Customer Reviews

Coach K: Building the Duke Dynasty: The Story of Mike Krzyzewski and the Winning Tradition at Duke University

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

Gregg Doyel represents what all college hoops beat writers should aspire to. He name drops(ok, anonymous source drops), insinuates and unleashes tawdry details, often authenticated or handed to him by "reliable sources who shall remain unnamed." He participates in mud-slinging and name calling as often as possible, often opening the door to the rational, intelligent discussion of college hoops. He doesn't let facts get in his way, and allows for his unbiased theories and fantasies about the world of college hoops to open the eyes of ignorant fans. You might wonder why Gregg (two Gs dude) rarely interviews coaches especially when he may be writing about them. Let's face it, Gregg possesses a well of knowledge that is deeper (and sexier) than that of Coach K, John Wooden, Red Auerbach, Einstein, and Jesus combined.
Ok, all hyperbole aside this book is terrible. I would have loved to hear some original content about what Coach had to say in regards to building the prototypical powerhouse program. Unfortunately, Doyel probably did not get off his pockmarked ass in the process of writing this book, ripping off all the information contained within from sources like DBR, or from gleaning information from Coach K's book (which, by the way, is everything this book is not.) This book will not reveal anything new to even the most casual duke fan.
Sadly, Doyel is dismissed by all members of the college hoops community, from the casual fan to a coaching legend such as Coach K. He has routinely shown himself to be unreliable in reporting the FACTS involved in a story, and far too often limbos below the level of those who make personal attacks against him. He is a hypocrite, lambasting someone's actions one minute, and then praising them the next. He rarely owns up to his inaccuracies (notice that he never apologized for his crap article on the myron piggie BS) and pretends as though no ineptitude ever took place. He is the college basketball equivalent of a Rush Limbaugh, relying on inflammatory remarks to bring attention to his articles and giving hits to his website. Hopefully people will learn to ignore him and he too will enter rehab for his chronic abuse of oxycontin/bestiality.
In summary, boring book, poorly written by a man who is more of a blogger than a journalist. Do not read this book or your face might melt like all those dudes in "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

This book was nothing more than a carbon copy of the expanded Duke Basketball media guide. Its like Doyel simply copied numerical factoids out of the ACC statistics books. If I wanted to read a book on numbers I'd dust off my college calculus book. Don't waste your money.

Poorly written and without a shred of any real insight, this "book" has no real redeeming qualities. Doyel needs to stick to his online gig in the daily online tabloids if this is the best quality he can summon in prose form.

Save your money.

I'm embarrassed to call this a book. It's nothing more than a glorified press release. No wonder Coach K had nothing to do with this 5th grade book report. Very bad.

I think Doyel had a 4 year-old ghost write this book for him. My only regret aside from reading this piece of garbage is that you can't give negative stars for a rating.

I'm a Coach K fan and was disappointed that this book didn't provide more insight into hows & whys of the program and Duke basketball tactics. The history was interesting and you do get a feel for the Duke-UNC rivalry, but not an understanding of how the coach really thinks and what strategies he truly uses on and off the court.

While this book has some great moments it also leaves a lot to be desired. It tells the great story of Krzyzewski's boyhood, the values instilled by his parents and his neighborhood friends, his time in the army and the early years with his wife Mickie. It touches on his relationship with Jim Valvano during his loosing battle with cancer. However, way too much of the book reads like a tell-all tabloid article. I suspect that was because Coach K did not participate in this effort and the writer is struggling to get enough material to produce the book. I would recommend Coach K's own "Leading with the Heart".

Doyel is obviously worshiping at the alter of Coach K. Along with Dick Vitale and the rest of the Duke lovin media. This is not objective journalism. It is overblown hero worship. Doyel's hero is obviously Coach K. This book glosses over anything negative with regard to the Duke basketball program. Just read the annual Duke media guide and you'll get the same info. Don't spend your money on this crap.

Is there someone you work with who can never succeed at one job before they promote him to another, circumventing all rationale concerning "the best person for the job"? Gregg Doyel somehow worms his way upward on his career path even though many bloggers - let alone other columnists - are superior writers and investigative journalists. This book confounds the mind. You constantly wonder "how did someone this poor at writing ever get a book published?". My brother gave me this as a Christmas gift. We are both Duke fans and have been since 1972. He had the best of intentions considering the title. However, my brother, who is an accomplished public speaker and teacher, would have vomited upon reading such incomprehensible drivel.

I read the first 10 pages before I fell into a deep, deep sleep. This one is a yawner. Better used as toilet paper than reading material.