"If I got something to say or do to a man, I'm going to look that man in the eye and tell him what is going to happen. That's just me now"
About this Quote
The sly part is in the last four words: “That’s just me now.” Malone isn’t only describing a personality trait; he’s narrating a transformation. “Now” signals a before-and-after, a conscious rebrand toward maturity, control, or leadership. It’s a preemptive defense, too: if his approach reads as aggressive, he’s already filed it under authenticity. You can disagree with the method, but you can’t accuse him of hiding.
In a sports context, this posture tracks with locker-room hierarchies and the NBA’s long-running mythology of “toughness” as moral virtue. Direct confrontation becomes a shortcut to credibility, especially for stars who are expected to police standards without looking rattled. Malone’s phrasing also dodges specifics: he doesn’t promise dialogue, he promises “what is going to happen.” That edge matters. It’s not conflict resolution; it’s conflict ownership, a way of saying he’ll meet tension head-on and make sure everyone knows who’s steering the outcome.
Quote Details
| Topic | Honesty & Integrity |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite | Cite this Quote |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Malone, Karl. (n.d.). If I got something to say or do to a man, I'm going to look that man in the eye and tell him what is going to happen. That's just me now. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/if-i-got-something-to-say-or-do-to-a-man-im-going-84135/
Chicago Style
Malone, Karl. "If I got something to say or do to a man, I'm going to look that man in the eye and tell him what is going to happen. That's just me now." FixQuotes. Accessed February 1, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/if-i-got-something-to-say-or-do-to-a-man-im-going-84135/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"If I got something to say or do to a man, I'm going to look that man in the eye and tell him what is going to happen. That's just me now." FixQuotes, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/if-i-got-something-to-say-or-do-to-a-man-im-going-84135/. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.







