The only thing that helps you win the game is preparation and getting your mind ready to go to battle. That's what you've got to do.
Only play into a variation in which your opponent is strong if you have your own personal novelty ready!
You can concede to an opponent something he hasn't earned. It's one thing to underestimate an opponent. But maybe the worst thing is to overestimate. You always play your strengths. But that doesn't mean you become predictable.
When I am very tired, I know when I have to go in hard or slow down. It helps me to play better in the next match.
When you go out on the court whether it be for the championship or just a scrimmage, have confidence that your abilities and what you've learned in your drills are better than your opponent's. This does not mean you should disregard your opponent. Before taking the court for any game, you should do a lot of thinking about what you have to do to beat your opponent and what he must or can do to beat you.
The only way to get to that next peak is to be ready for that next valley. Being raised Irish, you know to always be ready for the bad times.
I think I did that in my career, in Boston and Miami, being ready to play and at the same time when your number is not called, be ready to support your teammates, go out and be productive while not playing.
Look, there’s no rule in soccer against biting your opponent. There’s not even a rule against eating your opponent. The only rule in soccer is that you can’t use your hands.
To be successful in anything, a person must always want to be better, not only than your opponent but better than your last performance. Done correctly, being competitive is a wonderful way to always try to be a better person by learning from your mistakes and capitalizing on your successes.
The most important thing in an argument, next to being right, is to leave an escape hatch for your opponent, so that he can gracefully swing over to your side without too much apparent loss of face.
In Vegas we thrived on being the hated team, on being the bad boys. That's definitely not my personality. If that helps my team, helps me play better, then so be it.
Play against the Game, not your opponent.
When I step onto the court, I'm ready to play. If you're going up against me, you'd better be ready. If you're not going to compete, I will dominate you.
One doesn't have to play well, it's enough to play better than your opponent
The nicer the point, the more -- the better I feel, the more excited I get. But I never play that my opponent looks stupid. I think that is wrong. I have too much respect for every opponent I play.
You play ball against yourself; your opponent is your potential.