--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Guys like Larry Bird -- he played so…" description: "\"Guys like Larry Bird -- he played so hard, he wants everybody else to play hard. That's not unreasonable. Any coach would want that and demand that.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34a/larry-bird-8994_bird_guys-like-larry-bird-he-played-so-hard-h_1829480.jpg" --- # Guys like Larry Bird -- he played so hard, he wants… ![“Guys like Larry Bird -- he played so hard, he wants everybody else to play hard. That's not unreasonable. Any coach would want that and demand that.” quote by Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34a/larry-bird-8994_bird_guys-like-larry-bird-he-played-so-hard-h_1829480.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34a/larry-bird-8994_bird_guys-like-larry-bird-he-played-so-hard-h_1829480.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34a/larry-bird-8994_bird_guys-like-larry-bird-he-played-so-hard-h_1829480.jpg) > “Guys like Larry Bird -- he played so hard, he wants everybody else to play hard. That's not unreasonable. Any coach would want that and demand that.” [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emphasizes that a coach should demand high effort from all players, mirroring his own intensity. **In simple terms:** Coaches should expect hard work from everyone. Key Takeaway Set high expectations for the team. Themes leadership teamwork effort Mood motivational direct Type sports leadership When to use this quote - sports training - team building - leadership workshops Key Concepts coaching motivation performance standards Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance intensity with player wellbeing? - What motivates athletes to match a coach’s effort? A Different Perspective Some may view extreme demands as unrealistic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bird/) [Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [Who in their right mind wouldn't listen to what Larry Bird tells them? He knows what it takes to be a successful player, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/who-in-their-right-mind-wouldn-t-listen-to-what-larry-bird-tells-them/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [Larry Bird is like a basketball god to me for what he's done for my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jalen-rose/larry-bird-is-like-a-basketball-god-to-me-for-what-he-s-done-for-my/) [Jalen Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jalen-rose/) > [You can't compare me to Larry Bird.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luka-doncic/you-can-t-compare-me-to-larry-bird/) [Luka Doncic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luka-doncic/) > [Doug Christie, what skill, what strenght, what power, what quickness. The visionof Magic Johnson, the athletisicm of Michael Jordan, the toughness of larry Bird.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/doug-christie-what-skill-what-strenght-what-power-what-quickness-the/) [Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/) > [Look at guys like Larry Bird and George Brett and John McEnroe; that's what they did in their careers. They all wanted to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/look-at-guys-like-larry-bird-and-george-brett-and-john-mcenroe-that-s/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [Larry Bird just throws the ball in the air and God moves the basket underneath it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-chizek/larry-bird-just-throws-the-ball-in-the-air-and-god-moves-the-basket/) Howie Chizek > [I have always wanted to be part of something special, and when I got to Boston.. actually, when I bought, begged and pleaded my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/i-have-always-wanted-to-be-part-of-something-special-and-when-i-got/) [Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/) > [People say that, but I think the NBA was bigger than Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-robertson/people-say-that-but-i-think-the-nba-was-bigger-than-larry-bird-and/) [Oscar Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-robertson/) > [Larry Bird is overrated in a lot of areas. ... Why does he get so much publicity? Because he's white. You never hear about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-rodman/larry-bird-is-overrated-in-a-lot-of-areas-why-does-he-get-so-much/) [Dennis Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-rodman/) > [It was okay for Wayne Gretzky's dad, for instance, to give him a hockey stick, or Joe Montana's dad to give him a football,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-connors/it-was-okay-for-wayne-gretzky-s-dad-for-instance-to-give-him-a-hockey/) [Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/) > [Dirk Nowitzki will be better than Larry Bird. I'm a legend killer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/dirk-nowitzki-will-be-better-than-larry-bird-i-m-a-legend-killer/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [I like to use my Larry Bird analogy, because I'm from Boston. It must have been frustrating playing behind Larry Bird. Because no matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-hasselbeck/i-like-to-use-my-larry-bird-analogy-because-i-m-from-boston-it-must/) [Matt Hasselbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-hasselbeck/) > [I love Larry Bird, but I don't agree with him. I love him and respect everything about him. I learned a long time ago,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-carroll/i-love-larry-bird-but-i-don-t-agree-with-him-i-love-him-and-respect/) [Pete Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-carroll/) > [I've got to give Larry Bird his due; he was a great player. He knew the game and he was smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-rodman/i-ve-got-to-give-larry-bird-his-due-he-was-a-great-player-he-knew-the/) [Dennis Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-rodman/) > [And I have been very blessed, having coached some of the greatest that have ever played the game. But if I had to start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/and-i-have-been-very-blessed-having-coached-some-of-the-greatest-that/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) ## More by Larry Bird > [If there was a payment to the bank due, and we needed shoes, she'd get the shoes, and then deal with them guys at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/if-there-was-a-payment-to-the-bank-due-and-we-needed-shoes-she-d-get/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [I just shoot until I feel good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/i-just-shoot-until-i-feel-good/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [If you tell a teammate you're ready to play as tough as you're able to, you'd better go out there and do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/if-you-tell-a-teammate-you-re-ready-to-play-as-tough-as-you-re-able/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [Basketball has been my life and I worked at it so hard because I enjoyed it so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/basketball-has-been-my-life-and-i-worked-at-it-so-hard-because-i/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [When I was a player, I didn't expect my teammates to play the way I did. I did expect them to work hard every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/when-i-was-a-player-i-didn-t-expect-my-teammates-to-play-the-way-i/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [I've always been interested in jobs in the NBA. But I've been in this for 20 years and it might be time to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-jobs-in-the-nba-but-i-ve-been-in-this/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [You can make all the excuses you want, but if you're not mentally tough and you're not prepared to play every night, you're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/you-can-make-all-the-excuses-you-want-but-if-you-re-not-mentally/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [“I've got a theory that if you give 100 percent all of the time, somehow things will work out in the end.