The "Reusse Writing the Facts" thread prompted me to write this thread, for many of the works illustrate programs that have undergone periods of futility like Minnesota (albeit the Gophers drought has been much longer) and the solutions they implemented to regain their stature and winning traditions. All of the books listed are in my personal library, and I've enjoyed the works immensely and highly recommend them.
So as to keep this thread manageable and not overly verbose, this thread will focus on seven biographical works. I'll start another thread that focuses on anthologies related specifically to Golden Gopher football.
If you have works that I don't list in my favoites, I sincerely hope you will list the works that you've enjoyed and found to be of value. I'm always on the look out for quatity books covering college and Gopher football.
Biographies:
1) "Resurrection: The Miracle Season That Saved Notre Dame" by Jim Dent. The book covers Ara Parseghian's first year at Notre Dame, 1964, in which a late game rally by the Southern Cal Trojans prevented the Irish from going undefeated and being crowned national champs. (Plagued by bad coaching choices after Frank Leahy's retirement, incompetent management, and the loss of administrative and institutional support, the Irish program in the 1950s and early 1960s was in shambles. (In truth, Fathers Hesbergh and Joyce fearing that Notre Dame was becoming a "football factory" they decided to deemphasize football upon Leahy's retirement.) However, with the arrival Ara and a new-found institutional commitment (knowing the importance and the benefits of a winning football program) the Irish were once again enjoying great success on the gridiron.
2)"The Undefeated: The Oklahoma Sooners and the Greatest Winning Streak in College Football" by Jim Dent. From the third game of the 1953 season until the eigth game in 1957 the Sooners won 47 consecutive games, which still stands in BCS level football. The book opens with the Oklahoma Regents feeling compelled to rebuild the morale of the state following World War II and davastation of the "Dust Bowl" and Depression days of the 1930s. (More than one-million Oklahoma citizens abandoned the state during the hard days of the Depression.) The Regents and the school president looked to schools such as Minnesota, Notre Dame, Army as schools to emulate. They, of course, hired former Gopher great, Bud Wilkinson, to build the team and the state's morale. He did so with great success. As an example, during a a nine-year stretch the Wilkinson led Sooners enjoyed a 94-4-2 record. The first part of the book focuses on Wilkinson and his development as a youth and football gridder at Minnesota. A very good read.
3) "The Last Coach: A Life of Paul "Bear" Bryant" by Allen Bara. Although often portrayed simplistically, Paul Bryant was complex but basic in his coaching methods. The work goes into detail how Bryant was able to turn programs around, including Alabama, that had been experiencing hard times. His youth and playing days at Alabama are covered in detail, as are the friendships that he enjoyed in the coaching fraternity. A good history book of college football and will rekindle memories of yesteryear for those of us that began following college football in the 1950s and 1960s.
4) "The Autumn Warrior: Murray Warmath's 65 Years in American Football" by Mike Wilkinson. In-depth look at Warmath's playing days at Tennessee and as an assistant coach at Tennessee under Bob Neyland and Army's Earl "Red" Blaik, and as head coach at Mississippi State University and the University of Minnesota. Autumn Warrior chronicles his years at Minnesota, especially the Rose Bowl years and the 1962 season. A very good read, and one for old timers and youngsters that want to become familiar with the lore and traditions of Minnesota Golden Gopher Football.
5) "Bo" by Bo Schembechler and Mitch Albom. Covers his playing days, but great emphasis on his early coaching days with Woody Hayes and his early Michigan years. When Bo took over the Wolverines they were a team and organization that had been struggling. Hard to believe now, but the facilities at Michigan were very similar to those of Minnesota at the time, which were horrendous. Also covered in detail, beside his winning tradition, was his heart attack as the Wolverines were preparing for the Rose Bowl.
6) "Notre Dame's Greatest Coaches: Rockne - Leahy - Parsesghian - Holtz" by Moose Krause and stephan Singular. Insights related to the four famous coaches is provided by the late Irish Athletic Director Moose Krause. Krause also played and coached at the South Bend school. In all, he was involved in Irish football for more than 60 years.
7) "War As They Knew It: Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler, and America in a Time of Unrest" by Michael Rosenthal. Covers the bitter rivalry between the headstrong coaches as well as their enduring friendship. The backdrop of their gridiron battles was the social and campus unrest during the Viet Nam War. Covered in great detail were the obstacles and the great changes that Bo Schembechler brought to Michigan football and the transformation that was facilitated by Michigan's innovative athletic director, Don Canham. Schembechler was very fortunate to have a supportive and creative administrator in Canham.
IMHO, the above works provide the history lessons that the U of Minnesota administation needs to study, which spell out problems encountered and overcome, lessons learned on how to build a winning program (commitment, commitment, commitment), and the importance and benefits of college football in a university mission and environment.
