--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you would have told me when I was a…" description: "\"If you would have told me when I was a kid that I would be sitting here with an ACC championship and been drafted in the fourth round of the Major Leag..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62e/pat-connaughton-6509_baseball_if-you-would-have-told-me-when-i-was-a-k_363829.jpg" --- # If you would have told me when I was a kid that I would be… ![“If you would have told me when I was a kid that I would be sitting here with an ACC championship and been drafted in the fourth round of the Major League Baseball draft, I would have taken it in a heartbeat.” quote by Pat Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62e/pat-connaughton-6509_baseball_if-you-would-have-told-me-when-i-was-a-k_363829.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62e/pat-connaughton-6509_baseball_if-you-would-have-told-me-when-i-was-a-k_363829.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62e/pat-connaughton-6509_baseball_if-you-would-have-told-me-when-i-was-a-k_363829.jpg) > “If you would have told me when I was a kid that I would be sitting here with an ACC championship and been drafted in the fourth round of the Major League Baseball draft, I would have taken it in a heartbeat.” [Pat Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early talent can be imagined, and seizing opportunities can lead to unexpected achievements. **In simple terms:** Dreams can become reality with bold choices. Key Takeaway Embrace chances when they arise. Themes sports dreams opportunity Mood motivational optimistic Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - college athletics - draft decisions - career planning Key Concepts career ambition risk‑taking goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What would you have missed without taking that risk? - How do you evaluate big chances? A Different Perspective Not all opportunities guarantee success; risk exists. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) [Championship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/championship/) [Heartbeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heartbeat/) [Major league](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/major-league/) [Major league baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/major-league-baseball/) ## Related quotes > [In 2002, the Cincinnati Reds selected me with the 44th pick in the Major League Baseball draft. At 18 years of age, I began…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-votto/in-2002-the-cincinnati-reds-selected-me-with-the-44th-pick-in-the/) [Joey Votto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-votto/) > [“Reluctant hero, drafted again each Fourth of July, I'll bow and remember you. Who shall we follow next? Who shall we kill next time?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-edgar-stafford/reluctant-hero-drafted-again-each-fourth-of-july-i-ll-bow-and/) [William Edgar Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-edgar-stafford/) > [I had been told I might be drafted in the fourth round. 'Great,' I said at the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stockton/i-had-been-told-i-might-be-drafted-in-the-fourth-round-great-i-said/) [John Stockton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stockton/) > [The baseball draft is very different from the NBA or the NFL.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-depodesta/the-baseball-draft-is-very-different-from-the-nba-or-the-nfl/) [Paul DePodesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-depodesta/) > [Baseball-wise, the Orioles specifically love that I haven't pitched as much as other guys coming into Major League Baseball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/baseball-wise-the-orioles-specifically-love-that-i-haven-t-pitched-as/) [Pat Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/) > [America overflows with specious "victims" demanding redress for spurious grievances. However, one genuinely oppressed minority is getting overdue relief. Beginning with spring training in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/america-overflows-with-specious-victims-demanding-redress-for/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [On behalf of Major League Baseball, I am terribly saddened by the sudden passing of Kirby Puckett. He was a Hall of Famer in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bud-selig/on-behalf-of-major-league-baseball-i-am-terribly-saddened-by-the/) [Bud Selig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bud-selig/) > [“Only 12 managers have lasted more than three years with the Indians, and only three of those who did last longer than three years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-elliot/only-12-managers-have-lasted-more-than-three-years-with-the-indians/) [Tucker Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-elliot/) > [Growing up, I looked up to major league baseball players, and now these young women have amazing, incredible women all across the board, from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie-finch/growing-up-i-looked-up-to-major-league-baseball-players-and-now-these-2/) [Jennie Finch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennie-finch/) > [Anyone interested in becoming a professional umpire and becoming eligible to work in the minor leagues must attend one of the two umpire schools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-evans/anyone-interested-in-becoming-a-professional-umpire-and-becoming/) [Jim Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-evans/) > [It's hard enough to get four hits in a Major League Baseball game, yet alone have them all be the right ones and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-yelich/it-s-hard-enough-to-get-four-hits-in-a-major-league-baseball-game-yet/) [Christian