The two most important things in my life were academics and sports. I had to do my schoolwork first.

Too often we act – ask our schools to be truant officers, our teachers to be truant officers, because we’re giving them children who have, you know, they’re not ready to learn. And if they’re not ready to learn by the third grade, they know they’re behind.

The minute you get away from fundamentals–whether its proper technique, work ethic, or mental preparation–the bottom can fall out of your game, your schoolwork, your job, whatever you’re doing.