The Winners Manual: For The Game Of Life (2008) - Plot & Excerpts
So the Ohio State football season opened this past weekend and I was not in front of the TV for the game. This is the second Buckeye season without Jim Tressel and I find myself struggling to care whether the team wins or loses. My whole life I have "bled scarlet and gray" as we say around here... but when they pressured Coach Tressel into resigning they really tarnished the OSU brand as far as I am concerned. Tressel's book is about leadership... something at which he excels. I loved this book, and felt like I learned a great deal even though I have never played a down of football. The life lessons Tressel extrapolates from the game are universal in their application. His ability to shape young men into champions and professionals is unmatched. His coolness on the sidelines was a wonder to behold. The clarity of his vision, strength of character, depth of commitment to those he led, and willingness to set a positive example all added immensely to Ohio State's stature as a world-class institution capable of attracting the best of the best. Wouldn't it have been brilliant if instead of punishing Tressel for not being perfect, the university had highlighted his example of how a great leader handles himself following a mistake? He acknowledges the wrong, apologizes for harm done, accepts responsibility for the consequences, and pledges to avoid that mistake going forward. What else can any of us ask of anyone? Jim Tressel is a winner... and his book is an excellent addition to any collection on leadership. Thanks Coach! No matter where you go in life... I will be rooting for you! Although this book is found in the football section of your local bookstore, there is not much here on the X's and O's. The author allows the reader, rather, to reflect on their own lives using some of the same principles that he shares with his team. The stories are interesting, and the quotes managed to be timely with what was going on in my life when I was reading it. I now fully understand why players want to play for Coach Tressel and why you never hear a parent complaining about him. I've even shared parts of the book with my 7th grade students, who have had a few "a-ha" moments recently because of it. Highly recommended because it is not preachy or overbearing...he just tells it like he sees it.
What do You think about The Winners Manual: For The Game Of Life (2008)?
His writing skills are not the best, but the messages he tries to get across are valuable. 3/5.
—zoe
A great book on how to plan for success and win at more than just football.
—Molly
