Random Coach Taylor’s Best Advice from The Friday Night Lights (18 items)

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  (#17) Don't Be Racist

  "What I’m telling you is, it’s not too damn smart to be making generalizations about people’s abilities based on their color, think about that. That’s what I’m saying."

  Assistant Coach Mac McGill needed to hear this after his controversial statements regarding the black players on the Dillon Panthers. Like most of Taylor's advice, it's simply put, to the point, and incredibly hard to argue with without looking like a jerk.
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  (#16) Fight for the People Who Believe in You

  "There are a few out there who still do believe in you. A few who will never give up on you. You go back out on the field, those are the people I want, in your minds. Those are the people I want, in your hearts."

  Here Taylor is telling his team to remember the special people out there in the stands that still have hope for them. It's those diehard fans, friends, and family members that the team needs to remember when they're fighting for a big win.
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  (#3) Don't Play Dirty

  "Listen to me. This is exactly what I meant about playing with revenge. That team out there is not a better team. They are not a better team. You take away the mental mistakes, and we are back in this thing. Otherwise, they’re gonna keep playing us for a bunch of fools. Stay away from dumb, gentlemen."
  
  The "dumb" here is a rival team with a nasty racist streak. They've been playing dirty and pushing Taylor's team to sink to their level. Coach advises his boys to get the "dumb" out of their minds and to simply focus on the game.
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  (#7) To Thine Own Self Be True

  "You listen to people that love you and you listen to people that you trust. Most of all, you listen to yourself."

  This advice to Smash Williams echoes Hamlet's Polonius and his famous admonishment, "This above all: to thine own self be true." Taylor is telling Williams to not only listen to his wise (and always awesome) mama, but also to listen to his heart and to do what he knows is right.
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  (#2) Winning Isn't Everything

  “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.”

  Coach Taylor's famous mantra was more than just an empty pep talk catchphrase. He led his players onto the field with a battle cry that let them know that if they have a clear conscience and good intentions, they will always be winners in life, even if the scoreboard says otherwise.
  
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  (#5) Character = Not Giving Up

  "Listen to me, I said you need to strive to be better. I didn’t say you needed to be better than everyone else. But you gotta try. That’s what character is. It’s in the trying."

  East Dillon's QB Vince was going through a very tough time when Coach doled out this bit of much-needed wisdom. Vince's dad just got out of prison, and Vince's mom wanted Vince to forgive him and "be better." The trouble? Vince says: "He never taught me how to be better. He’s not around." Coach is simply asking Vince to try.

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