Author: Jay Greeson
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing Inc.
ISBN: 1613210132
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 209
Book Description
Authors Harris and Manning span the decades that weave together the story of University of Tennessee Vol history and tradition.
Game of My Life Tennessee Volunteers
Author: Jay Greeson
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing Inc.
ISBN: 1613210132
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 209
Book Description
Authors Harris and Manning span the decades that weave together the story of University of Tennessee Vol history and tradition.
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing Inc.
ISBN: 1613210132
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 209
Book Description
Authors Harris and Manning span the decades that weave together the story of University of Tennessee Vol history and tradition.
Game of My Life Alabama Crimson Tide
Author: Tommy Hicks
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1683580419
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 338
Book Description
Alabama’s football legends recall their greatest moments in this newly updated edition of Game of My Life Alabama Crimson Tide. From Harry Gilmer and his excellent play in the 1946 Rose Bowl to Antonio Langham’s heroics in the 1992 game against Florida that led the Crimson Tide to the Sugar Bowl, Alabama has had more than its share of great games, great players, and great moments, including its win over Clemson in the 2015 national championship. In Game of My Life Alabama Crimson Tide, Tommy Hicks takes readers behind the scenes and onto the field with some of the greatest Crimson Tide players ever. Fans will discover the simple advice and prediction head coach Paul "Bear" Bryant gave his team before the 1967 Auburn game won by quarterback Ken Stabler’s famous "run in the mud." Ken Stabler, Mike Shula, Brodie Croyle, Lee Roy Jordan, Cornelius Bennett, Billy Neighbors, Woodrow Lowe, Joey Jones, Bobby Humphrey, Greg McElroy, and many others all share their memories of the most defining, poignant, and heart-stopping games they ever played in. Game of My Life Alabama Crimson Tide highlights some of the games and moments that have added to the tradition of Alabama football.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1683580419
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 338
Book Description
Alabama’s football legends recall their greatest moments in this newly updated edition of Game of My Life Alabama Crimson Tide. From Harry Gilmer and his excellent play in the 1946 Rose Bowl to Antonio Langham’s heroics in the 1992 game against Florida that led the Crimson Tide to the Sugar Bowl, Alabama has had more than its share of great games, great players, and great moments, including its win over Clemson in the 2015 national championship. In Game of My Life Alabama Crimson Tide, Tommy Hicks takes readers behind the scenes and onto the field with some of the greatest Crimson Tide players ever. Fans will discover the simple advice and prediction head coach Paul "Bear" Bryant gave his team before the 1967 Auburn game won by quarterback Ken Stabler’s famous "run in the mud." Ken Stabler, Mike Shula, Brodie Croyle, Lee Roy Jordan, Cornelius Bennett, Billy Neighbors, Woodrow Lowe, Joey Jones, Bobby Humphrey, Greg McElroy, and many others all share their memories of the most defining, poignant, and heart-stopping games they ever played in. Game of My Life Alabama Crimson Tide highlights some of the games and moments that have added to the tradition of Alabama football.
Game of My Life Florida Gators
Author: Pat Dooley
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing Inc.
ISBN: 1613210094
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 273
Book Description
This book provides an in-depth look at the players and games that have shaped Floridas proud football tradition. Several legendary Florida players share their fondest single-game experience and memories as well.
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing Inc.
ISBN: 1613210094
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 273
Book Description
This book provides an in-depth look at the players and games that have shaped Floridas proud football tradition. Several legendary Florida players share their fondest single-game experience and memories as well.
