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When the Game Stands Tall: The Story of the De La Salle Spartans and Football's Longest Winning Streak (Hardcover)

by Neil Hayes (Author), Bob Larson (Photographer), Tony La Russa (Foreword) "de La Salle High School sits on the corner of Treat Boulevard and Winton Drive in Concord, California..." (more)
Key Phrases: Long Beach Poly, Mater Dei, Monte Vista (more...)

4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (28 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

Review
"I've never seen a better coached team at any level. I watch his teams play and can't believe it's a high school football game. He is as fine a coach as the game has ever seen."
-Former San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh

"It's the ultimate high school football program in this country, there's no doubt about that. It's unbelievable how they keep winning."
-Detroit Lions coach Steve Mariucci

Product Description
De La Salle High School in Concord, California, is home to perhaps the greatest dynasty in sports history. At age 23, Coach Bob Ladouceur launched a legend, "The Streak," with no teaching or head-coaching experience, and with his teams amassed the highest winning percentage in all of football history with 138 consecutive victories. This book takes readers behind the scenes, closely following individual players, as Ladouceur guides his team through the most daunting schedule in school history, the 2002 season. Numerous interviews with major-league coaches such as Bill Walsh, Steve Mariucci, and John Gruden show the depth of respect accorded to Ladouceur and his methods and philosophies. Written with full cooperation from the coach and including dozens of photographs, this book is perfect for anyone interested in the factors behind phenomenal team success.

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Product Details

Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Frog Books (October 30, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1583940863
ISBN-13: 978-1583940860
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds

Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (28 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #201,663 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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First Sentence:
de La Salle High School sits on the corner of Treat Boulevard and Winton Drive in Concord, California. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Long Beach Poly, Mater Dei, Monte Vista, Britt Cecil, North Coast Section, Cameron Colvin, Clayton Valley, Maurice Drew, San Leandro, San Ramon, Bay Area, Erik Sandie, John Chan, Terrance Kelly, Cole Smith, San Francisco, Mark Panella, San Jose State, Terry Eidson, Archbishop Mitty, Catholic Athletic League, Jackie Bates, Aloha Stadium, Damon Jenkins, Pittsburg High

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 4 books:

High School by David Owen on page 115, page 219, and page 270
Even Now by Susan S. Kelly on page 126
Greatest Hits (Sheet Music) by Fleetwood Mac on page 4
Cameron Diaz: Galaxy of the Superstars (Galaxy of Superstars) by Anne E. Hill on page 148

Books on Related Topics (learn more)

Fifty Years of College Football by Bob Boyles; Paul Guido

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Blue Ribbon College Football Forecast, 2002 by Chris Dortch

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The Penn State Football Encyclopedia by Lou Prato

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	75% buy the item featured on this page: When the Game Stands Tall: The Story of the De La Salle Spartans and Football's Longest Winning Streak 4.6 out of 5 stars (28)
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Customer Reviews

28 Reviews

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4 star:		(2)
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Average Customer Review

4.6 out of 5 stars (28 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm not even a football fan...., November 5, 2003

By A Customer

As the mother of three former high school football players who remains largely indifferent to the sport even now, I found myself surprisingly captivated by this story. Powerfully and tightly written, it early on evoked strong emotions and a growing fascination with Head Coach Ladouceur's methodology. As one of the team members said, "If you think Coach (Ladouceur) is inspiring on the football field, you ought to be in his Religion class."

The Coach is clearly unique among high school football coaches, This book is about a season of individual football games, the team players, the assistant coaches, and Coach Lad. I quickly grew to care deeply about every one of them.

As one of the boys chided a boasting parent, "Dad, it's not about winning." Indeed, it's not, not really at all, and that's what is so intriguing about this coach and this team. It's not even about football. Corny as it may sound, it's about love.

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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Po_boy geo didn't even read the book- he's just a DLS hater, November 28, 2003

By A Customer

This is the most definitive Life skills primer for teachers, parents and young student-athletes. Neil Hayes came about as close as one can to capturing the essence of the mystery surrounding the great Bob Ladouceur teacher/coaching philosophy. This is an excellent read and should be must reading for all coaches. It is also a testiment to the boys who have become Men under the guidance of caring and knowledgeable coaches and mentors.

PS, student/athletes are not recruited - They want to paly with the best and choose to become Spartans.

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank you., July 21, 2004

By	David A. York (La Costa, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Thank you Mr. Hayes for bringing this story to print.

Nearly 20 years ago, I went to my first De La Salle football game, and they won. In fact, they did not lose for several years to come, and even then it was on a controversial play at Oakland Coliseum when running back Rob Forrester ran in a touchdown, but was ruled out of bounds... Reviews showed, he was still in bounds and scored with the football just crossing inside the pylon. However, there was no 'instant replay' and alas, DLS had an incredible win streak come to an end.