I apologize for the thread's length.
Go Gophers!!
So as to keep this thread manageable and not overly verbose, this thread will focus on seven biographical works. I'll start another thread that focuses on anthologies related specifically to Golden Gopher football.
If you have works that I don't list in my favoites, I sincerely hope you will list the works that you've enjoyed and found to be of value. I'm always on the look out for quatity books covering college and Gopher football.
Biographies:
1) "Resurrection: The Miracle Season That Saved Notre Dame" by Jim Dent. The book covers Ara Parseghian's first year at Notre Dame, 1964, in which a late game rally by the Southern Cal Trojans prevented the Irish from going undefeated and being crowned national champs. (Plagued by bad coaching choices after Frank Leahy's retirement, incompetent management, and the loss of administrative and institutional support, the Irish program in the 1950s and early 1960s was in shambles. (In truth, Fathers Hesbergh and Joyce fearing that Notre Dame was becoming a "football factory" they decided to deemphasize football upon Leahy's retirement.) However, with the arrival Ara and a new-found institutional commitment (knowing the importance and the benefits of a winning football program) the Irish were once again enjoying great success on the gridiron.
2)"The Undefeated: The Oklahoma Sooners and the Greatest Winning Streak in College Football" by Jim Dent. From the third game of the 1953 season until the eigth game in 1957 the Sooners won 47 consecutive games, which still stands in BCS level football. The book opens with the Oklahoma Regents feeling compelled to rebuild the morale of the state following World War II and davastation of the "Dust Bowl" and Depression days of the 1930s. (More than one-million Oklahoma citizens abandoned the state during the hard days of the Depression.) The Regents and the school president looked to schools such as Minnesota, Notre Dame, Army as schools to emulate. They, of course, hired former Gopher great, Bud Wilkinson, to build the team and the state's morale. He did so with great success. As an example, during a a nine-year stretch the Wilkinson led Sooners enjoyed a 94-4-2 record. The first part of the book focuses on Wilkinson and his development as a youth and football gridder at Minnesota. A very good read.
3) "The Last Coach: A Life of Paul "Bear" Bryant" by Allen Bara. Although often portrayed simplistically, Paul Bryant was complex but basic in his coaching methods. The work goes into detail how Bryant was able to turn programs around, including Alabama, that had been experiencing hard times. His youth and playing days at Alabama are covered in detail, as are the friendships that he enjoyed in the coaching fraternity. A good history book of college football and will rekindle memories of yesteryear for those of us that began following college football in the 1950s and 1960s.
4) "The Autumn Warrior: Murray Warmath's 65 Years in American Football" by Mike Wilkinson. In-depth look at Warmath's playing days at Tennessee and as an assistant coach at Tennessee under Bob Neyland and Army's Earl "Red" Blaik, and as head coach at Mississippi State University and the University of Minnesota. Autumn Warrior chronicles his years at Minnesota, especially the Rose Bowl years and the 1962 season. A very good read, and one for old timers and youngsters that want to become familiar with the lore and traditions of Minnesota Golden Gopher Football.
5) "Bo" by Bo Schembechler and Mitch Albom. Covers his playing days, but great emphasis on his early coaching days with Woody Hayes and his early Michigan years. When Bo took over the Wolverines they were a team and organization that had been struggling. Hard to believe now, but the facilities at Michigan were very similar to those of Minnesota at the time, which were horrendous. Also covered in detail, beside his winning tradition, was his heart attack as the Wolverines were preparing for the Rose Bowl.
6) "Notre Dame's Greatest Coaches: Rockne - Leahy - Parsesghian - Holtz" by Moose Krause and stephan Singular. Insights related to the four famous coaches is provided by the late Irish Athletic Director Moose Krause. Krause also played and coached at the South Bend school. In all, he was involved in Irish football for more than 60 years.
7) "War As They Knew It: Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler, and America in a Time of Unrest" by Michael Rosenthal. Covers the bitter rivalry between the headstrong coaches as well as their enduring friendship. The backdrop of their gridiron battles was the social and campus unrest during the Viet Nam War. Covered in great detail were the obstacles and the great changes that Bo Schembechler brought to Michigan football and the transformation that was facilitated by Michigan's innovative athletic director, Don Canham. Schembechler was very fortunate to have a supportive and creative administrator in Canham.
IMHO, the above works provide the history lessons that the U of Minnesota administation needs to study, which spell out problems encountered and overcome, lessons learned on how to build a winning program (commitment, commitment, commitment), and the importance and benefits of college football in a university mission and environment.
I apologize for the thread's length.
Go Gophers!!
