Quotes from Phil Knight

In running, the only equipment that really matters - at least the mentality was in those days - were the pair of shoes that you wore.

No parent should have their child die before he or she does.

Meeting sports athletes that are the best in the world is a thrill to this day.

Sports is like rock 'n' roll, both are dominant cultural forces, both speak an international language, and both are all about emotions.

Up until the time I was 14 years old, I was sure that I was going to be a big-league baseball player. But that dream came to a rude awakening when I got cut from my high school baseball team.

I know when the Berlin wall went down and I walked into what was East Berlin and saw two big Nike banners - that gave me a chill.

I'm Phil Knight, and I don't believe in advertising.

Make history or be a part of it.

At first, we couldn't be establishment, because we didn't have any money. We were guerrilla marketers, and we still are, a little bit. But, as we became No. 1 in our industry, we've had to modify our culture and become a bit more planned.

I've said many times that I might as well have webs between my toes.

The thing that got us going early was the running boom. And then, I think, we rode the Jordan bit, which then kind of crossed us over into the pop culture.

Running is a basic ingredient for your health, just as much as eating and sleeping, but going out for a run by yourself and taking a moment to think also creates a certain peace.

It's alright to be Goliath but always act like David.

If there was no Bill Bowerman, there would have been no me. He had about as much of an impact on my life as any one person could have. He taught me about competition and ingrained it in me. He taught me not to praise ordinary performances.

We could see that he was a charismatic guy who jumps over the moon and is very competitive, but nobody could have predicted what he would become to our culture.

If there's one thing, I've been pretty good at evaluating people.

We knew we could fail; we just didn't think we would.

I've been fortunate to be around good people.

When we changed from Tiger to Nike, we had to have a design for the shoe. And where do you go to? There's no 'dial 9-1-1' for design.

I don't consider myself enigmatic, but I don't spend a lot of time thinking about my public persona.

Every businessman, or every person who has a passion for his work, is torn for the time spent at work and the time spent with your family.

I think a businessman can be an artist just as much as a writer or a sculptor, so I'm real proud of what the company has become.

I do believe that international trade agreements benefit both nations, always.

I think I'm not a natural-born salesman, for sure, but If I have a product I really believe in, I can overcome some of the shyness and get through the things that aren't natural to me.