Woody Hayes
-College Fooball Coach
In football we always said that the other team couldn't beat us. We had to be sure that we didn't beat ourselves. And that's what people have to do, too--make sure they don't beat themselves.
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... you'll find out that nothing that comes easy is worth a dime. As a matter of fact, I never saw a football player make a tackle with a smile on his face. Never.
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I'd like to give you a little advice today. I'll try not to give you too much, just a little bit. One thing you cannot afford to do--that's to feel sorry for yourself. That's what leads to drugs, to alcohol, too those things that tear you apart. In football we always said that the other team couldn't beat us. We had to be sure that we didn't beat ourselves. And that's what people have to do, to--make sure they don't beat themselves.
So many times you have fond here at the University people who were smarter than you. I found them all the way through college and in football: bigger, faster, harder. They were smarter people than I. But you know what they couldn't do? They couldn't outwork me. I ran into opposing coaches who had much better backgrounds than I did and knew a lot more about football than I did. But they couldn't work as long as I did. They couldn't stick in there as long as I could. You can outwork anybody. Try it and you'll find out you can do it.
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In football we learn some wonderful, wonderful things. And one of them is this: When you get knocked down, which is plenty often, get right up in a hurry, just as quick as you can. Do you know what to do then? You probably need more strength. Do you know where you get it? You get it in the huddle. You get it by going back and getting a new play and running that same play together with your teammates. That "together" is the thing that gives you the buildup to get ready to go again.
In your lifetimes, you'll find that how well you can work with people will depend on how quickly you can get back to them and get together.
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For me, this goes all the way back to my grandmother and then right on down the line. She didn't tell my dad, "Now, you go to the study table." No, no. She said, "I'll meet you at the study table". And that's where your good parents and good teachers are. They're talking now about all of this tutoring you need for athletes and all that. We were doing that 35 years ago. Because I didn't send those football players to the study table I met them at the study table.
When you deal with youngsters, when you get into jobs of any kind, don't send people to do it, meet them there and help them do it, and you'll be amazed how it works.
Don't forget the other thing I mentioned: You can outwork anybody. Try it, you will find out that you can do it.
Read the full commencement speech »
Ohio State University
Columbus, OH
March 14, 1986
Sent in by: cristina
Posted on: 10.08.2007