One to Keep Handy
I checked this book out of the library on the recommendation of a friend. After I read it, I ordered my own copy to keep and nine more to give out to friends and family members. Coach Tressel lays out an abundance of life lessons, anecdotes, quotes, and valuable nuggets of information in this book. You will take something away from this book when you read it. If you are in a rut or if you are about to take on a big project in your life, I highly recommend this book to help you along.
Winner Manual by Jim Tressel
Excellent book. No a football book...it is for anyone who wants to excel in life. Jim Tressel is a class act!
A Fan of John Wooden's Pyramid of Success Would Appreciate This Book
The SEC is my favorite football conference, but I wanted to read this book. Jim Tressel shows readers that there is more to his life than football after reading this book. Chris Fabry collaborated well with Tressel. I own 10 different books about John Wooden's Pyramid of Success and the Block O had its genesis from Tressel's interest in the pyramid. This is not a stereotypical coaches book that centers on four yards and a cloud of dust. This expands to real life. John Maxwell writing the forward is indicative of that.
I was impressed with his mentioning of hearing Bobby Richardson and being impacting by hs quote, "If the game of life ended tonight, would you be a winner?" The influence of his parents, especially his father was interesting. I especially saw insights about his thoughts about his dad when he mentioned his dad coaching at Baldwin Wallace University.
I like the anecdote about James Laurinaitis visiting the boy in the hospital who was wearing his jersey when injured in a lawn-mower accident. The by cried when they cut his jersey. I appreciated Tressel mentioning the impact of the American soldiers who are fans of The Ohio State University.
Tressel is an interesting person as a subject for a sports fan. Even though in a short span he went from coaching Youngstown State University to coaching The Ohio State University to a national championship, he considers being more important than doing. That was expressed by his contrition for telling a YSU after he committed a personal foul, "You are not worth 15 yards."
I feel better as a person for reading this book. There are some things I would have liked to have seen in the book. I wished Tressel would have mentioned what he learned as a person from dealing with Maurice Clarett. It would have been nice it book were bigger to include more about The Winners Manual as long as he did not give away information that would be harmful to his team or helpful to his opponent.
I would recommend a coach reading this book and making sure their players read the book for personal development for the whole person.
Don't miss!
This book is one of two books that I will use as a reference for self improvement. It was a great "how to be your best" guide. I loved the numerous anecdotes and inspiring quotes. I especially loved the stories about individual YSU and Ohio State football players. This is definately a book you don't want to miss!
Outstanding personal development guide
This book provides much insite into not only Coach Tressels' program and philosophy, but also illuminates many reasons why OSU is able to attract so many quality recruits to their school. With pressure to win year after year in major college sports programs, it is easy to see why a prospective student-athlete and parents would see value at OSU compared to other programs that are more football-only oriented. I did not attend Ohio State so I don't believe I have some of the more fervent bias held by actual Buckeyes. In fact, my son, a current Florida Gator, also read the book and is using the 'Block O of life' guide for his own personal development [even though he doesn't dare refer to it by name while in Gainesville]. I congratulate and thank Coach Tressel in his effort to share part of his program and am sure it will be of some degree of benefit to anyone who reads it.