Smokey
Author: Thomas J. Mattingly
Publisher: Univ. of Tennessee Press
ISBN: 1572339756
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 151
Book Description
The band blares “Rocky Top” and the crowd roars as the University of Tennessee football team storms out of the tunnel and onto the field through the giant “T,” their beloved mascot Smokey leading the way. The iconic Bluetick Coonhound has been part of the pageantry and tradition at the University of Tennessee since 1953, delighting fans both young and old. For this entertaining and enlightening book, UT sports historian Thomas J. Mattingly has teamed up with longtime Smokey owner Earl C. Hudson to tell the stories of the nine hounds that have been top dog on campus for more than half a century. It was the Rev. Bill Brooks, Hudson’s brother-in-law, whose prize-winning dog “Brooks’ Blue Smokey,” became the first mascot by winning a student body-led contest at a home football game in 1953. The Coonhound breed was selected because it was native to the state, and several (no one remembers exactly how many) were brought onto the field at halftime to compete. But Smokey stole the show when he threw back his head and howled. The crowd cheered, and Smokey howled again. The raucous applause and barking built to a frenzy. The enthusiastic hound won the hearts of the Volunteer faithful that day, and he and the dogs that followed have remained among the University of Tennessee’s most popular symbols ever since. The authors have interviewed Smokey’s former handlers, university archivists, sports journalists, and local historians as well as legions of longtime fans. Their recollections provide not only the background of the mascot but a history of UT athletics as well. Vol fans will enjoy reading about Smokey’s adventures throughout the years, from his kidnapping in 1955 by mischievous Kentucky students to his confrontation with the Baylor Bear at the 1957 Sugar Bowl to the time he suffered heat exhaustion at the 1991 UCLA game and was listed on the Vols’ injury report until his return later in the season. Filled with photographs and memorabilia, including vintage game programs, football schedules, letters, cartoons, and more, this book brings to life the magic of UT football and the endearing canines that have become such an indispensable part of the experience. THOMAS J. MATTINGLY is the author of Tennessee Football: The Peyton Manning Years, The University of Tennessee Football Vault: The Story of the Tennessee Volunteers, 1891-2006, The University of Tennessee All-Access Football Vault and The University of Tennessee Trivia Book. He writes about Vol history on his Knoxville News Sentinel blog, “The Vol Historian.” EARL C. HUDSON’s family have cared for the Smokeys since 1994.
Publisher: Univ. of Tennessee Press
ISBN: 1572339756
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 151
Book Description
The band blares “Rocky Top” and the crowd roars as the University of Tennessee football team storms out of the tunnel and onto the field through the giant “T,” their beloved mascot Smokey leading the way. The iconic Bluetick Coonhound has been part of the pageantry and tradition at the University of Tennessee since 1953, delighting fans both young and old. For this entertaining and enlightening book, UT sports historian Thomas J. Mattingly has teamed up with longtime Smokey owner Earl C. Hudson to tell the stories of the nine hounds that have been top dog on campus for more than half a century. It was the Rev. Bill Brooks, Hudson’s brother-in-law, whose prize-winning dog “Brooks’ Blue Smokey,” became the first mascot by winning a student body-led contest at a home football game in 1953. The Coonhound breed was selected because it was native to the state, and several (no one remembers exactly how many) were brought onto the field at halftime to compete. But Smokey stole the show when he threw back his head and howled. The crowd cheered, and Smokey howled again. The raucous applause and barking built to a frenzy. The enthusiastic hound won the hearts of the Volunteer faithful that day, and he and the dogs that followed have remained among the University of Tennessee’s most popular symbols ever since. The authors have interviewed Smokey’s former handlers, university archivists, sports journalists, and local historians as well as legions of longtime fans. Their recollections provide not only the background of the mascot but a history of UT athletics as well. Vol fans will enjoy reading about Smokey’s adventures throughout the years, from his kidnapping in 1955 by mischievous Kentucky students to his confrontation with the Baylor Bear at the 1957 Sugar Bowl to the time he suffered heat exhaustion at the 1991 UCLA game and was listed on the Vols’ injury report until his return later in the season. Filled with photographs and memorabilia, including vintage game programs, football schedules, letters, cartoons, and more, this book brings to life the magic of UT football and the endearing canines that have become such an indispensable part of the experience. THOMAS J. MATTINGLY is the author of Tennessee Football: The Peyton Manning Years, The University of Tennessee Football Vault: The Story of the Tennessee Volunteers, 1891-2006, The University of Tennessee All-Access Football Vault and The University of Tennessee Trivia Book. He writes about Vol history on his Knoxville News Sentinel blog, “The Vol Historian.” EARL C. HUDSON’s family have cared for the Smokeys since 1994.
