--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are not going to play them; they are…" description: "\"We are not going to play them; they are going to play us.\" — Henry Iba" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/henry-iba-46928_basketball_we-are-not-going-to-play-them-they-are-g_2790262.png" --- # We are not going to play them; they are going to play us. ![“We are not going to play them; they are going to play us.” quote by Henry Iba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/henry-iba-46928_basketball_we-are-not-going-to-play-them-they-are-g_2790262.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/henry-iba-46928_basketball_we-are-not-going-to-play-them-they-are-g_2790262.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/henry-iba-46928_basketball_we-are-not-going-to-play-them-they-are-g_2790262.png) > “We are not going to play them; they are going to play us.” [Henry Iba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-iba/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Opponents will dominate if we let them dictate the game. **In simple terms:** Control the narrative. Key Takeaway Stay proactive, dictate terms. Themes strategy control competition Mood strategic assertive Type motivational practical When to use this quote - business negotiations - sports tactics - political campaigns Key Concepts game theory leadership dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance control and adaptability? - When to let others lead? A Different Perspective Over‑control may stifle flexibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going/) [Going Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-play/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-going-585461/) ## Related quotes > [If I'm going to play, I'm going to have to give it 100%, which means I'm going to have to play in all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hendry/if-i-m-going-to-play-i-m-going-to-have-to-give-it-100-which-means-i-m/) [Stephen Hendry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hendry/) > [When it's time to play, I'm going to come play. I'm going to play the right way. I'm going to try to help my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gore/when-it-s-time-to-play-i-m-going-to-come-play-i-m-going-to-play-the/) [Frank Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gore/) > [If they want me I'd love to come back. I'm not going to play because I can, I'm going to play because I deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-maddux/if-they-want-me-i-d-love-to-come-back-i-m-not-going-to-play-because-i/) [Greg Maddux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-maddux/) > [Unless I can do myself justice and play well, I'm not going to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hendry/unless-i-can-do-myself-justice-and-play-well-i-m-not-going-to-play/) [Stephen Hendry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hendry/) > [You going PLAY or you going to WIN!!!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrawesome/you-going-play-or-you-going-to-win/) [MrAwesome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mrawesome/) > [I am not going to play basketball because I have to play. I am going to play for fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vlade-divac/i-am-not-going-to-play-basketball-because-i-have-to-play-i-am-going/) [Vlade Divac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vlade-divac/) > [I really enjoy going to play for the national team and be with the guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cedi-osman/i-really-enjoy-going-to-play-for-the-national-team-and-be-with-the/) [Cedi Osman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cedi-osman/) > [Аs long as I've got an audience out there to play for, I'm going to continue to play. I have at least enough people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/s-long-as-i-ve-got-an-audience-out-there-to-play-for-i-m-going-to/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [One thing is for sure, for the rest of this career, I will play this game how I want to play it and, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-rose/one-thing-is-for-sure-for-the-rest-of-this-career-i-will-play-this/) [Danny Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-rose/) > [I just do my best to put the ball in play and put it in play where no one's going to make a play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-votto/i-just-do-my-best-to-put-the-ball-in-play-and-put-it-in-play-where-no/) [Joey Votto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-votto/) > [The longer you play, there's always going to be naysayers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/the-longer-you-play-there-s-always-going-to-be-naysayers/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [I don't play hard to get, I play 'Never going to happen!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-play-hard-to-get-i-play-never-going-to-happen/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you see me play, you're going to see more and more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-herro/when-you-see-me-play-you-re-going-to-see-more-and-more/) [Tyler Herro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-herro/) > [Every game you play is going to present different challenges. You've got to be enthusiastic about taking them on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/every-game-you-play-is-going-to-present-different-challenges-you-ve/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) > [As long as my body will allow me to play I'm going to continue to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-peppers/as-long-as-my-body-will-allow-me-to-play-i-m-going-to-continue-to-play/) [Julius Peppers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-peppers/) ## More by Henry Iba > [Everyone should want to excel in life. You should never take the desire to excel away from the human race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-iba/everyone-should-want-to-excel-in-life-you-should-never-take-the/) [Henry Iba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-iba/) > [Think and then act. Never act and then alibi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-iba/think-and-then-act-never-act-and-then-alibi/) [Henry Iba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-iba/) > [Unless you plan to out-rebound and out-shoot everyone you play, then you better learn to handle the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-iba/unless-you-plan-to-out-rebound-and-out-shoot-everyone-you-play-then/) [Henry Iba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-iba/) > [Treat each player as your own son/daughter if you can...the parents have invested in you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-iba/treat-each-player-as-your-own-son-daughter-if-you-can-the-parents/) [Henry Iba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-iba/) > [I'm not against taking shots, but I am against taking bad shots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-iba/i-m-not-against-taking-shots-but-i-am-against-taking-bad-shots/) [Henry Iba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-iba/) > [You must be sure that you give back something that's beneficial to the game. Any of the teaching you do must be for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-iba/you-must-be-sure-that-you-give-back-something-that-s-beneficial-to/) [Henry Iba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-iba/) > [Don't let a week go by without conferences with each player, you can't teach it all on the floor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-iba/don-t-let-a-week-go-by-without-conferences-with-each-player-you-can-t/) [Henry Iba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-iba/) [Explore all 8 Henry Iba quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-iba/) ## 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 are not going to play them; they are going to play us.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry Iba" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-iba/we-are-not-going-to-play-them-they-are-going-to-play-us/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-iba/we-are-not-going-to-play-them-they-are-going-to-play-us/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/henry-iba-46928_basketball_we-are-not-going-to-play-them-they-are-g_2790262.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/henry-iba-46928_basketball_we-are-not-going-to-play-them-they-are-g_2790262.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/911/henry-iba-46928_basketball_we-are-not-going-to-play-them-they-are-g_2790262.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We are not going to play them; they are going to play us.” — Henry Iba", "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": "Henry Iba", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-iba/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We are not going to play...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-iba/we-are-not-going-to-play-them-they-are-going-to-play-us/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-iba/we-are-not-going-to-play-them-they-are-going-to-play-us/#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 } } ] } ```