--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That's sort of a trick question, and I…" description: "\"That's sort of a trick question, and I don't have a trick answer. Next question, please. You're not going to get me with that question today, buddy...I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4d/shaquille-o-neal-659_answers_that-s-sort-of-a-trick-question-and-i-do_2033337.jpg" --- # That's sort of a trick question, and I don't have a trick… ![“That's sort of a trick question, and I don't have a trick answer. Next question, please. You're not going to get me with that question today, buddy...I'm a veteran at this, buddy. Can't get that with me, buddy. Not today.” quote by Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4d/shaquille-o-neal-659_answers_that-s-sort-of-a-trick-question-and-i-do_2033337.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4d/shaquille-o-neal-659_answers_that-s-sort-of-a-trick-question-and-i-do_2033337.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4d/shaquille-o-neal-659_answers_that-s-sort-of-a-trick-question-and-i-do_2033337.jpg) > “That's sort of a trick question, and I don't have a trick answer. Next question, please. You're not going to get me with that question today, buddy...I'm a veteran at this, buddy. Can't get that with me, buddy. Not today.” [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker deflects a challenging question, emphasizing experience and refusing to answer. **In simple terms:** Avoids answering a tough question, citing experience. Key Takeaway Recognize when avoidance is used as a tactic. Themes communication deflection experience Mood defensive playful assertive Type conversational strategic When to use this quote - Interviews - debates - conflict resolution Key Concepts Negotiation tactics psychology of avoidance Questions to Reflect On - Why might someone avoid a direct answer? - What strategies reveal underlying truths? A Different Perspective Avoidance can hinder genuine dialogue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Answers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) [Buddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddy/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [NBA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nba/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Please](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/please/) [Question Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question-going-249418/) [Question Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question-today-937134/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Today Buddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today-buddy-3746709/) [Trick Answer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trick-answer-2684944/) [Trick Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trick-question-1696789/) [Tricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tricks/) [Veteran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/veteran/) ## Related quotes > [That's sort of a trick question, and I don't have a trick answer. Next question, please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/that-s-sort-of-a-trick-question-and-i-don-t-have-a-trick-answer-next-2/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [“Jack nodded. 'No,' he said. Was that a trick answer?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rankin/jack-nodded-no-he-said-was-that-a-trick-answer/) [Robert Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rankin/) > [The one thing we can count on is that time will pass; day will become night, and the sunrise will bring with it a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/the-one-thing-we-can-count-on-is-that-time-will-pass-day-will-become/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [“My friends ask a new kind of question: How is today? I hope the pain is manageable today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-riggs/my-friends-ask-a-new-kind-of-question-how-is-today-i-hope-the-pain-is/) [Nina Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-riggs/) > [“Then ask yourself this question: ‘What would I do today if today was my last?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-s-sharma/then-ask-yourself-this-question-what-would-i-do-today-if-today-was-my/) [Robin S. Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-s-sharma/) > [“Don't you want to survive? This was a trick question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-evans/don-t-you-want-to-survive-this-was-a-trick-question/) [Leigh Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-evans/) > [“Do you want to fuck me, Adam?" I asked through gritted teeth. "Is this a trick question?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-m-silber/do-you-want-to-fuck-me-adam-i-asked-through-gritted-teeth-is-this-a/) [N.M. Silber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-m-silber/) > [I guess the one question I will not get today is: When are you going to do anything about cellular?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-ebbers/i-guess-the-one-question-i-will-not-get-today-is-when-are-you-going/) [Bernard Ebbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-ebbers/) > [Lawrence immediately saw that it was a trick question. You would have to be some kind of idiot to make the facile assumption that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/lawrence-immediately-saw-that-it-was-a-trick-question-you-would-have/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“She wants me. I know it. She knows it. Now the question is— what are we going to do about it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-march/she-wants-me-i-know-it-she-knows-it-now-the-question-is-what-are-we/) [Meghan March](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-march/) > [You can always debate about what you should have done. The question is what are you going to do?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-h-humphrey/you-can-always-debate-about-what-you-should-have-done-the-question-is/) [Hubert H. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-h-humphrey/) > [“There really is only one question, "What is going on here?" There really is only one answer - whatever is up for you right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-hochberg/there-really-is-only-one-question-what-is-going-on-here-there-really/) [Art Hochberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-hochberg/) > [ Just before I began doing this show \[The Last Word \], a dear friend of mine, Karen Russell, asked me what I was going… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/just-before-i-began-doing-this-show-the-last-word-a-dear-friend-of/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The question is: Are you going in the right direction? not How far along am I?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-premodaya/the-question-is-are-you-going-in-the-right-direction-not-how-far/) [Swami Premodaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-premodaya/) > [Ask me a question. Don't say talk about it, ask me a question. I'm not going to talk about it if it isn't a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tortorella/ask-me-a-question-don-t-say-talk-about-it-ask-me-a-question-i-m-not/) [John Tortorella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tortorella/) ## More by Shaquille O'Neal > [ I failed, I think, seven \[or\] eight times before I finally got my first \[championship\]. It was just, you know, just about me growing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-before-i-finally-got-my-first/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [And if the big dog ain't me, then the house won't get guarded - period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-if-the-big-dog-ain-t-me-then-the-house-won-t-get-guarded-period/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a famous figurehead that gets a job because he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-i-want-to-do-it-the-right-way-like-everybody-else-not-just-a/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I don't send messages, I'm not a fax machine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-don-t-send-messages-i-m-not-a-fax-machine/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I told our guys they must not have cable because Antoine Walker knows how to play, Derek Anderson can play, Shandon Anderson knows how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-told-our-guys-they-must-not-have-cable-because-antoine-walker-knows/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I was really upset. I felt like they tried to limit me, whoever 'they' may be. So I just said to myself third quarter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-was-really-upset-i-felt-like-they-tried-to-limit-me-whoever-they/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Keep in mind, I'm not allowed to be tough. I'm tamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/keep-in-mind-i-m-not-allowed-to-be-tough-i-m-tamed/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I'm still the baddest expletive in the world. Yeah, I'm getting older, but Kareem got older. Hakeem got older. I don't need Earthlings' respect.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-m-still-the-baddest-expletive-in-the-world-yeah-i-m-getting-older/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Write this: Since my boy is the coach, I'm going to try out for the Dolphins next year. Tight end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/write-this-since-my-boy-is-the-coach-i-m-going-to-try-out-for-the/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Everybody talks about being a role model. But if you look up the word 'role' in a dictionary, it describes playing a part. Everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/everybody-talks-about-being-a-role-model-but-if-you-look-up-the-word/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Why don't you bring your face up here and let me punch it? Then you can tell me (if I'm stronger).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/why-don-t-you-bring-your-face-up-here-and-let-me-punch-it-then-you/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I'm known as The Big Baryshnikov.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-m-known-as-the-big-baryshnikov/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Enunciation, diction, all that stuff. None of that is in my personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/enunciation-diction-all-that-stuff-none-of-that-is-in-my-personality/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I told Leonard, in the immortal words of Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible 2, 'I'm going on vacation. If I tell you where I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-told-leonard-in-the-immortal-words-of-tom-cruise-in-mission/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Stats don't matter. I care about winning, not stats. If I score 0 points and we win I'm happy. If I score 50, 60…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/stats-don-t-matter-i-care-about-winning-not-stats-if-i-score-0-points/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) [Explore all 422 Shaquille O'Neal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) ## More Answers quotes > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [“As long as you keep searching,the answers will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kynock/as-long-as-you-keep-searching-the-answers-will-come/) [Mitch Kynock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kynock/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [There is a comfort in rituals, and rituals provide a framework for stability when you are trying to find answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/there-is-a-comfort-in-rituals-and-rituals-provide-a-framework-for/) [Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/) > [A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/a-religious-person-answers-to-god-not-to-the-elected-or-non-elected/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [Instead of asking a girl how she feels, try looking through her recently listened to songs. 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