Game of My Life
Author: Marty Mulé
Publisher: Sports Publishing LLC
ISBN: 159670005X
Category : Football players
Languages : en
Pages : 257
Book Description
A continuing and on-going drama, LSU football is a string of improbable victories and sometimes valiant defeats, and within Game Of My Life: LSU Tigers the players responsible for perpetual story lift the curtain on their greatest acts. Here are the accounts of almost three dozen of the most remembered Tiger games of the last eight decades, as seen through the eyes -- and from the memories -- of some of LSU's most remembered athletes.Award-winning author and Louisiana-native Marty Muli takes you from the jumpy Ken Kavanaugh, a decorated bomber pilot who, in 1939, was nervous on his first plane ride en route to his four-touchdown day against Eastern-power Holy Cross; to the backdrop of Hurricane Katrina and JaMarcus Russell's last-gasp, game-winning touchdown pass against Arizona State for the displaced Bayou Bengals. In between, you hear from Billy Cannon as he decided to break a team rule and return a deep punt against Ole Miss. Run with Devery Henderson as he took a tipped pass out of the air to complete a 75-yard game-winning Hail Mary play with no time remaining against Kentucky. Shine with Tommy Hodson and Eddie Fuller on "The Night the Tigers Shook the Earth," as they deprived Auburn of a shot at the national title. Hold the fort with Max Fugler as he single-handedly stopped Ole Miss on four straight plays from inside the LSU 2-yard line. Carlos Carson's stunning NCAA-record five straight receptions for touchdowns against Rice; Kevin Faulk's 376 all-purpose yards to spearhead an amazing comeback against Houston; Ronnie Estay's 17-tackle game against Notre Dame; and Jim Taylor's 1957 heroics on offense and defense against Tulane to save Paul Dietzel's job -- and perhaps the '58national championship -- all appear in this volume of LSU history. Players such as Matt Mauck, Rohan Davey, and Marcus Spear also add their words to this storied collection that becomes a must-have for any true Tiger fan and Bayou football lov
Publisher: Sports Publishing LLC
ISBN: 159670005X
Category : Football players
Languages : en
Pages : 257
Book Description
A continuing and on-going drama, LSU football is a string of improbable victories and sometimes valiant defeats, and within Game Of My Life: LSU Tigers the players responsible for perpetual story lift the curtain on their greatest acts. Here are the accounts of almost three dozen of the most remembered Tiger games of the last eight decades, as seen through the eyes -- and from the memories -- of some of LSU's most remembered athletes.Award-winning author and Louisiana-native Marty Muli takes you from the jumpy Ken Kavanaugh, a decorated bomber pilot who, in 1939, was nervous on his first plane ride en route to his four-touchdown day against Eastern-power Holy Cross; to the backdrop of Hurricane Katrina and JaMarcus Russell's last-gasp, game-winning touchdown pass against Arizona State for the displaced Bayou Bengals. In between, you hear from Billy Cannon as he decided to break a team rule and return a deep punt against Ole Miss. Run with Devery Henderson as he took a tipped pass out of the air to complete a 75-yard game-winning Hail Mary play with no time remaining against Kentucky. Shine with Tommy Hodson and Eddie Fuller on "The Night the Tigers Shook the Earth," as they deprived Auburn of a shot at the national title. Hold the fort with Max Fugler as he single-handedly stopped Ole Miss on four straight plays from inside the LSU 2-yard line. Carlos Carson's stunning NCAA-record five straight receptions for touchdowns against Rice; Kevin Faulk's 376 all-purpose yards to spearhead an amazing comeback against Houston; Ronnie Estay's 17-tackle game against Notre Dame; and Jim Taylor's 1957 heroics on offense and defense against Tulane to save Paul Dietzel's job -- and perhaps the '58national championship -- all appear in this volume of LSU history. Players such as Matt Mauck, Rohan Davey, and Marcus Spear also add their words to this storied collection that becomes a must-have for any true Tiger fan and Bayou football lov
Inside the NFL's First Family
Author: Bruce Matthews
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1501144782
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 240
Book Description
"The 14-time Pro Bowler and NFL Hall of Fame inductee traces his family's three-generation participation in the National Football League, describing the competitive spirit, passion for excellence, compassion for the disadvantaged, family love and faith that inspired their careers in football."--NoveList Plus.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1501144782
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 240
Book Description
"The 14-time Pro Bowler and NFL Hall of Fame inductee traces his family's three-generation participation in the National Football League, describing the competitive spirit, passion for excellence, compassion for the disadvantaged, family love and faith that inspired their careers in football."--NoveList Plus.