Yelich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-yelich/) > [Major League Baseball is a national institution and we take our responsibilities seriously when it comes to how the game affects the lives of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bud-selig/major-league-baseball-is-a-national-institution-and-we-take-our/) [Bud Selig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bud-selig/) > [Growing up, I looked up to major league baseball players, and now these young women have amazing, incredible women all across the board, from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie-finch/growing-up-i-looked-up-to-major-league-baseball-players-and-now-these/) [Jennie Finch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennie-finch/) > [“It was like the baseball gods were showing off just for him, in honor of his first day of big league baseball. And surely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-elliot/it-was-like-the-baseball-gods-were-showing-off-just-for-him-in-honor/) [Tucker Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-elliot/) > [Feeling is to lose a major league game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-tanner/feeling-is-to-lose-a-major-league-game/) [Chuck Tanner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-tanner/) ## More by Pat Connaughton > [I don't think I've hid the fact that I like being Milwaukee Buck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/i-don-t-think-i-ve-hid-the-fact-that-i-like-being-milwaukee-buck/) [Pat Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/) > [I want to see if I can play in the Big East, ACC, Pac-10, and pitch, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/i-want-to-see-if-i-can-play-in-the-big-east-acc-pac-10-and-pitch-too/) [Pat Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/) > [I've always enjoyed the fact that a lot of people didn't have that much confidence in what I could do because I enjoy proving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/i-ve-always-enjoyed-the-fact-that-a-lot-of-people-didn-t-have-that/) [Pat Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/) > [In today's day and age, where so many kids are taught to specialize so early, I want to show them you don't have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/in-today-s-day-and-age-where-so-many-kids-are-taught-to-specialize-so/) [Pat Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/) > [I drank a lot of milk as a kid so maybe I can get on a 'Got Milk?' commercial at some point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/i-drank-a-lot-of-milk-as-a-kid-so-maybe-i-can-get-on-a-got-milk/) [Pat Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/) > [I'm in a fortunate position where real estate isn't my full-time job, but I have an extreme passion in the field, so as far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/i-m-in-a-fortunate-position-where-real-estate-isn-t-my-full-time-job/) [Pat Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/) > [You know, if I cleaned out my backpack, which I don't really use anymore, I'd find a bunch of beads. I have a bunch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/you-know-if-i-cleaned-out-my-backpack-which-i-don-t-really-use/) [Pat Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/) > [Basketball has always really helped me physically for baseball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/basketball-has-always-really-helped-me-physically-for-baseball/) [Pat Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/) > [Sometimes I'll read a book before bed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/sometimes-i-ll-read-a-book-before-bed/) [Pat Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/) > [As NBA players, so much of the game is mental, as far as confidence and playing against the best players in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/as-nba-players-so-much-of-the-game-is-mental-as-far-as-confidence-and/) [Pat Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/) > [For whatever the reasons may be, a lot of teams try to target me as a defender from a standpoint of assuming I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/for-whatever-the-reasons-may-be-a-lot-of-teams-try-to-target-me-as-a/) [Pat Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/) > [The love of basketball, the time and effort I've put into it - I'd be doing a disservice to myself if I didn't see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/the-love-of-basketball-the-time-and-effort-i-ve-put-into-it-i-d-be/) [Pat Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/) > [I've done it before where I get guys banging their bat on the ground after their second or third at-bat because you just have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/i-ve-done-it-before-where-i-get-guys-banging-their-bat-on-the-ground/) [Pat Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/) > [You don't want to be playing 36 holes on the day before a game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/you-don-t-want-to-be-playing-36-holes-on-the-day-before-a-game/) [Pat Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/) > [Bubble life hasn't been bad at all. It's different for everybody depending on their personal lives, but I don't have a girlfriend or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/bubble-life-hasn-t-been-bad-at-all-it-s-different-for-everybody/) [Pat Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/) [Explore all 99 Pat Connaughton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/) ## More Baseball quotes > [I'd always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. I never wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-perry/i-d-always-have-grease-in-at-least-two-places-in-case-the-umpires/) [Gaylord Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-perry/) > [When