It is a book I started reading in spare time...well at least time not on the computer.
It is interesting so far, but probably better for an older basketball fan (so far) due to so many players mentioned as well as some differences back then and today. FWIW, Dave is not sharing any of the revenue with me. Many of the players I actually saw play, but obviously didn't really know what I was seeing as far as defense back then (60s) as I just enjoyed the game. Dave says in his book that there was no help defense back then. Everybody had a man. I guess I can't comment on it since I wasn't astute enough to know what I was seeing...and was a bit too young to dig that deep. He credits Bob Knight for the help defense in the 70s and no doubt Bob's rules have been a staple ever since.I don't know that his phrase was 100% accurate since Hank Iba had already taken some zone principles into his man defense, and I actually had a defense book that I know was employed in the early 60s that was a precursor to the match up zone that was called the Rule Defense. Anyway, that was an interesting thing to me.
He talks about the difference off the court today and then for players for weight training, nutrition, living arrangements and so forth. I knew about the NCAA tourney as far as teams going and I knew about the NIT Tourney back then as well, but I didn't know about the Big Ten who only allowed the season champ to go to the tourney thoughts on the NIT. Essentially, the big would NOT allow teams to go to the NIT due to point shaving by players along with teams made up of players in different schools. The Big would not send teams to the NIT back then because they considered New York as sinful. Right or wrong the Big was trying to be a cut above. Anyway if someone finds interest in some of what I type you might enjoy the book.
