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14 reviews for:
Three and Out: Rich Rodriguez and the Michigan Wolverines in the Crucible of College Football
John U. Bacon
4.16 AVERAGE
14 reviews for:
Three and Out: Rich Rodriguez and the Michigan Wolverines in the Crucible of College Football
John U. Bacon
4.16 AVERAGE
I think this book is absolutely essential reading, but that's likely because I am an enormous fan of college football in general and Michigan football in particular. Bacon got unprecedented access to the short and disastrous tenure of Rich Rodriguez as Michigan's head football coach and turns those 3 painful years into a vision of a sport and culture that is at once vibrant as never before and eating itself alive. Great stuff.
Excellent Book. Very well researched and detailed. Definite read for any Michigan football fan. It's too bad that Michigan football had to go through such a difficult three years. Just wondering if Rich Rod had stayed for one more year, would it have been different?
Very fair and objective look at the Rich Rod era of Michigan football.
A well paced, fascinating look inside the University of Michigan football program through the lens of Rich Rodriguez's three year tenure. If you are a fan of big time college football, this should be on your pile of books to read.
If you are a manager in search of tips for motivation, de-motivating or managing difficult situations, this should also be on your pile of books to read.
It's almost inconceivable how many errors were made in the recruitment of Lloyd Carr's replacement, in the initial weeks of RichRod's joining the Michigan football family and the on-going PR fumbles, but those errors do make for fascinating reading.
If you are a manager in search of tips for motivation, de-motivating or managing difficult situations, this should also be on your pile of books to read.
It's almost inconceivable how many errors were made in the recruitment of Lloyd Carr's replacement, in the initial weeks of RichRod's joining the Michigan football family and the on-going PR fumbles, but those errors do make for fascinating reading.
Holy cow. As a die-hard Michigan alum and fan, I wasn't sure what I would get out of this book, but was interested to read it. What I found is some disappointment in someone I look up to, new found respect for someone I thought tanked the program, and a lot of good insight into college football and how much players are being used to turn the game into a business. I highly suggest this book, especially if you're a Michigan fan.
It might seem like hyperbole to others, but for me this book read like a great tragedy. Well intentioned characters pinned under a series of miscommunications and mishaps that results in the unfortunate ending you already knew they were fated to arrive at. It was illuminating to learn more details about these years of Michigan football that had me yelling at tvs and cursing at men I never met. A great read for those who love Michigan or college sports.
Moving, poignant, fascinating, and a deep-dive of all things Michigan football, focusing on the Rich Rodriguez era.
Bacon does an excellent job of being even-handed throughout, showing the good and the bad of every character involved in this story, then letting you draw your own conclusions. The duplicity he exposes is heartbreaking.
RichRod was undermined from the start: some people, self-proclaimed “Michigan Men”, actually did not want him to succeed. They got their wish, but at what cost?
It’s never worth it to be mean-spirited or cruel to others. Never. These are people, with lives, and families. In the end, football is a game that some people attach life-or-death stakes to. But there is more to life than football. Notice how people without fully developed lives latch onto obsessions to fill in their own cracks. It’s no way to live: it’s an empty life.
Some people declare “win at all costs.” But it should never cost you your relationships. Your relationships are one of the only things you’ll take with you when you leave this earth. Act accordingly.
Bacon does an excellent job of being even-handed throughout, showing the good and the bad of every character involved in this story, then letting you draw your own conclusions. The duplicity he exposes is heartbreaking.
RichRod was undermined from the start: some people, self-proclaimed “Michigan Men”, actually did not want him to succeed. They got their wish, but at what cost?
It’s never worth it to be mean-spirited or cruel to others. Never. These are people, with lives, and families. In the end, football is a game that some people attach life-or-death stakes to. But there is more to life than football. Notice how people without fully developed lives latch onto obsessions to fill in their own cracks. It’s no way to live: it’s an empty life.
Some people declare “win at all costs.” But it should never cost you your relationships. Your relationships are one of the only things you’ll take with you when you leave this earth. Act accordingly.
Too often, I give books more stars than they deserve (see my previous review). In part, this is because Goodreads doesn't do half-stars but also because assigning books a "rating" is a fairly ridiculous thing to do when you factor in all the criteria of what makes a book "good" in my estimation.
That said, this is one of the easiest reviews I'll ever have to give because this is one of the best sports books I've ever read. It's not just that the writer has unfettered access to a major college football program. It's that he's able to paint the legacy of Michigan football against the backdrop of the massive pressure cooker that is big time college sports. It is a fair and superbly written tale. I came out of it educated, enlightened and feeling sorry for Rich Rodriguez (and it made me want to play for him too). Truly a great piece of writing by John Bacon.
That said, this is one of the easiest reviews I'll ever have to give because this is one of the best sports books I've ever read. It's not just that the writer has unfettered access to a major college football program. It's that he's able to paint the legacy of Michigan football against the backdrop of the massive pressure cooker that is big time college sports. It is a fair and superbly written tale. I came out of it educated, enlightened and feeling sorry for Rich Rodriguez (and it made me want to play for him too). Truly a great piece of writing by John Bacon.
medium-paced