--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't have a problem with athletes…" description: "\"I don't have a problem with athletes speaking up, but I want to make sure before they speak up, they read up.\" — Shannon Sharpe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/shannon-sharpe-4881_athletes_i-don-t-have-a-problem-with-athletes-spe_595322.png" --- # I don't have a problem with athletes speaking up, but I… ![“I don't have a problem with athletes speaking up, but I want to make sure before they speak up, they read up.” quote by Shannon Sharpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/shannon-sharpe-4881_athletes_i-don-t-have-a-problem-with-athletes-spe_595322.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/shannon-sharpe-4881_athletes_i-don-t-have-a-problem-with-athletes-spe_595322.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/shannon-sharpe-4881_athletes_i-don-t-have-a-problem-with-athletes-spe_595322.png) > “I don't have a problem with athletes speaking up, but I want to make sure before they speak up, they read up.” [Shannon Sharpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-sharpe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Athletes should educate themselves before speaking publicly to ensure informed commentary. **In simple terms:** Know before you speak. Key Takeaway Research before speaking. Themes responsibility communication knowledge public discourse Mood thoughtful serious Type advice commentary When to use this quote - team meetings - press conferences - social media posts - public debates - interviews Key Concepts media literacy civic duty expertise Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify facts quickly? - What are consequences of uninformed statements? A Different Perspective May lack time or access to accurate information. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athletes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athletes/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) ## Related quotes > [“Make sure you speak out and loud enough to be heard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/make-sure-you-speak-out-and-loud-enough-to-be-heard/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [Be sure that you speak with unfeigned lips.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-de-france/be-sure-that-you-speak-with-unfeigned-lips/) [Marie de France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-de-france/) > [The problem with many athletes is they take themselves seriously and their sport lightly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltrip/the-problem-with-many-athletes-is-they-take-themselves-seriously-and/) [Michael Waltrip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltrip/) > [The problem is not with the athletes, but with us. No matter how blatant the drug use may be, we don't stop watching the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/the-problem-is-not-with-the-athletes-but-with-us-no-matter-how/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [I meet athletes from different backgrounds and see they share the same mentality and process as other athletes in other sports.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-sharpe/i-meet-athletes-from-different-backgrounds-and-see-they-share-the/) [Shannon Sharpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-sharpe/) > [One of my favorite topics to read about my whole life has just been famous athletes, and a lot of those have been combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-askren/one-of-my-favorite-topics-to-read-about-my-whole-life-has-just-been/) [Ben Askren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-askren/) > [“Athletes, we were supposed to just be there, and in class I made it a point that I was prepared for every exam, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/athletes-we-were-supposed-to-just-be-there-and-in-class-i-made-it-a/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [Athletes can not look the same and be great in their individual sport. The example I like to use is Gabby Douglas. She could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-carter/athletes-can-not-look-the-same-and-be-great-in-their-individual-sport/) [Michelle Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-carter/) > [I think athletes in general, your days are numbered. Any time you can kind of learn and grow from an entrepreneurship standpoint and ownership…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ingram-ii/i-think-athletes-in-general-your-days-are-numbered-any-time-you-can/) [Mark Ingram II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ingram-ii/) > [Theres that initial reticence for some athletes to take you seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-guerrero/theres-that-initial-reticence-for-some-athletes-to-take-you-seriously/) [Lisa Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-guerrero/) > [It's important for closet gay athletes everywhere, not just at the professional level, but more importantly athletes at the younger level in high school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-fujita/it-s-important-for-closet-gay-athletes-everywhere-not-just-at-the/) [Scott Fujita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-fujita/) > [Professional athletes die twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/professional-athletes-die-twice/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [I'd just like to see athletes awake. And aware. There's so much going on and so much to know... We stay in our little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-teter/i-d-just-like-to-see-athletes-awake-and-aware-there-s-so-much-going/) [Hannah Teter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-teter/) > [Whether it's basketball, football, baseball, you like meeting other athletes to see how their jobs work, and everything like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-gaudreau/whether-it-s-basketball-football-baseball-you-like-meeting-other/) [Johnny Gaudreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-gaudreau/) > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) ## More by Shannon Sharpe > [Adrian Peterson has home-run speed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-sharpe/adrian-peterson-has-home-run-speed/) [Shannon Sharpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-sharpe/) > [I was a terrible student. I didn't graduate magna cum laude: I graduated 'Thank you, Lawdy!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-sharpe/i-was-a-terrible-student-i-didn-t-graduate-magna-cum-laude-i/) [Shannon Sharpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-sharpe/) > [Some guys get on the road, the first thing they do is look for the nearest golf course. I look for a gym.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-sharpe/some-guys-get-on-the-road-the-first-thing-they-do-is-look-for-the/) [Shannon Sharpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-sharpe/) > [I really carried that seventh-round tag with me my whole career, even at the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-sharpe/i-really-carried-that-seventh-round-tag-with-me-my-whole-career-even/) [Shannon Sharpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-sharpe/) > [There's not a throw that Tom Brady can make that Aaron Rodgers can't, but there are several throws that Aaron Rodgers can make that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-sharpe/there-s-not-a-throw-that-tom-brady-can-make-that-aaron-rodgers-can-t/) [Shannon Sharpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-sharpe/) > [In our culture, when the parents are having a tough time, the grandparents take care of the kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-sharpe/in-our-culture-when-the-parents-are-having-a-tough-time-the/) [Shannon Sharpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-sharpe/) > [Growing up on a farm, I saw that if I didn't go to the military or go to school, and I knew my mom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-sharpe/growing-up-on-a-farm-i-saw-that-if-i-didn-t-go-to-the-military-or-go/) [Shannon Sharpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-sharpe/) > [You have to do more than the coaches ask you, or you'll never be a great player in this league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-sharpe/you-have-to-do-more-than-the-coaches-ask-you-or-you-ll-never-be-a/) [Shannon Sharpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-sharpe/) > [I like to think my teammates had a good time when I was around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-sharpe/i-like-to-think-my-teammates-had-a-good-time-when-i-was-around/) [Shannon Sharpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-sharpe/) > [I can't for the life of me - and I've tried - love someone like I love my grandmother, my sister and my mom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-sharpe/i-can-t-for-the-life-of-me-and-i-ve-tried-love-someone-like-i-love-my/) [Shannon Sharpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-sharpe/) > [This was a no-brainer, ... When it came down to it, I said to myself, Hey, you can still play, you can still play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-sharpe/this-was-a-no-brainer-when-it-came-down-to-it-i-said-to-myself-hey/) [Shannon Sharpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-sharpe/) > [I'm all in on 'Undisputed,' and that's where I was with football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-sharpe/i-m-all-in-on-undisputed-and-that-s-where-i-was-with-football/) [Shannon Sharpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-sharpe/) > [I meet athletes from different backgrounds and see they share the same mentality and process as other athletes in other sports.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-sharpe/i-meet-athletes-from-different-backgrounds-and-see-they-share-the/) [Shannon Sharpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-sharpe/) > [I could have never been a high diver or a gymnast because I don't like subjectivity. I love where I'm faster than you,, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-sharpe/i-could-have-never-been-a-high-diver-or-a-gymnast-because-i-don-t/) [Shannon Sharpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-sharpe/) > [We have never, ever, in the history of football seen a guy that possesses what Aaron Rodgers possesses. Nobody, no quarterback in history, has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-sharpe/we-have-never-ever-in-the-history-of-football-seen-a-guy-that/) [Shannon Sharpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-sharpe/) [Explore all 105 Shannon Sharpe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-sharpe/) ## More Athletes quotes > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [Whether it's basketball, football, baseball, you like meeting other athletes to see how their jobs work, and everything like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-gaudreau/whether-it-s-basketball-football-baseball-you-like-meeting-other/) [Johnny Gaudreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-gaudreau/) > [I'd just like to see athletes awake. And aware. There's so much going on and so much to know... We stay in our little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-teter/i-d-just-like-to-see-athletes-awake-and-aware-there-s-so-much-going/) [Hannah Teter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-teter/) > [Professional athletes die twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/professional-athletes-die-twice/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [It's important for closet gay athletes everywhere, not just at the professional level, but more importantly athletes at the younger level in high school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-fujita/it-s-important-for-closet-gay-athletes-everywhere-not-just-at-the/) [Scott Fujita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-fujita/) > [Theres that initial reticence for some athletes to take you seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-guerrero/theres-that-initial-reticence-for-some-athletes-to-take-you-seriously/) [Lisa Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-guerrero/) > [I think athletes in general, your days are numbered. Any time you can kind of learn and grow from an entrepreneurship standpoint and ownership…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ingram-ii/i-think-athletes-in-general-your-days-are-numbered-any-time-you-can/) [Mark Ingram II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ingram-ii/) > [Athletes can not look the same and be great in their individual sport. The example I like to use is Gabby Douglas. She could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-carter/athletes-can-not-look-the-same-and-be-great-in-their-individual-sport/) [Michelle Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-carter/) > [“Athletes, we were supposed to just be there, and in class I made it a point that I was prepared for every exam, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/athletes-we-were-supposed-to-just-be-there-and-in-class-i-made-it-a/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [My guess is many top athletes, distance runners included, use performance-enhancing drugs, enough so that the problem must be tackled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-rodgers/my-guess-is-many-top-athletes-distance-runners-included-use/) [Bill Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-rodgers/) > [I always tell young athletes the same thing, 'Wherever you go, whatever you do, what must your top priority be? Running.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/i-always-tell-young-athletes-the-same-thing-wherever-you-go-whatever/) [Haile Gebrselassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/) > [The most important thing to me is to inspire all these athletes in the next generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobin-heath/the-most-important-thing-to-me-is-to-inspire-all-these-athletes-in/) [Tobin Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobin-heath/) > [Somewhere behind the athlete you have become, and hours if practice is a little girl who picked up a ball, fell in love with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/somewhere-behind-the-athlete-you-have-become-and-hours-if-practice-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Athletes love challenges, and golf is something you can never master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-horry/athletes-love-challenges-and-golf-is-something-you-can-never-master/) [Robert Horry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-horry/) > [My concentration level blocks out everything. Concentration is why some athletes are better than others. You develop that concentration in training and concentrate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-concentration-level-blocks-out-everything-concentration-is-why/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 601 Athletes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athletes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't have a problem with athletes speaking up, but I want to make sure before they speak up, they read up.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shannon Sharpe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-sharpe/i-don-t-have-a-problem-with-athletes-speaking-up-but-i-want-to-make/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Athletes" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-sharpe/i-don-t-have-a-problem-with-athletes-speaking-up-but-i-want-to-make/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/shannon-sharpe-4881_athletes_i-don-t-have-a-problem-with-athletes-spe_595322.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/shannon-sharpe-4881_athletes_i-don-t-have-a-problem-with-athletes-spe_595322.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/shannon-sharpe-4881_athletes_i-don-t-have-a-problem-with-athletes-spe_595322.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't have a problem with athletes speaking up, but I want to make sure before they speak up, they read up.” — Shannon Sharpe", "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": "Shannon Sharpe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-sharpe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't have a problem with...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-sharpe/i-don-t-have-a-problem-with-athletes-speaking-up-but-i-want-to-make/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-sharpe/i-don-t-have-a-problem-with-athletes-speaking-up-but-i-want-to-make/#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 } } ] } ```