Game of My Life Texas A&M Aggies
Author: Brent Zwerneman
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1613214553
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 314
Book Description
Game of My Life Texas A&M Aggies describes, in colorful detail, the single-favorite game of some of Texas A&M’s greatest football legends. While each of these stars has different memories, they all certainly have a place in Texas A&M’s football history. Discover all the details surrounding these monumental moments—the unique aura of each game; where A&M stood at the time, both athletically and socially; plus a biographical sketch of each Aggie legend, including where he is now. Hear from A&M linebacker Dat Nguyen, the team’s all-time leading tackler, about the 1998 Big 12 Championship Game, plus such games as A&M’s 20–16 win over Bear Bryant-led Alabama in the 1968 Cotton Bowl. Jarrin’ John Kimbrough talks about leading the Aggies to their only national title in 1939 with a 14–13 defeat of Tulane in the 1940 Sugar Bowl. Other standouts include defensive end Ray Childress, quarterback Kevin Murray, linebacker Ed Simonini, quarterback Bucky Richardson, and running back John David Crow.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1613214553
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 314
Book Description
Game of My Life Texas A&M Aggies describes, in colorful detail, the single-favorite game of some of Texas A&M’s greatest football legends. While each of these stars has different memories, they all certainly have a place in Texas A&M’s football history. Discover all the details surrounding these monumental moments—the unique aura of each game; where A&M stood at the time, both athletically and socially; plus a biographical sketch of each Aggie legend, including where he is now. Hear from A&M linebacker Dat Nguyen, the team’s all-time leading tackler, about the 1998 Big 12 Championship Game, plus such games as A&M’s 20–16 win over Bear Bryant-led Alabama in the 1968 Cotton Bowl. Jarrin’ John Kimbrough talks about leading the Aggies to their only national title in 1939 with a 14–13 defeat of Tulane in the 1940 Sugar Bowl. Other standouts include defensive end Ray Childress, quarterback Kevin Murray, linebacker Ed Simonini, quarterback Bucky Richardson, and running back John David Crow.
Game of My Life Miami Hurricanes
Author: Craig T Smith
Publisher: Sports Publishing
ISBN: 9781613217047
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 224
Book Description
This book takes a personal look inside some of the biggest moments of Miami’s greatest players as “The U” morphed from a football program nearly disbanded in the 1970s to a national power. Three-time All-American and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Ted “the Mad Stork” Hendricks shares his thoughts on single-handedly dominating the LSU Tigers in 1967. Current Georgia head coach Mark Richt recalls getting pelted with oranges in Gainesville in 1980, then taking over for an injured Jim Kelly and leading the Canes to a 21-20 win over the Gators in 1981. Alonzo Highsmith remembers all four of his touchdowns in Miami’s first victory at Notre Dame in 1984, where he wanted to jump out of the stadium . . . and run over that leprechaun. Vinny Testaverde recounts the antics of Melvin Bratton and Alonzo Highsmith, who prank-called Brian Bosworth the morning before No. 1 Oklahoma invaded the Orange Bowl to take on the No. 2 ’Canes, where Testaverde threw four touchdown passes in a 28-16 Heisman-clinching win. Gino Torretta describes the shot that knocked the wind out of him as he delivered the game-winning touchdown pass to Lamar Thomas in Miami’s 19-16 “Wide Right II” victory. There are many more unforgettable moments in Game of My Life Miami Hurricanes that span different eras of Miami football, including conversations with former All-American Eric Winston, Super Bowl champion Jonathan Vilma, All-American wideout Santana Moss, and record-setting kicker Carlos Huerta. All share close and personal details of what they were thinking and feeling in the best games of their careers. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team. Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
