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Archive for January, 2009
January 31, 2009 at 7:45 pm · Filed under Basketball Books
Sweet Redemption is the amazing inside story of how Coach Gary Williams survived devastating defeats and overwhelming odds to build a championship basketball program at Maryland and win the 2002 NCAA title. In a series of exclusive interviews that take you into the huddle, into the locker room and into his head, Gary Williams, for the first time, pulls back the curtain and tells his incredible story through best-selling author David A. Vise, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for The Washington Post. Sweet Redemption also takes you into the heart and soul of Gary Williams and the team's star guard, Juan Dixon, providing a vast array of never-before-told stories about the mysterious forces and people that fueled their rise. It is a fast-moving inspirational tale of trial and triumph. And it is the story of a man, a family and a team whose lives were made, and saved, through a simple game involving a ball, a hoop and a dream. When he arrived in College Park in 1989, Williams absorbed one knockout punch after another as the new head basketball coach of his alma mater. His promising career seemed over and Maryland basketball appeared destined, like its greatest player ever, to plunge to an untimely death. But by the spring of 2002, when Coach Williams and the Terrapins stood on the podium in the Georgia Dome to receive the NCAA championship trophy, he had brought about some of the most far-reaching changes in the history of college athletics. Sweet Redemption is the story of how he did it.
Customer Review: A Terrible Account of a GREAT Story
Anyone who loves the underdog has to love Gary Williams. He has bounced back time and again over the course of his career and faced tremendous odds. Winning the National Championship was truly Sweet Redemption for him. However, this is quite possibly one of THE WORST BOOKS I HAVE EVER READ. As a voracious sports biography reader, this book falls short of the mark made by even the lesser sports books out there. Vise did a TERRIBLE job of accounting the situation. This book is DEVOID of any passion on his part. It reads as if a high school journalism student slapped it together using a simple writing formula : "Here is what happened", , "Review what I just told you again." You could get the ENTIRE contents of this book by reading newspaper clippings from Gary's career. That's basically all this book is, one big newspaper clipping. Gary Williams deserves a much better book than this one.
Customer Review: mastry to innovation
i rated this four out of five becouse i didn't fully grssed the intoto of your information about the issue bein discussed there from ma point of view as a reader.
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January 30, 2009 at 1:41 pm · Filed under Basketball Books
Learn the basics of basketball in 10 minutes!
What does it mean to dribble the ball? What happens when a player travels? Interested in learning the difference between man-to-man defense and zone-defense? The SportSpectator Basketball Guide answers these questions and more! This overview will enhance your enjoyment as a spectator, whether you're a novice to basketball or a long-time fan.
This high-quality, laminated guides folds to a 8.5 x 3.5 inch brochure to fit easily into a pocket or purse, and expands to 8.5 x 17.5 inches to reveal a wealth of information. The content includes the history of basketball, field diagrams, player roles, basic rules and strategies, referee signals, and a glossary of useful basketball terms—the essentials to understand and enjoy basketball.
Customer Review: Oh! So that's a pick!
I recently moved to Eugene OR where the mighty Ducks reign supreme and Mac Court is an institution! I really appreciate having Bryan Jones's SportSpectator brochures to give me instant "Cliff Notes" on court sports. I found the Basketball guide very easy to understand and fun to read. For me, the glossary was invaluable; I hear these terms used by sports announcers; but the game moves so quickly that I often can't pick up what's happened before it's over. This guide, like the others in the series is a great boon to the newbie! Thanks, Bryan Jones!
Customer Review: A fan's girlfriend's best friend!
I recently started dating a basketball fanatic so I bought the SportSpectator guide to learn more about the game. I found the glossary and the section on common referee signals especially helpful, because I no longer have to drive my boyfriend and his friends nuts with "stupid" questions ("What does that mean?" "Why did he do that?" etc) So, for a mere five bucks, I gained a greater appreciation for the sport AND improved my relationship... priceless!
