Swing Your Sword: Leading the Charge in Football and Life [Kindle Edition]

Mike Leach (Author), Bruce Feldman (Author), Michael Lewis (Foreword), Peter Berg (Afterword)

Book Description

Mike Leach led the Texas Tech football program to unprecedented success on the field beginning in 2000, achieving a #2 ranking in national standings and earning himself the title of College Coach of the Year in 2008. Off the field, Leach led a program that now boasts the highest graduation rate of any public university in the Top 25. In Swing Your Sword: Leading the Charge in Football and Life, Leach shares his unorthodox approach to coaching, the choices that have brought him success throughout his career, and how he dealt with the adversity of being unceremoniously fired at the end of the 2009 season, just a year after receiving his Coach of the Year award.

Editorial Reviews

Review

I think he’s brilliant. Mike Leach is a renaissance man through and through. The commercials about the World’s Most Interesting Man—that’s Mike Leach. I love him so much. I aspire to live a full and rich life and he’s doing it. He’s as interested in literature as he is in football. He’s just a very complicated, well-rounded individual. He’s a real maverick and an inspiration.
-Peter Berg, filmmaker, director - Friday Night Lights

I could tell that our players liked him right away. What really struck me was how sure of himself of what he wanted to do. He had such conviction and confidence in his way of doing it and there wasn't any second guessing it: "This is what we're going to do. It is going to work. It has worked everywhere we've been." I remember feeling great. This is exactly what we needed to do.
-Bob Stoops, Mike’s former boss at Oklahoma

He’s one of the most unique people I’ve ever met. He’s infinitely curious about everything. He doesn’t come in there and meet new situations with an agenda. He likes to walk straight up and ask the tough questions. He loves it when someone is real as can be. He wants to learn something new. He wants to hear another point of view on something. Mike Leach is an infinitely interesting guy. His free association is epic. Nobody has the ability to free associate like this guy. He starts going and you’re thinking, ‘O.K., where are you going with this?’ I love his re-set. His re-set line is always, ‘well, the thing is.’ Whenever he switches gears to another subject, that his comma, it’s ‘Well, the thing is. . . ‘
-Matthew McConaughey

Mike Leach has proved he can write a book that's as good as his passing schemes. I might add that it also ranks up there with his leadership and communication skills. Don't miss this eye-opening entertainment.
-Dan Jenkins

“Mike Leach is a great leader and an amazing motivator of men. And he got screwed. He’s got fantastic ingenuity, not only on the football field, but what he did with Texas Tech. The guy was on the cover of the New York Times Sunday Magazine as the head coach of Texas Tech. Think about how unusual that is. He is just so smart and really is a great guy, and a great coach.”
-Donald Trump

Praise for Bruce Feldman:

Meat Market

"One of the most insightful books ever written about college football."
-The New York Times

About the Author

Mike Leach: In 2000, Mike Leach took over a Texas Tech program that had one of the worst graduation rates in all of major college football. Almost a decade later, as Leach has guided Tech to unprecedented on-field success, he has also led a program that now has the highest graduation rate of any public university in the Top 25. In 2008, Leach was named the College Coach of the Year by the Maxwell Football Club after leading Texas Tech to its most successful regular season in school history. Tech rose to #2 in the national polls, higher than the school had ever been and the Red Raiders led the country in passing for the sixth time in Leach’s nine seasons coaching in Lubbock. Late in 2009, Leach was fired following accusations of mistreatment in the case of one of Leach’s injured players. He is native of Cody, Wyoming and graduated from Brigham Young University. He earned his J.D. from Pepperdine Law School in 1986. Leach and his wife Sharon have four children.

Product Details

• File Size: 727 KB
• Print Length: 272 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Diversion Books (June 27, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0058PK0R0
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #80,883 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #42 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Sports > Football (American)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

107 of 114 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I see the Tech Administration has already reviewed the book! July 12, 2011

By Michael Bunker

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

As a Tech fan and former student, I was interested in finally hearing Leach's side of the story. This book turned out to be so much more. I'm so glad that this is more of an autobiography, and that we learned more from Mike Leach's own pen about his life and his history. I agree completely with Donald Trump... Mike Leach was screwed... and the good 'ol boy network in Lubbock will continue to assassinate his character, lie about his actions, etc. in order to legitimize their screwing of Mike Leach. But in the end, Leach has won. He kept his honor, his principles, and his sense of humor about the whole thing. The scumbags in the bell tower have to live with themselves, and that can't be easy. Great book Mike, and I'm glad I actually purchased it and read it.

59 of 63 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent coach and now author July 13, 2011

By jusu2112

Format:Hardcover

I had not planned to write this review until I saw the poor one. That person actually didn't review the book but only had criticisms for Mike Leach. His "facts" about Coach Leach were inaccurate which makes me very suspicious of the review and reviewer. For one he was the best coach that Tech ever had, past and present and it is fully documented about his winning record as coach at Tech. Also the graduation rate for football players at Tech jumped during his tenure. Secondly, Leach and Tech had signed an employment agreement that Tech broke and Tech is currently trying to hide behind loopholes in Texas law as they were hiding behind Craig James. Craig James had caused problems for players and coaches at SMU in the 1980s which lasted through the 90s whereas SMU is still trying to rebuild their football program and now he's made it a family business by spreading problems to Tech. ESPN should be ashamed to have James on their payroll. If they actually cared about the sport and their own ethics he would have been gone. Craig James' commentary on ESPN is worthless. I am glad Mike Leach has written this book for everyone to understand what actually took place at Tech. I was not even a Tech or Leach fan but can understand what employers try to do to get out of paying their employees even when they are contractually required to do so. I hope Mike Leach the very best in his future endeavors and I hope things come back around for Craig James and family.

50 of 53 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Far from a rambling rant...frank, funny...a great read! July 13, 2011

By PaperBookFan

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Forget how Texas Tech brass handled Leach (laughable, but for serious...and possibly illegal...consequences). This book answers a lot of questions about the man and his methods...which, it turns out, aren't really mad at all. Can't imagine any coach of any sport at any level not benefiting from Leach's book...but it's also a think piece for lawyers, commentators and any underdog who's ever wondered "Why not me?". The lawyer turned coach turned author is most likely to succeed if he ever coaches again. If not, his innate curiosity, honesty and independence ensure he'll make the most of whatever he's doing. Leach won't be bored or bowed, and you can't put a price on that.

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