Sports Quote by David Leslie

Luck is doing a lot of heavy lifting here, and that is exactly the point. David Leslie frames success not as a clean meritocracy but as a logistical accident: the “very best teams” plus the “very best times.” The repetition of “very” isn’t elegant; it’s pointed. It mimics the way people talk when they’re trying to be fair while still calling something out. He’s not accusing anyone of cheating. He’s indicting the structure that lets opportunity masquerade as destiny.

The line reads like a sideways protest from inside a points-and-podium world (motorsport fits the rhythm, but the logic applies across pro sports): championships are counted in points, but points are often counted in access. If you land the right seat when a team’s development curve spikes, you can look like a generational talent; land it a year early or late and your “potential” becomes a cautionary tale. Leslie’s emphasis on “get in to” matters, too. It suggests entry is gated - by money, connections, timing, politics - and that the scoreboard rarely reflects the whole story.

There’s also self-protection in the phrasing. By saying “some other people,” he keeps it abstract, avoiding naming rivals while still speaking to a familiar grievance: the best careers can be won before the season even starts, in a contract meeting. The quote works because it’s both petty and profound - a small complaint that reveals a big truth about how institutions manufacture “champions.”