Bootlegger's Boy

by Barry Switzer, Bud Shrake

The controversial football coach recounts his battles with the NCAA as leader of the Oklahoma Sooners, when he was accused of unethical recruitment practices and other violations

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction, Biography, Football

403 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 1, 1990

Reviews

[Jerad Joslin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed quite a bit of the background on Switzer’s early life and his memories of players and games that he shares. Some of the players and games I remember; others were “before my time.”
While this book was published in 1990 and is dated to current readers, Switzer’s passion and fire for football, coaching, his players (many of whom saw him as a father figure) and his innocence in the midst of accusations and potential conspiracies still jumps off the page. Of course, the perspective that comes with more time would be interesting, but the freshness of the hurt he felt is evident and, I’m sure, therapeutic for him to share in a book like this at the time it was written.
Another interesting part of my reading of this book is the perspective of college football in the 80s while I’m also reading a more current book with similar topics called “The System.” Some things don’t change, while others have changed greatly.
In the end, I know that Barry Switzer was a polarizing figure to many. Being an OU fan, I lean toward believing a lot of what he says. But even if his fiery personality turned many people off, what I hear of him as a person and have seen of him IN person a couple of times, makes me appreciate his heart for people and his passion for football.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Switzer is certainly an entertaining person and for the most part, so is his book. He covers his personal life as well as his professional life. Love him or hate him, Switzer should get credit for being so successful in his life, considering the tragic and troubled family life that he had to endure while growing up. As for his coaching career, he takes the reader through the various coaching jobs he had leading up to head coach at OU, then he goes into detail about his years at the university: the recruiting, the players, the discipline issues, the games, the big rivals and the national titles. The last thing he covers is why the university released him (officially he resigned) and addressed each of the violations. Switzer has a polarizing personality but I believe he was being honest in saying what he did do and what he didn’t do.
(PS. Just for the record, I am a UT fan).

[Aaron Murray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent book but it is more a note on why he never did anything wrong. Short and an easy listen.

[Hatuxka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of this born-poor southern boy, unusual in his color blindness that predated how many southern bible belt football coaches later seemed to become because they were forced to to win and keep their jobs. A rare liberal (as liberal as any football coach could ever be) in a field of phony right wingers. He was successful because he could relate to black players in the way John Wooden became successful in basketball by relating to black players as (young) men not boys or black boys. A great read for fans of Oklahoma football.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A chance to walk a mile in the shoes of one of college football's mavericks. If you're a Switzer hater, this book might give you a new perspective. And for Sooner fans, it's just pure Barry. The intro about the building of the OU football "monster" (I'm assuming this was mostly from Bud Shrake) was really good stuff.

[Thomas Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barry Switzer cut a three hour diss track after leaving the Sooners, and then had CRAZIER beef, which really says something about Jerry Jones GOD I’m so ready to watch some mf BALL

Also Barry sounds like Peggy Hill when he says “penises” in the audiobook lmao

[Mike Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this in college at OU and if you love Football and History
this is a great read. Pretty fun to read a book that you understand
first hand because you were there to see it!

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the dawn of time (for me) Barry Switzer was the coach of the Oklahoma Sooners. I started watching football the year Billy Sims won the Heisman. A guy from my high school was recruited by Switzer and was on his final national championship team. I remember the wishbone offense. And I remember the shame and jokes that came with the scandals that drove Switzer out of his job.

In this autobiography Switzer talks about his early years, his career as a college football player, as an assistant at Arkansas, then Oklahoma, his wins, his losses, his personal life, great players and players who could have been great, and the tragedy that was the end of his great career as the head coach at OU. The one thing I'll probably remember most is the final scene with his mother.

Overall, I liked this book. It was a little distracting and kind of amateurish when he'd break the narrative to address the people he was talking about, but honestly, it's his personality, so ... I'd recommend the book to any Sooner fan and, really, anyone interested in football or a true story about how a poor boy rose to glory.

[Burt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bootlegger’s Boy is Barry Switzer’s always-entertaining autobiography. (The book ends in 1990, so it does not cover Switzer’s years with the Dallas Cowboys). Readers will enjoy his detailed accounts of growing up in a grossly-dysfunctional home in southern Arkansas. Switzer also has a lot of great tales from his days as head coach at the University of Oklahoma.

As much as I enjoyed the book, it has some flaws. Switzer is an unreliable narrator. He constantly downplays his failures and tries to spin the many problems in the OU football program as “no big deal.” He’s also scathing to those who opposed him, going so far as to call one OU administrator “King Nerd.”

Bootlegger’s Boy will keep your attention, but it’s just Switzer’s version of events. Still, football fans will not want to miss it.

[Walter Montague · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written in 1990 when his scandalous exit from OU was still very fresh. I remember reading this back then. I found it more enjoyable then than now. Clearly a lot is missing and I would love an updated bio from the man as 35 years has passed since this was written. He coached and won in the NFL which occurred after this was written. I am far from an OU fan but I have always had great respect for Switzer’s track record. He is very defensive in this book. Knowing the true story would be fascinating.

[John Chancey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a lifelong Sooners fan and graduate. I was born the year before Switzer resigned from the program. I was vaguely familiar with his career but it was really cool to read about the state of college football during his tenure. It’s always been the Wild West in some ways. It was interesting to read about his downfall that led to the resignation but since this is an autobiography I take his side of things with a grain of salt. Even if he wasn’t directly involved in the accusations leveled at the football program he was still guilty of being ignorant, which might be worse.

