Class of 2018 | psacardinals

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“...And that’s what [he] learned while following those Lakers and Celtics teams around: it wasn’t about basketball. Those teams were loaded with talented players, yes, but that’s not the only reason they won. They won because they liked each other, knew their roles, ignored statistics, and valued winning over everything else. They won because their best players sacrificed to make everyone else happy. They won as long as everyone remained on the same page. By that same token, they lost if any of those three factors weren’t in place.”

“How do you keep stats for 'best chemistry' and 'most unselfishness' or even 'most tangible and consistent effect on a group of teammates'? It’s impossible. That’s why we struggle to comprehend professional basketball. You can only play five players at a time. Those players can only play a total of 240 minutes. How those players coexist, how they make each other better, how they accept their portion of that 240-minute pie, how they trust and believe in one another, how they create shots for one another, how that talent/salary/alpha-dog hierarchy falls into place … that’s basketball. It’s like falling in love. When it’s working, you know it. When it’s failing, you know it."

Bill Simmons on the secret of winning in "The Book of Basketball" by Bill Simmons

"We get guys who want to do their job and go home and aren’t impressed with the hoopla. One of the keys is to bring in guys who have gotten over themselves. They either want to prove that they can play in this league—or they want to prove nothing. They fill their role and have a pecking order. We have three guys who are the best players, and everyone else fits around them."

Greg Popovich on the secret of winning in "The Book of Basketball" by Bill Simmons

x

the class of

2018

Did you realize
That you were a champion
In their eyes?

Yes I did

so I packed it up and brought it back to the crib
Just a little somethin' show you how we live
Everybody want it but it ain't that serious
Mmhmm - That's that sh--
So if you're gonna do it, do it just like this

Did you realize
That you were a champion
In their eyes?

When it feel like living's harder than dying
For me givin' up's way harder than trying
Lauryn Hill say her heart was in Zion
I wish her heart still was in rhymin'
'Cause who the kids gonna listen to? Huh?
I guess me if it isn't you
Last week I paid a visit to the institute
They got the Dropout keepin' kids in the school
I guess I'll clean up my act like Prince'll do
If not for the pleasure, least for the principle
They got the CD then got to see me drop gems
Like I dropped out of P.E.
They used to feel invisible
Now they know they invincible

Did you realize
That you were a champion
In their eyes?

This is the story of a champion
Rounders in the mob and they pop the guns
Stand up stand up! Here he comes
Tell me what it takes to be number one?
Tell me what it takes to be number one?
This is the story of a champion
Rounders in the mob and they pop the guns
Stand up stand up! Here he comes
Tell me what it takes to be number one?
Tell me what it takes to be number one?

"Champion"

Kanye West

(2007)