My Life on a Napkin: Pillow Mints, Playground Dreams and Coaching the Runnin' Utes

Far and away the best book I have read in the past year. Coach Majerus' passion for his players will leave you mesmerized. The best part of the book are all the quotes added from former players, friends, coaches, family members,etc...Rick never was much of a great athlete, but he knew the game from an early age and was considered the epitome of a team player. Majerus' stories from his days at Marquette and Ball State to his time with Don Nelson and Del Harris make for a great read. If you like sports and admire the true work of a "team" you will love this book.

After getting this book I could not put it down. I first became aware of Majerus after he led his un-athletic Utah team to the NCAA Final Four in 1998. His press conferences after those games were part basketball pontification and part stand-up comedy routine. His book is a lot like those press conferences: serious about the game he loves, but not afraid to crack a joke at anytime. The stories about his lack of fashion sense and eating habits will leave you doubled over. For "gym rats" everywhere!

Very interesting book describing life of a fantastic college basketball coach. Humorous and informative. Enjoyed information on teams and players coached. Great behind-the-scenes information on college hoops. I would recommend to any college b-ball fan.

If Majerus suffers from egomania, then I wish every college coach was like him. I'm a basketball junkie and the book satisfied my hoops tooth, but it also told a wonderful story about a coach who is true to his sport, his players and himself. Sure he has flaws, and he wasn't afraid to admit them in the book. Highly recommended.

Most people assume 'big time' college coaches were great players 'in their day.' Not true. Louie Carnesecca couldn't play a lick. Phog Allen didn't give Dean Smith many minutes. Roy Williams never went beyond the UNC JV (coached by Bill Guthridge at the time). Majerus never played high school ball at Marquette High in Milwaukee. Not because he didn't want to . . . man did he want to . . . he just didn't have the tools (or so the coach thought). This book shows that playing and coaching are two distinct endeavors. Wanna list the great players who flopped as coaches . . . me neither . . . it would take too long. From his earliest years Majerus was coaching, and he didn't even know it. He was putting together teams in Milwaukee so he could get a game. He was learningd how to 'put the pieces together', not to win a national championship, but to 'keep the court' for the next game . . . and the next . . . Majerus' Utes 'kept the court' for six marvelous games in 1998. It wasn't until Kentucky showed that 'sometimes the other team wins because they have better players' (al mcguire) that Majerus' Utes had to leave the court defeated. This book shows how a life's work, a life's passion, can culminate in a short span of time. It's a great read because Majerus made it happen himself. He was handed nothing. But he learned from everyone:McGuire, Raymonds, Nelson, Harris . . . probably even Butch Lee, Bo Ellis, and Lloyd Walton. Read the book. Majerus' tale is one of a kind.