The Education of a Coach: best sports book I ever read

[K. Dog]

David Halberstam's book on Bill Belichick, The Education of a Coach might be the best sports book I ever read. It came out in 2005 and I only recently got around to reading it. Obviously there've been a lot of more recent books on the subject, maybe Patriots Reign being one of my favorites, or Tom Brady versus the NFL, but the Halberstam book stands above.

The book focuses in detail on Belichick, but also talks about his grandparents, his parents, his siblings, and the people he worked with. There is a lot of interesting football analysis there too, from his Giants days to 2005. The analysis of Belichick's friendship with Ernie Adams, and how obsessed with football plays the two were from the time they were in high school, is also notable.

Even though the book ends with '05 season, it has resonance now. The book talks a lot about Belichick's defensive brilliance and detail-oriented planning.

But what really lifts this book over contemporary works is its writing. Halberstam is a fluid, rich writer whose prose is interesting in a way that modern prose just isn't.

 

[supafly]

Halberstam won a Pulitzer Prize in journalism, so it's no surprise that you enjoyed his writing style. I believe that his research was something that added greatly to the bigger picture. Unfortunately, he died in a car accident only a year or two after completing this book.

I read it somewhat recently, too--maybe a few years ago.

 

[Jackson 2]

Outstanding book written by a brilliant author.

 

[DarrylS]

Could not agree more, probably the finest book written on BB.. hopefully not the last.

Halberstam was a great author who wrote about a variety of topics, not sports scribe or radio host who decided to become an author.. a subtle, but huge difference.

 

[Pats Fanatic]

Myself I liked the book "Patriots Reign" a little better. I liked Education of a Coach" quite a bit though.

 

[TheFlyingWedge]

So much has happened since the book's release in '05. 2 super bowl losses, the perfect regular season, deflategate, 2 Super Bowl wins. Tons of material for more great books!

 

[neuronet]

Thanks for the tip I hadn't seen this one.

 

[PP2]

Agreed. This book is in a class of its own- as far as insights into what separates BB from everyone else. You could, in fact, say that Halberstam is to biographical journalism what BB is to football.

For someone who didn't have a sports background, Halberstam did an astonishing job of really understanding the game and the people in it and breaking things down, as far as analyzing greatness. He understood what made BB click.

It's the only book on the Patriots that I've read more than once.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

So much has happened since the book's release in '05. 2 super bowl losses, the perfect regular season, deflategate, 2 Super Bowl wins. Tons of material for more great books!

I think halberstam passed away, so we won't be getting an updated version unfortunately.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

It makes me happy whenever people discover this book and see that there can be more than the usual drivel produced by "sports journalists" (I'm afraid I put Michael Holley in that category) about the game and its greats.

It is a real tragedy that both Halberstam and Richard Ben Cramer have now died. They were the two authors, either or both of whom I was hoping might produce the definitive biographies of Belichick and Brady (after their retirements) and who would have had the stature to do so.

 

[neuronet]

I think it is actually good that this came out in 2005, before the ******** started in the 2007 season with Ratgina. It lets us get a more impartial perspective. Buying it now.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Best book on the Patriots: Michael Holley, Patriot Reign

Best-written book on football: Roy L. Blount, About Three Bricks Shy of a Load

Best book on football: Michael MacCambridge, America's Game

YMMV