Publisher: Sports Publishing
ISBN: 9781613217047
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 224
Book Description
This book takes a personal look inside some of the biggest moments of Miami’s greatest players as “The U” morphed from a football program nearly disbanded in the 1970s to a national power. Three-time All-American and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Ted “the Mad Stork” Hendricks shares his thoughts on single-handedly dominating the LSU Tigers in 1967. Current Georgia head coach Mark Richt recalls getting pelted with oranges in Gainesville in 1980, then taking over for an injured Jim Kelly and leading the Canes to a 21-20 win over the Gators in 1981. Alonzo Highsmith remembers all four of his touchdowns in Miami’s first victory at Notre Dame in 1984, where he wanted to jump out of the stadium . . . and run over that leprechaun. Vinny Testaverde recounts the antics of Melvin Bratton and Alonzo Highsmith, who prank-called Brian Bosworth the morning before No. 1 Oklahoma invaded the Orange Bowl to take on the No. 2 ’Canes, where Testaverde threw four touchdown passes in a 28-16 Heisman-clinching win. Gino Torretta describes the shot that knocked the wind out of him as he delivered the game-winning touchdown pass to Lamar Thomas in Miami’s 19-16 “Wide Right II” victory. There are many more unforgettable moments in Game of My Life Miami Hurricanes that span different eras of Miami football, including conversations with former All-American Eric Winston, Super Bowl champion Jonathan Vilma, All-American wideout Santana Moss, and record-setting kicker Carlos Huerta. All share close and personal details of what they were thinking and feeling in the best games of their careers. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team. Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
On Rocky Top
Author: Clay Travis
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0061719269
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 359
Book Description
“The best book on college football I’ve read in a generation….If you love college football, you’ll love this book.” — Jeff Pearlman, New York Times bestselling author of Boys Will Be Boys and The Bad Guys Won! Part Season on the Brink, part Fever Pitch, On Rocky Top is a rollicking, all-access pass to the rough-and-tumble world of University of Tennessee football. The book chronicles the 2008 season, during which the team suffered its second worst record ever and Head Coach Phil Fulmer, the most beloved and recognized man in Tennessee, was fired. Author of Dixieland Delight, Clay Travis offers a fascinating inside look at the inner workings of a major college sports program, and chronicles a season of promise that went terribly wrong, ending a long, fabled era.
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0061719269
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 359
Book Description
“The best book on college football I’ve read in a generation….If you love college football, you’ll love this book.” — Jeff Pearlman, New York Times bestselling author of Boys Will Be Boys and The Bad Guys Won! Part Season on the Brink, part Fever Pitch, On Rocky Top is a rollicking, all-access pass to the rough-and-tumble world of University of Tennessee football. The book chronicles the 2008 season, during which the team suffered its second worst record ever and Head Coach Phil Fulmer, the most beloved and recognized man in Tennessee, was fired. Author of Dixieland Delight, Clay Travis offers a fascinating inside look at the inner workings of a major college sports program, and chronicles a season of promise that went terribly wrong, ending a long, fabled era.
