5 comments about Bad as I Wanna Be.

1. In my opinion, in his prime, Dennis Rodman was a better athlete than Michael Jordan in his prime. The event that convinced me of this was a playoff game many years ago when the Bulls were playing a team where Shaquille O'Neal was the opposing center. Luc Longley, the starting Bulls center was in foul trouble and on the bench. The backup Bulls center was getting completely overwhelmed by O'Neal and the Bulls went to Rodman in an attempt to stop him. Rodman is 6'7" and around 240 pounds and O'Neal is 7'1" and well over 300 pounds. And yet, the first time that O'Neal tried to bull Rodman out of the way, he just came to a halt and this was repeated. It amazed me that this relatively little man could so forcefully stand up to the most powerful man in the NBA.
   Dennis Rodman was a difficult person, yet he was very well liked, even admired by many people. He was outrageous, at times unstable, flippant, yet there is something very endearing about his approach to life. Much of what I admired about him on the court is that he was a very unselfish player who took an absolute beating in his battles for rebounds. He was also a very smart player, when his fellow players gave an honest appraisal; they were generally universal in extolling his depth of understanding of the game of basketball.
   This book continues that Rodman tradition, standing up for himself, making no excuses and not having a great deal of concern over what people think of him. He often uses segments of bolded text to make his points, as if we need to be shouted at in order to understand his statements. At times the book is disjointed, Rodman moves from point to point in a sequence of inconsistent phrases where it is often difficult to understand the connections between the statements.
   A rebel to the core, this book is Dennis Rodman's statement of "you can put it somewhere" to the world that criticizes him. It is entertaining to read, a glimpse into the mind of a man whose basketball and general intelligence is under appreciated due to his desire to stand out as a wild man with an attitude. If he had been born 100 years earlier, he, by his own admission, would have likely been lynched.



2. I lived in Chicago during the Bulls heyday during the 2nd run of their championships, and everyone I knew had this book, or knew someone who did. I didn't have a copy, but I read it during a break, and found it to be very tiresome and really boring. Even though it's not meant to be Tolstoy, Dickens, or even a dime novel, it's really a waste of time. The book now is completely dated, and Rodman is just a nobody again. All I remember from the book was a rant against David Robinson which started, in typical 90's fashion, "the problem with David Robinson is...". Rodman went off on how Robinson didn't have what it takes to win an NBA championship (Rodman was wrong. Robinson did eventually win a few). Rodman was one of the greatest rebounders of all time, but that's really the only thing he was ever good at. He was your typical celebrity. Obnoxious, rude, outrageous, "outspoken", filled with drugs, marrying stupid women (Carmen Electra in his case), and generally moronic behaviour. The media loved people like that in the 1990's. Rodman just loved to party and behave like an idiot. In other words, typical celebrity behaviour. He did a few bad movies, wrestled in WCW (now defunct), and went on Fear Factor, but he was never a great actor, star, or writer. Just a good athlete that like being a celebrity (hence all the ridiculous clothes, dye jobs, tattoos, etc., etc.).



3. i start loving the NBA because of dennis!! i saw him ones in tv in europe!! and i start to watch the NBA !! i was reaqding the book the first time 1997 in german!! i gave it to a friend and never got it back!! i love the story about his life and all the questin he ask people and what he have done before he was a superstar!!!
   i just can say thanks dennis !! if u are in basketball u must read this book!!



4. As a longtime basketball fan, I was at first anxious to see what I would find in a tell all novel of one of the best rebounders and all around defensive players of the game. What I found was horrible talk about women and other players. Rodman's racist comments against white people are enough to scoff at no matter what color a persons skin is. His comments of "black" players being better than whites is just a terrible shameful label to put upon all of those who play the game. Would have loved to hear what Larry Bird, John Stockton, and Jerry West had to say when they heard that one!
   
   Rodman does talk in depth of the family he lived with for some of his life and I commend him for that. The only downfall to this is the fact he didn't seem to learn from them anything about class or manners. If you are looking for a book about a "worm" then you've come to the right place. If your looking for a book about the wonderful game of basketball as told by one of it's greatest players, I suggest that you look elsewhere.



5. Dennis Rodman was a fascinating bad boy who wasn't afraid of mouthing off about anyone. His book is full of a very few good stories and plenty of complaints about fellow players, basketball management, coaches, everyone. He's bitter and angry, not full of interesting anecdotes. Most of this has ceased to be relevant as his heyday of shock value has passed. For someone not intimately involved in the mid to late 1990's basketball scene, none of the information retains relevancy as time passes. This might be good as a history book for a true fan, but if you lived through the Rodman heyday, you probably picked up his memoir back then.
   