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January 29, 2009 at 9:14 pm · Filed under Basketball Books
Customer Review: The Beloved Inventor Of Basketball, James Naismith
James Naismith single-handedly invented the game of basketball in the winter of 1891, when his Y.M.C.A. boss challenged him to come up with a better means of keeping restless athletes occupied when cold weather forced them indoors and away from football and baseball. Prior to his brainstorm, many athletes had been bored and uninspired doing gymnastics and calisthenics while longing for the spring thaw which would once again allow them to engage in competitive sports. Naismith's life was an interesting one; he was born to Scottish parents in the Canadian wilderness near Ottawa, where he was suddenly orphaned as a youngster after both parents succumbed to typhoid. An unmarried uncle took him in, but rather than another warm and nurturing home, Naismith was plunged into a regimen of self-reliance, survival in the wilderness, and a stern work ethic. A physically strong boy, and a natural at sports, he was nevertheless a gentle spirit with an early interest in becoming a Presbyterian Minister. He eventually earned degrees in Physical Education, Divinity, and Medicine. After attending University in Canada, Naismith wound up working for the "Y" in Springfield Massachusetts, which is where the first basketball game was played. With the help of a couple of peach baskets the janitor pulled out of the broom closet for him, and the 13 original rules he had jotted down in his office, "Doc" as he was known, supervised the game's debut which was not so very different from the internationally-known game of today, and was an instant hit with all who saw it and/or played it. A few years later, Doc Naismith accepted an offer to join Kansas University as supervisor of their sports program, occasional minister, and part-time medical doctor, and this is where he raised his family and lived for the rest of his long life. Never interested in cashing in on his invention, Naismith watched basketball grow and change, usually stubbornly resisting new rules or the commercialization of the sport, but always proud that the game he had created was helping people to keep physically fit while having some good clean fun. Always a popular, well-liked and even beloved man wherever his life and travels took him, he did eventually receive many honors for his invention and his other good works, and in his retired years was a sought-after speaker at colleges and organizations throughout the country. Bernice Larson Webb has written an excellent biography here, combining the evolution of basketball with the life and adventures of its creator. Incidentally, the Basketball Hall of Fame (named for James Naismith) may be helpful in obtaining a copy of this hard-to-find book. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
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January 29, 2009 at 4:35 am · Filed under Basketball Books
Jordan's quotability is incredible, as are the dozens of compelling anecdotes contained in this special keepsake.
Customer Review: Jordan at his best!!!
I always knew that Jordan came across well in the media and had a lot to say about a lot of things, but this book makes him sound like a motivational genius. I counted more than 300 quotes in this book, some by others talking about Jordan, and it's incredible. This is a terrific coffee-table book and collector's item.
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January 28, 2009 at 12:53 am · Filed under Basketball Books
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January 27, 2009 at 12:25 am · Filed under Basketball Books
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January 26, 2009 at 9:38 am · Filed under Basketball Books
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January 24, 2009 at 9:08 pm · Filed under Basketball Books
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January 23, 2009 at 11:41 pm · Filed under Basketball Books
"If you're serious about coaching girls' basketball, Coach Hatchell's book is a must-read."—Dean Smith, the winningest coach in NCAA men's basketball history
"Coach Hatchell covers everything you need to know about coaching girls' basketball."—Betty Jaynes, CEO Emeritus, Women's Basketball Coaches Association
OK, you’ve got the clipboard and the whistle, you’ve entered the gym, and twelve eager young faces turn to you. Now what? Even if you know little or nothing about the sport and even less about coaching, Coaching Girls’ Basketball will lead you step by step through a successful season, from meeting your players and organizing your team, through teaching fundamentals, to making crucial game decisions.
Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame coach Sylvia Hatchell helps you master the skills, drills, plays, and game-day tactics that will make you a great coach. She also helps you cope with important issues like treating players equally regardless of ability, unhappy parents, helping all your players experience growth and success, and recognizing the crucial differences between coaching girls and boys. Coach Hatchell shows you how to:
- Prepare for your first practice and first game
- Match drills to ability
- Promote good habits, concentration, and teamwork
- Learn what's unique about coaching girls from age 6 to 14
- Make practices fun, effective, and rewarding
- Improve your players and your team
- Reach all your players
- Be the coach your players will remember
"Learn from the best. Coach Hatchell knows basketball."—Charlotte Smith-Taylor, forward, Washington Mystics; 1995 ESPN National Player of the Year
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January 22, 2009 at 3:18 pm · Filed under Basketball Books
If you are one of the millions of high school basketball players who gear up to take the court each season, you know that proper preparation and training are everything. From the forward who needs to crash the boards to the point guard who runs the floor, high school basketball requires a specialized fitness regimen. Now, veteran coach Joe Kolb has the solution to help you play at the top of your game and prevent injury in his new book, Get Fit Now for High School Basketball: The Complete Guide for Ultimate Performance.
Shot on location at one of the nation's top high school basketball programs, Get Fit Now for High School Basketballuses real high school basketball players to demonstrate the exercise program that not only got them on the team but also made them champions. This book helps players of all levels—from novices to varsity stars—get in their best shape both mentally and physically with its unique mixture of aerobic conditioning regimens, speed and agility training, special vision exercises, and practical game day routines.
Designed specifically for boys and girls aged 12 to 18, Get Fit Now for High School Basketball also uses performance evaluations and tips for improving the mental game to ensure that you step onto the court with the confidence to win. It also includes guidelines for safe and effective weight training and nutrition tips to keep you in your best shape, on and off the court.
In a time when more and more high school players are going straight to the NBA, high school basketball is becoming more competitive by the year. Whether you are trying to make the team or help lead it to an undefeated season, Get Fit Now for High School Basketball will help you to achieve the highest possible level of mental and physical readiness. Drawing upon his years of experience, Joe Kolb gives you the training information you need to stay in shape during the off-season, and to be ready for action once play begins.
The second book in the popular Get Fit Now for High School Sports series, this book will score with young athletes everywhere. 200 b/w photos.
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