Raise the Roof
Author: Pat Summitt
Publisher: Crown
ISBN: 0307814467
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 305
Book Description
"It wasn't a team. It was a tent revival." So says Pat Summitt, the legendary coach whose Tennessee Lady Vols entered the 1997-98 season aiming for an almost unprecedented "three-peat" of NCAA championships. Raise the Roof takes you right inside the locker room of her amazing team, whose inspired mixture of gifted freshmen and seasoned stars produced a standard of play that would change the game of women's basketball forever. The 1997-98 season started innocently enough. One Saturday in August, four young freshmen--Semeka Randall, Tamika Catchings, Ace Clement and Teresa Geter--arrived on the Tennessee campus to begin their college careers. Welcoming them were a number of players from the previous year, including Chamique Holdsclaw and Kellie Jolly. But that night, in a sign of things to come, a simple pickup game turned into an amazing display of basketball brilliance--freshmen against established players, and with barely a shot missed by either side. Suddenly Pat Summitt glimpsed the future: fast, aggressive and hugely talented. This might be the team she'd worked her whole career to coach. As the season got under way, other dramas unfolded. After one emotional team meeting, Summitt realized that many on the team were playing for something more than just the glory of the game: all four freshmen, for example, came from single-parent homes, and the tough circumstances of the majority of the other players seemed to add an extra edge to their desire to win it all. Further, Chamique Holdsclaw, widely regarded as the greatest female player ever, was being dogged by questions about turning pro--and she seemed reluctant to rule it out. Meanwhile, another member of the team began to notice the unwelcome attentions of a fan, who soon turned out to be a full-fledged stalker. All this was behind the scenes; out on the court, the win column was swelling with every game: 8-0, 15-0, 21-0. As 1997 turned into 1998, Pat Summitt began privately to admit that this team had changed her: these kids were so lovable, funny and eager to please that she simply had to let them into her heart. Along the way, the Lady Vols were redefining what women were capable of, trading in old definitions of femininity for new ones--in short, they were keeping score. And by the time they entered the NCAA Final Four tournament in Kansas City, Summitt found herself believing the impossible: despite all the distractions, the 1997-98 Lady Vols could go undefeated, and, in doing so, raise the roof off the sport of women's basketball. Packed with the excitement of a season on the brink of perfection and filled with the comedy and tragedy of one year in the life of a basketball team, Raise the Roof will have readers cheering from the bench for a team of all-conquering players and their astonishing coach.
Publisher: Crown
ISBN: 0307814467
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 305
Book Description
"It wasn't a team. It was a tent revival." So says Pat Summitt, the legendary coach whose Tennessee Lady Vols entered the 1997-98 season aiming for an almost unprecedented "three-peat" of NCAA championships. Raise the Roof takes you right inside the locker room of her amazing team, whose inspired mixture of gifted freshmen and seasoned stars produced a standard of play that would change the game of women's basketball forever. The 1997-98 season started innocently enough. One Saturday in August, four young freshmen--Semeka Randall, Tamika Catchings, Ace Clement and Teresa Geter--arrived on the Tennessee campus to begin their college careers. Welcoming them were a number of players from the previous year, including Chamique Holdsclaw and Kellie Jolly. But that night, in a sign of things to come, a simple pickup game turned into an amazing display of basketball brilliance--freshmen against established players, and with barely a shot missed by either side. Suddenly Pat Summitt glimpsed the future: fast, aggressive and hugely talented. This might be the team she'd worked her whole career to coach. As the season got under way, other dramas unfolded. After one emotional team meeting, Summitt realized that many on the team were playing for something more than just the glory of the game: all four freshmen, for example, came from single-parent homes, and the tough circumstances of the majority of the other players seemed to add an extra edge to their desire to win it all. Further, Chamique Holdsclaw, widely regarded as the greatest female player ever, was being dogged by questions about turning pro--and she seemed reluctant to rule it out. Meanwhile, another member of the team began to notice the unwelcome attentions of a fan, who soon turned out to be a full-fledged stalker. All this was behind the scenes; out on the court, the win column was swelling with every game: 8-0, 15-0, 21-0. As 1997 turned into 1998, Pat Summitt began privately to admit that this team had changed her: these kids were so lovable, funny and eager to please that she simply had to let them into her heart. Along the way, the Lady Vols were redefining what women were capable of, trading in old definitions of femininity for new ones--in short, they were keeping score. And by the time they entered the NCAA Final Four tournament in Kansas City, Summitt found herself believing the impossible: despite all the distractions, the 1997-98 Lady Vols could go undefeated, and, in doing so, raise the roof off the sport of women's basketball. Packed with the excitement of a season on the brink of perfection and filled with the comedy and tragedy of one year in the life of a basketball team, Raise the Roof will have readers cheering from the bench for a team of all-conquering players and their astonishing coach.