Each year I have the privilege of being interviewed by Don Baker and Josh Matthews for their Hangin’ With The AD Podcast. If you are a leader in the athletic arena, you need to know these two men. Don is the Cobb County School (GA) District Director of Athletics and he is joined by Josh Mathews, Pope High School (GA) Athletic Director, to discuss hot topics and lessons learned with leaders in the world of athletics. While the podcast is targeted to athletic directors, the leadership principles apply to anyone involved in athletics.
The purpose of my annual visit is to, in preparation for Christmas, discuss the sports books which have impacted me the most the previous twelve months. Our conversation has become a resource to help athletic leaders know how to best invest in their staff and teams.
To give you a preview, the following are my Top 10 Sports Books Of 2023 which I will discuss on this year’s Hangin’ With The AD Podcast. Each are listed in alphabetical order except for the first one. Simply click on the title of each book to learn more and order.
- ***BONUS*** – Mighty: 7 Skills You Need to Move from Pandemic to Progress by Brian Dodd – I hope every sports fan gets my best-selling book. The principles in this book are supported by leadership lessons from Rafael Nadal, Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, Steph Curry, Deion Sanders, Kylian Mbappe, Bill Self, Jurgen Klopp, Nick Saban, Jordan Spieth, Kobe Bryant, and others.
- Pep’s City: The Making Of A SUPERTEAM by Pol Ballus and Lu Martin – Over three seasons in England, Pep Guardiola has built something the Premier League has never seen before: a team that dominates games like no other, scoring goals and collecting points and trophies at record-breaking pace. Throughout that journey, the Spanish journalists Lu Martín and Pol Ballús have been embedded with the club, reporting this inside account of how a phenomenal team was constructed: from the recruitment of Guardiola himself, to the backroom staff that provide the platform for his team and the superstar players that have set a new standard in British football. This book inspired the post 35 Qualities Of A Once-In-A-Generation Leader.
- A Giant Win: Inside the New York Giants’ Historic Upset over the New England Patriots In Super Bowl XLII by Tom Coughlin – Super Bowl XLII was the greatest upset in NFL history. In A GIANT WIN, Coach Coughlin recounts the strategies and people that made it possible. Coach Coughlin reveals the intricacies of the game, revealing details only a coach would know. He also details, more than ever before, his relationships with some of the greatest, most iconic players of those Giants teams, like Eli Manning and Michael Strahan.
- The 1998 Yankees: The Inside Story of the Greatest Baseball Time Ever by Jack Curry – Curry revisits that season to discuss how that team was built and why the Yankees were such a talented, refreshing and successful club. This book includes new interviews with more than 25 players, coaches and executives, who revealed some behind-the-stories about the magical journey and who also discussed the depth of this historic squad.
- Stay Sane In An Insane World: How To Control The Uncontrollables And Thrive by Greg Harden – Champions aren’t born. They’re built. Greg Harden spent over 30 years building them at the University of Michigan, including 400 future professional athletes, 50 NFL first-round draft picks, and 120 Olympians from over 20 countries. He gained national recognition when 60 Minutes Sports profiled him as “Michigan’s Secret Weapon.” Now, in his first book, Greg Harden is reaching out to help anyone who wants to live their best life by offering powerful and practical advice.
- 62: Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees, and the Pursuit of Greatness by Bryan Hoch – Veteran Yankees beat reporter Bryan Hoch unravels the remarkable journey of Judge’s run to shatter Maris’s beloved sixty-one-year-old record. In-depth, inspiring, and with an expert’s insight, 62 also investigates the more significant questions raised in a season unlike any other, including how—and where—Judge will deliver his encore.
- Swagger: Super Bowls, Brass Balls, and Footballs – A Memoir by Jimmy Johnson – Swagger shows the behind-the-scenes details of his professional conflict with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and his personal revelations following his mother’s death and his son’s struggle with addiction. It reveals Johnson’s formula for winning, including his criteria for identifying talent, his core beliefs, how he replaced legendary coaches like Tom Landry and Don Shula, coached stars from a young Troy Aikman to an aging Dan Marino, and established the ever-elusive sense of “culture” that every team leader hopes to achieve.
- Football Done Right: Setting the Record Straight on the Coaches, Players, and History of the NFL by Michael Lombardi – Three-time Super Bowl winner Michael Lombardi has done it all—from scout to executive to coach—and now he sets the record straight on these questions and more. With Football Done Right, Lombardi tackles all aspects of the sport, discussing the best of the best. He channels his 35+ years of experience with the NFL into an all-encompassing celebration of the game. More than just ranking the giants of the league, Lombardi shows how and why each affected the game. Mixing first-person, in-the-locker-room experience with little known history and hard stats, Lombardi makes a definitive case for the most influential coaches and the best players, and also offers an insider look to how drafts and trades operate behind the scenes and honoring the sportscasters who played an essential role in popularizing the sport. Both a full history of the sport and a comprehensive re-imagining of the Football Hall of Fame to honor every deserving athlete and coach, Football Done Right will change the way you watch, discuss, and debate the gridiron.
- The 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication: Apply Them and Make the Most of Your Message by John Maxwell – This is not necessarily a sports book every coach and administrator needs to know how to best communicate their message. Dr. Maxwell has been a public speaker and motivational teacher for more than fifty years. He is one of only eight people on the planet who have been awarded Toastmaster’s Golden Gavel and been inducted into the National Speakers’ Association Hall of Fame. In The 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication: Apply Them and Make the Most of Your Message, he shares everything he’s learned from a lifetime of communication.
- Sideline CEO: Leadership Principles from Championship Coaches by Marty Smith – The ESPN announcer delves into the unique psychology and daily preparation and gameplan execution of some of America’s most respected leaders—the coaches who have led hugely successful programs to win it all. Included among the legends whom Marty interviewed are: Nick Saban, Mack Brown, Kim Mulkey, Doc Rivers, John Calipari, Tim Corbin, Roy Williams, Tom Izzo, Patty Gasso, Dabo Swinney, Frank Beamer, and many others.
- Game Changer: An Insider’s Story of the Sonics’ Resurgence, The Trail Blazers’ Turnaround, and the Deal that Saved the Seahawks by Bob Whisitt – I love this book! By 1986, at the tender age of thirty, Whitsitt had been recruited to salvage the Seattle SuperSonics, whose glory had faded after the 1979 NBA championship. In just one season, and after many daring player trades, Whitsitt guided the team back to fighting form and into the playoffs. Whitsitt’s grit and risk-taking moves caught the eye of billionaire Paul Allen, who coaxed the savvy executive into taking the helm of the Portland Trail Blazers and leading them back into championship contention. Whitsitt went on to play a pivotal role in convincing Allen to purchase the Seahawks to keep them in town, lobbying for a new stadium—and the implosion of the iconic Kingdome—and ushering in a new era of professional football in Seattle. Whitsitt is the only person to have been both the president and general manager of the Seahawks, Sonics, and Trail Blazers.
#Commissions Earned
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