Customer Reviews

Five-Point Play: Duke's Journey to the 2001 National Championship

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I was going to flush this book down a toilet; however, I began to think that flushing the book would be disrespectful to the floating excrement. The only true way to enjoy this book is to rip out the contents, page by page, and then burn each one in effigy. I want to hear about Duke's championship season like I want to hear about a terrorist attack. He opens the book by name dropping, then name dropping some more, followed by name drops. I couldn't make it past the third page before my gag reflex kicked in and I started to salivate. I would soon lose my Chalupa. If you are still interested in reading this book, keep an extra bottle of Kaopectate on hand, as well as an apology letter to your dry cleaner.

I am sorry to admit this book is a fake. The national championship is a Fake also. dook cheated and still cheats to this day. In our team meetings we voted on a team mvp - The Officials. Thanks guys. Thanks Hess, Edsell and the rest of you guys.

Honestly, it's just a bunch of blather about how supereme Duke is and how despite everyone being injured the team overcomes impossible odds to win the title. Honestly, I don't recall this team being all that injury ridden. If you're a Duke fan, buy it. Everyone else, don't bother.

my son chris played on this team. i love coach k as he has gotten me a job and new car. duke has saved my family's life . this is a great book and all duke fans should read it. FIST! - vivian harper

Duke is on TV almost as much as Sponge Bob. I've probably missed five games in twenty-five years (including my time at Duke). After reading this book, I've missed all of them. The behind-the-scenes, locker-room perspective on how Coach K motivates players is powerful and moving. His preparation for each game centers less on the opponent and more on singling out one player on his own team to lift that player's game. His simple, direct message gets through.
"Next Play," "Confidence Breeds Courage," "Collective Responsibility" and other catch-phrases of K's apply not only to basketball but to business and to life.
How many coaches after winning the National Championship would bring their team back into the locker room two days later to remind them that the Lessons of the Fist (for what those are you have to read the book) apply not only to basketball but to life? How many, in the same meeting, would goad their players to excel not only on the basketball court but in the classroom and in life?
This is a book to treasure.

I guess I'd ask Donald T. Phillips, Coach K's assisting writer, that question. I guess he thought Duke fans reading the book were too stupid to understand when someone other than Coach K was talking. Or Coach K was too stupid.

Anyway, the book is an average recount of Duke's national title season in 2000-2001. It goes start to finish. You'll like it if you're a Duke fan, you won't if you're not.

In Five Point Play, Coach Mike Krzyzewski tries to teach the 2001 Duke basketball team about not only basketball, but life too. By setting examples for the team, Coach shows his players the results of communication, trust, care, responsibility, and pride, the same points that helped them win the national championship. "Coach K" has a crew of talented coaches and players that include Shane Battier, Jason Williams, Carlos Boozer and many more. I like the way that Coach Krzyzewski put this book together, by explaining every pep talk, describing every huddle, and giving the details of every game. Although I wouldn't recommend this book to a North Carolina fan, I hope that every other basketball fan gets a chance to read Five Point Play.

I thought this book was great. It was truly inspirational. It changed my life. From now on, I am going to cut my own meat! Fist!

Five Point Play is a must-have for any die-hard Duke basketball fan. The book depicts the 2000-2001 season in its entirety from not only Coach Krzyzewskiï¿s point of view, but also from the point of view of many of the players who made the national championship possible for the university. All the important highlights of the season are included, from Coachï¿s 500th victory at Cameron Indoor Stadium, to the ï¿Miracle Minuteï¿ that led to a surprise victory against Maryland.

The book does not just talk about the highlights of the games, however. It accurately portrays Coachï¿s ï¿recipeï¿ for success that helped land the team in the Final Four and, eventually, to the 2001 National Championship. Coach K (his nickname) makes sure that he imposes a low-pressure environment on his players. He attempts to remove any jealousy between the all-star members of the team and forces his players to openly admit their respect for their comrades and allow everyone to make a play, not just the starters or the Senior members (including Shane Battier). He also makes it known that he will not yell at any player who misses a shot (and he keeps that promise) but he will chastise a player who does not attempt a play when there is an opportunity. One of coaches other important ï¿ingredientsï¿ is his idea of ï¿Next Playï¿. In other words, he encourages the team to avoid becoming over-confident after a victory or to obsess about mistakes or misfortunes, and tells them instead to focus on what is coming up. Most importantly, Coach emphasizes his five-point idea of ï¿The Fistï¿: Collective Responsibility (Coach is constantly quoted using ï¿Itï¿s ourï¿ï¿ instead of ï¿Itï¿s yourï¿ï¿ as to imply that everything that happens is the result of the team and not an individual), Communication, Caring, Pride, and Trust. Five Point Play seems to be not only a book about Dukeï¿s incredible basketball season, but also a motivational ï¿lectureï¿ as many of the ideals used by Coach can easily be applied to everyday life.

Anyone looking for an in-depth account of Duke basketball or for some inspiration from one of collegeï¿s most respected coaches cannot go wrong with buying this book.

Loved the book, read it cover to cover. Coach K helped me imagine that I was there to share with their accomplishments.