affect performance goals? A Different Perspective Idealizing the past can ignore progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Athletes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athletes/) [Athletes Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athletes-wish-3073625/) [Bits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bits/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Clock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) [Cut Guys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cut-guys-3073626/) [Cutting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cutting/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Little bit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-bit/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Today Athletes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today-athletes-3073624/) [Turn Clock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turn-clock-824097/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [Some of today's athletes do not have that kind of pride. They left school at 16, have never had a job in their life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linford-christie/some-of-today-s-athletes-do-not-have-that-kind-of-pride-they-left/) [Linford Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linford-christie/) > [My thing is just cut down the easy baskets. Cut down the easy baskets, and cut down the other guys that are going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-morris/my-thing-is-just-cut-down-the-easy-baskets-cut-down-the-easy-baskets/) [Marcus Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-morris/) > [It's not like some movies where you're following a bunch of different stories you can cut around. There was nowhere to cut to. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-reiser/it-s-not-like-some-movies-where-you-re-following-a-bunch-of-different/) [Paul Reiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-reiser/) > [“Jerry Seinfeld once remarked that today’s athletes churn through the rosters of sports teams so rapidly that a fan can no longer support a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/jerry-seinfeld-once-remarked-that-today-s-athletes-churn-through-the/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [I think today's athletes generally are spoiled by what's happened to salaries, but I also think that golfers have maintained the best demeanor of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/i-think-today-s-athletes-generally-are-spoiled-by-what-s-happened-to/) [Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/) > [There are certain things I wish I could turn back the clock for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-taylor/there-are-certain-things-i-wish-i-could-turn-back-the-clock-for/) [Phil Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-taylor/) > [“But the law's dream - anyone's dream - would be to turn the clock back and stop the bad thing from happening in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-farnsworth/but-the-law-s-dream-anyone-s-dream-would-be-to-turn-the-clock-back/) [Ward Farnsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-farnsworth/) > [We just can't go and try to turn the clock back, that's not happening anymore. You've got to figure something else out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-bowie/we-just-can-t-go-and-try-to-turn-the-clock-back-that-s-not-happening/) [Lester Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-bowie/) > [“Time, my elusive friend, just for once can you turn back the clock, Play back some of my lost moments and some events can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-s-khatana/time-my-elusive-friend-just-for-once-can-you-turn-back-the-clock-play/) [K S Khatana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-s-khatana/) > [“If you can't turn back the clock, you move forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dori-lavelle/if-you-can-t-turn-back-the-clock-you-move-forward/) [Dori Lavelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dori-lavelle/) > [“No one can turn back the clock. Lie about your age if you want, but we're all going in the same direction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-woolf/no-one-can-turn-back-the-clock-lie-about-your-age-if-you-want-but-we/) [Emma Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-woolf/) > [It took hours to turn the clock back 30 seconds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-franzen/it-took-hours-to-turn-the-clock-back-30-seconds/) [Jonathan Franzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-franzen/) > [I'd never choose to turn the clock back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geri-halliwell/i-d-never-choose-to-turn-the-clock-back/) [Geri Halliwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geri-halliwell/) > [I want to turn the clock back to when people lived in small villages and took care of each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-seeger/i-want-to-turn-the-clock-back-to-when-people-lived-in-small-villages/) [Pete Seeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-seeger/) > [In any case, you can't turn back the clock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-patini/in-any-case-you-can-t-turn-back-the-clock/) [Michel Patini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-patini/) ## More by Eric Heiden > [We never did a lot of weights, but a lot of repetitions. The most I would use doing squats was 300 pounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/we-never-did-a-lot-of-weights-but-a-lot-of-repetitions-the-most-i/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [I really liked it best when I was a nobody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/i-really-liked-it-best-when-i-was-a-nobody/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [When I was skating you had to participate in every thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/when-i-was-skating-you-had-to-participate-in-every-thing/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [It is not the events in our life that define our character, but how we deal with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/it-is-not-the-events-in-our-life-that-define-our-character-but-how-we/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [I mean you got to thank your parents for giving you the right genes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/i-mean-you-got-to-thank-your-parents-for-giving-you-the-right-genes/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [You don't really want to load up a whole lot, probably anything more than four hours before the race. 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If I'd got into cycling, I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/i-had-the-drive-to-pursue-speedskating-and-i-found-a-sport-that-i-was/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [In general, I enjoy athletes who have a strong character who let their abilities speak for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/in-general-i-enjoy-athletes-who-have-a-strong-character-who-let-their/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [Heck, gold medals, what can you do with them?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/heck-gold-medals-what-can-you-do-with-them/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [It's not a sport you get famous at. If I wanted to be famous, I would have stuck with hockey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/it-s-not-a-sport-you-get-famous-at-if-i-wanted-to-be-famous-i-would/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [They're just big in the eyes of the American public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/they-re-just-big-in-the-eyes-of-the-american-public/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [Cyclists, I work with a number of cyclists. They are great athletes; they are great aerobic athletes. 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And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [I think life is full of challenges and problems. I don't believe that anyone is perfect. We all make mistakes. It's not a bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-mansell/i-think-life-is-full-of-challenges-and-problems-i-don-t-believe-that/) [Nigel Mansell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-mansell/) > [I'd never been much of an athlete, due to a physical condition I'd had since birth (unathleticism). 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Why not train and treat yourself like an athlete?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chalene-johnson/treat-yourself-like-an-overweight-out-of-shape-person-and-that-s-what/) [Chalene Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chalene-johnson/) [Browse all 2,455 Athlete quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "On today's athletes: I wish I could turn back the clock a little bit so I'd have a chance to cut it up with those guys.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eric Heiden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/on-today-s-athletes-i-wish-i-could-turn-back-the-clock-a-little-bit/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Athlete" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/on-today-s-athletes-i-wish-i-could-turn-back-the-clock-a-little-bit/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/500/eric-heiden-22924_athlete_on-today-s-athletes-i-wish-i-could-turn_1126459.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/500/eric-heiden-22924_athlete_on-today-s-athletes-i-wish-i-could-turn_1126459.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/500/eric-heiden-22924_athlete_on-today-s-athletes-i-wish-i-could-turn_1126459.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“On today's athletes: I wish I could turn back the clock a little bit so I'd have a chance to cut it up with…” — Eric Heiden", "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": "Eric Heiden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "On today's athletes: I wish I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/on-today-s-athletes-i-wish-i-could-turn-back-the-clock-a-little-bit/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/on-today-s-athletes-i-wish-i-could-turn-back-the-clock-a-little-bit/#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 } } ] } ```