Coach Carter Quotes
Controversy surrounds high school basketball coach Ken Carter after he benches his entire team for breaking their academic contract with him.
Timo Cruz: Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
Worm: [to Junior Battle] That's my n***a right there. If you was any bigga, you'd be my "bigga n***a".
Coach Ken Carter: Sit down. SIT DOWN!
Coach Ken Carter: N****r is a degrogatory term used to insult our ancestors. See, if a white man used it, you'd be ready to fight. Your using it teaches him to use it. You're saying it's cool. Well, it's not cool, and when you're around me, I don't want to hear that shit! Are we clear?
Coach Ken Carter: Sit down. SIT DOWN!
Coach Ken Carter: N****r is a degrogatory term used to insult our ancestors. See, if a white man used it, you'd be ready to fight. Your using it teaches him to use it. You're saying it's cool. Well, it's not cool, and when you're around me, I don't want to hear that shit! Are we clear?
Coach Ken Carter: [Opens his door, and sees Timo covered in blood] Cruz?
Timo Cruz: [hysterical] I wanna come back, Coach.
Coach Ken Carter: What's going on?
Timo Cruz: I wanna come back on the team.
Coach Ken Carter: What the hell happened?
Timo Cruz: They shot him... Renny. They shot Renny. I mean, we was just there. We was just there... everything was good.
Coach Ken Carter: Come inside. Come on.
Timo Cruz: Everything was good, Coach. I mean, you know...
Coach Ken Carter: Come inside, son. Come on.
Timo Cruz: You don't understand. I wanna come back on the team. What do I gotta do to play?
Coach Ken Carter: Don't worry about that, son. Just come inside.
Timo Cruz: Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it, okay?
Coach Ken Carter: Okay. Okay. I got you. Come on. Come on. You're back with us now.
Timo Cruz: I can't believe they shot him.
Coach Ken Carter: Just come inside now, all right? Come on.
Timo Cruz: I just wanna be on the team.
Coach Ken Carter: [ushering him in the house] Come on. Come on.
Timo Cruz: Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it, okay?
Timo Cruz: [hysterical] I wanna come back, Coach.
Coach Ken Carter: What's going on?
Timo Cruz: I wanna come back on the team.
Coach Ken Carter: What the hell happened?
Timo Cruz: They shot him... Renny. They shot Renny. I mean, we was just there. We was just there... everything was good.
Coach Ken Carter: Come inside. Come on.
Timo Cruz: Everything was good, Coach. I mean, you know...
Coach Ken Carter: Come inside, son. Come on.
Timo Cruz: You don't understand. I wanna come back on the team. What do I gotta do to play?
Coach Ken Carter: Don't worry about that, son. Just come inside.
Timo Cruz: Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it, okay?
Coach Ken Carter: Okay. Okay. I got you. Come on. Come on. You're back with us now.
Timo Cruz: I can't believe they shot him.
Coach Ken Carter: Just come inside now, all right? Come on.
Timo Cruz: I just wanna be on the team.
Coach Ken Carter: [ushering him in the house] Come on. Come on.
Timo Cruz: Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it, okay?
Coach Ken Carter: [to the people in attendance at the board hearing] You really need to consider the message you're sending this boys by ending the lockout. It's the same message that we as a culture send to our professional athletes; and that is that they are above the law. If these boys cannot honor the simple rules of a basketball contract, how long do you think it will be before they're out there breaking the law? I played ball here at Richmond High 30 years ago. It was the same thing then; some of my teammates went to prison, some of them even ended up dead. If you vote to end the lockout, you won't have to terminate me; I'll quit.
