'You miss 100% of the shots you never take.'
 

The well known quote credited to 'The Great One'.

I'm interested in the details when Gretzky said those famous words for the first time, the situation and the exact wording.

I've tried looking this up and its hard to find. I always get the feeling this is something that he would have said several times in his career. Not to mention this is sort of a generic quote that many players can use. I remember an article where Theo Fleury said it in the 1996 World Cup after he scored the overtime winner against Sweden. It was something along those lines like: "You won't score 100% of the time if you don't shoot."

Anyway, maybe there is a story behind this Gretzky quote. If I could pick a time none would have been better after Lemieux's 1987 Canada Cup goal.

I think the story of this quote is that its from a guy who scored almost 900 goals, yet had almost 2000 assists!

I understand the intended meaning of this platitude, but if you give up the shot to give a teammate a goal, what's the problem? Your team still scores...

Not sure you really understand what it's meant to say if you ask the second question as the answer to it can easily be found in its meaning..

I heard Don Cherry say it on Coaches Corner long before I heard Gretzky say it. For all his craziness, Cherry was a smart hockey guy, and I wouldn't be surprised if that statement is an old school belief that guys from Cherry's era had too. I think its only been given to Wayne because its Wayne Gretzky and its easier to convince people that this particular philosphy is best if the best player of all time said it, as opposed to a smart former coach who is just as recognized for being a controversial windbag.

You can't miss a 100% of the shots you never take because they were never taken. Duh^^

Jeff carter misses 100% of the shots he does take.

Haha you sir just made me laugh uncontrollably.

Oh I do - it means that if you don't even try, you have no chance to succeed.

What I'm saying is that it's a poor phrase to use, because if you elect not to take a shot in order to allow another teammate to score instead, that's not a failure. That is, it's not all about you scoring the goal...

I've brought this up a few times on these boards, and it's my completely unsupported belief that he never said it. The fact that such an allegedly well-known quote can't be placed - we don't know when, where, or in what context he said it - just makes the whole thing reek of urban legendry. I can't even imagine what question he would be asked in an interview or press conference that would elicit such a response.

Personally, I think it's on the same level as "George Washington never told a lie". It's something that parents tell their kids to inspire them, and they drop Gretzky's name to add a little credibility to it.

No, I think there's a meaning beyond that, a less abstract and more practical meaning. Don't look for the perfect shot, take what's there. That doesn't mean always shoot, it just means shoot when the window is there.

In hockey but other sports as well, you usually have at most 1-2 seconds where you see an opening for a scoring chance. I have myself wasted chances because I was waiting for that sure thing look but by the time I finally wanted to shoot the goalie or defender had closed the opening and I didn't get a decent shot OR a pass to a teammate off.

There's a certain player type that is very hesitant to put the puck on net unless they figure it's a high-percentage shot and quite often they have very low goal totals and sometimes you really gotta tell them: "Well dude you won't score a goal if you don't put the effing puck on net." It's not meant to be advice that tells you: Don't pass the puck, shoot it! But rather it's meant to say: Make a decision NOW, pass or shoot, just don't keep waiting on that can't miss opportunity.

Of course there is some life advice in there, too.

Wasn't this quote at one point also credited to Michael Jordan or was that a mistake? I know that Gretzky said it but didn't know if Jordan did or not too. Kind of off topic but it has been irking me for some reason.

Canadian kids get told "Well you know what Wayne Gretzky said...."

American kids get told "Well you know what Michael Jordan said...."

Multiple tellings of the same story, with details changed to suit the audience, is a hallmark of urban legendry.

They used to say that about young Nicola Tesla and Albert Einstein - and a few others.

Some urban legends are closer to reality than others.

(I heard this, from Mario Lemieux) :sarcasm:

You would have loved Nik Antropov

In his defense, it's hard to hit the net from the press box.

Interesting thing about this- I always heard it attributed to Michael Jordan and/or Larry Bird before I heard the phrase attributed to Gretzky.

I tend to think its just a popular catch phrase that people will attribute to a legend to add to their mythos. I wouldn't be at all surprised if 30 or forty years from now people attribute that phrase to some of the stars from today.

Words of Wisdom

I thought it was Michael Scott who said it.

sadly that is where he should be most nights... but he's not :cry:

It's also strange to be unable to find a quote for someone who:
- Is still alive
- Was active during the Internet era
- Is extremely prominent within his particular world

... a fan of The Office I see. :)

.. Ive seen this same quote ascribed to Michael Jordan. :dunno:

its what his dad told him when he was growing up. read it in a book about 99 at least a decade ago. they mentioned it as such over the years during games and specials about him.