The Steve Spurrier Story: From Heisman to Head Ballcoach [Hardcover]

Bill Chastian (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 30, 2002

Mention the name Steve Spurrier to sports fans and without a doubt a lively discussion and exchange will ensue. Love him or hate him, opinions about the new coach of the Washington Redskins and University of Florida gridiron commander, rarely rate as ambivalent. Bill Chastain's The Steve Spurrier Story: From Heisman to Head Ballcoach is the first comprehensive biography of the man on the sidelines. Through interviews with family, friends, colleagues, and players, Chastain provides an intimate look at the significant influences and events that have helped shape Steve Spurrier into the extraordinary and oftentimes controversial football coach he is today. When Spurrier was growing up, the slogan "It's not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game …" was not a tenet that stuck in the Spurrier household, where Spurrier's father, the Reverend Graham Spurrier, liked to say, "if it doesn't matter if you won or lose, why do you keep score?" A talented athlete, made better by his competitive instincts, evolved from this philosophy. Spurrier's competitive instincts led him to performances that qualified him to win the Heisman Trophy while playing quarterback for the University of Florida; a disappointing NFL career followed. Spurrier's competitiveness continued to be his driving force once he began his coaching career. Few coaches in the history of college football impacted the outcome of a contest from the sidelines the way Spurrier did. An offensive genius with a unique feel for the game, Spurrier rubbed opposing coaches and fans the wrong way by winning--and winning big--while the University of Florida program reached heights never before dreamed of by alumni and fans. Complex and commanding, demanding and driven, Steve Spurrier steps up to the National Football League at the helm of the Washington Redskins in 2002. Having made Gator football synonymous with "powerhouse," can the ole Head Ballcoach dominate at the professional level the way he did in college? Although the jury may still be out, he

Editorial Reviews

Review

"To many Steve Spurrier's personality is like an enigma...Chastains's book unlocks several of these mysteries." (Gainesville Sun )

From the Inside Flap

Mention the name Steve Spurriere to sports fans and, without a doubt, a lively discussion and exchange will ensue. Love him or hate him, opinions about the new coach of the Washington Redsins and former University of Florida gridiron commander rarely rate as ambivalent.

Bill Chastain's The Steve Spurrier Story is the first comprehensiv biography of the man on the sideline. Through interviews with family, friends, colleagues, and players, Chastain provides an intimate look at the significant influences and events that have helped shape Steve Spurrier in to the extraordinary and oftentimes controversial football coach he is today.

Spurrier's competitive instincts led him to performances that won him the Heisman Trophy while playing quarterback for the University of Florida. A disappointing NFL career followed. Spurrier's competitiveness continued to be his driving force once he began his coaching career.

Few coaches in the history of college football impacted the outcome of a contest from the sidelines the way Spurrier did. An offensive genius with a unique feel for the fame, Spurrier rubbed opposing coaches and fans the wrong way by winninf - and winning big - while the University of Florida program reached heights never before dreamed of by alumni and fans. Comples and commanding, demanding and driven, Steve Spurrier steps up to the National Football League in 2002 at the helm of the Washington Redskins. Having made the Gator football synonymous with "powerhouse" can the ol' Head Ball Coach dominate at the professional level the way he did on college?

Although the jury may still be out, here is the book that gives solid insight into the answer as it reveals what motivates Steve SPurrier, one of football's most intriguing and effective coaches.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Taylor Trade Publishing (September 30, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0878333169
• ISBN-13: 978-0878333165
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,451,441 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed, December 27, 2004

By 

Patricia Carter "king" (Portland, Maine) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Steve Spurrier Story: From Heisman to Head Ballcoach (Hardcover)

The book was written by a Spurrier fan who told me nothing new about the great coach. It was 204 pages long and the author did not get to Spurrier's Florida coaching exploits until page 143. His legendary status as a coach BEGAN at Florida. Spurrier's Gator coaching accomplishments made him the star that he is today and I was hoping to get a detailed look at HOW he was so successful at Florida. I was left wanting SO much more. It was a good look at his younger days growing up and as a player in college and the NFL. It also explored his days as a small time college coach, but the contents regarding his tenure at Florida was rather pitiful. Still, a must read for any Gator or Spurrier fan, but not a real complete work. This, I hope, will NOT be considered THE definitive Spurrier biography when it is all said and done.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best sports bios I've ever read, February 27, 2003

By 

Frank Carbone (Tampa, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Steve Spurrier Story: From Heisman to Head Ballcoach (Hardcover)

With all the media buzz about this book, I was afraid it wouldn't live up to the hype, but I gotta admit that it's one very good book. Chastain really gets into the mind and heart of a remarkable and complex man.

3.0 out of 5 stars Decent Sports Bio, September 29, 2010

By 

K.A.Goldberg (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Steve Spurrier Story: From Heisman to Head Ballcoach (Hardcover)

This book provides a decent if uninspired look at one of football's more interesting figures. High school star, Heisman trophy winner, modest pro, top college coach. Spurrier comes across as talented, decent, and fairly complex. The book focuses more heavily on his early life, from youth, to Heisman-winning quarterback, to disappointed pro. Fans expecting an indepth look at Spurrier's coaching accomplishments at Duke and Florida may find the information a bit thin. Nor is there all that much on his style of recruiting, game preparation, the game's mechanics, nor NCAA corruption. But there is a sense of the man and where he's been. This book was penned just as Spurrier took over as NFL coach in Washington, where he didn't have much success before returning to NCAA ranks. The book is readable and informative, but somehow I was left wanting more - and I'm not really a Spurrier fan, nor a fan of his teams.