you're in the middle of a pennant race, you can't go up there thinking about home runs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammy-sosa/when-you-re-in-the-middle-of-a-pennant-race-you-can-t-go-up-there/) [Sammy Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammy-sosa/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [Spring training means flowers, people coming outdoors, sunshine, optimism and baseball. Spring training is a time to think about being young again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-banks/spring-training-means-flowers-people-coming-outdoors-sunshine/) [Ernie Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-banks/) > [Pitchers pitch differently. Hitters, hardly anyone has the same stance. That's just how it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-zimmerman/pitchers-pitch-differently-hitters-hardly-anyone-has-the-same-stance/) [Ryan Zimmerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-zimmerman/) > [Five World Series rings, 3000-plus hits, the fame, the fortune and playing for the second most historic franchise in baseball... These are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mookie-betts/five-world-series-rings-3000-plus-hits-the-fame-the-fortune-and/) [Mookie Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mookie-betts/) > [I don't want the electronic strike zone. I like the element of sometimes pitches don't get called. Guys don't receive it well or whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-schwarber/i-don-t-want-the-electronic-strike-zone-i-like-the-element-of/) [Kyle Schwarber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-schwarber/) > [I sang the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium - at a baseball game - which was crazy; there was, like, 60,000 people there, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-devine/i-sang-the-national-anthem-at-dodger-stadium-at-a-baseball-game-which/) [Adam DeVine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-devine/) > [If I was going to make one rule change, I would bring the DH to the National League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-brett/if-i-was-going-to-make-one-rule-change-i-would-bring-the-dh-to-the/) [George Brett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-brett/) > [In all honesty, once you become a professional, number one, you're no longer a fan. I don't root for the Dodgers, really. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vin-scully/in-all-honesty-once-you-become-a-professional-number-one-you-re-no/) [Vin Scully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vin-scully/) > [I'll tell you what's helped me my entire life. I look at baseball as a game. It's something where people can go out, enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-caray/i-ll-tell-you-what-s-helped-me-my-entire-life-i-look-at-baseball-as-a/) [Harry Caray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-caray/) > [When I step into the batters box. The fans, the noise, the cheers, they all disappear. For that moment, the world is just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/when-i-step-into-the-batters-box-the-fans-the-noise-the-cheers-they/) [Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/) > [What we should have done is kept the same team that played in the '95 World Series. Those trades (Eddie Murray & Carlos Baerga)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-belle/what-we-should-have-done-is-kept-the-same-team-that-played-in-the-95/) [Albert Belle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-belle/) > [“I can buy baseball cards to view an entire career on the back of a little square of cardboard. But nobody sells major league…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg-jr/i-can-buy-baseball-cards-to-view-an-entire-career-on-the-back-of-a/) [John Ortberg Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg-jr/) > [The wind always seems to blow against catchers when they are running.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-garagiola/the-wind-always-seems-to-blow-against-catchers-when-they-are-running/) [Joe Garagiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-garagiola/) [Browse all 7,461 Baseball quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you would have told me when I was a kid that I would be sitting here with an ACC championship and been drafted in the fourth round of the Major League Baseball draft, I would have taken it in a heartbeat.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pat Connaughton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/if-you-would-have-told-me-when-i-was-a-kid-that-i-would-be-sitting/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Baseball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/if-you-would-have-told-me-when-i-was-a-kid-that-i-would-be-sitting/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62e/pat-connaughton-6509_baseball_if-you-would-have-told-me-when-i-was-a-k_363829.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62e/pat-connaughton-6509_baseball_if-you-would-have-told-me-when-i-was-a-k_363829.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62e/pat-connaughton-6509_baseball_if-you-would-have-told-me-when-i-was-a-k_363829.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you would have told me when I was a kid that I would be sitting here with an ACC championship and been…” — Pat Connaughton", "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": "Pat Connaughton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you would have told me...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/if-you-would-have-told-me-when-i-was-a-kid-that-i-would-be-sitting/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/if-you-would-have-told-me-when-i-was-a-kid-that-i-would-be-sitting/#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 } } ] } ```