Al McGuire Book--- suggestions

[jaybilaswho?]

As summer rolls closer, so does vacation, which means... beaching it. As I will be headed to the beautiful beaches of Hilton Head Island in a little more than a month, I want to start to build up a stack of books to take and read on the beach. The thread posted a few days ago asking about why Al declined the NCAA tourny invite really sparked my interest in the man that was Al McGuire.

Does anyone have any suggestions on a good Al McGuire book(s)?

[MarqBB77-03]

Check Amazon, but these are the best of the most recent:

I Remember Al McGuire: Personal Memories and Testimonials To College Basketball's Wittiest Winning Coach and Commentator, As Told By the People Who Knew Him

Al Mcguire: The Colorful Warrior

Cracked Sidewalks and French Pastry: The Wit and Wisdom of Al McGuire

You Can Call Me Al: The Colorful Journey of College Basketball's Original Flower Child, Al McGuire

Tales from the Marquette Hardwood

[TJ]

Cracked Sidewalks and French Pastry: The Wit and Wisdom of Al McGuire

Has anyone read this one.  That's the one I think I would like to read.

[JustinLewisFanClubPres]

Cracked Sidewalks and French Pastry is a book of quotes from Al.  It's more of a coffee table book than anything else but there is a ton of great stuff in it.

[Canadian Dimes]

all good reads but probably the one that is the best fit for a MU bball history newbie would be "you can call me Al'  ..  good read in the snese the at it goes chapter by chapter from HS to collge to the NBA to his coching ranks and then has a chapter for if i recall every year he was at Mu and all the trials and tribulations along the way.  probably a pretty solid indoctrination.  And lthough i thin the scout board is really a stupid board they used to offer some pretty good CD's with inteviews with Al.  I got mine at some MU funtion a decade or so ago and i think the ones advertised on Scout are the same thing

[jaybilaswho?]

Check Amazon, but these are the best of the most recent:

I Remember Al McGuire: Personal Memories and Testimonials To College Basketball's Wittiest Winning Coach and Commentator, As Told By the People Who Knew Him

Al Mcguire: The Colorful Warrior

Cracked Sidewalks and French Pastry: The Wit and Wisdom of Al McGuire

You Can Call Me Al: The Colorful Journey of College Basketball's Original Flower Child, Al McGuire

Tales from the Marquette Hardwood

I saw all these on Amazon, but was just curious if anyone had suggestions as far is which is best to learn about, who I think, one of the most interesting coaches of all time.

[mu-rara]

I saw all these on Amazon, but was just curious if anyone had suggestions as far is which is best to learn about, who I think, one of the most interesting coaches of all time.

You Can Call me Al is the most comprehensive.  Colorful Warrior is mostly about 1977.  Both are good.

[Mayor McCheese]

Cracked Sidewalks and French Pastry is a book of quotes from Al.  It's more of a coffee table book than anything else but there is a ton of great stuff in it.

I have it... I love it... its a great conversational piece on a coffee table

Doesn't really tell the story of Al, but if you know Al's story, it adds a ton to his character.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

I recommend "Coaching Team Basketball" by Tom Crean.

[MUCam]

I recommend "Coaching Team Basketball" by Tom Crean.

Your constant Tom Crean bashing is so tired. That said, the above-quoted comment was absolutely hilarious. Thanks for the laugh.

[4everwarriors]

The other Crean books that rate a must read are, " Basketball Strategy For Beating Kansas" and "How To Make An NBA Superstar." 

[damuts222]

 I just started reading "You can call me Al," its a good book. Thanks for those of you that provided the help months ago, I was reading Mein Kampf talk about a bore.

[MarqBB77-03]

Jay:

I would start with You Can Call Me Al.  Then if you want more detail about the championship season read Colorful Warrior, though the championship season is obviously covered in You Can Call Me AL so Colorful Warrior may be repetitive.  If you do not go with Colorful Warrior read I Remember Al McGuire the stories about Al from the people who knew and worked with him are great.

[Knight Commission]

My only compaint with "You Can Call Me Al" is that it did not go beyond his public personna. I bought it and generally liked it, but much of what was written was commonly known. It was more of a history book. I dont think many of us know what he was like beyond his public personna.

I know the author used to post on the Rivals site. Maybe he is still here.

[Lennys Tap]

There is also a good read by Dick Enberg called "Oh My!". It's an anecdotal history of Enberg's career in broadcasting and a great deal of it is devoted to his professional and personal relationship with Al.

[cap82]

Al believed that you do not "undress" in public. Hence, he was not going to let us all get to the real personal life of Al. That was for his family and friends.

That said , "You can call me Al" is my favorite and "I remember Al " gives you a few insight from the people who knew him the best, players, coaches, cheerleaders.

Both of these books do allow you to see him as a down to earth person who did many kind acts without any attention desired for those acts.

When Al had been at MU awhile, one the cheerleaders lost his brother in a shooting in Milwaukee. The cheerleader decided she would rather not cheer any more. Al got the word and called her, told her it would not be same without and that the team needed her. She came back.

One day, Al met a friend for a drink and was not his merry self. Al said, I am having a bad week..Asked why..Al said he lost two kids this week. Al would visit terminal kids at children's hospital on a regular basis.

At the 1977 championship game, Al had more requests for tickets than tickets for friends and family. Al had ran into a student who drove from MU and was staying in the "broom closet" off the lobby, Al made sure the kid got a ticket.

When Al was at MU, the new MU journal sports editor was a coed. Before the season started, she visited Al to introduce herself. She asked how did he want to work the interviews after the game, which take place in the lockerroom. Al said, just come on in and do not worry about a thing. Al took care of her. After her education at the feet on Al, she went on to be a successful sports writer.
 After his coaching days he took up collecting toy soldiers. After he was sick and near the end, Al started sending his toy soldiers out to individuals who met on his journey. It became as a badge of honor if you received a soldier.
While this Mu coed sportswriter was feeling a little left out because he had not gotten one. But she was reflective and felt she was never that close to Al. She had told Al, that she was a sportswriter instead of a nurse because of Al. Well one day she gets a small package from Al. Not a toy soldier but a small Carla Barton autographed. He remembered and made it bit more personal

 

[ZiggysFryBoy]

My only compaint with "You Can Call Me Al" is that it did not go beyond his public personna. I bought it and generally liked it, but much of what was written was commonly known. It was more of a history book. I dont think many of us know what he was like beyond his public personna.

I know the author used to post on the Rivals site. Maybe he is still here.

he's warriorjoe on scout.