Purchased for my husband's pleasure.

FROM AMAZON: Bill Belichick's thirty-one years in the NFL have been marked by amazing success--most recently with the New England Patriots. In this groundbreaking book, David Halberstam explores the nuances of both the game and the man behind it. He uncovers what makes Bill Belichick tick both on and off the field. ( )

How did Bill Bellicheck get to be the premier football coach of all time? This book looks at his early experiences and development with other NFL teams before he became coach of the New England Patriots. Bellicheck turns out to be extremely focused, organized and an excellent evaluator of football talent. It also helps that his quarterback Tom Brady may be the best at his position for all time.

The author also looks at Bellicheck’s coaching stint with the Cleveland Browns, which was a bit rocky. He also served as the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants under Bill Parcells, not exactly an easy job or an easy mentor.

Bellicheck’s goal was not to be liked but to be respected. Given his successful coaching record in various Super Bowl wins, he has earned respect among the NFL players, fans and management. Excellent sports book about an interesting sports character. G ( )

The man they love to hate. Darth Vader of the gridiron as a gentler, happier soul. Best coach of his generation. ( )

I first read The Education of a Coach by David Halberstam in 2006 and was captivated by the life story of Bill Belichick. Belichick is truly the product of the perfect upbringing combined with hard work and intelligence. I just finished reading it again for a second time, and I got so much more out of it. I paid more attention to the various people Belichick was exposed to throughout his career. His life really demonstrates the importance of patience and surrounding yourself with successful people. Often the highest paying job is not the right path to take in life. Belichick always wanted more responsibility and exposure in his work, not necessarily more money. He also wanted to work with the best and brightest of his profession and learn as much as he could from these people.

Overall, Halberstam does a great job in walking the reader through the key moments in Belichick's life that shaped who he is today. Is it an extensive biography? No. Does he provide large amounts of details in football strategy and key games? No. The goal of the book was to demonstrate how a successful coach in the modern day NFL learned his craft. In addition, it focused on key moments in his professional development that produced the man we see in front of the camera and on the sidelines every football Sunday.

I highly recommend this book to football fans, Patriots fans, and anyone interested in learning about someone at the top of his profession and how he got there. ( )