Quotations

«I think the biggest issue is that men historically have had opportunities to start developing competitive skills at a very young age, whereas most women didn't. So a lot of women athletes missed out on the opportunity to work out all those complex emotions that happen in fierce competition. Rather than genetic differences, I've found that the real differences go away when males and females have equal competitive experiences beginning at a young age. That's happening more in our culture, and no question the top women athletes of the future are going to be just as tough and focused as the top men.»

«The natural question is, does she own this vision, or is it something that has been put together from outside herself? Having observed her, I really have the sense that she's the principal architect. Yes, her parents are feeding it, but ultimately it's something you can't fake. It has to be something you own, or the whole thing fizzles out.»

«Peter showed an extraordinary ability not to become discouraged when he gets into deep water or heavy current. We don't see levels like that very often.»

«She's going to come out when she's ready, probably sooner than later, and set the world on fire,»

«It's hard to hold somebody back like Michelle. There's something here that is truly extraordinary. She has got the stuff.»

«With confidence, you can reach truly amazing heights; without confidence, even the simplest accomplishments are beyond your grasp.»

«You can never find a more competitive person on the planet than Herb. That family was unbelievable to be around in terms of an environment where competitiveness was allowed to thrive.»

«Write down a new story of how you want to be, review it once a day, and tell it to other people when you have the chance. That story will become your reality.»

«I'd call this a natural consequence of the changing dynamics of expectation. Being on the cover changes the way people see themselves, and they have to metabolize a different set of conditions. They're supposed to be superstars now, and if they don't live up to that, they've somehow failed. This changing perception causes many athletes to feel pressure and have a much harder time achieving their ideal performance. The Jinx isn't just a cover phenomenon. It occurs whenever an athlete receives a particular level of attention that builds expectation.»