I was always the one asking everybody else if they were O.K. I never talked about my problems. I didn't want to admit I had problems. I just let 'em build up. I didn't want anybody to know I was hurtin'.
The great champions were always vicious competitors. You never lose respect for a man who is a vicious competitor, and you never hate a man you respect. I don't like Rod Laver because he's such a vicious competitor, but I don't dislike him.
I never considered myself more able than anybody because I had problems just like anybody else. When I practiced, I solved problems, like any of my fellow students. I looked at my own work, and looked ahead, with blinders, almost.
I'm a pretty easygoing guy. I'm not hard to get along with. I never had anybody that I had trouble with. On the other team, sometimes you don't like players because of the way they act, but then you get to know them and then they're very good people. But I never disliked anybody.
I've never run across anybody who suggested that women need to be reprogrammed. I don't think I've even come across anybody who wanted to teach a girl how to throw right. They just accept it is what it is. But honestly, folks, it's always reprogramming men. It's always men who seem to provide or be at the root of all of these cultural problems. And if we could just make men less like men and more like, I guess, women, then we would be rid of all of these problems.
I respect my competitors, you know, I get respect back from them. I respect people out there who pay for their tickets to come watch us compete. And I respect the reporters because they've got to come out here and tell a good story. That's what it is. It's just a cycle of respect.
We respect all of our competitors, and when I talk about our competitors, all of our competitors for entertainment time and leisure time.
I was a very extrovert kid. It felt normal to me to act. I always went to regular schools. I've never been catty or a prima donna, so I never had problems. I always had my seat at the cafeteria when I came back from acting.
I'm playing for respect. Respect from anybody. Respect from anybody who thinks that I'm not the best in the game.
We never had a huge squad and we never had a great deal of choice. But in many ways that helps because you've got to make do with what you've got. You don't have too many problems about picking the team you just hope that everyone turns up on the day.
I was always taught to respect my elders and I've now reached the age when I don't have anybody to respect.
Championships, I get it, it's very, very important. But I also know that my competitors will probably say that I'm one of the toughest competitors and toughest guys to beat. That's all I really care about, is having the respect of them.
I actually had to get two fillings. Yeah, I swear. My teeth had been bugging me because I had been eating so much junk food on the road. I was the worst on teh team because I always had a bag of candy with me. I never had any cavities before, but yesterday, I took two for the team.
Throughout my whole time in wrestling on the road, going out and being around some of the whitest people in the world, I've never had any problems with anybody. It was never black or white. Booker T was just a wrestler. I did that by design.
You know, I've carried a weapon for 10 years, never shot anybody, never robbed anybody. It has saved my life twice, but I know they're not toys. I practice with firearms, I enjoy shooting, it's a hobby of mine and I have a healthy respect for them.
People in the NBA, as far as Europeans or international players, they respect them now. I didn't have any respect from anybody. I had to earn my way.