A season on the brink

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Gold Rush

Gold Rush

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I had read this book when it first came out, but just finished reading it again as it was a Christmas gift. This is a fantastic book and I could not put it down once I started. It is the story written by a reported named John Feinstein who had inside access for a year with Bobby Knight and the Indiana Hoosiers basketball team. The ups and downs with an extremely volatile but fantastic coach make it possibly the best basketball book I have ever read.

When Bobby Knight used to come in to Williams Arena he was always fun to watch and if the Gophers beat them, I always felt sorry for the Indiana kids because I knew they were going to catch hell when the game was done!

There will never be another coach quite like him again, he was definitely old school. For example, when talking to Steve Eyl, a player who was struggling, "Steve if one of my assistants ever brings me in a player like you again, I will fire him on the spot!" He wasn't kidding, either.

For all his hostilities though, the man was a tactical genius and he knew how to win. He was able to use anger and rage as two great weapons to motivate his team into winning national championships. I don't think I would have ever wanted to coach like that, but it sure worked for him!

Anyways -- if you haven't read this book -- it is extremely good and I would highly recommend it!!
 

For anybody who's ever had personal experience with a narcissist who uses verbal abuse, control, and manipulation to get what they want, this sounds very relatable.
 

Bob Knight discredited the phrase “old school.”
 

GopherPete said:
For anybody who's ever had personal experience with a narcissist who uses verbal abuse, control, and manipulation to get what they want, this sounds very relatable.
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Seriously, it does make you appreciate Ben a little more. What he is trying to do is a lot different than that.
 





Really sorry I never got to play a round with Bob. What a pleasure, especially the club throwing.
 

MNVCGUY said:
Classic Bob Knight - Video has naughty words so make sure you are somewhere that won't be an issue.....

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Here is my favorite -- and this is another NSFW but I would have been scared to death if he were my coach!!

 




Agreed that it's one of the great basketball books ever. For those who detest Knight, rest assured that he disliked the book and held a grudge against the author, not speaking to him for eight years and remaining distant from him even after that.
 

GopherPete said:
For anybody who's ever had personal experience with a narcissist who uses verbal abuse, control, and manipulation to get what they want, this sounds very relatable.
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I dont know - Coach Knight always struck me as grandiose, abrasive, vulgar, highly intelligent, drill seargent and kind of a Honey Badger of basketball. He did not strike me as a narcissist. I guess he always seemed grounded in reality and that took some measure of joy in seeing growth in the kids he coached ...and he loved to win.

Did I like him - no. He was the best bad-guy to ever show up at the Barn. What fun those games were...
 




Zeppelin Gopher said:
I can't stand Feinstein personally and find him completely insufferable, but it's an awesome book (as is A Good Walk Spoiled).
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I second that. Very talented writer, but comes off as a dink.

The Last Amateurs was another good read from Feinstein. It was a look at a year in the life of Patriot League basketball student-athletes.
 


Bad Gopher said:
Agreed that it's one of the great basketball books ever. For those who detest Knight, rest assured that he disliked the book and held a grudge against the author, not speaking to him for eight years and remaining distant from him even after that.
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The truth hurts, sometimes.
 

SelectionSunday said:
I second that. Very talented writer, but comes off as a dink.

The Last Amateurs was another good read from Feinstein. It was a look at a year in the life of Patriot League basketball student-athletes.
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I loved “The Last Amateurs.” What we’re living through now makes perfect timing for a reprint.
 

Bad Gopher said:
Agreed that it's one of the great basketball books ever. For those who detest Knight, rest assured that he disliked the book and held a grudge against the author, not speaking to him for eight years and remaining distant from him even after that.
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With whom did he not hold a grudge? 🤔
 




Holy Man said:
Of course.
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As much as I admired and respected Bud Grant, I always found it disconcerting that his best friend was an extreme asshole (Hartmann), and he also associated with another (Knight).
 

Bad Gopher said:
As much as I admired and respected Bud Grant, I always found it disconcerting that his best friend was an extreme asshole (Hartmann), and he also associated with another (Knight).
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People who know the next generation of Grants suggest there might be an arrogance gene in the family line.
 


Holy Man said:
People who know the next generation of Grants suggest there might be an arrogance gene in the family line.
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I have a buddy who was a head coach at EP when Mike Grant was also the the “AD” in name only, I’ll just leave it at I have little respect for mike.

I also played against Bruce Grant in softball until he passed. Fierce competitor on the diamond, but when the game was over, it was hang out, have a beer and catch up. Bruce was a gem.
 

Also, I have a good buddy who was a good HS BBall player, who idolized knight while in high school. He had a chance to go to a knight camp before college and I was really excited to hear about his experience.

He said he was a total asshole, and he would never play for him. Not like he had the opportunity, but he experienced a 180 after his camp.

This same guy also went to a Morgan Wooten camp (legendary coach at DeMatha) and said he learned more about basketball in 4 days there than his entire playing career.
 

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