   So much is done for pure shock value, and it gets tiresome.

3 comments about Don't Call Me Coach: A Lesson Plan for Life.

1. Don't Call Me Coach: A Lesson Plan for Life
   Over the years we have watched Phil Martelli develop into one of the best story-tellers around. His presentations are fun, his messages very worthwhile. When working with Pete Nelson on the "Jameer" book, I had an opportunity to see Phil's intelligence and attention to detail first hand. This continues in this book and reinforces how lucky we who have been part of Philadelphia-area basketball have been.



2. I had the chance to meet Phil Martelli in person and hear his inspirational speech. For that one hour he was excellent, very funny and witty with alot of good advice. This inspired me to purchase his book. Though the book captures all the ideas of the in-person speech it is not quite up to par to having him in the room and it does tend to drag in parts. For that reason I didn't give it the full five stars.
   
   The book has a lot of good lessons (we are all coaches and teams) that don't require an intricate knowledge of basketball or to be a sports fan to appreciate his advice. A decent quick read.



3. I recommend this book for any parent, coach, business leader, teacher - or as Martelli says - everyone - since there is a coach in all of us.
   
   This must read book is not just for the sports lover. Martelli shares his own life lessons as a coach and offers a balanced view for helping people achieve their best. I've bought a book for my teenage children to read.

5 comments about My Life.

1. For those seeking the limelight, a must read. Be prepared for all the pitfalls that come along with the ride to fame. Inspirational autobiography of dedication and determination. May our young people keep the thought before them, that nothing comes without full commitment. Mr. Johnson has seen the highs and lows of life. There is strength in the testimony of others.



2. A good book as far as it goes, but it doesn't go far into truth. Although Johnson recalls his early years,the lessons he learned about hard work,etc. this book reads like a fluff job. It would have been a lot better if he told the full truth. Anyone who has some experience with life knows that there is another side to the story. Intrestingly, this side is seldom heard. Pro athletes and other celebrities are usually portrayed in a glowing light that hide dark truths. Johnson claims that in the cities he played in there were usually many beautiful women who waited for the athletes. In the book it is implied that this is one of the perks of being a pro. Really? You hear of other athletes who take advantage of this and are slapped with paternity suits, the women are given hush money, the athletes pay for their education and then are dropped by the groupies,or the groupies are set up for life by the athletes. With all the thousands of women Johnson supposedly slept with you hear nothing about this, and outside of AIDS he didn't get any other sexually transmitted disease sleeping with all these women? I find that incredible, since anyone else would be seeing the doctor pretty often. Most of the groupies are beautiful because its easier to trap the athletes money with. Does anyone really believe that athletes will sleep with ugly women? These groupies aren't stupid. The hard truth is that people are selfish. They don't sleep with athletes or other celebrities because of their status, but what it will get for them ie, bragging rights, paternity suits, etc. Most athletes are notoriously tight-lipped about this. But sometimes the truth comes out. One nameless athlete said "If the public knew what's going on with groupies, the payoffs etc. sports would lose a lot of money." Its all about the money. This is why opposing evidence is suppressed and why you seldom hear about the dark side. Does anyone seriously believe that vested intrests who profit from the athletes image, who make money selling sports merchandise and everthing connected with it want the truth out? Yeah, right. This book is little more than propaganda. If Johnson were serious about helping people out, he would tell the full truth. Save your money.



3. Earvin Johnson a.k.a Magic is a regular guy who is a nba legend who has aid, that' s what we all know, but at the reading of this book i found out, Earvin the man , how he felt when he found out he has aid , how much he got respect for other NBA players like Michael Jordan or Larry bird, it's a very interesting book,..., just buy it and enjoy it!



4. This book is awesome! I have been a fan of Magic Johnson forever and I still love him today. This book tells you all, from when he was a child and how life was growing up in the ghetto and his life now with his wife and son. It is very inspirational for any age. If you are an athlete this is a must read. Magic brings out his humorous side and his emotional side in this book. WELL DONE!



5. Magic shares about his life, basketball and battle w/HIV. He shares candidly and provides insights into his character, work ethic and upbringing. It's a book that's written w/a lot of enthusiasm and passion, words that would also describe Magic. I highly recommend this book.

5 comments about John Starks: My Life.

