Customer Reviews

The Winners Manual: For the Game of Life

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One Moment Changes Everything: The All-America Tragedy of Don Rogers
I'm West Coast born and raised. Too often we fans, and sportswriters, get caught up in regionalism and bias. We may call it "loyalty", but that's a nice word for what often comes across as petty whining because our coach, team or region isn't constantly praised by the media. It's nothing terminal, that is, until we take those perceived slights personally. In the writing of my book about former Cleveland Browns' star safety, Don Rogers, I had the opportunity to gain an insight into what I will admit was a foreign people: football fans of Ohio. So it was with a slightly more enlightened perspective than, say, I would have had some years ago, that I read "The Winners Manual" by Ohio State head coach, Jim Tressel. Never mind that the proceeds from the book go to the school's already amazing library. That's just the icing on the cake. The book is a how-to manual for organization, and road map into the mind of Tressel, a man who excels in one of the toughest jobs--including being in the highest levels of politics--that a person could ever have.

I believe we bend ourselves toward our goals, and it isn't any one thing that gets us there. If you're looking for insight into the great Jim Tressel, this book will help. But if you're looking for a guide in which to help you live a better, more organized life, The Winners Manual is a must-read, along the lines of some of John Wooden's best books, and books by the best and brightest CEOs this country has produced. Learn from, and surround yourself with winners, and success will follow.

Ohio is the country's center in so many ways, but I've come to know it's football fan base as, by far, the most loyal and informed in the country. And in every sense, Tressel is the CEO of a multi-million dollar corporation that insists on excellence performed under a powerful and exacting microscope. I think he succeeds admirably. And this book can both help you understand how he does it, and how you too might get the most out of your life, as well.

I am so impressed with this book - and so surprised.
Here you have a book by one of America's top football coaches and, most impressively, he writes about his mother's gratitude at being given the opportunity to be of service to her community, and how this specifically impacted his approach to football and the coaching of young people.
He describes her approach to life as 'Attitude' - being grateful for the opportunity to be of service to others, to look outward at how you can be of service rather than inward at how you are doing, as the basis for excellence as an athlete (or in your work and life).
He also talks about excellence as an approach that pertains to your life as a whole - how do you show up at home after work, how do you treat people in stressful situations, how do you bring out the best in a player, a child, a passing acquaintance.

I would recommend this book highly to anyone interested in having a great life - it is not just about football!
If you enjoy this book, I also highly recommend: Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment and How to Create a Magical Relationship both by Ariel and Shya Kane. They also write about excellence and suggest, like Tressel's mother, being of service to others, especially in the little challenges that show up moment to moment, rather than having your attention on yourself.
It is so nice to see so many authors writing about how to have success, and successful lives, based on what Tressel describes as gratitude, taking care of others, and going for excellence in everything you do.

This excellent game plan for the gridiron of life was 23 years in the making.

Over that time period, coach Jim Tressel has utilized such a manual for his Youngstown State and Ohio State teams. And this book is the guide presented to players at the start of each season.

The main source that inspired Tressel came from the home; his father, Lee, was a long-time head football coach and athletics director at Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio. Lee was nationally-renowned in the coaching community for his work with young people. But Lee also had a "head coach" in reaching out to others.

"She (Lee's wife, Eloise) typed the practice schedules for my dad's teams, because at a small school the athletic department didn't have money for a secretary. She sewed the players' names on the back of their jerseys at Baldwin-Wallace College for many years," writes Tressel, in a section on living with an attitude of gratitude.

"And her service was always motivated by a perspective of gratitude," he continues. "She was grateful that her husband had a chance to coach and to have an impact on all those young men. Because of her service and her involvement in the community, she was selected as an outstanding citizen in the city of Berea long before my dad was."

Each day will bring additional challenges, which may lead someone to tackle new avenues and goals. "(I)f a player says, 'I really want to excel at football, but I feel that medicine is my life's calling,' we help that player map out a plan to make it to medical school. It might be medical school, law school, or some other career path, but we want to help every player achieve his goals," writes Tressel.

"Executing a plan to reach our full potential takes a lot of preparation. We must first uncover all the hidden things that can help or hinder our putting that plan into action. Excellent preparation takes tremendous commitment, focus, and discipline," he adds. "The willingness to do what it takes to execute that plan will yield excellence, but it doesn't just happen. Achieving excellence requires a great deal of hard work."

With proceeds from the book to benefit the renovation of The Ohio State University main library, Tressel is making sure that a foundation in books will be available to every OSU student and researcher using the college's vast library system.

Tressel is a successful coach who has led teams to five national titles. But the book is an inspirational guide to strive to be the best in any situation, on and off the field.

A whole book about doing the right thing and standing strong? Really Tressel? What a joke? You're just like the rest - a liar who will do anything to win!

This is a book about the fundamentals it takes to succeed at any endeavor you wish to pursue. Tressel hits the nail on the head and I'm glad to see he steps up to the plate and shares his Christian faith. There are quotes and stories throughout the book you'll want to highlight and re-read. You don't need to be a football fan to appreciate the lessons found in the book. However, if you are a college football fan I highly recommend this. I'm a USC Trojan fan but after reading this book I'll be hoping Ohio State wins on Saturdays too (except when they play USC).

Excellent Book! My ten year old daughter started reading the book on her own. Good for helping kids set goals and decision management to reach their dreams.

I almost stopped reading this book after the first hour because I was afraid I would have to rethink my perspective.
I might have to change my ways.
I'm going to set some life changing goals and its all because of Jim Tressel.
I thought this was going to be a "Book of quotes", but its not, its deep.
I actually feel like a better person.
To be a championship team, you must first become a group of individual champions.
It has a religious feel to it, but in a broad and general "Be a good person, find inner peace, be the best you can be in whatever you do, go do good things in your community" type of way.
I already knew Jim Tressel was some kind of super human, i just had no idea how super he was.

As a "Son of a Buckeye" I have had the opportunity to observe the Ohio State Football program over the years. Jim Tressel brings a unique perspective to the idea of coaching. He is basically a farmer. His goal is to to grow his crop of student-athletes into successful and effective participants in modern society. His fertilizer is his personal philosophy which is well described in this book. If you wish to grow your own crop: your children, your business,or any other endeavor that you find yourself committed to, this book is a must read.

Gratitude, humility and hard work are the cornerstones of Jim Tressel's THE WINNERS MANUEL. Given to each of his OSU players at the start of new season, the manuel lays out Tressel's philosophy of life and coaching. Familiar, but not corny; straight forward, but not boring, Tressel always brings the discussion around to the importance of gratitude, humility and hard work, three virtues that he has built his career around and wants his OSU players to copy. The major weakness of the book is when he attempts to theologize and yet not offend in regard to Jesus. It's hard to see how he can have it both ways.

I checked this book out of the library on the recommendation of a friend. After I read it, I ordered my own copy to keep and nine more to give out to friends and family members. Coach Tressel lays out an abundance of life lessons, anecdotes, quotes, and valuable nuggets of information in this book. You will take something away from this book when you read it. If you are in a rut or if you are about to take on a big project in your life, I highly recommend this book to help you along.