--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If someone is not playing defense or not…" description: "\"If someone is not playing defense or not giving effort, that's my specialty. I don't hold back on my words.\" — Metta World Peace" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/167/metta-world-peace-4059_back_if-someone-is-not-playing-defense-or-not_1191051.jpg" --- # If someone is not playing defense or not giving effort… ![“If someone is not playing defense or not giving effort, that's my specialty. I don't hold back on my words.” quote by Metta World Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/167/metta-world-peace-4059_back_if-someone-is-not-playing-defense-or-not_1191051.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/167/metta-world-peace-4059_back_if-someone-is-not-playing-defense-or-not_1191051.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/167/metta-world-peace-4059_back_if-someone-is-not-playing-defense-or-not_1191051.jpg) > “If someone is not playing defense or not giving effort, that's my specialty. I don't hold back on my words.” [Metta World Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metta-world-peace/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He emphasizes his aggressive, outspoken style when opponents lack effort or defense. **In simple terms:** He likes to be vocal against lazy opponents. Key Takeaway Be direct when you see lack of effort. Themes competition communication confidence Mood intense defiant Type motivational controversial When to use this quote - team meetings - game play - coach feedback Key Concepts assertiveness psychology sportsmanship Questions to Reflect On - How does your approach affect team dynamics? - When is silence more effective? A Different Perspective May alienate teammates or fans if overused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/back/) [Defense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defense/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Effort Specialty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort-specialty-3534625/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Giving Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-effort-2213447/) [Playing defense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-defense/) [Specialty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/specialty/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) ## Related quotes > [At the end of the day, coaches, fans, everyone can live with the team playing hard and giving an effort. Fall short, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristan-thompson/at-the-end-of-the-day-coaches-fans-everyone-can-live-with-the-team/) [Tristan Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristan-thompson/) > [Yeah, I mean, if you're bracing yourself playing defense, you shouldn't play defense, one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-chung/yeah-i-mean-if-you-re-bracing-yourself-playing-defense-you-shouldn-t/) [Patrick Chung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-chung/) > [Goals have never defined me as a player. What has defined me is my impact on the team. If that means passing or playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-hamm/goals-have-never-defined-me-as-a-player-what-has-defined-me-is-my/) [Mia Hamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-hamm/) > [Basketball also helps you learn to move your feet by playing defense and guarding guys, and that all carries over to playing football with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-pryor/basketball-also-helps-you-learn-to-move-your-feet-by-playing-defense/) [Calvin Pryor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-pryor/) > [If you're not talking, you're not playing defense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doc-rivers/if-you-re-not-talking-you-re-not-playing-defense/) [Doc Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doc-rivers/) > [Playing defense hard gets me going offensively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/playing-defense-hard-gets-me-going-offensively/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [Last year they came in and won the game; that's how I would define it. Revenge is never on our mind. What's on our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-hobbs/last-year-they-came-in-and-won-the-game-that-s-how-i-would-define-it/) [Karl Hobbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-hobbs/) > [The key to win is playing defense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamarcus-aldridge/the-key-to-win-is-playing-defense/) [LaMarcus Aldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamarcus-aldridge/) > [In 10th grade, I started playing defense. Mainly because we already had a great tailback. Once I started playing it, it just started growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-woodson/in-10th-grade-i-started-playing-defense-mainly-because-we-already-had/) [Charles Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-woodson/) > [There's a sports saying, if you aren't playing offense, you're playing defense, so if you are coming back for a sequel not be better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ol-parker/there-s-a-sports-saying-if-you-aren-t-playing-offense-you-re-playing/) [Ol Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ol-parker/) > [I just go out and try to do my job the best I can. If that's playing defense as hard as I can or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hill/i-just-go-out-and-try-to-do-my-job-the-best-i-can-if-that-s-playing/) [George Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hill/) > [Something you can control is your effort and your energy and playing defense. And for me that's always been a catalyst for my game,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-caruso/something-you-can-control-is-your-effort-and-your-energy-and-playing/) [Alex Caruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-caruso/) > [You know, that's kind of the discipline of playing defense is you've got to stay home when you've got to stay home, but at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-flores/you-know-that-s-kind-of-the-discipline-of-playing-defense-is-you-ve/) [Brian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-flores/) > [Against our zone, even really good offensive teams take longer than usual to get into their patterns, maybe 30 seconds. So we're locked into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-boeheim/against-our-zone-even-really-good-offensive-teams-take-longer-than/) [Jim Boeheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-boeheim/) > [My game is evolving, my basketball bag, whatever they say, my repertoire of playing defense, pushing the ball on offense, being a good teammate;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-caruso/my-game-is-evolving-my-basketball-bag-whatever-they-say-my-repertoire/) [Alex Caruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-caruso/) ## More by Metta World Peace > [ I wanted to play in New York when I was in my prime and I was young, fierce, lock-down \[defender\]. Madison Square Garden, that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metta-world-peace/i-wanted-to-play-in-new-york-when-i-was-in-my-prime-and-i-was-young/) [Metta World Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metta-world-peace/) > [I didn't realize Oklahoma had so many fine women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metta-world-peace/i-didn-t-realize-oklahoma-had-so-many-fine-women/) [Metta World Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metta-world-peace/) > [At 19 years old, when I came out of St. John's, I was fresh out the 