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Last Dance: Behind the Scenes at the Final Four | 
 enlarge | Author: John Feinstein
Creator: Mike Krzyzewski
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Category: Book
List Price: $15.99
Buy Used: $0.01
You Save: $15.98 (100%)
New (45) Used (39) from $0.01
Avg. Customer Rating:  30 reviews
Sales Rank: 359373
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 400
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 8.2 x 5.5 x 1.1
ISBN: 0316014257
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.323630973
EAN: 9780316014250
ASIN: 0316014257
Publication Date: February 2, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
There is no event in sports quite like the Final Four. John Feinstein explores what it means to a school, a coach, and a player to be in the Final Four or even at The Final. There are the moving stories of players and coaches who thought theyd never make it to college basketballs final weekend, the spectacular triumphs of the winning teams, and the heartbreaking defeats for those who missed the cut. Feinstein also brings us inspiring and dramatic stories from the people behind the scenes: from the officials and referees to the scouts and ticket-scalpers. With the unflinching eye of a seasoned reporter and the remarkable skill of a true storyteller, Feinstein exposes the driving forces behind one of the most revered events in American sports.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 25 more reviews...
 Feinstein's Worst Effort May 12, 2008
I was sorely disappointed by this book. So much so, that I never even finished it. I have devoured most of Feinstein's other books (except for "The Open". But this one just left me snoozing. I was simply amazed at how many times the book repeated previous stories or quotes. And not just once; the same story was repeated 3-4 times in some instances. It's as if the editor or author never read the book as a whole, only in parts.
Some of the stories were interesting, but overall this was not worthwhile.
 Fun read for college hoop fans January 3, 2008
I'm a college hoops fanatic, from small college to the big boys. I lost interest in the NBA quite some time ago so Feinstein's book was the perfect Christmas gift this year.
I read Feinstein's books for the wonderful tales he tells and his access to coaches, players, and in this book, referrees and committee members. I didn't think I'd be that intrigued with officials and administrators, but both chapters were excellent. I've covered and followed sports my entire life and I never knew how the NCAA selection committee worked until I read this book.
Though John can get a bit obsessed with Carolina and Duke, I did like his access into both programs. I find Roy Williams long journey to a title quite interesting. I'm not usually a Coach K fan, but he brought him to life. Of all the coaches, I found Tom Brennan the most interesting, he actually seemed like a normal guy, unlike some of the other ego-maniacs who lead that profession. And of course, the interviews with the players were excellent as was the insightful look at Bill Bradley and his Princeton years.
I also like how the author takes on the selection committee, big time TV, how the tourney has lost some of its charm, and the NCAA in general. I enjoyed his opinions, though I would've liked to have known just what Rolli Massimino did to get pushed out at Villanova, it's not like those guys have rung up a bunch of national titles to get this odd sense of entitlement. Feinstein never tells us just what Rolli did.
I do agree with some of the criticisms here, mostly the repetitiveness of his stories. I chalk that up to bad editing more than anything. And I believe the book could've closed in on 300 pages instead of 400, again, I believe John needs a new editor. But neither of those complaints were enough to have me downgrade this book.
As a college hoops nut, this was just what the doctor ordered.
 Disappointing August 29, 2007
Feinstein is one of the top sportswriters around. This book sadly does not showcase those skills.
The book is about the Final Four and the teams that made it in 2005. We get the usual background on players and coaches, but nothing that makes these stories particularly compelling. When I read a sports book, I want the author to take me there and show me the atmosphere or a unique view of the players' lives .
Sadly, this book is like 99% of the sports books out there. Feinstein may once have been great, but he's slipping.
 Great stories to hook less bookish readers. August 15, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I am an SAT tutor. One of my constant challenges is finding ways to encourage kids to read who'd rather do anything but. Books they actually like are a great first step. Feinstein's stories are gripping and accessible. They'll hook young readers who are more athletic than bookish, ideally making them a little more the latter. And, for anyone gripped by the love of a good sports contest or even just a good story, it's hard not to like Feinstein's works.
 An Inside Look at the Final Four April 16, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Last Dance is a behind the scenes look at the NCAA Final Four. The book is mostly built on reminisces and interviews with coaches, players, and even some announcers about what it's like to get to the Final Four and win a championship. The primary theme of the book is just how important getting to a Final Four is, and winning a National Championship is, for the players and coaches. It's something that for many players is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be part of team that puts its stamp on college basketball history. Whether a marginal player seeing little action or a star player going on to a successful NBA career, a Final Four appearance and a National Championship are seen as things that are lifetime achievements. And the bitter disappoint of losing in the Final Four lasts a lifetime as well.
For the most part this book is well written and interesting as we hear from players, coaches, and others involved about their experiences in the Final Four. It paints a well rounded picture of what participants go through during the course of the season, but especially during the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. While Feinstein does not go into great depth on the history of the Final Four, its history is told throughout the book.
The one criticism this reader has of the book is it appears to be very Duke and North Carolina centric. While maybe that's because they have been to the Final Four so often, it's a bit off putting to be constantly hearing about these two schools at the expense of others who have made the Final Four. And while hearing different perspectives on the Final Four were interesting, there really wasn't anything new here either.
My two favorite sections of the book were about UCLA coach John Wooden and his wife getting a spontaneous standing ovation from the coaches in the lobby at the Final Four and Bill Bradley's thoughts on his Final Four appearance (Bradley was a Princeton and NBA star, later a Senator and presidential candidate). And the most interesting philosophical discussion was the impact of the tournament and a Final Four appearance or winning a championship on coaches. Would great coaches like Roy Williams of North Carolina have an incomplete legacy if they never won a championship? Fair or not, the answer is yes, even though the coaches don't like to say it. The pressure to win and win big is just as hot in college basketball as it is in professional sports, and coaches with great talent at big schools feel the heat. The impact of this pressure on coaches, while discussed in other areas before, was well done in this book. Finally, the hype and hysteria that surround the Final Four today compared to years ago is also interesting to note and how this sea change in attention and hype have affected players and coaches and those gathering for their Final Four appearance is well done.
This is definitely a book worth reading if you are a college basketball fan.
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