--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing about special teams - and I…" description: "\"The thing about special teams - and I think football in general - is sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you.\" — John Harbaugh" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5c/john-harbaugh-42627_bear_the-thing-about-special-teams-and-i-thin_278626.jpg" --- # The thing about special teams - and I think football in… ![“The thing about special teams - and I think football in general - is sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you.” quote by John Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5c/john-harbaugh-42627_bear_the-thing-about-special-teams-and-i-thin_278626.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5c/john-harbaugh-42627_bear_the-thing-about-special-teams-and-i-thin_278626.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5c/john-harbaugh-42627_bear_the-thing-about-special-teams-and-i-thin_278626.jpg) > “The thing about special teams - and I think football in general - is sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you.” [John Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-harbaugh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life and competition involve unpredictable outcomes where sometimes you succeed and sometimes you are defeated. **In simple terms:** Success and failure are unpredictable. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty and adapt. Themes competition uncertainty resilience Mood determined reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - sports - business negotiationspersonal relationships Key Concepts risk strategy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you prepare for unpredictable challenges? - What mindset helps you recover from setbacks? A Different Perspective Success often depends on preparation, not just chance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bears/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Special teams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special-teams/) [Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“Sometimes you eat the bear; sometimes the bear eats you. --The Bear”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-j-cook/sometimes-you-eat-the-bear-sometimes-the-bear-eats-you-the-bear/) Gary J. Cook > [Somedays you eat the bear, somedays the bear eats you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mr-t/somedays-you-eat-the-bear-somedays-the-bear-eats-you/) [Mr. T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mr-t/) > [“Only one bear eats from this honey pot, Tatia”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paullina-simons/only-one-bear-eats-from-this-honey-pot-tatia/) [Paullina Simons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paullina-simons/) > [Don't eat bear balls. Eat healthy, delectable, plant-based foods so that you will never fall over on your cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rip-esselstyn/don-t-eat-bear-balls-eat-healthy-delectable-plant-based-foods-so-that/) [Rip Esselstyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rip-esselstyn/) > [“would not feel me between your teeth. Come, take these two wicked girls, they are tender morsels for you, fat as young quails; for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-grimm/would-not-feel-me-between-your-teeth-come-take-these-two-wicked-girls/) [Jacob Grimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-grimm/) > [I have only my own burden to bear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/i-have-only-my-own-burden-to-bear/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [We can bear the sun not to set, but we cannot bear the sun not to rise!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-can-bear-the-sun-not-to-set-but-we-cannot-bear-the-sun-not-to-rise/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [That really was NOT fun, though. Well, the hitting-her-with-a-stick part, that was fun. But crashing into a concrete bear? NOT fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/that-really-was-not-fun-though-well-the-hitting-her-with-a-stick-part/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“The silent bear no witness against themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/the-silent-bear-no-witness-against-themselves/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [What we are assigned to bear is in a sense a measure of our stature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-de-vries/what-we-are-assigned-to-bear-is-in-a-sense-a-measure-of-our-stature/) [Peter De Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-de-vries/) > [Bears are simultaneously so graceful and so strong. Bears know who they are, but they often don’t know who you are, which is why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/bears-are-simultaneously-so-graceful-and-so-strong-bears-know-who/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [Are there bears in these mountains?" he asked. His companion nodded. "Of course. But it's a bit early in the year for them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/are-there-bears-in-these-mountains-he-asked-his-companion-nodded-of/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [Yogi Bear changed my life in ways that I can't explain because it's not a full feature on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-miller/yogi-bear-changed-my-life-in-ways-that-i-can-t-explain-because-it-s/) [T. J. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-miller/) > [I like men. They are hugely entertaining, but they have a lot of shortcomings and you just have to bear those in mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/i-like-men-they-are-hugely-entertaining-but-they-have-a-lot-of/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [I was much more upset by the situation with Jacob than by the possibility of being eaten by a bear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-was-much-more-upset-by-the-situation-with-jacob-than-by-the/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) ## More by John Harbaugh > [I think my brother is good coach,because he's Jim. He's a good decision maker. He makes good judgments. He's got a vision. He's got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harbaugh/i-think-my-brother-is-good-coach-because-he-s-jim-he-s-a-good/) [John Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-harbaugh/) > [You got the hearts of lions, Good things, bad things, it doesn't matter, that's who you are... That's what carries us from here to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harbaugh/you-got-the-hearts-of-lions-good-things-bad-things-it-doesn-t-matter/) [John Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-harbaugh/) > [Discipline is not a light switch. Discipline is a way of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harbaugh/discipline-is-not-a-light-switch-discipline-is-a-way-of-life/) [John Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-harbaugh/) > [The biggest thing our dad taught us is that enthusiasm is real. He talks about coaching with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind. To me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harbaugh/the-biggest-thing-our-dad-taught-us-is-that-enthusiasm-is-real-he/) [John Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-harbaugh/) > [The