'hood. I was fresh out of Queensbridge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metta-world-peace/at-19-years-old-when-i-came-out-of-st-john-s-i-was-fresh-out-the-hood/) [Metta World Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metta-world-peace/) > [Of course there have been times when I've done crazy things. But I don't think I'm crazy. I just grew up in a crazy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metta-world-peace/of-course-there-have-been-times-when-i-ve-done-crazy-things-but-i-don/) [Metta World Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metta-world-peace/) > [I believe in order to coach, you've got to start at the ground level. The same way I learned how to play basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metta-world-peace/i-believe-in-order-to-coach-you-ve-got-to-start-at-the-ground-level/) [Metta World Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metta-world-peace/) > [I'm still ghetto. That's not going to change. I'm never going to change my culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metta-world-peace/i-m-still-ghetto-that-s-not-going-to-change-i-m-never-going-to-change/) [Metta World Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metta-world-peace/) > [There's a lot of negativity in the world. I'm trying to be positive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metta-world-peace/there-s-a-lot-of-negativity-in-the-world-i-m-trying-to-be-positive/) [Metta World Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metta-world-peace/) > [For me, basketball was always about survival because I was just trying to get out the hood, right? When I got to Chicago, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metta-world-peace/for-me-basketball-was-always-about-survival-because-i-was-just-trying/) [Metta World Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metta-world-peace/) > [I'd heard of the name 'Big Brother' before. I didn't realize that it was on TV for 20 years. My manager told me, ''Big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metta-world-peace/i-d-heard-of-the-name-big-brother-before-i-didn-t-realize-that-it-was/) [Metta World Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metta-world-peace/) > [I think coaches really do matter because they see the game, and we just play the game from a different point of view, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metta-world-peace/i-think-coaches-really-do-matter-because-they-see-the-game-and-we/) [Metta World Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metta-world-peace/) > [Now I will bop my head to gangsta music - I'm not going to lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metta-world-peace/now-i-will-bop-my-head-to-gangsta-music-i-m-not-going-to-lie/) [Metta World Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metta-world-peace/) > [I feel like I let people know I'm not a toy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metta-world-peace/i-feel-like-i-let-people-know-i-m-not-a-toy/) [Metta World Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metta-world-peace/) > [I just like to stay ready for whatever presents itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metta-world-peace/i-just-like-to-stay-ready-for-whatever-presents-itself/) [Metta World Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metta-world-peace/) > [It's weird, the evolution of a person. You understand yourself, you understand your surroundings. Then, when you understand who came before you, once you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metta-world-peace/it-s-weird-the-evolution-of-a-person-you-understand-yourself-you/) [Metta World Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metta-world-peace/) > [I shake everybody's hand before the game, but Oklahoma City, they don't shake hands. Only some of them, but I don't think they really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metta-world-peace/i-shake-everybody-s-hand-before-the-game-but-oklahoma-city-they-don-t/) [Metta World Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metta-world-peace/) [Explore all 117 Metta World Peace quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metta-world-peace/) ## More Back quotes > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I honestly would like to get that Frankie fight back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-mendes/i-honestly-would-like-to-get-that-frankie-fight-back/) [Chad Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-mendes/) > [Drumming's pretty physical. We sit at the back of the stage getting beat up like a workhorse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lee/drumming-s-pretty-physical-we-sit-at-the-back-of-the-stage-getting/) [Tommy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lee/) > [I never want to look back on any moment and say I could have done more. So I go all in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-haze/i-never-want-to-look-back-on-any-moment-and-say-i-could-have-done/) [Scott Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-haze/) > [I wish that I had known back then that a mastery of process would lead to a product. Then I probably wouldn't have found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/i-wish-that-i-had-known-back-then-that-a-mastery-of-process-would/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [It's what the people wanted at the time, but the country could not be half-segregated and half-integrated, just as it could not be half-slave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-wallace/it-s-what-the-people-wanted-at-the-time-but-the-country-could-not-be/) [George Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-wallace/) > [I've always stuck my arms behind my back anyway when trying to block a shot in the penalty area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millie-bright/i-ve-always-stuck-my-arms-behind-my-back-anyway-when-trying-to-block/) [Millie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millie-bright/) > [I'm sure at some point I will get back into coaching, but right now I need to focus completely on my kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ewing/i-m-sure-at-some-point-i-will-get-back-into-coaching-but-right-now-i/) [Patrick Ewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ewing/) > [Any time someone achieves success before they've earned it, it always comes back to haunt them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-white/any-time-someone-achieves-success-before-they-ve-earned-it-it-always/) [Ron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-white/) > [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [Back in the really olden days, dinner was seldom a ceremonial event for U.S. families. Only the very wealthy had a separate dining room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/back-in-the-really-olden-days-dinner-was-seldom-a-ceremonial-event/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [We're all painfully aware of how suddenly violence can occur, how crippling it is, and how survivors have to find a way back from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dini/we-re-all-painfully-aware-of-how-suddenly-violence-can-occur-how/) [Paul Dini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dini/) > [Ronaldo is just an athlete. He works so hard and back to back; he is always there. But if you work hard, can you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-davids/ronaldo-is-just-an-athlete-he-works-so-hard-and-back-to-back-he-is/) [Edgar Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-davids/) > [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. 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