Although I’m a huge March Madness fan, I get tired of sportscasters stating the obvious and making ridiculous puns about English-major players putting “English” on the basketball. If you want more sophisticated March Madness commentary, you need to check out the following five books. Your friends might be able to rattle off the rebound stats of Tyler Hansbrough, but probably don’t know the meaty knowledge inside these books, like how the first televised tournament lost nearly $3,000.
If you’re looking for history, “How March Became Madness
” is your book. Eddie Einhorn interviews hundreds of influential players and coaches (like John Wooden and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) to narrate the origin of brackets and televised college games. Short Chapters, pull-quotes and pictures make this a quick read. As a bonus, the book includes a DVD with classic game footage of UCLA vs. Houston in 1968, the first televised college game.“NCAA March Madness: Cinderellas, Superstars, and Champions
is the perfect coffee-table book. Bursting with pictures — lots of historical black and white pics, but also more recent color ones — it navigates through March Madness year by year, from 1939 to 2004. It’s easy to pick up and flip through, and also useful if you’re really wondering, say, what happened in the ’63 or ’79 tournament. Once again, DVD included.If you want less bracketology and more sociology, “The Men of March: A Season Inside the Lives of College Basketball Coaches
” offers the human side of the tournament. Author Brian Curtis follows four coaches through the season: Illinois’s Bill Self, UCLA’s Steve Lavin, Notre Dame’s Mike Brey, and Iowa’s Steve Alford. The conclusions aren’t astonishing (“The responsibilities of a college coach are time-intensive and the job is a never-ending one”), but it offers down-to-earth details on how these coaches overcome difficulties on and off the court.Despite the awkward corporate title, “CBS Sports Presents : Stories From the Final Four
” is an entertaining mosaic of journalist anecdotes. Unlike the methodical approach of “NCAA March Madness,” “Stories from the Final Hour” hopscotches to the most memorable seasons, such as the UCLA powerhouse of the 60s and 70s and the ascension of teams like Duke and North Carolina. This anthology also starts in the 1950s, passing over the first decade of the tournament.“When March Went Mad: The Game That Transformed Basketball
” focuses on the rivalry between Larry Bird (Indiana State) and Magic Johnson (Michigan State) in the famous 1979 championship. Author Seth Davis, longtime journalist for Sports Illustrated and CBS, provides a wealth of well-researched material, including interviews with Bird and Johnson’s coaches and teammates. It’s a detailed look at a watershed moment in college basketball, but doesn’t analyze the impact of this game on tournament history. (PS. Don’t confuse this book with “When March Went Mad: A Celebration of NC State’s 82-83 National Championship,” which tells the Hoosiers-like story of North Carolina State’s underdog victory over Houston)
