In which I read my first ever sports book - and love it! This review was originally published in the November 18, 2011 issue of Shelf Awareness for Readers. Reprinted here with permission. If you don't already receive bi-weekly issues of Shelf Awareness in your inbox, fix that by registering here.
Most football fans are aware that Bill Belichick does things a little
differently--the head coach of the New England Patriots is known for
his one-word press conferences and sleeveless hoodies. Behind this
seemingly uncommunicative character, however, lies a man passionate
about football and the art of team-building. In War Room, sportswriter Michael Holley (Patriot Reign) gives readers a glimpse of his character and the legacy he has begun to create.
As early as 1991, while working with the Cleveland Browns, Belichick
had a revolutionary vision for scouting players. As he advanced in his
career, he refined a system of scouting and drafting unlike any other,
aided by two young protégés, Thomas Dimitroff and Scott Pioli (now head
coaches of the Atlanta Falcons and Kansas City Chiefs, respectively). War Room explores
the details of that scouting system, as well as the lives,
relationships and careers of the three men, all of whom live and breathe
football, football, football.
Though War Room tends to be overburdened by facts, names and
dates that can prove challenging to a novice football fan, the passion
for the sport evident in Holley's writing, mirroring that of his
subjects, is a saving grace. In understanding the heart of the game--the
team, and the art of building it--fans at every level of intensity will
come to appreciate the careful thought and execution it takes to create
the teams we root for year after year. And next year, we’ll all have a
bit more strategy for our fantasy drafts.
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