Synopses & Reviews
and#8220;In the best John Feinstein traditionand#8221; (andlt;iandgt;Booklistandlt;/iandgt;) the greatest college basketball story in decadesand#8212;the Butler Bulldogs and their improbable run to two straight NCAA National Championship gamesand#8212;now updated in paperback.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Butler University in Indianapolis became the smallest school in forty years to reach the NCAA championship game. Calculated as a 200-to-1 shot to win, Butler came andlt;iandgt;this closeandlt;/iandgt; to beating the heavily favored, perennial leaders of college basketball: the Duke Blue Devils in 2010. And in 2011, Butler advanced again to the finals, ultimately losing to UConnand#8212;but accomplishing so much. andlt;iandgt;Underdawgsandlt;/iandgt; tells the incredible and uplifting story. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Butlerand#8217;s coach, thirty-three-year-old Brad Stevens, looked so youngandnbsp;he was oftenandnbsp;mistakenandnbsp;forandnbsp;one of the players, but he had quickly become one of the best coaches in the nation by employing the Butler Way.andnbsp;This philosophy of basketball and life, adopted by the program, is based on five principles: humility, passion, unity, servanthood, and thankfulness. Even the most casual observer could see this in every player, on the court and off,andnbsp;from 2010 NBA first-round draft pick Gordon Hayward to the last guy on the bench.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Much more than a sports story, andlt;iandgt;Underdawgsandlt;/iandgt; is the consummate David vs. Goliath taleand#8212;the Bulldogs proved they belonged in the spotlight and, in the process, won the hearts of sports fans everywhere.andnbsp;
Review
"If you want to learn how basketball is played in its purest form--the team game--learn all you can about Butler hoops. They represent what college basketball is all about!"
—Dick Vitale
Synopsis
"In the best John Feinstein tradition" (Booklist) the greatest college basketball story in decades--the Butler Bulldogs and their improbable run to two straight NCAA National Championship games--now updated in paperback.
Butler University in Indianapolis became the smallest school in forty years to reach the NCAA championship game. Calculated as a 200-to-1 shot to win, Butler came this close to beating the heavily favored, perennial leaders of college basketball: the Duke Blue Devils in 2010. And in 2011, Butler advanced again to the finals, ultimately losing to UConn--but accomplishing so much. Underdawgs tells the incredible and uplifting story.
Butler's coach, thirty-three-year-old Brad Stevens, looked so young he was often mistaken for one of the players, but he had quickly become one of the best coaches in the nation by employing the Butler Way. This philosophy of basketball and life, adopted by the program, is based on five principles: humility, passion, unity, servanthood, and thankfulness. Even the most casual observer could see this in every player, on the court and off, from 2010 NBA first-round draft pick Gordon Hayward to the last guy on the bench.
Much more than a sports story, Underdawgs is the consummate David vs. Goliath tale--the Bulldogs proved they belonged in the spotlight and, in the process, won the hearts of sports fans everywhere.
Synopsis
Butler University in Indianapolis became the smallest school in 40 years to reach the NCAA championship game. Prior to the tournament, a statistician calculated the Bulldogs as a 200-to-1 shot to win. But as fascinating as what Butler accomplished was how they did it.
Underdawgs tells the incredible and uplifting story.
Butlers coach, 33-year-old Brad Stevens, looked so young he was often mistaken for one of the players, but he had quickly become one of the best coaches in the nation by employing the “Butler Way.” This philosophy of basketball and life, adopted by former coach Barry Collier, is based on five principles: humility, passion, unity, servanthood, and thankfulness. Even the most casual observer could see this in every player, on the court and off, from NBA first-round draft pick Gordon Hayward to the last guy on the bench.
Butler was coming off a great 2009-10 regular season, but its longtime existence on the periphery of major college basketball fostered doubt as March Madness set in. But after two historic upsets, one of top-seeded Syracuse and another of second-seeded Kansas State, and making it to the Final Four, the Bulldogs came within the diameter of a shoelace of beating the perennial leaders of college basketball: the Duke Blue Devils. Much more than a sports story, Underdawgs is the consummate David versus Goliath tale. Despite Dukes winning the championship, the Bulldogs proved they belonged in the game and, in the process, won the respect of people who were not even sports fans.
Synopsis
YOUR BRACKET HAS BEEN BUSTED
In 2010, Butler University in Indianapolis became the smallest school in forty years to reach the NCAA championship game. Then, in 2011, the Bulldogs did it again. The way in which Butler accomplished this incredible feat makes for one of the most uplifting narratives in sports history. Butlers coach, Brad Stevens, looked so young he was often mistaken for one of the players, but he had quickly become one of the best coaches in the nation. A statistical and tactical wizard, Stevens led the Bulldogs by employing the “Butler Way,” a philosophy of basketball and life based on five principles: humility, passion, unity, servanthood, and thankfulness. Even the most casual observer could see this in every player, on the court and off, from NBA first-round draft pick Gordon Hayward in 2010 to senior leader Matt Howard in 2011 to the last guy on the bench.
March Madness is among the athletic worlds supreme manifestations, and for two seasons, the Bulldogs made it as exciting as it has ever been. Much more than a sports story, Underdawgs is the consummate David versus Goliath tale, the likes of which we may never see again. Unless Butler does it.
About the Author
andlt;bandgt;David Woodsandlt;/bandgt; is an Urbana, Illinois native who has won national and state awards for his sports reporting. Woods has covered five Olympic games for andlt;iandgt;Theandlt;/iandgt; andlt;iandgt;Indianapolis Starandlt;/iandgt;, and he has been that paperand#8217;s beat writer for Butler basketball since 2001. He maintains the and#8220;Bulldog Insiderand#8221; blogandnbsp;for IndyStar.com and is also the author ofandnbsp;andlt;iandgt;The Butler Way: The Best of Butler Basketballandlt;/iandgt;, a history of the program, published regionally in 2009. He and his wife, Jan, and their two daughters live in Indianapolis.