1. Outside of Patrick Ewing, former CBA veteran John Starks is probably one of the most recognizable figures in New York sports during the 90's. In his book, Starks talks about his humble beginnings--moving from four different college academic programs to making it to the New York Knicks on a technicality (as injured players can't be cut from their teams, John attempted to dunk of Patrick Ewing during the pre-season in 88' and got hurt in the process).
   
   Through his words, Starks shares the will, desire, and tenacity which made him one of the most exciting and controversial players to ever play in the NBA. Starks shares stories that made him the most decorated guard to ever come out of the CBA with accolades such as the winning a spot on the NBA All-Star team and the 6th Man of the year award. He also talks about his horrible game 7 performance in the 1994 NBA finals as well as the trials and tribulations which he and a number of his family members had to go through.
   
   If your a fan of the NBA, this is certainly one ride you wouldn't want to miss! Get your copy today!
   
   If you found this review helpful, kindly vote for it. Thanks!



2. Starks does a good job here detailing his life and whats most rewarding is his confession of his errors and failures on and off the court. That is this book's strong points.
   
   There are good photos here.
   
   John discussing some of the nutty fans who stalked him is a good read and my personal favorite is his story of the first time he drives his mother and grandmother thru Manhattan traffic, weaving in and around the taxis. The description of what was going on with the two women had melaughing.
   
   The weakness of this book is the dvd that is included with it.
   John should have paid someone a little bit more money to produce this thing a little better. And throughout the book, he repeats a lot of the bad stuff that happened to his brothers over and over again. Hos co-writer should have edited that a little bit better.
   
   Hopefully John will coach the Knicks one day. If you're a Knicks fan, then read this book.



3. john starks was my idol growing up. Before he came to the knicks they were very mediocre. As he says in the book his rise coincided with the knicks title contension throughout the 90's. The book was very good and gave great insight into the man before his career. I was shocked when i read that he used to sell drugs and had been in jail. i followed everything about him back in the day and i remember never hearing about his father so it surprised me to hear that he met his father a couple times. anyway i lived and died with starks the dunk was this city's highest high and 2-18 well u do the math. i recommend this book to anyone who loved a good underdog story about a man with a heart as big as the big apple



4. I raced through reading this autobiography of John Starks, mainly for personal reasons. The rise of John Starks as a New York Knick corresponded with a lot of overcoming personal struggles in my own life, and I've always felt a deep connection with his story, his explosiveness as a player and as a person, his perpetual teetering on the edge of self-wreckage, and with his continuing maturity and enormous heart that he always brought to the table. This book is hardly a sophisticated read, so if you're looking for that, go elsewhere. But if you look at John Starks as I do, as a true phenomenon of character and class, as someone who broke through barrier after barrier, tripped over his own bad habits along the way and still always remained deeply resolute in his belief in himself, then you'll love hearing how his voice comes through the writing of Dan Markowitz. Learning about the chaotic and reckless background of John's life reminded me of how gritty and passionate he was as a player, how his unstoppable desire shook the NBA world. But even in a moment like "The Dunk," John always remained a humble, down to earth man, someone undisturbed by the glow of fame, even more human because of the doubt that always followed his brilliant success. I wish he could have won a championship and have his number retired at the Garden, but in a way, even though his "2 for 18" night left fans like me forever hungry, the dramatic ironies that occupy his life story and the peace that he discovers within himself allow me to savor the tales he tells in this book, as I will forever be inspired by one of the most unique and lovable characters in the history of New York sports.



5. John Starks' story is full of inspiration. The man grew up in a rough area of Tulsa, Oklahoma without a fatherly figure. His mother and grandmother instilled some positive attributes. However, John faced many troubles growing up and his brothers had a mixed influence on him.
   
   However, John Starks perservered from a troubled youth stocking shelves in Safeway to an NBA All Star. John overcame many obstacles in the NBA and earned the respect of many of his peers in spite of a few overzealous actions on his part.
   
   What really comes accross in this book(and from listening to John speak in person) is the that Mr. Starks has turned into quite an articulate and intelligent young man. He sets a good example as a USBL coach and certainly would be a good candidate to coach in the NBA. John's strong work ethic will indeed carry him to much further success.
   
   A good read even for Chicago Bull, Miami Heat and Indiana Pacer fans!

5 comments about Runnin' Rebel: Shark Tales of "Extra Benefits", Frank Sinatra and Winning It All.