I understand they started a new streak... and it was an impressive one in its own right. However, it too found its end.

The Spartans would start yet another streak, this one even longer. I sat in the bleachers when they played La Costa Canyon near San Diego this past year. It was my first Spartan game in nearly 15 years, the last one I witnessed, they lost. They weren't to lose this game down south. In fact, I know a kid who played for La Costa that night. This "kid" is 6'4" and about 240lbs - fit. I talked to him a few weeks prior to the game. He was already concerned. The look in his eyes said this game was already over before the opponents even got there.

Missing a few key players that night, DLS won. To La Costa's credit, they played with a lot of heart.

A few weeks later, ESPN showed a match pitting DLS vs. the perennial champs of Louisiana. Louisiana was without their past QB, John Booty and DLS would lose their QB early in the game, victim to the awful turf of Diablo Valley College. The Spartans rolled - not even a close match.

What the score didn't tell you was how the 200lb linemen of DLS were destroying the 300lb lineman opposing them. One of which was 6'7", well over 300lbs, and a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.

They ended the season as national champs, and that brings us to today, at the dawn of another season where they will travel yet again to battle the best America has to offer.

You may have already devised that, yes, I do indeed have ties to a small Catholic School in Concord, California. I have to say it pains me to read, as well as hear, the constant rants of "recruiting". I was there and admittedly, I thought I knew of a few instances where recruiting might have been possible... However, after looking into it, I found my own personal allegations to simply be false. Later in life, I realized the flat out implausibility of their recruiting: The kids are all local to the area, and still beat the best there is to offer, both Statewide and Nationally; Invariably, these kids are all undersized compared to their competition; For the amount of profound success DLS has at the High School level, there are but a few that go on to have success in college, and a precious few who go on to the NFL; and finally, I just have to laugh at the idea of 'scouting' out some kid that is running around his 7th grade blacktop playing 'tag' with his friends. It just isn?t plausible.

So the streak rolls and is currently at 151.
De La Salle will lose a game again some day, but quite frankly it will be a lifetime before they are beaten. If they lose a game, they'll just start another streak the next day. They always have, and I can only believe, they always will.

The reviewers bashing this book are invariably looking for an excuse to explain away this school's success. Their rants of "recruiting" are but a sophomoric attempt at belittling something that is both good and true as part of its fundamental nature. They will never know what makes this school so special. But those of us who have been blessed to be affiliated with this -Brotherhood- we all know.

There is no science that can explain why this team is a winner. It is a matter of faith.

Without Faith this team is nothing.

All that Coach Lad has to do is just - let it happen.

Internal Faith in each player, each student, each other... is what makes these kids true Champions. They are winners because of who they are and it is depicted each season in what they do.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Book That Inspires
I am not a big football fan, nor did I play in high school. But this book goes beyond being about the sport and instead is about the spark inside everyone that allows them to be... Read more

Published 2 months ago by Thom Singer

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent insight to motivation
I thought this book was excellent. Not only is the story of such a remarkable winning streak noteworthy in itself, the story of Coach Bob Ladoceur will change many people's view... Read more

Published 21 months ago by S. Meyer

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, Great Program
This is a very well written book by Neil Hayes. I liked how the author looks back on the past of the De La Salle football team, while going through the present season. Read more

Published on December 19, 2006 by Mid-Praire Teen

5.0 out of 5 stars The best of what's around
This book is about so much more than football. I am a high school English teacher, but my sports background allows me to appreciate the importance of developing the whole... Read more

Published on July 4, 2006 by rmotee

5.0 out of 5 stars A great example of what happens when you keep the main thing the main thing.
Not everybody that read this book liked it, judging from the other reviews here.
What I appreciated about the book was the look at coach Lad, and what he emphasized in his... Read more

Published on April 26, 2006 by Ball Student

5.0 out of 5 stars When The Game Stands Tall
I have had the privilege to play for the De La Salle Spartans on the J.V. level. Although I have never played on var yet, I know what it is to play for the Spartans. Read more

Published on April 3, 2006 by Will

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the greatest books about children's sports ever
Truly, this book gives an astonishing insight into what is possible when a grown man devotes his life to children's sports. Read more

Published on January 27, 2005 by D. Davies

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most inspiring sports books ever
A friend of mine was at a barber shop in Concord, CA, home of the De La Salle Spartans. He and the barber were discussing the team, and my friend remarked, "There's no way they... Read more

Published on October 26, 2004 by George R. Beinhorn

5.0 out of 5 stars To the reviewer: A reader
First, I would say to you and your condemnation of this book and its behind the scenes look at DLS: get out of the back corner of the library and push your taped up glasses back... Read more

Published on October 24, 2004 by Coach

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating look at the best football program in America
The De La Salle Spartans of Concord, CA, are owners and stewards of perhaps the longest winning streak in sports, let alone high school football. Read more

Published on July 7, 2004 by BasinBictory

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