Best Damn Sports Books Part 2

Over 10 years ago, I posted a list of my favorite sports books. Here is an updated list of new sports books that I have enjoyed by sports category:

Basketball

A Sense of Where You Are: Bill Bradley at Princeton by John McPhee

The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to The Sports Guy by Bill Simmons

Dream Team: How Michael, Magic, Larry, Charles, and the Greatest Team of All Time Conquered the World and Changed the Game of Basketball Forever by Jack McCallum

On the Court and Inside the Heads of Basketball's Best Players by Idan Ravin

Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success by Phil Jackson

Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s by Jeff Pearlman

Tennis

Open by Andre Agassi

But Seriously by John McEnroe

Hardcourt Confidential: Tales from Twenty Years in the Pro Tennis Trenches by Patrick McEnroe

Trophy Son by Douglas Brunt (fictional story about tennis prodigy. Excellent!)

Golf

Tiger Woods by Jeff Benedict

Football

Football for a Buck: The Crazy Rise and Crazier Demise of the USFL by Jeff Pearlman

Three and Out: Rich Rodriguez and the Michigan Wolverines in the Crucible of College Football by John U. Bacon

Boxing

Unbeaten: Rocky Marciano's Fight for Perfection in a Crooked World World by Mike Stanton

Drama in the Bahamas: Muhammad Ali's Last Fight by Dave Hannigan

John Feinstein

One on One: Behind the Scenes with the Greats in the Game by John Feinstein

Unfinished Business: On and Off the Court With the 1990-91 Boston Celtics By Jack McCallum

Unfinished Business: On and Off the Court With the 1990-91 Boston Celtics by Jack McCallum
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you ever wondered what it was like to play with Larry Bird or Kevin McHale this book will answer your questions. McCallum covers an "aging" Celtics team. Larry Bird is hampered with a chronic bad back. Kevin McHale suffers a number of injuries. This book also provides an insight into the coaching of Chris Ford and how he was able to motivate this team and earn their respect. What is even more interesting than the actual games on the court is the locker room and off court dialogue among the players. This book is enjoyable if you like basketball, particularly if you like the Boston Celtics. But it's also valuable for those who are interested in becoming coaches – – some great insights into building and managing a team – – particularly those with diverse personalities.


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The Legends Club: Dean Smith, Mike Krzyzewski and Jim Valvano and an Epic College Basketball Rivalry by John Feinstein

The Legends Club: Dean Smith, Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Valvano, and an Epic College Basketball Rivalry by John Feinstein
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

John Feinstein is my most favorite author of sports books, particularly those related to college basketball. He covers a thirty year basketball rivalry among Duke, North Carolina and North Carolina State. Most of this book centers on the coaching rivalry between Dean Smith from North Carolina and Mike Krzyzewski from Duke. After North Carolina State won the NCAA Tournament in 1983 under Jim Valvano, they have struggled to keep up with their other NC competitors. Valvano was the most interesting character of the three coaches and his struggle against cancer was heroic and inspiring.

I found the friendship between Valvano and Krzyzewski very interesting given their polar opposite personalities. There are a lot of great stories about the competition for recruits and the competition on the court. The ACC was my second favorite brand of basketball in the 1970s and early 80's. (My favorite was Big 5 basketball.)

This book is well researched and a pleasure to read if you like college basketball. Plenty of great stories.


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Eleven Excellent Basketball Books That I Have Read

I have just finished  Not a Game:  The Incredible Rise and Unthinkable Fall of Allen  Iverson.  Very good book.  Well documented.  As I am from  the Philadelphia area and a basketball fan, there were very few surprises upon reading the book. While Iverson was a star on the court,  he was not nearly as successful off it.  Babb  focuses on dark side of Iverson, his legal issues, marital woes, financial problems and lack of discipline in missing meetings, practices  and dealing with management ( including coaches.)

 I am also including a list of the top books that I have enjoyed about basketball. Off the top of my head and in no particular order:

1. A Sense Of Where You Are by John McPhee
2. A Season on the Brink by John Feinstein
3. A  Season inside: One Year in College Basketball by John Feinstein
4. The Miracle of St. Anthony by Adrian Wojaarowski
5. Dream Team by Jack McCallum
6. Pistol: The Life of Pete Maravich byMark Kriegel
7. The Breaks of the Game by David Halberstam
8. The Jordan Rules by Sam Smith
9. The Hoops Whisperer by Idan Ravin
10. Showtime by Jeff Pearlman
11. Eleven Rings by Phil Jackson