1. Jerry Tarkanian seems to be a decent, likeable guy, evidenced by both his autobiography's narrative voice, and the "shark tales" inside. Tark is laid-back, self-deprecating, funny, and respectful in his tone and delivery, and his life's story shows he could get along with of all kinds of people, and was a valuable friend to have: everyone is a "good guy", with some rare exceptions, and Tark wanted to coach all of the kids and take all the adults out for a meal and a round of drinks.
   
   Tark's larger than life, yet down-home, blue-collar personality developed by rising from a difficult home life (tough Armenian background, father died at 10, little money) to earn a series of coaching successes virtually right out of the gate- the guy never had a losing season at any level, and boasts an overall career record of 988-228 (.813). And coaching basketball was not originally a noble calling for Tark- it instead represented sort of a path of least resistance for an athletic guy whose grades were mediocre and who didn't want a desk job.
   
   Coach's genius lies in recruiting, and most of the book recounts his amusing and clever escapades trying to bring talent to his schools. Tark recognized early on to utilize junior colleges to his advantage, to target niche players, and to embrace black athletes that other schools sadly (and suicidally) avoided during the 1960s. He visited kids and their families at their homes, regardless of how tough the neighborhoods were. He wasn't easily dissuaded by a kid's poor grades or legal troubles, without first assessing his character and potential. He was the consummate Las Vegas host, and had the whole city at his disposal (including, to a degree, Sinatra, who actually made a couple of recruiting visits for Tark), and could convincingly show visitors the kind of time they could expect to have by playing for UNLV. His list of contacts throughout the US was outstanding - he had high school coaches and scouts everywhere feeding him guys, and all the right jucos to park them in if they needed to cool their heels first.
   
   Of course, Tark had his scrapes with the NCAA, and seemed unfairly targeted, particularly once recruiting rules got tougher. He was open and honest about his troubles- and his disdain for the NCAA investigators- and didn't seem to be whitewashing events. For one, he won a $2.5 million settlement against the NCAA, as retribution for their misguided hyper-vigilance of his program. And he also is forthcoming about where he technically bent the rules. He gives the impression that overstepping NCAA boundaries while recruiting (including, for instance, buying a kid a sandwich or magazine from your own pocket) is like speeding or web-surfing at work: everyone does it to at least a minor extent, and you only get caught by flagrantly abusing the system, or because someone with ulterior motives is paying too close attention to the little stuff. It seemed to be the latter for Tark, but a fighting spirit and the loyalty he inspired in those around him meant the system never had him beat.



2. I am a long time basketball fan, especially college BB. I remeber all the names the Tark mentions in the book and it was very enjoyable to read, I couldn't put it down. I loved the "inside" information the book gives as the average fan doesn't always know about what really goes on. I am huge Al McGuire fan so that was fun also. I would urge any basketball fan to buy this book.



3. Great book. I was in LV, NV during Tark's tenure at UNLV. Tark originally got crosswise with the NCAA when he criticized them in his basketball column at Long Beach State. The NCAA never let go after that. UNLV administration unfortunately bought into the argument that a school can either be academically or athletically based and never understood the vision of a powerful synergistic relationship (i.e. USC, Notre Dame, TX, etc., etc.). The administration and anti-Tark boosters basically invited the NCAA in for an audit that took years. The end result was a severely truncated basketball dynasty and a huge hit in academic and adminstrative credibilty from UNLV's President Maxson on down. UNLV has not achieved significant academic standing and and has never recovered athletically. However, Tark is $2,000,000.00 richer secondary to prevailing over the NCAA in a court of law, in addition to his 1990 NCAA basketball court championship.



4. I have not and will not bother to read this book, as I would not trust any of the facts. As an example, Wetzel recently (Yahoo!, 4/2/06) published an article bashing the UCLA basketball program. The entire basis for this was a "quote" that Wetzel attributes to Bill Walton. Nothing could be further from thr truth!
   
   In his article, he states the quote was written by Walton ("Those quotes come from none other than Bill Walton, maybe the greatest Bruin of them all, in his 1978 book `On the Road with the Portland Trailblazers'"). This is false. The book was written by Jack Scott. In the Author's Note, Scott wrote: "Bill never asked to read even one page of the manuscript - never mind the entire manuscript - before it went to the printer. Consequently, I am solely responsible for the book's content. You should not automatically assume that Bill agrees with all of the opinions I express throughout the book..."
   
   There are numerous other examples. When called on his error, Wetzel indicated that HE DID NOT EVEN HAVE A COPY OF THE BOOK he quotes, so could not confirm or deny the error!! Horrifying! Despite being called out, he has never made a correction to the story nor printed any retractions.
   
