"The difference between an amateur and a professional is:

- The amateur practices until they get it right.
- The professional practices until they can't get it wrong."

As heard on a recent broadcast of a football game.
For our non-US friends that's the real football, not soccer.

Well, in Europe, Latin-America and elsewhere it's called 'football' since it's a sport that's played by kicking a ball. Makes sense, no?
What you guys play I call "American' soccer.

"Football", by any other name, in any other country will never be what it means to the U.S.!
We LOVE our roughnecks !
American soccer will NEVER be as popular as American Football !

Although, many American mom's would LOVE to see that reversed !

It's amazing how a little comment about football became the focus of this thread. I figured it would.

Hmm... so, those basketball players who miss freethrows are all amateurs?..


[This message has been edited by shiral (edited 10-16-2006).]

Properly speaking, a professional gets paid, an amateur does not.

It's that simple.

When did they start broadcasting Australian Rules football in America?

The difference between a pro and an amateur is the amateur does something because he wants to, the pro does it because he has to.

Oh that's just wrong!

I do it because I CAN and don't have to get get up until noon if I don't want to.
If I weren't getting paid I'd be doing it anyway.
DonM

- The amateur practices until they get it right.
- The professional practices until they can't get it wrong."

How I wish this was a bit more true than it actually is. I really dislike the definition that says if you get paid for it you're professional.
When I was younger and learning music, if I got something figured out that sounded really good, I'd say, "wow, that sounds just like the professionals." We still talk about things having a really professional sound. To me the word still implies a mastery level of skill and artestry. If getting paid was the only criteria, then I better stop saying that this or that sounds like the pros. Because there are some really horrible professionals out there.

An amatuer musician is a musician who has another job. A professional musician is a musician whose wife has a job.

This quote has nothing to do with proper speech. Of course you are technically correct. But it's not that simply. To me, the quote speaks to a level of devotion/committment, not a level of remuneration.

Hmm.. that's interesting.. Maybe..
- An amateur practices until he gets it right.
- A professional practices until his wife thinks he does it right.