Out of print for more than 30 years, now available for the first time as an eBook, this is the controversial story of John Wooden's first 25 years and first 8 NCAA Championships as UCLA Head Basketball Coach. This is the only book that gives a true picture of the character of John Wooden and the influence of his assistant, Jerry Norman, whose contributions Wooden  ignored and tried to bury.

Compiled with more than 40 hours of interviews with Coach Wooden, learn about the man behind the coach. The players tell their their stories in their own words. This is the book that UCLA Athletic Director J.D. Morgan tried to ban.

Click the book to read the first chapter and for ordering information. Also available on Kindle.


The Double (2/10)

by Tony Medley

Run time 98 minutes.

OK for children.

It's when I see movies like this that I have respect for actors. Richard Gere and Topher Grace say the lines and hit their marks like professionals do, but almost from the opening scene it's clear that this is a thriller that is less than thrilling.

Grace is looking for an assassin called "Cassius" the movie lets us see that Gere is the man. So we go through the entire movie in a kind of cat and mouse game, hoping that Richard won't off Topher and leave his wife and children without a breadwinner.

Even though the music is pretty good, I can't remember sitting through a more boring "thriller" with more plotholes. Michael Brandt wrote (with Derek Haas) and directed, so he has to assume almost total responsibility for this. The chase scenes are silly; in fact there is a chase scene at the end, almost endless, as Richard chases another guy in a car that is nothing if not ridiculous.

The plotholes are major. At the end, Topher knows exactly where Richard is and drives directly to the spot. While it's taken Richard about five minutes of chasing this other guy to get to where the denouement will take place, Topher gets there in about five seconds.

It is just hopelessly silly.

 

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