Bill Belichick's 31 years in the NFL have been marked by amazing success--first with the Giants, then with Cleveland, and most recently, his three out of the last four Super Bowl wins with the New England Patriots. In this groundbreaking new book, Halberstam explores the nuances of both the game and the man with the highest post-season winning percentage in NFL history.

Reviews

Here, estimable journalist Halberstam (The Teammates) examines the life, views, trials, and successes of a very private man. Bill Belichick is the low-key thinking man's football coach whose New England Patriots have won three of the last four Super Bowls. In number of playoff victories, Belichick has surpassed Vince Lombardi. He has the highest percentage of postseason wins in the history of the NFL. Halberstam had access not only to Belichick but also to many of his closest friends and colleagues. The one conspicuous absence among his sources was Bill Parcells, the difficult and talented coach from whose shadow Belichick slowly emerged. This thoughtful book is quite engaging, especially when it delves into the close relationship between Belichick and his father, Steve, a perceptive and honorable assistant coach and scout at the U.S. Naval Academy for over 30 years. Halberstam's long fascination with Belichick is vividly shown in this intriguing book. Highly recommended for all libraries.-John Maxymuk, Rutgers Univ. Lib., Camden, NJ Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

With the snappy delivery of a play-by-play commentator, Conger ably performs Halberstam's reverent biography of New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick. Chronicling Belichick's tutelage at the hands of his sharp college coach father, Halberstam moves through Belichick's trail of internships and promotions, augmenting his narrative with engaging anecdotes and succinct illustrations of the tactical genius that propelled him through the ranks of the NFL. Conger doesn't have to stretch much in terms of characterization; he's simply a good choice for the project, with a smart, clean delivery that goes just as well with a description of a tender exchange between Belichick and his father as it does with a detailed breakdown of the Patriots' unorthodox defensive strategy in the Super Bowl. The production's one shortcoming is the strange choice of musical snippets for the beginnings and endings of different sections. None of the widely varied music fits in very well with the reading and proves to be much more of a puzzling distraction than an effective accompaniment. Still, it's not enough to overshadow an engrossing portrait of one of the NFL's best coaches, or a reading that hits just the right note. Simultaneous release with the Hyperion hardcover (Reviews, Oct. 10). (Dec.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.