The Dean's List: A Celebration of Tar Heel Basketball and Dean Smith [Hardcover]

Art Chansky (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1997

A profile of the longtime coach of the NCAA's North Carolina Tar Heels celebrates college basketball with photographs, quotes, vignettes, and insights, as well as anecdotes from players, coaches, sportswriters, and fans.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

If UNC basketball is something of a religion in North Carolina--and it is--longtime coach Dean Smith is certainly its patron saint. The Dean's List, then, with the Carolina-blue trim on its nicely illustrated pages and a foreword by Michael Jordan, the greatest Tar Heel of them all, is more than just the celebration its title implies; it is an illustrated bible of a college basketball dynasty. Since Smith's anointment as head coach in 1961, the numbers have been staggering: more than 800 victories, 17 conference titles, 22 consecutive NCAA tournament bids, two national championships, 24 first-round NBA draft picks. But The Dean's List goes well beyond the numbers; it is an honest--if affectionate--history of a remarkable program, and the icon who brought innovation to the game and inspiration to his players.

From Booklist

Dean Smith may be the most respected and successful college basketball coach in the country. Since the early sixties, his teams have won two national championships, challenged for a half-dozen others, and racked up Atlantic Coast Conference championships annually. All this without a hint of scandal and with rosters of players who went on to graduate and become successful in a variety of nonsports endeavors. This celebration of the Smith era is just that--readers won't find a discouraging word amid the dozens of testimonials from former players such as Michael Jordan (who supplies a moving introduction), Charlie Scott, Billy Cunningham, George Karl, and Mitch Kupchak. Sandwiched among the more than 200 black-and-white photos is a history of the era, from Smith's rocky start in the early sixties, through the period of UCLA's dominance of the game, to his last 20 years of unparalleled success. There are plenty of exciting accounts of key games, and Chansky, who markets North Carolina basketball products, does an excellent job in providing a dramatic context for the action. One doesn't have to be a Tar Heel fan to enjoy this engaging account of college sports as they should be played. Expect a strong publicity effort and the marketability of the Jordan intro to stimulate interest. Wes Lukowsky

Product Details

• Hardcover: 151 pages
• Publisher: Warner Books; Limited edition (October 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446520071
• ISBN-13: 978-0446520072
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 9.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,042,862 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Dean Smith Years, December 20, 2000

By 

Thomas Magnum (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Dean's List: A Celebration of Tar Heel Basketball and Dean Smith (Hardcover)

The Dean's List details every year of North Carolina basketball during Dean Smith's reign as coach. You get a brief commentary from Art Chansky, alot of good pictures and a team roster. The championship year of 1982 gets special attention, which is justified as it was a special team. You're not going to find any major revelations amongst these pages, but if you are a fan of Carolina basketball, this is an enjoyable read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars simply amazing, what a great book for TARHEEL FANS!, February 28, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (wisconsin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dean's List: A Celebration of Tar Heel Basketball and Dean Smith (Hardcover)

The second I opened it I could not put it down! I love tarheel basketball. Everthing you want to know about tarheel basketball is in this book, baby!!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good idea, bad execution, March 27, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Dean's List: A Celebration of Tar Heel Basketball and Dean Smith (Hardcover)

The problem with this book is not the content; Chansky's stories are often interesting. The real problem is that Chansky has serious problems with the English language. Scarcely a page goes by without a mangled mixed metaphor or breathless cliche. If you're a Carolina fan though, you probably won't notice.