Out of print for more than 30 years, now available for the first time as an eBook, this is the controversial story of John Wooden's first 25 years and first 8 NCAA Championships as UCLA Head Basketball Coach. Notre Dame Coach Digger Phelps said, "I used this book as an inspiration for the biggest win of my career when we ended UCLA's all-time 88-game winning streak in 1974."

Compiled with more than 40 hours of interviews with Coach Wooden, learn about the man behind the coach. Click the Book to read the players telling their stories in their own words. This is the book that UCLA Athletic Director J.D. Morgan tried to ban.

Click the book to read the first chapter and for ordering information.

Dumb Football Players

by Tony Medley

 Players know less about the sport they play than coaches, if that’s possible. In tonight’s Dallas-Washington game, Washington had a 4^th and four on the Dallas 38 with six minutes left, trailing 14-10. Washington went for it. Washington plays the West Coast offense, so the QB should be familiar with quick short passes. He had a guy open over the middle, but he obviously wasn’t the primary receiver because the qb didn’t even see him (I don’t know how he could have missed him because he was right in front of him). Instead, he threw a pass to the guy crossing, heading for the sideline. It was incomplete. But the problem was that even had it been completed, the guy was still one yard short of the first down and heading out of bounds! So there are three chowderheads here. First, the coach for calling the play. Second, the quarterback for not throwing a pass that would be caught over the first down line. And, third, the receiver for running a route that was short of the first down. Do you know how many millions of dollars these guys make each year? They are obviously not paid on their intelligent understanding of the game. But this doesn't even require a detailed knowledge of the game. All it requires is common sense, and that's what most athletes and coaches lack.

 November 16, 2008