For almost forty years, Dean Smith coached the University of North Carolina basketball team with unsurpassed success, having an impact both on the court and in the lives of countless young men. In A Coach’s Life, he looks back on the great games, teams, players, strategies, and rivalries that defined his career and, in a new final chapter, discusses his retirement from the game. The fundamentals of good basketball are the fundamentals of character—passion, discipline, focus, selflessness, and responsibility—and superlative mentor and coach Dean Smith imparts them all with equal authority.
A Coach's Life: My Forty Years in College Basketball
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle.
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Largely conforming to the standard sports autobiography, former University of North Carolina basketball coach Smith recalls his career and the way it dovetailed with the evolution of college basketball over the second half of this century into a big business and media zoo. The writing is talky and easygoing, punctuated by sly humor: "I liked the '60s, but I liked them a lot better after we won a few ball games." Of meeting Michael Jordan, who played for him at UNC, Smith casually notes: "I know I'm supposed to say he was surrounded by a golden light, but the truth is, he wasn't." The son of schoolteachers, Smith writes sincerely about teaching his young, talented players the "issues" involved in basketball and in life, especially race. In a chapter called "I may Be Wrong But!" Smith reveals some of the personal and political beliefs he so tightly guarded during his career. He articulates his faith in God and his political disagreements with the Christian Coalition (relevant because Smith was long the most popular man in a state that elects Jesse Helms to the Senate) and his discomfort with athletes who appear to believe that God cares who wins a basketball game. Although Smith indulges in some stock homilies and bromides about "life fundamentals," he come off as man with compassion, modesty and honesty, as well as competitive drive.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Library Journal
The legendary University of North Carolina coach on doing wellAon the court and in life.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Authors
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The inside story from the master of the game,
This review is from: Coach's Life : My Forty Years in College Basketball (Hardcover)
For years we've all wondered just how he does it -- from telling freshman Michael Jordan to "knock it down" in the final seconds of the Georgetown game to resting his starters in the final minutes of the '93 national championship. How does he know? This book offers outstanding insight into the man and the game he mastered. If you care at all about college basketball, you must read this book. There will never be another Dean Smith.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Still The Best,
This review is from: Coach's Life : My Forty Years in College Basketball (Hardcover)
Dean Smith once again shows why he is the best coach of all time. "A Coach's Life" is not only an indepth look into Carolina Basketball, but a humorous, moving and inspirational look inside the man. A book for the true Carolina Fan! Thanks Coach Smith!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Smith shares his thoughts with extreme candor,
By Slader Merriman (Andover, NH) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Coach's Life : My Forty Years in College Basketball (Hardcover)
Dean Smith shares his thoughts on Carolina basketball and his life with extreme candor, and warmth to all readers. His candor still today can be heard on occassion on the Road to the Final Four where he isn't afraid to point out who he feels is bad and what he feels about college basketball today. If your a fan of basketball this to me is a Must Read!
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Inside This Book
(learn more)
First Sentence:
I graduated in the spring of 1953, a two-year service commitment ahead of me with the rank of second lieutenant. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
nonscholarship players, tired signal, scramble defense, jayvee team, unselfish play, assistant basketball coach, head basketball coach, letter winners, basketball clinic, pressure defense, head coach, zone press, shot clock, rotate groups, freshman team, shot selection, national coach Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Final Four, Bill Guthridge, New York, Eddie Fogler, Phil Ford, Air Force, Larry Brown, South Carolina, Notre Dame, Head Coach Dean Smith, Michael Jordan, Roy Williams, Florida State, John Lotz, Charles Scott, Randy Wiel, Wake Forest, Bob Spear, Dave Hanners, James Worthy, Coach Guthridge, Donald Williams, Matt Doherty New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
I graduated in the spring of 1953, a two-year service commitment ahead of me with the rank of second lieutenant. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
nonscholarship players, tired signal, scramble defense, jayvee team, unselfish play, assistant basketball coach, head basketball coach, letter winners, basketball clinic, pressure defense, head coach, zone press, shot clock, rotate groups, freshman team, shot selection, national coach Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Final Four, Bill Guthridge, New York, Eddie Fogler, Phil Ford, Air Force, Larry Brown, South Carolina, Notre Dame, Head Coach Dean Smith, Michael Jordan, Roy Williams, Florida State, John Lotz, Charles Scott, Randy Wiel, Wake Forest, Bob Spear, Dave Hanners, James Worthy, Coach Guthridge, Donald Williams, Matt Doherty New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product).
|
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
So You'd Like to...
|
|