   He is an untrustworthy writer, and clearly makes up and misrepresents the facts to sell his product.
   
   BEWARE!



5. Boy, I was a huge UNLV fan while Tark was there, and I loved that team that beat Duke by 30 in the finals. Thus, I bought the book, and I enjoyed it. In virtually every chapter, there is a funny story or a simply outrageous story that I'm sure is true. Tark tells his story, and he seems to hold nothing back. Tark is truly unique.
   
   My problem with the book is the Tark portrays himself as a "victim" of some sort of witch-hunt by the NCAA. I've no doubt that the NCAA was unfair-grossly unfair-to Tark. Yet I grow weary of self-proclaimed "victims."
   
   Yet I suggest you buy it and read it. You'll laugh because it is funny.
   
   And if you were a huge UNLV fan like I was, it will bring back some good memories.
   
   Remember the incredible defense that Stacey Augmon played? If not, this book will bring back memories such as Stacey, et al.

2 comments about Going Home Again: Roy Williams, the North Carolina Tar Heels, and a Season to Remember.

1. I read this book after UNC won the 2005 NCAA basketball tournament, and to me the most fascinating part was seeing how the foundation for that championship was established during the 2004 season chronicled here. We see the players begin to "buy in" to Roy Williams' coaching philosophy (some more quickly than others) and forge themselves into a real team, as opposed a collection of highly talented players, each with his own agenda. There are a lot of books celebrating winning seasons and championship runs (including one about the 2005 Tar Heels), but this is a rarity - a book about how a championship team became a championship team. I recommend it for UNC fans, of course, but also for college basketball fans in general. And for young sports fans who'd like to read about what it takes to be a champion.



2. Straight from the Tar Heel Monthly, the nation's most widely read magazine devoted to University of North Carolina athletics. Adam Lucas, the publisher, has written this book on a remarkable man having a remarkable year.
   
   This is the story of Roy Williams leaving a very successful stint at Kansas and returning to UNC. He was faced with a group of very talented but moody individuals into a winning team that could compete at the highest level of NCAA competition - the Atlantic Coast Conference.
   
   No one player is good enough to win at that level, it takes team effort. And building that team effort is what it's all about. It's something that only the very best coaches can do. And he did it. Here's the detail.

No comments about Bo Ryan: Another Hill to Climb.

No comments about La Pirámide del Exito: Construyendo Bloques para una Vida Mejor.

5 comments about I Should Be Dead By Now.

1. This is not a book that will fill you with great amounts of unknown knowledge, nor will it require heavy thinking on your part to understand. What you will get out of it is a great deal of amusement. Here are dozens of short, kind of random thoughts, little stories and anecdotes by Dennis Rodman.In summary it is kind of a way to look at his philosophy of life.
   
   It's a life that a lot of us would like to live in a vicarious way, I say vicarious because it appears to be a life that I don't think I could handle. In between the stories of what happened, there's a bit of insight into the way the man thinks. He's lived the life that he says he wanted, yet the desparate urge to get back to the NBA comes through. Born in May of 1961, he's now approaching 45 years old. He has to know that there aren't many players in the NBA that are that old. It will be interested to see what he does in future years.
   
   I found the book a mix of sad, funny, and poignant. All you can say is 'good luck.'



2. This clown said all he could say with his first book, back when it mattered, to some people, because winning basketball teams matter, to some people.
   Note that it wasn't published by one of the big fat publishers. They don't expect it to sell. So don't be one of the few fools who buy it.



3. This is a fairly interesting-ish book about one of the best players to have played the sport. However, I wonder why he wrote another book? Surely he doesn't need the money (unless it all went to alcohol). It's interesting to get inside his mind a little and see what he's all about, but it is all jumbled and mismatched and leads nowhere. I like him, but if I had read this first before buying, maybe I wouldn't have bought it. Only for true Rodman fans. Otherwise, skip it.



4. Dennis Rodman is a Great Basketball Player&truly knows the game inside&out.also a Smarter cat that He often leads on.but this Book is just alot of loose thoughts that never goes anywhere. there are a few interesting moments talking His time in various spots during His Career,but nothing really new.still Dennis Rodman remains one of the most interesting Athletes Ever.



5. What a fun book! Rodman has always been colorful, but this book allows you to step into his mind, and try to understand where he is coming from when he does all his crazy stuff. Very entertaining- you do not have to be a basketball fan to enjoy this book. His "reality checks" are worth the price of the book.

5 comments about Getting Open: The Unknown Story of Bill Garrett and the Integration of College Basketball.

