By Curt Sampson
Ranking:
I was hoping this would be another The Franchise. However, it wasn't. Keep in mind, however that "The Franchise" is one of the all-time greats. This book follows the Seattle Sonics through the 1993-94 season--the season in which they finished with the league's best record and became the first #1 seed to lose to a #8 seed in the playoffs.
The book isn't as much on the inside as "The Franchise" and only covers the team aspect, instead of the entire Sonics organization. You see George Karl on and off the court. You see his strong views about today's overpaid crybaby pampered basketball players. You can read more about this in Karl's book This Game is the Best! (So why Don't They Stop Screwing with It?). You also learn about the coaching staff's philosophy and you also learn about each of the players on the team, from the superstars like Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton, to the role players like Michael Cage and Nate McMillan, to the practice players like Steve Scheffler. The book runs through the season, the playoffs and through the NBA draft.
You also not only learn about the player's past and Karl's past but also the history of the Sonics franchise. I guess the 2 things that really held this book back was the vulgar language and the fact that you KNOW what's going to happen and as you get more excited during the season, you ultimately know what's going to happen in the playoffs, and even if you find yourself pulling for them, you know the upcoming dissapointment. Also, like I said, it's not nearly as good as "The Franchise." If you run across the book and don't want to buy it, at least read the story on the back cover, because it is hilarious.
Insight: 5
History: mostly 1993-94, but also 1971-1993
Readability: 3
Full Court Pressure: A Tumultuos Season with Coach George Karl and the Seattle Sonics. Curt Sampson. Doubleday. 1995.
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