--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Quitting has always been the worst…" description: "\"Quitting has always been the worst possible thing you can do in sports. It's downright un-American.\" — Steve Rushin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/589/steve-rushin-3791_always_quitting-has-always-been-the-worst-possi_2531955.png" --- # Quitting has always been the worst possible thing you can… ![“Quitting has always been the worst possible thing you can do in sports. It's downright un-American.” quote by Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/589/steve-rushin-3791_always_quitting-has-always-been-the-worst-possi_2531955.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/589/steve-rushin-3791_always_quitting-has-always-been-the-worst-possi_2531955.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/589/steve-rushin-3791_always_quitting-has-always-been-the-worst-possi_2531955.png) > “Quitting has always been the worst possible thing you can do in sports. It's downright un-American.” [Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Quitting is viewed as a betrayal of competitive spirit, framed as unpatriotic in sports culture. **In simple terms:** Quitting seen as un-American. Key Takeaway Persist despite setbacks. Themes sports nationalism perseverance Mood motivational analytical Type cultural ethical When to use this quote - team sports - individual athletics - coaching Key Concepts cultural narrative psychology of competition Questions to Reflect On - When is quitting justified? - How does culture shape this view? A Different Perspective Sometimes quitting is strategic for health. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possible/) [Quitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quitting/) [Quitting Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quitting-worst-1352090/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Sports Downright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports-downright-1352092/) [Thing Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-sports-1352091/) [Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst/) [Worst Possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst-possible-791061/) ## Related quotes > [The thing that all sports have in common is that they have no fantasy elements, which is a little weird.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-schell/the-thing-that-all-sports-have-in-common-is-that-they-have-no-fantasy/) [Jesse Schell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-schell/) > [The thing about sports movies is, they can't help but feel epic - putting music to images, etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-shaw/the-thing-about-sports-movies-is-they-can-t-help-but-feel-epic/) [Lindsey Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-shaw/) > [I look at a lot of guys who stay with their teams a long time and it's a special thing in sports.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-vucevic/i-look-at-a-lot-of-guys-who-stay-with-their-teams-a-long-time-and-it/) [Nikola Vucevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-vucevic/) > [The most important thing about sports is that it gives you the chance to relate with other people, to share in something together and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danilo-gallinari/the-most-important-thing-about-sports-is-that-it-gives-you-the-chance/) [Danilo Gallinari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danilo-gallinari/) > [The only thing about sports is making sure you don't read the papers too often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-reinsdorf/the-only-thing-about-sports-is-making-sure-you-don-t-read-the-papers/) [Jerry Reinsdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-reinsdorf/) > [The hardest thing to do in sports, I think, is to hit a home run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/the-hardest-thing-to-do-in-sports-i-think-is-to-hit-a-home-run/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [The best thing about sports is the sense of community and shared emotion it can create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/the-best-thing-about-sports-is-the-sense-of-community-and-shared/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [I love the military, of course, but it wasn't my thing. 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Asking what a penalty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/the-thing-about-sports-at-least-for-guys-is-that-nobody-ever-defines/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [That's the good thing about sports - it's very clear-cut. You either win, or you don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-griffin/that-s-the-good-thing-about-sports-it-s-very-clear-cut-you-either-win/) [Blake Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-griffin/) > [Hitting's the hardest thing to do in sports.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-kershaw/hitting-s-the-hardest-thing-to-do-in-sports/) [Clayton Kershaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-kershaw/) > [The great thing about sports is you constantly have to prove yourself. You constantly have to go out there and do it, day in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-hill/the-great-thing-about-sports-is-you-constantly-have-to-prove-yourself/) [Grant Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-hill/) > [The greatest thing about sports, to me, is just the crossover into everyday life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-hammon/the-greatest-thing-about-sports-to-me-is-just-the-crossover-into/) [Becky Hammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-hammon/) ## More by Steve Rushin > [Outside Buckingham Palace, the Royal Standard flies only when the reigning monarch is in residence. Sadly, there's no similar flag outside The Woods Jupiter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/outside-buckingham-palace-the-royal-standard-flies-only-when-the/) [Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) > [Because I'm a bald, dim-witted writer, people think I couldn't possibly be her husband, so they occasionally confuse me for someone more glamorous. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/because-i-m-a-bald-dim-witted-writer-people-think-i-couldn-t-possibly/) [Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) > [As good as NFL Films is at making players human, it's even better at making players superhuman. No Hollywood studio has made movies that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/as-good-as-nfl-films-is-at-making-players-human-it-s-even-better-at/) [Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) > [I'm a product of the 1970s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/i-m-a-product-of-the-1970s/) [Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) > [I'm an unabashed sports photo fanboy, the kind of weirdo who seeks out the infinitesimal picture credits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/i-m-an-unabashed-sports-photo-fanboy-the-kind-of-weirdo-who-seeks-out/) [Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) > [I never learned the secret handshake. 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Fans seated down the third-base line at a baseball game faced centerfield, so that they had to turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/the-metrodome-was-built-for-football-fans-seated-down-the-third-base/) [Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) > [After the abrupt death of my mother, Jane, on Sept. 5, 1991, of a disease called amyloidosis, my dad took up golf at 57.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/after-the-abrupt-death-of-my-mother-jane-on-sept-5-1991-of-a-disease/) [Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) > [By the age of 18, the average American has witnessed 200,000 acts of violence on television, most of them occurring during Game 1 of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/by-the-age-of-18-the-average-american-has-witnessed-200-000-acts-of/) [Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) > [“At that hour, a shaft of sunlight shone through stained glass. Which is to say, windows whose glass was comprehensively stained—by a double-glazing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/at-that-hour-a-shaft-of-sunlight-shone-through-stained-glass-which-is/) [Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) > [As life speeds by, nostalgia has a shorter pregnancy. Games still in progress are given the straight-to-sepia status of "Instant Classics" no matter how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/as-life-speeds-by-nostalgia-has-a-shorter-pregnancy-games-still-in/) [Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) > [Headline writers love the phrase 'Power Grab,' but you can't really grab it, can you? Power is a greased watermelon, a wisp of smoke,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/headline-writers-love-the-phrase-power-grab-but-you-can-t-really-grab/) [Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) > [All kingdoms look small through an airplane window - little dominions built on quicksand. But looking up from the ground, where most of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/all-kingdoms-look-small-through-an-airplane-window-little-dominions/) [Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) > [“Madman Muntz was a wildly successful automobile salesman who had pioneered the loud television hard sell to move cars off his lot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/madman-muntz-was-a-wildly-successful-automobile-salesman-who-had/) [Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) [Explore all 122 Steve Rushin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [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've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Quitting has always been the worst possible thing you can do in sports. 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