1. This well-written book took me back to Shelbyville IN in the 1950s, when every barber shop displayed a picture of the 1947 championship team and every patron knew all their names. No one would question the effect Bill Garrett had on his home town, but few could have predicted the impact he would have on collegiate sports for years to come.
   
   The little town of Milan provided great sports drama for the movie "Hoosiers," but the life of Bill Garrett is more than a sports story. He did for NCAA athletics what Jackie Robinson did for Major League Baseball. Young people of today would be shocked to learn what he endured just a couple of generations ago.
   
   Thanks to Tom and Rachel Graham Cody for this great read. As a Purdue grad, it pains me to praise a book that casts such a positive glow on Indiana University!



2. This is a good book and a good read. If you're from small-town Indiana (like me) and old enough to understand what single-class "Hoosier Hysteria" really meant, then you'll like this book.
   
   However I respectfully offer that it's not a 5-star book. It may be a 5-star story in search of a 5-star telling.
   
   I just finished the book yesterday, and I find myself wishing the authors had been less dispassionate. Or more passionate? Whatever.
   
   So who was Bill Garrett? The book talks a lot about his life and times, and provides some ancedotes, but always left me wanting more about Bill. Sadly, Bill wasn't available to be interviewed, but his teammates, friends and wife were all sources for the book.
   
   Here are some examples:
   
   We learn a lot about how Bill came to enroll at IU, but we don't learn about the man himself. Bill left Tennessee State after enrolling, and took a bus to IU. No one was available to meet him there! How did he feel about this?
   
   Bill was on the road and separated from his wife for several years while he knocked around the fringes of professional basketball. How was their relationship affected? We don't know.
   
   Finally - the authors talk about the changes in college basketball in the 1950's (pp 169-175), Branch McCracken's sporadic recruitment of black players, yet fail to mention that IU WON the NCAA championship in 1953!
   
   Sorry 5-star raters...it's a good book and a story worth telling, but could be a lot better. Probably a better movie than a book.



3. Seldom have I been so touched, entertained, and educated by a book as I was by Getting Open, which I read in two days. It is truly a masterpiece and something I will keep on my bookshelf for the rest of my life.
   
   Although born and raised in Indiana, I didn't know much if anything about Bill Garrett before reading this book, but I was just blown away by his story. Not knowing the story, it was almost like reading a well-crafted novel and I hung on every new development the authors revealed. I also didn't know much about the racial intolerance of the times. My neighborhood and high school were all white, so I really had little if any contact with blacks before I went to Indiana University as a freshman in 1963. It hardly seems possible that such racial intolerance existed in the Midwest so recently before then.
   
   This book exceeded all my expectations and I highly recommend it to anyone, whether you're a basketball fan or not. If you have any ties to the Hoosier State or to Indiana University, you will love it all the more.



4. At the pinnacle of his high school career - leading Shelbyville High to the Indiana state championship; a team that had three black starters - not one college scout in the arena attended the game to recruit Bill Garrett or his two teammates due to the color of their skin.
   
   At the pinnacle of his collegiate career - leaving the court to a standing ovation that lasted several minutes - Bill Garrett was refused service in a restaurant days later; one that had on its marquee that it welcomed fans of Indiana Unniversity basketball.
   
   And when Bill Garrett was ready to launch his pro career, the team in his home state did not draft him.
   
   But Bill Garrett was stronger than those who attempted to keep those doors closed. And we are better because of him.
   
   For author Tom Graham - with his co-author/daughter Rachel Graham Cody - the book took seven years of reseach, and certainly a lifetime of not denying the facts from the past and understanding the urgency in the present to set the record straight.
   
   Getting Open is more than a biography on Garrett and how he integrated Big Ten basketball by playing and starring for IU. It is a history of institutionalized racial hatred in the State of Indiana - at one point in the 20th Century, the KKK essentially controlled all essential government offices - and the tireless work of person's from different sides of the tracks to fight the good fight.
   
   Graham is a Shelbyville native who was old enough to vividly recall the times, which certainly helped as he meticulously did his research to cut through the fiction that builds from facts as the years tumble on.
   
   It is a book from the heart that will make you realize how we must celebrate those who had the courage then by continuing to challenge those who want to forget - or rewrite - the past.



5. This book is an incredibly well written and well documented story that should be more widely read. It is an important history that many sports fans, and non-sports fans, will enjoy tremendously. It is an inspiration to us all, and offers many lessons and insights about overcoming racism. Thank you to the father-daughter authors for getting out this story!