--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For some reason as a kid being a smart…" description: "\"For some reason as a kid being a smart athlete didn't seem like the right thing, because you didn't fit in. You didn't want to be too smart because you..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/martellus-bennett-5963_dumb_for-some-reason-as-a-kid-being-a-smart-a_2733401.jpg" --- # For some reason as a kid being a smart athlete didn't seem… ![“For some reason as a kid being a smart athlete didn't seem like the right thing, because you didn't fit in. You didn't want to be too smart because you'd be a nerd. But then you didn't want to be too dumb either because then you didn't get the grades you needed to play.” quote by Martellus Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/martellus-bennett-5963_dumb_for-some-reason-as-a-kid-being-a-smart-a_2733401.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/martellus-bennett-5963_dumb_for-some-reason-as-a-kid-being-a-smart-a_2733401.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/martellus-bennett-5963_dumb_for-some-reason-as-a-kid-being-a-smart-a_2733401.jpg) > “For some reason as a kid being a smart athlete didn't seem like the right thing, because you didn't fit in. You didn't want to be too smart because you'd be a nerd. But then you didn't want to be too dumb either because then you didn't get the grades you needed to play.” [Martellus Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martellus-bennett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Smart athletes face social pressure to hide intelligence, fearing exclusion, while also needing grades for sports eligibility. **In simple terms:** Athletes hide smarts to fit in. Key Takeaway Embrace both intellect and sport. Themes identity social pressure athletics Mood empathetic thoughtful Type advice reflective When to use this quote - team dynamics - school counseling - college recruitment Key Concepts psychology education Questions to Reflect On - How can schools support scholar‑athletes? - What stereotypes affect smart athletes? A Different Perspective Balancing academics and athletics can cause stress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athlete Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete-didn-1252187/) [Dumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dumb/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Kid Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kid-smart-2972553/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Reason Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason-kid-2972552/) [Right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-thing/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Smart Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart-athlete-2972550/) [Smart Nerd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart-nerd-2972551/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [The right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-right-thing/) ## Related quotes > [I went to school with a kid who was so smart, the only time he got an answer wrong, they had to go back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-perret/i-went-to-school-with-a-kid-who-was-so-smart-the-only-time-he-got-an/) [Gene Perret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-perret/) > [I always looked like an athlete but I didn't look like Charles Atlas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dibiase-sr/i-always-looked-like-an-athlete-but-i-didn-t-look-like-charles-atlas/) [Ted DiBiase Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dibiase-sr/) > [To be quite honest, and anybody will tell you, growing up I was going to be a pro athlete. I didn't have any option.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/to-be-quite-honest-and-anybody-will-tell-you-growing-up-i-was-going/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [I know I am a clean athlete. I didn't start taking vitamins until I was 30, so I know I am a clean athlete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-mayweather/i-know-i-am-a-clean-athlete-i-didn-t-start-taking-vitamins-until-i/) [Floyd Mayweather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-mayweather/) > [Being paid as a professional athlete didn't change how hard I was working because I'm always going to do that, whether it's the weight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taysom-hill/being-paid-as-a-professional-athlete-didn-t-change-how-hard-i-was/) [Taysom Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taysom-hill/) > [My biggest challenger was my mom. 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Dubner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-dubner/) > [It has been my honor to support and work with President Barack Obama, a man who has brought courage and character to the presidency.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-reid/it-has-been-my-honor-to-support-and-work-with-president-barack-obama/) [Harry Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-reid/) > [Close wins really remind us that down the stretch, we can come together and do the right thing, and make the right plays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jrue-holiday/close-wins-really-remind-us-that-down-the-stretch-we-can-come/) [Jrue Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jrue-holiday/) > [A lot of the things I did - it's not going to sound anything but egotistical - if I'm lucky and I did the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-ford/a-lot-of-the-things-i-did-it-s-not-going-to-sound-anything-but/) [Tom Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-ford/) > [I think you've still got to try to be good, day-to-day. You see a granny, you hold the door open for her. You just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sami-zayn/i-think-you-ve-still-got-to-try-to-be-good-day-to-day-you-see-a/) [Sami Zayn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sami-zayn/) > [When you rely on incentives, you undermine virtues. Then when you discover that you actually need people who want to do the right thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-schwartz/when-you-rely-on-incentives-you-undermine-virtues-then-when-you/) [Barry Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-schwartz/) ## More by Martellus Bennett > [A lot of times when you're around really, really smart people, you don't really understand them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martellus-bennett/a-lot-of-times-when-you-re-around-really-really-smart-people-you-don/) [Martellus Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martellus-bennett/) > [I think coding is gonna become the blue collar work of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martellus-bennett/i-think-coding-is-gonna-become-the-blue-collar-work-of-the-future/) [Martellus Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martellus-bennett/) > [I'm always excited anytime I get a chance to be a better player and work with different people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martellus-bennett/i-m-always-excited-anytime-i-get-a-chance-to-be-a-better-player-and/) [Martellus Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martellus-bennett/) > [I always say Coach Trestman reminds me of the first Willy Wonka. 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And being a husband is a whole other business itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martellus-bennett/i-m-trying-to-be-the-best-dad-ever-and-being-a-husband-is-a-whole/) [Martellus Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martellus-bennett/) > [I've always been creating, no one had to teach me how to create, I always made things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martellus-bennett/i-ve-always-been-creating-no-one-had-to-teach-me-how-to-create-i/) [Martellus Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martellus-bennett/) > [I just wanted everybody to know that I'm not fat. 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Sometimes when we play sports and athletics you can lose your purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martellus-bennett/i-want-to-live-a-life-full-of-purpose-and-intention-sometimes-when-we/) [Martellus Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martellus-bennett/) [Explore all 100 Martellus Bennett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martellus-bennett/) ## More Dumb quotes > [I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-but-you-re-not-going-to-get-me-to-say-that/) [Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/) > [But, outside of being a sweet little girl, she was awfully dumb and capable of doing horrible things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/but-outside-of-being-a-sweet-little-girl-she-was-awfully-dumb-and/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“I hate the way you talk to me And the way you cut your hair I hate the way you drive my car I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-hate-the-way-you-talk-to-me-and-the-way-you-cut-your-hair-i-hate/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“War is not nice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-bush/war-is-not-nice/) [Barbara Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-bush/) > [I love comedy. I love the absurdity of it. I love the kind of intelligence that's required to be dumb in comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-mazin/i-love-comedy-i-love-the-absurdity-of-it-i-love-the-kind-of/) [Craig Mazin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-mazin/) > [Marilyn was a great actress, not a dumb blond bombshell. She was very smart, very astute and a good businesswoman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-schiller/marilyn-was-a-great-actress-not-a-dumb-blond-bombshell-she-was-very/) [Lawrence Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-schiller/) > [I'm a meathead. I can't help it, man. You've got smart people and you've got dumb people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keanu-reeves/i-m-a-meathead-i-can-t-help-it-man-you-ve-got-smart-people-and-you-ve/) [Keanu Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keanu-reeves/) > [I always wanted to make big action movies as a kid, and that was my dream. In a way, 'Swingers' was the thing I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-big-action-movies-as-a-kid-and-that-was-my/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [Me seeing how thick my callous is on my hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-country/me-seeing-how-thick-my-callous-is-on-my-hand/) [Michael Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-country/) > [It is unfortunate to consider all lawyers as natural Satanists many are just dumb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/it-is-unfortunate-to-consider-all-lawyers-as-natural-satanists-many/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [I hate it when people come up to me on trains and ask 'Are you Soulja Boy?' 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