Product Description

Former Sports Illustrated senior writer Tim Crothers took a year off to write a book; that year became a five-year odyssey chronicling one of the most successful coaches in the history of sports. The Man Watching reveals, for the first time, the story of the man, Anson Dorrance, who built the University of North Carolina soccer program that Sports Illustrated hailed in 2003 as "The Greatest College Sports Dynasty Ever." Dorrance, in 2004, was named one of the top 25 coaches of the past 25 years by an expert panel at ESPN.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #250334 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 376 pages

From the Inside Flap
Impossible.

That's the word most often used to describe what Anson Dorrance has done as a soccer coach. First, there are the remarkable eighteen national championships and then there's the fact that his teams have won 94 percent of their games. But imagine that the greatest dynasty in the history of college sports has been created by a man who never aspired to coach and got the job only after a case of mistaken identity. Imagine that the UNC program is run in such chaos that Dorrance can't remember the names of some if his players and often arrives late for games after getting lost in transit. Yet Dorrance is considered by to be a great leader, motivator, mentor, and he is certainly one of the most successful coaches in all of sport.

Through it all, Dorrance has groomed more All-Americans than any other coach in any sport. In The Man Watching, Dorrance and his players describe in gripping detail, how he breeds "savages" in practice by tossing them into his grueling "competitive cauldron" and then motivates them to outduel each other through his sarcastic wit, pushing them to the boundaries of their physical and emotional endurance. In this book Dorrance also tells his side of the story for the first time about the lawsuit filed by two former UNC players, which threatened to destroy his career. Crothers spent four soccer seasons interviewing Tar Heels from every era along with players and coaches from other programs to create the most comprehensive, intimate, and unfiltered look ever inside and athletic dynasty.

This is not a book about a soccer coach, but about one fascinating man and the 200 young women he has inspired to believe that anything is possible.

From the Back Cover
"I am so proud to have played to Anson and to be a Tar Heel. The Man Watching is a rare look behind the scenes at everything it takes to coach and play at the highest level, but to me it's more about what Anson has done to coach all of us so well in life."
-- Mia Hamm, International Soccer Star

"Anson Dorrance's story is one of the most fascinating to ever come along in American sports. And Tim Crothers is the perfect writer to tell it."
-- Rick Reilly, Sports Illustrated

"The story of one of the winningest coaches in history, this powerful book takes you on a journey of strength, courage, and leadership. It's a great read for anybody aspiring to be the best in sports, business, or whatever their chosen field."
-- Dr. Stephen Covey, Best-Selling author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

"Anson has built a dynasty that has no comparison and Tim Crothers has written a book equally extraordinary, chronicling this pioneering coach and his remarkable teams with a depth of knowledge and insight that I believe only Anson and Tim could bring."
-- Dean Smith, Legendary UNC basketball coach

"This book isn't about a great women's soccer coach, it's about a great coach, period. Anyone who aspires to a leadership role can learn form Anson's innovative style and approach."
-- Pete Carroll, Southern California football coach

"Anson Dorrance is masterful in using both creativity and intensity to develop the competitive potential of his players. This book is full of captivating stories about all the steps and even missteps Anson has taken in producing a consistently successful record that may never be equaled. Needless to say, Anson's story is full of useful insights and lessons about our wonderful game."
-- Juergen Klinsmann, head coach of the '06 German World Cup team

About the Author
Tim Crothers is a former senior writer at Sports Illustrated, who spent 12 years at the magazine as a general assignment reporter covering a wide variety of sports from Super Bowls and the World Series to writing the first-ever national story on Tiger Woods. Crothers is a graduate of the University of North Carolina. He is also a journalism professor at UNC and lives in Chapel Hill, N.C., with his wife, Dana, and their son, Atticus.

Customer Reviews

A great read -- more than a sports book
I picked up this book expecting to read a sports biography and discovered alot more. It profiles Anson Dorrance, the most famous women's soccer coach in the world and arguably the originator of the whole women's soccer phenomenon. The book also offers insight into what it takes to be a leader, how leadership is born, how it is developed and maintained over time. The author reveals, through anecdotes and direct quotes, what drives Dorrance and what has made him so successful. The book is a primer and a workbook on how to coach any sport at any level as well as a leadership guide.

This book is much more than just a book about a coach and soccer
While this book is about soccer and the best ever college coach of all times, it is on a higher-level a wonderful book about life. It is about competition, success, living life to the fullest, and living a life with good values. Tim Crothers' excellent research has enabled him to fill the book with quotes by Dorrance and others that will remain with you long after you have put the book down.

Reading this book about a coach who coached a team that played against my daughter's ACC college team for four years, has made me re-think every thing I may have thought during those years. Those who get to the top--and stay at the top are undoubtedly very clever and very driven as it gets even more competitive when every team and every player is gunning for you every time you set a foot on a field. With the well-balanced and honest views that Crothers presents, it is hard not to be in total awe of Anson and his success and to dismiss completely those distracters who often have less-than-honest motives. This is an excellent book--and well worth reading for many reasons.

Highly recommended
This book is a must-read for anyone who wishes to be inspired. In detailed prose, through literary excerpts, game-day speeches, letters, quotes, and humorous anecdotes, Tim Crothers has unlocked the hidden treasures of Anson Dorrance's extraordinary coaching and its force in directing young lives to greatness. More than a simple biography, THE MAN WATCHING brings the dramatic and riveting story of Dorrance building the UNC women's soccer legacy to life. This real-life story reads like a novel but it is all the more compelling because it is true--phenomenal!