[Ian Hamilton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t doubt that Switzer uses this autobiography to paint a rosier than reality picture of his time as coach of OU. Sure, he was probably willfully ignorant about a lot of the things that were happening during his tenure, and conveniently and selectively only fesses up to certain number, but I get the impression that he was a genuinely good guy who cared for those around him. Plus, the guy was hilarious and wore his heart on this sleeve.

[Andy Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw this book on a bookshelf at my house growing up. I took this book to college thinking I would pick it up. I just now got around to reading it and was shocked to find out the things I did. I never knew the story behind the controversy. I feel up with OU really struggling. It didn't get better until Stoops came around. It was interesting to see the way Switzer grew up and the things he did to change out and college football.

[Cory Rex · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re a big Sooners fan who missed a lot of the success of the 70’s and 80’s this is a great read. The only reason I took away a star is there is a lot of going over specific games on a schedule that got sort of mundane. Otherwise it was a fast read and a fun read. Barry is a treasure. Hoping Brent can bring some of that energy to the defense this upcoming season.

[Sam Baca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would’ve probably been a lot more relevant if I read it in 1990 when it came out but some of the scandals were so dated. He also flew through the scores/games/seasons. Barely elaborated on any details or memories. Also calls out some players. Tell us how you really feel Barry! But it was informative and I did learn more about him.

[Discount Compost · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to the (sadly) abridged audio version that Barry read. Really amusing.

Basically he never did anything wrong. And if he did, it was in the best interest of the team, and if it wasn't he had a good reason for doing it, and if he didn't he didn't do it anyway, but if he did it wasn't illegal, but if it was it was a frame up.

[George Noland II · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in Denver, Colorado in 1991 while stationed at my first office. I recall a Denver newspaper review of the book in which the critic completely took a recruiting story about Switzer's son out of context to make him look bad. Colorado bias in full view.

[Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterpiece without comparison

[Ogden Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mike bought me this because he knew I was a huge fan of Oklahoma football during the Barry Switzer era of the 1970s. The part about his background is interesting. It is good, light reading.

[Bob Box · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read in 1991. Biography of OU football coach Barry Switzer, the fourth winningest coach in college football.

[James McKenzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read w some fun vignettes

[Arthur Peters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barry Switzer’s story is crazy and crazily inspirational. A must read for OU fans.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting take on the Barry years at OU.

[John Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never thought I'd read this book, but picked up a free copy a little while back and whizzed through it in a couple of days. This is an "as told to" biography written by someone else (more about that later). It is an entertaining, though light, read. Switzer seems to be honest in the book, insofar as it goes. However, he does not really delve into what Oklahoma did, or failed to do, to earn its well-deserved outlaw reputation in college football. Perhaps Switzer declined to address that subject, or perhaps he simply lacked the thoughtfulness and introspection needed to seriously delve into his own conduct and areas where he may have fallen short.

Near the end of the book, in discussing his decision to resign as Oklahoma football coach, Switzer identified several other prominent college football coaches who retired at relatively young ages. One of these coaches was Bo Schembechler, who, according to the book retired as head coach for Michigan State University at age 60. As any reader who knows anything at all about college football knows, Schembechler coached the University of Michigan, not its arch-rival Michigan State. This groaner makes it clear that Switzer never read this part of the text, as he would have caught the mistake in an instant, and makes one wonder whether he read any of it at all. Just another lesson on the importance of proofreading . . . .

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm leaning toward three and a half stars. Interesting. Reveals the times pretty well. Switzer comes across as pretty open and honest, although he certainly wants to paint himself as a good guy. The facts remain that a lot of bad things happened at OU in the football program all around the same time, and Switzer was at least partially responsibile for the atomsphere that led to it. It's also clear that he favors giving stipends to college athletes, despite the scholarships, room and board, and book funds they already get. I'm sure there are plenty of potential athletes who could use additional help because they come from poor families, but there are plenty who aren't athletes who have the same issues and they get nothing like room and board. Anyway, it's worth reading.

[Ted · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good interesting autobiography and tales of OU football fanaticism. Don't remember if it woulda been interesting to someone who wasn't an OU fan during Switzer era.

Plus, interesting tales about growing up in Deep South (Arkansas, I believe) in a Southern (dysfunctional if you can believe that) family.


I liked it. Who knows, maybe I really liked it, but it's been 10+ years since I read it.

[Ryan Mishap · Rating 1 out of 5]

Half of dad's work crew were from Oklahoma and always talking about the Sooners, so it wasn't a surprise I picked them for my favorite college sports team as a kid. Switzer was the coach for a while and he dictated this to the writer soon after OU got rid of him.
Paint by numbers autobiography trying to make a swinish character seem like a misunderstood good ol' boy.
One of those books read while staving off the pre-sleep nightmares.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Biography from the old controversial coach of the Oklahoma Sooners. BOok chronicles the hypocrisy of the NCAA and Switzer's recruitment of black players.

I learned that Barry Switzer may have been tough to like, but he can be appreciated. I left this book feeling that Coach Switzer did indeed care for his players.

[Todd McQueen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a re-read for me which I rarely do. Amazing story about Barry Switzers life. His formative years are truly incredible. Amazing what he has accomplished in spite of a rough start Lots of football stories from his coaching days. Now a little dated but enjoyable to me as I've always been a fan of Barry's.

[jope · Rating 4 out of 5]

He came up the hard way in a tough place and made it. Good story