Scott Hamilton Quotes

That's what makes the Ryder Cup in golf so much better than the Masters or the U.S. Open. To be a part of something that is not about personal achievement, but about representing everyone and sharing it with the whole country, it's wonderful.

So as an amateur Olympic competitor I loved criticism, because it made me better. But now as a professional I don't really know how to channel it or where to take it, so I don't take it quite as well.

Rationality is not one of this industry's attributes.

Most other competitions are individual achievements, but the Olympic Games is something that belongs to everybody.

Male figure skating is different than female figure skating; we're not America's sweetheart.

I'm very accessible. I don't get into this ego thing.

I was nine-years-old when I first put on skates.

I was more interested in skating and the girls and traveling than I was in calculus.

I started skating and I kind of liked it because I could run circles around the guys that wouldn't pick me to play baseball.

I graduated a the top of my class in the '84 Olympic Games; I won a gold medal.

I don't think most teachers realize how much impact they have.

I didn't want to be the sissy figure skater, you know.

Half of figure skating is opinion, convincing judges.

From the fall of October, 1980 to March, 1984 I never lost a competition.

But I never really thought that I would be extraordinarily successful at skating, it's just something that happened, you know.

And the fact that I liked to show off and be the center of attention really lends itself to figure skating very well.

And so figure skating was a great vehicle for me to kind of be competitive at something, without having to be big.

I just try to touch people's hearts in a way through skating, so they're not just witnessing a performance, they're feeling a performance and they're a part of it.

Fame is a very confusing thing, because you are recognized by a lot of people that you've never seen before, and they're at a great advantage.

I had a ninth grade teacher who told me I was much smarter and much better than I was allowing myself to be.

Everything that I've ever been able to accomplish in skating and in life has come out of adversity and perseverance.

Always try to maintain complete tolerance and always make an effort to give people more than they expect.

The high road is always respected. Honesty and integrity are always rewarded.

Adversity, and perseverance and all these things can shape you. They can give you a value and a self-esteem that is priceless.

The only disability in life is a bad attitude.