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Second Wind: The Memoirs of an Opinionated Man by Bill Russell

smtenaglia's review against another edition

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4.0

“Heart in champions is a funny thing. People mistake it for courage, though there’s no moral element to it. To me, you display courage when you take a stand for something you believe to be morally right, and do so in the face of adversity or danger. That’s not what sports is about. Heart in champions has to do with the depths of your motivation, and how well your mind and body react to pressure.”

“I’ve tried to handle my ego the way I would handle any other part of my character: to acknowledge it but not to let it control me or make me into something I don’t like [...] Some people try to guard against egotism and bigotry by surrendering their point of view to others or to an institution. It doesn’t work. I insist on having my own view and taking responsibility for what I do. I believe any other view is foolhardy, dishonest, or worse.”

“Many people today who profess to live by freedom spend most of their time trying to impose themselves over the rights and opinions of other people. Others who profess to live by freedom constantly allow themselves to be imposed on. Still others say they are religious but spend their time doing mean things to people. None of this would go on that way if people could accept responsibility for what they do. I have an extreme view of it, I guess. I alone am responsible for being a good human being.”
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