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/i-ve-got-a-theory-that-if-you-give-100-percent-all-of-the-time/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [I have always been confident in my skills and once the game got going I knew I was probably the best player on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/i-have-always-been-confident-in-my-skills-and-once-the-game-got-going/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [I don't think that once you get to one level, you can relax. You've got to keep pushing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/i-don-t-think-that-once-you-get-to-one-level-you-can-relax-you-ve-got/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [You never make any of the shots you never take. 87% of the ones you do take, you'll miss too. I make 110% of my shots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/you-never-make-any-of-the-shots-you-never-take-87-of-the-ones-you-do/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [The best player I ever played with was Dennis Johnson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/the-best-player-i-ever-played-with-was-dennis-johnson/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [I mean, the greatest athletes in the world are African-American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/i-mean-the-greatest-athletes-in-the-world-are-african-american/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [Strength is not nearly as important as desire. I don't think you can teach anyone desire. I think it's a gift. I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/strength-is-not-nearly-as-important-as-desire-i-don-t-think-you-can/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [Basketball was always a game to me. One of the greatest things in life for me was to be able to play what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/basketball-was-always-a-game-to-me-one-of-the-greatest-things-in-life/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) [Explore all 76 Larry Bird quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) ## More Bird quotes > [And I have been very blessed, having coached some of the greatest that have ever played the game. But if I had to start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/and-i-have-been-very-blessed-having-coached-some-of-the-greatest-that/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [Some minds corrode and grow inactive under the loss of personal liberty; others grow morbid and irritable; but it is the nature of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/some-minds-corrode-and-grow-inactive-under-the-loss-of-personal/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [Set the bird's wings with gold and it will never again soar in thesky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/set-the-bird-s-wings-with-gold-and-it-will-never-again-soar-in-thesky/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [“He unfixes the metal notch and slips his hand around the body of the bird. Feels its heat, its small heart beating. He stares…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-schuyler/he-unfixes-the-metal-notch-and-slips-his-hand-around-the-body-of-the/) Nina Schuyler > [I would rather learn from one bird how to sing than to teach 10,000 stars how not to dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-cummings/i-would-rather-learn-from-one-bird-how-to-sing-than-to-teach-10-000/) [e. e. cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-cummings/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Surely, God could have caused birds to fly with their bones made of solid gold, with their veins full of quicksilver, with their flesh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/surely-god-could-have-caused-birds-to-fly-with-their-bones-made-of/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [And wheresoever, in his rich creation, Sweet music breathes--in wave, or bird, or soul-- 'Tis but the faint and far reverberation Of that great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-sargent-osgood/and-wheresoever-in-his-rich-creation-sweet-music-breathes-in-wave-or/) [Frances Sargent Osgood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-sargent-osgood/) > [A clock struck out the hour of twelve, and the bird in the hedgerow was still singing as we marched out to the roadway,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-macgill/a-clock-struck-out-the-hour-of-twelve-and-the-bird-in-the-hedgerow/) [Patrick MacGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-macgill/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Meanwhile, the trees were just as green as before; the birds sang and the sun shone as clearly now as ever. The familiar surroundings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/meanwhile-the-trees-were-just-as-green-as-before-the-birds-sang-and/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [When they started to drain a swamp where birds and fish had lived, for a new housing development down the road from his apartment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maile-meloy/when-they-started-to-drain-a-swamp-where-birds-and-fish-had-lived-for/) [Maile Meloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maile-meloy/) > [The bird with the thorn in its breast, it follows an immutable law; it is driven by it knows not what to impale itself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/the-bird-with-the-thorn-in-its-breast-it-follows-an-immutable-law-it/) [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) > [Real like sucks the life out of losers. if you want to fuck with the eagles, you must learn how to fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/real-like-sucks-the-life-out-of-losers-if-you-want-to-fuck-with-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If we studied birds ,maybe we could learn to be free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-alire-s-enz/if-we-studied-birds-maybe-we-could-learn-to-be-free/) [Benjamin Alire Sáenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-alire-s-enz/) [Browse all 4,802 Bird quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bird/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Guys like Larry Bird -- he played so hard, he wants everybody else to play hard. 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