Customer Reviews

Lenny, Lefty, and the Chancellor

5 star:		(1)
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This story was a great account of the turning point of college basketball, in which the view began to shift more towards the personal and academic side of the athlete as opposed to the athletic side. I would read it all over again.

This book provides a good chronicle of the events leading to and immediately following the Len Bias tragedy. Where it falls short is in its glowing portrayal of a certain University Chancellor, who prior to the tragedy knew full well what was going on in the Athletic Department, but after the tragedy pinned all responsibilty on others. This has come to light in the years following the publication of this book. In this respect the book missed the mark.

This is a terrific book. Smith covers the story of Maryland and its basketball program from all angles -- political, societal, and educational. In particular, his profiles of Lefty Driesell, Len Bias, and Bob Wade are as complete as anything in print and his insights are, surprisingly, still relevant given what has happened in subsequent years at Baylor and Penn State.

This is the second work I've read by Smith. I also read his political biography on William Donald Schaefer. Both works are generally well-sourced and richly detailed. Anyone interested in Baltimore or Maryland history should read them.