Whitey Durham quotes from One Tree Hill

Whitey

There's no shame in being afraid. Hell, we're all afraid. What you gotta do is figure out what you're afraid of because when you put a face on it, you can beat it. Better yet, you can use it.

Whitey

[To Dan during the massive brawl started by Lucas and Nathan] Damn your sperm Danny!

Whitey

I've come to the conclusion that if having things turn out the way you wanted them to is a measure of a successful life, then some would say I'm a failure. The important thing is not to be bitter over life's disappointments. Learn to let go of the past and recognize that every day won't be sunny. And when you find yourself lost in the darkness and despair, remember that it's only in the black of night that you see the stars. And those stars will lead you back home. So don't be afraid to make mistakes, to stumble and fall, because most of the time, the greatest rewards come from doing the things that scare you the most. Maybe you'll get everything you wished for. Maybe you'll get more than you ever could have imagined. Who knows where life will take you? The road is long, and in the end, the journey is the destination.

Whitey

[to Lucas] You know, it took every ounce of strength your mother has to come in here and ask me to take you back. She loves you that much, enough to put your dreams ahead of her fears. You've got fifteen minutes a game to make her proud... and a lifetime to make them both proud.

Whitey

[after being presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award] Let me tell you, this award means an awful lot to me. I might have given a lifetime to this team, but the players, the players have given me so much more. You know, basketball was my first love. And, as most of you in here realize, you don't forget your first love. My only regret is that I can't share this wonderful moment with the other love of my life, my late wife, Camilla. Camilla was the only person who ever fully understood me. Being with her made everything else seem less important. The moment I met her, I knew that I was looking at my future. And I knew no person could ever come between us. I know Camilla would have liked this group of boys. I want to thank them, and I want to thank all of you for allowing me to spend a lifetime with my first love. Thank you.

Whitey

[to Nathan] Nice to see you vertical. How ya feeling?

Nathan

Same as always. What's this all about? [Hands him the basketball canceled paper]

Whitey

Seems to me we've lost track about what this game is supposed to be about, myself included. Now I want you to take this time and think about why we're really out there. 'Til then no practice.

This sucks!

Jake

Speak for yourself. Whitey just did me a favor.

Nathan

Yeah, me too.

Dan

Whitey, you know I know this team as well as you do. Every game, every player.

Whitey

You ought to, you're daddy to half of 'em.

Whitey

What are you doing here?

Lucas

I just wanted to say hello.

Whitey

You've said it.

Lucas

Nathan got into High Flyers. And, he couldn't have done it without you, so I ... I just thought you'd care to know.

Whitey

Son, the mistake you're making is you think I care. About you, about the team, about anything. I lost the only thing I cared about a long time ago.

Lucas

You know, I have this picture in my room, of the team, from your 500th win. Now the man in that photo looks like a guy to me that still cares about something. We need you coach... Not just to win games. We need you in our lives. Have the surgery.

Lucas

Coach...

Whitey

I know you want some answers, but what is the right answer? Because there is no answer, its just life.

Lucas

Coach, basketball has always been a huge part of who I am, and I've been thinking a lot about it; but, unless somebody can tell me why this game matters right now, I don’t think I can play.

Whitey

You know, every time you take this court we come in under that old faded banner up there says, 'Home of the Monarchs.' Anyone know who the Monarchs were?

The Monarchs were the best basketball team in the state, back in the fifties.

Whitey

Yea, some people say they were. But, they were never in the record books because the Monarchs were an all black team. Back in those days, when I was your age, blacks and whites weren't allowed to play this game together. I was on the best team in the state, but we all knew there was another one, the Monarchs. One night both teams snuck in here, locked the doors, and squared off. They were good, oh they were damn good. We played four games. They got their shots, we got ours. Then, something magical happened. Something, that none of us could have anticipated. Something that had never happened in this state before. We decided to mix the teams. Their captain and our captain started picking players. As it turned out I was the next to the last one picked. And, their captain looked me in the eye and said 'I'll take Whitey.’' And, it stuck, that's how I got my nickname. That night changed all our lives. We were no longer black players or white players, we were just players. We shut out the world and played, together. We played a game that we loved and that night, that game changed everything. I haven't been the same since. You want me to tell you that this game matters. I promise you son, it does matter. Let the game heal you Lucas. Come back to us son.

Whitey

Karen I know what you're going through. I lost the love of my life too.

Karen

Yea, you had Camilla for a lifetime; I had Keith for a few weeks.

Whitey

Whose fault was that? (Karen slaps him) I'm glad to see you’re still in there. Now, you listen to me. I said that because I know the guilt that you're caring around. And you’re wrong to feel it. Feeling guilty is not gonna bring Keith back.

Karen

Don't I have a right to feel bad?

Whitey

You know Lucas was so broken up he couldn't play the last game? No, I didn't think so. Look Karen, you gave Keith the thing that he loved most in all the world, Lucas. He was never happier than when he was talking about you and that boy. You gave him a son for a lifetime and you let him matter to Lucas. I know how that feels. Karen, you couldn’t have given him much more. Let the guilt fall away, let it go.

Lucas

This is Keith's number.

Whitey

Yup, and I'm pretty sure he'd want you to have it.

Whitey

You have made a hell of a comeback. You played as team. Even if we lose this thing, it's still a damn fine moral victory. Now, maybe that's okay with you. Maybe you want to look back and tell your grandkids about the state championship you almost won.

Nathan

No way. We're winning this game, right, Luke?

Lucas

You tell me.

Nathan

We're winning this game.

Whitey

(to Nathan) When somebody says you can't do something you fight back. You prove them wrong.

Nathan

They took away my scholarship coach, they don't want me anymore.

Whitey

Then find somebody who does. Nathan, where is the fire that made you the best player I ever coached?. Show me it's still there. If it's not, put down that ball and walk home. People love a guy who rises from the ashes. Remember that.

Dan

I assume that's loaded.

Whitey

I bought this gun hoping to see your face again. I'll just say you broke in, came at me.

Dan

You'd be doing me a favor.

Whitey

You look like a haunted man. I heard you had a heart problem. It's not surprising, you've always had a heart problem.

Dan

I wish I'd gone back in that game. State championship. When I look back at my life and see where it all went wrong, that's where I always end up. Fourth quarter, time running down and sitting on the bench at the state championship and refusing to play. At night in my dreams I do go back in, and in my dreams I take it back, all of it, and then I wake up. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for that day and every day since. I'm sorry for what I did to Keith and the people who love him.

Whitey

Did you ever love him?

Dan

Not enough.