Now I'm going to tell you something I've kept to myself for years. None of you ever knew George Gipp. He was long before your time, but you all know what a tradition he is at Notre Dame. And the last thing he said to me, 'Rock,' he said, 'sometime when the team is up against it and the breaks are beating the boys, tell them to go out there with all they've got and win just one for the Gipper. I don't know where I'll be then, Rock,' he said, 'but I'll know about it and I'll be happy.'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A dying player asked his coach to inspire the team to fight hard during difficult times in his memory.
- In plain terms
- Fight hard and win one game for a friend who is gone.
- What can you take from it?
- Use personal stories to inspire resilience under pressure.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What story do you tell to motivate others?
- How do you keep a legacy alive?
Another view
It assumes emotional appeals work on all players equally.
More from Knute Rockne
What most people believe is thinking, is really only a different arrangement of their prejudices.
Permalink to quote #10 Win or lose, do it fairly.
Permalink to quote #9 The secret is to work less as individuals and more as a team. As a coach, I play not my eleven best, but my best eleven.
Permalink to quote #8
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