You Can Call Me Al: The Colorful Journey of College Basketball's Original Flower Child, Al McGuire [Paperback]

Joseph Declan Moran (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 22, 1999

The full story of one of the greatest and most colorful coaches in the history of college basketball, told here for the first time. From the playgrounds of Rockaway, to the NCAA championship, to the broadcast booth, there has been only one Al McGuire. This is his story, as quick-paced and fascinating as the coach himself.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joseph Declan Moran has worked the past 20 years as a journalist and editor in his native Chicago. Moran's interest in sports, especially college basketball, was spurred during his undergraduate days at Marquette University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in journalism in 1980. He earned his master's degree in broadcast journalism at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism in 1985. You Can Call Me Al is his first book. Joe and his wife, Kristen, reside in Chicago's northwest suburbs. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 308 pages
• Publisher: Prairie Oak Pr; 1st edition (March 22, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1879483521
• ISBN-13: 978-1879483521
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #383,908 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Missing, January 28, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: You Can Call Me Al: The Colorful Journey of College Basketball's Original Flower Child, Al McGuire (Paperback)

Mr. Moran does an excellent job of recapping the Al McGuire era at Marquette University. He also tracks the career of Coach Al especially well. The book was a labor of love, but the author should have more closely looked at the "whole" Al McGuire. That's why the book is, at best, average.

What's missing is a sense of color brought on by perspective; the deep-down interpretations that the passage of time permits. As a long-time follower of Marquette basketball -- and a Marquette J-school grad to boot -- I believe too much of the book was newsy. Mr. Moran recanted stories that were well-known and well-publicized. Case in point: the oft-repeated Delsman fight.

What would have been interesting was to probe deeply the fundamental emotions that brought together some of the best college basketball talent and Al McGuire. What emotions were running through Jim Chones' psyche as he rejected UCLA and others for McGuire and MU? Or, why in succession, did Larry McNeill, Maurice Lucas and Bo Ellis all choose Marquette. What did their heart say? What was so special about this man that his players would attend college at Concrete University (despite McGuire's pleadings that Marquette had "green grass")with virtually no other African-American students.

The ballplayers had a profound impact on Marquette's outlook toward relationships among African-American and caucasian students. Mr. Moran documents this seldom discussed element of life at MU well. He effectively illustrates the Jesuit-Catholic response to one of the most basic precepts of the Christian church.

On the basketball side, Al lost as much talent to the NBA as he recruited in the early 1970s. Certainly the arguable loss of at least one and possibly two or more national championships weighed heavily on his psyche. We know from the author that Al wanted his players to make money -- but could have they made more by staying in school? The author glosses over these emotional and practical issues. It would have been nice to know what happened when the NBA called for Jim Chones. The look on McGuire's face, the visceral emotion that was overcome by logic and compassion.

As baketball's flower child, McGuire's views about casual drug use would have been interesting. Especially given that marijuana use on campus was common at the time and one star player was arrested for marijuana possession in the championship year.

Finally, there was very little discussion of what has since happened to Al's players. The author glosses over this point. The success of any college professor -- including a coach -- is the measurement of his impact on the post college career of his players. That's not just the NBA. It's what they did with their education and their lives.

What would have made this book special was to make it an oral history. Let then author narrate and then, rather than quote witnesses and Al, let people tell their Al stories in their own words.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars moran writes as if he were there, June 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: You Can Call Me Al: The Colorful Journey of College Basketball's Original Flower Child, Al McGuire (Paperback)

i was there. i'm the guy in the broom closet,and just to add to the penurious legend i went to his medalist office to offer to pay for the ticket and he grabbed the money so fast i got blisters. i know everyone mentioned in the milwaukee half of the book and the author hits it pretty much on the head. very few glitches. a wonderful stroll down memory lane. must reading for all "warrior" fans and al watchers. thanks moran and thanks al. lefty

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating subject slowly delivered, April 11, 2000

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R. Spell "raspell" (Memphis, TN USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: You Can Call Me Al: The Colorful Journey of College Basketball's Original Flower Child, Al McGuire (Paperback)

I love basketball and always thought Al was a great guy. While I looked forward to this book and am glad I read it, I cannot recommend it. Al is an interesting funny guy but that doesn't come out in the book. The book reads clinically without the emotion of Al McGuire felt through the writer. I did enjoy hearing of his early life but it was too long. Same for Belmont Abbey. Along the way you do learn interesting facts like he had a losing record when hired at Marquette. But, generally, as much as I liked the subject, the book did not live up.

PERSONAL MCGUIRE STORY.

I was at the Memphis State game described on Page 229 where with 45 seconds left and up by 5, an MSU player stepped in the foul lane losing the Tigers a one and one and probably the game. Yes, Al left the court with both hands raised. Raised in what he later called the "Irish salute", middle finger extended. Al had incited the crowd, touched us with his enthusiasm. When he came later to call some Keith Lee games, he fondly remembered the game and how he left the field. This is the "Al" the country knew and loved.