Playing for Knight: My Six Seasons with Coach Knight [Hardcover]

Steve Alford (Author), John Garrity (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 1989

Two bestsellers have given readers the different sides of Bob Knight: the loud, angry, profane side; the concerned, caring, teaching side. But only Steve Alford gives readers the inside story--the player's side. 8 pages of photos.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A former Indiana University star basketball player describes his experiences with the intimidating, demanding Coach Bobby Knight. "Alford's story is told candidly," said PW.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From Library Journal

In the third recent book about Indiana basketball's Knight, player Alford candidly relates his often stormy relations with the tempestuous coach but adds ultimate admiration after playing for Knight for four college years, the 1984 Olympic Gold Medal team, and a world tour. He steers a middle course between John Feinstein's critical A Season on the Brink ( LJ 11/1/86) and Joan Mellen's more sympathetic Bob Knight: His Own Man (Donald I. Fine, 1988). A fast-moving, intriguing tale, this does not replace Feinstein's book but is preferred to Mellen's for public and high school collections.
- Morey Berger, Monmouth Cty. Lib., Manalapan, N.J.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (November 15, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671677713
• ISBN-13: 978-0671677718
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #871,222 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #5 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( K ) > Knight, Bobby

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A clear picture, February 10, 2000

By 

Mike McLain (Iowa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Playing for Knight: My Six Seasons with Coach Knight (Paperback)

Steve Alford offers a clear and concise picture of what it is like to play for one of the most successful yet intimidating coaches in college basketball. You'll feel the frustration he felt when in the coach's doghouse and the joy he felt when winning the national championship. Through four years of playing at Indiana, Alford was able to see thru the mind games and realize the coach's motive. A truly great book written by a truly gifted athlete.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pulls some punches, August 5, 2003

By 

xmarine (waiting for the next mission USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Playing for Knight: My Six Seasons with Coach Knight (Paperback)

Alford admits that he cleaned up Knight's language in this book. Bob Knight was famous for swearing up and down the court and all around, sometimes even when the camera and microphone were on. Alford probably also had some selective memory since being a professional in basketball who would eventually go on to be a coach, he didn't need Bob Knight as an enemy. Alford and some other players admitted as much when Knight was fired from Indiana a few years ago that they weren't always as honest about what went on as maybe they could have been. But that's understandable.

If you buy into the idea that sports is another kind of warfare, then Knight's style made sense. Think Bryant and the Junction Boys here. Knight did coach military before Indiana, too. But this story is not really a book about Bobby Knight. There are bunch of those. It concentrates just on that time when Alford was there, in the 80s, probably when Knight's power and prestige were at their greatest. Despite his size (Alford is on the short side to be a basketball player) he had skill and determination, and apparently the obedience that Knight wanted in a player.

Alford's daydream at the end will never come true, at least not in the way he sees it. He saw Knight still being at Indiana, and no one would have ever thought he could be toppled from there. He thought despite the drawbacks it would still be an excellent opportunity for his son, and he wouldn't hesitate to recommend playing for Knight. It was an experience.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Playing for knight: My six seasons with coach Knight, February 16, 2007

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Playing for Knight: My Six Seasons With Coach Knight (Hardcover)

Steve Alford goes to Indiana University where he plays basketball for Coach Knight. He plays under Coach Knight for six years. During his six years with Coach Knight he has his ups and downs. An up is he wins a national title. A down is the war stories. The war stories are the strange ways Coach Knight gets you to understand his thinking. For instance he made two of the senior players plan how to get to the game. They had to bring all the equipment, get bus tickets, and make a starting lineup.

If you like books about basketball you should read this. One reason you should read this, is you can learn many valuable lessons. One is to try the hardest you possibly can in practice. My second reason is it's a tremendous read. I loved reading this book, because I love to play basketball. My final reason is if you play for Coach Knight in the near future you can learn what not to do, such as loafing around in a game. Which means: not hustling for loose balls, not rebounding, and not getting back on defense. These are the things that get you chewed out.