main thing is winning. Stats aren't that important, but I think in the end things will work themselves out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harbaugh/the-main-thing-is-winning-stats-aren-t-that-important-but-i-think-in/) [John Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-harbaugh/) > [A man can be destroyed, but he can't be defeated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harbaugh/a-man-can-be-destroyed-but-he-can-t-be-defeated/) [John Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-harbaugh/) > [Be there...care...and put your children first in your life. When you are given the awesome responsibility of being a father, that is the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harbaugh/be-there-care-and-put-your-children-first-in-your-life-when-you-are/) [John Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-harbaugh/) > [Our dad made everything competitive for me and brother. It always was a world championship, a national championship, Big 10 championship. It was always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harbaugh/our-dad-made-everything-competitive-for-me-and-brother-it-always-was/) [John Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-harbaugh/) > [Ability is God-given, prowess is earned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harbaugh/ability-is-god-given-prowess-is-earned/) [John Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-harbaugh/) [Explore all 10 John Harbaugh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-harbaugh/) ## More Bear quotes > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I looked at Randy White... I looked at Klecko. I looked at Gino Marchetti. I looked at a lot of players. Bob Lilly. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-long/i-looked-at-randy-white-i-looked-at-klecko-i-looked-at-gino-marchetti/) [Howie Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-long/) > [“Hand in hand they whispered for a while. The girl nodded and the bear laughed. Together, they made their way down the corridor and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-craig/hand-in-hand-they-whispered-for-a-while-the-girl-nodded-and-the-bear/) [Stephen Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-craig/) > [No one likes to admit they are racist or bear prejudices. Nor do they even like to be open and honest when they witness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/no-one-likes-to-admit-they-are-racist-or-bear-prejudices-nor-do-they/) [Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/) > [I'm Irish and always will be, but America has taught me so much. Maybe it's here in the U.S. that we find a healing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fionnula-flanagan/i-m-irish-and-always-will-be-but-america-has-taught-me-so-much-maybe/) [Fionnula Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fionnula-flanagan/) > [Getting head-to-head with a polar bear was amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-strachan/getting-head-to-head-with-a-polar-bear-was-amazing/) [Michaela Strachan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-strachan/) > [“I have always held… that the skin of the bear must not be distributed until the bear has been killed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-r-manchester/i-have-always-held-that-the-skin-of-the-bear-must-not-be-distributed/) [William R. Manchester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-r-manchester/) > [When I was in Greenough, Montana, I came across a bear cub. I was off this path, and I thought, If there's a bear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/when-i-was-in-greenough-montana-i-came-across-a-bear-cub-i-was-off/) [Al Roker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-roker/) > [I was much more upset by the situation with Jacob than by the possibility of being eaten by a bear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-was-much-more-upset-by-the-situation-with-jacob-than-by-the/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [I like men. They are hugely entertaining, but they have a lot of shortcomings and you just have to bear those in mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/i-like-men-they-are-hugely-entertaining-but-they-have-a-lot-of/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [Yogi Bear changed my life in ways that I can't explain because it's not a full feature on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-miller/yogi-bear-changed-my-life-in-ways-that-i-can-t-explain-because-it-s/) [T. J. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-miller/) > [“Rabbit underground, rabbit safe and sound.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-adams/rabbit-underground-rabbit-safe-and-sound/) [Richard Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-adams/) > [Are there bears in these mountains?" he asked. His companion nodded. "Of course. But it's a bit early in the year for them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/are-there-bears-in-these-mountains-he-asked-his-companion-nodded-of/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [“Fighting with tangles, fighting with curls, the poor barber yanked, the poor barber pulled, until with one last effort (and to the wonder of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mili-fay/fighting-with-tangles-fighting-with-curls-the-poor-barber-yanked-the/) Mili Fay > [Bears are simultaneously so graceful and so strong. Bears know who they are, but they often don’t know who you are, which is why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/bears-are-simultaneously-so-graceful-and-so-strong-bears-know-who/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) Browse all 827 Bear quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The thing about special teams - and I think football in general - is sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Harbaugh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harbaugh/the-thing-about-special-teams-and-i-think-football-in-general-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bear" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harbaugh/the-thing-about-special-teams-and-i-think-football-in-general-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5c/john-harbaugh-42627_bear_the-thing-about-special-teams-and-i-thin_278626.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5c/john-harbaugh-42627_bear_the-thing-about-special-teams-and-i-thin_278626.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5c/john-harbaugh-42627_bear_the-thing-about-special-teams-and-i-thin_278626.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The thing about special teams - and I think football in general - is sometimes you eat the bear and…” — John Harbaugh", "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": "John Harbaugh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-harbaugh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The thing about special teams -...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harbaugh/the-thing-about-special-teams-and-i-think-football-in-general-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harbaugh/the-thing-about-special-teams-and-i-think-football-in-general-is/#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 } } ] } ```