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A Season on the Brink
Recounts the 1985-1986 basketball season at Indiana University, describes the complex personality of coach Bob Knight, and examines the coaching methods which make him one of the best of all time
311 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1986
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5495 people want to read
About the author
John Feinstein
75 books591 followersJohn Feinstein was an American sportswriter, author, and sports commentator.
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February 16, 2021
John Feinsten took a sabbatical from the Washington Post and spent the 1985-86 season embedded with the Indiana Hoosiers basketball team. Coach Knight already had 2 National Championships trophies, but was coming off a horrendous season at Indiana. Despite being preseason number 4, the Hoosiers didn't even make the 64 team March Madness tournament that year. Coaching was starting to become a chore and he wasn't sure he had enough talent on his team to compete in the Big Ten. These were guys that were going to have to follow his program to succeed and he wasn't optimistic. The book takes you through the experience of being a college athlete in this regimented program. For instance, they ate the same thing at every pregame meal. They had hamburgers, spaghetti, pancakes, eggs, and vanilla ice cream for dessert. Sometimes it was spaghetti at 9am when they played at noon. The players hardly talked through the meal. Their job was to eat and concentrate on their game plan.
Knight was an Army guy who coached at West Point. He treated college basketball like a war because life is a war. He made the kids in his program tough so they not only survived college but they were better prepared to take on life. We know that he would later be fired for treating college basketball like combat because a younger generation of students and even college officials had a softer life and an expectation of being treated like men before they earned it. Feinstein seems to understand this intuitively although he doesn't doesn't make the direct correlation as to how the President that hired him grew up in an America of depressions and world wars. The president that fired him in 2000 was an academic Knight's age and his America never fought a war where we could have lost the American way of life.
I grew up in Indiana and I remember this team pretty well. I had always wondered why the highly touted Delray Brooks washed out of the program and Feinstein explains not only the saga but why Brooks's talent wasn't the right kind of fit for Knight's program. Knight only saw Brooks play once in high school and he was in foul trouble. He listened to his assistants that talked of his great talent, but weren't experienced in constructing a team. Knight didn't choose Charles Barkley to be on the Gold Meal Olympic team in 1984 because he was talented but not coach-able. Brooks was a great kid and coachable but his talents weren't symbiotic with the rest of the team.
If there is one thing that Feinstein captures is why Bobby Knight was successful coaching in a program that produced so few NBA superstars. Isiah Thomas is the only one I can think of. Knight success rested on his ability to take marginal players and talented unskilled athletes and make them work as a team by teaching them to be better at the skills they had and by relying on teammates that had complimentary skills. His drilling was an attempt to scare the bad decisions out of them. If they executed smart basketball they could overcome the teams with more talent. He and his teams watched game tapes again and again looking for how an opponent would play and how his kids should counter.
I thought the histrionics on the court and in press conferences was simply hating to lose, but as you follow him for a season he seems more upset that the games they lost presented opportunities for victory that the players didn't seize. It was the failure at execution and thus a personal failure in his coaching that these guys didn't listen well enough.
Feinstein's title Season on the Brink is suggesting that the team was on the brink of collapse. But it was a prescient title because the season following this they won their third national title under Knight ,and it turns out that this was a season was on the brink of greatness.
The most intriguing thing about the book was why Bobby Knight would give John Feinstein the kind access considering how much the coach disliked the depiction. What you learn in the book is that Knight hated the press but he counted many actual reporters as loyal friends. Feiunstein came to his attention when he put the chair throwing episode into perspective. Throwing the chair during a game was a venal sin compared to numerous dirty programs around the country that recruited illegally by letting the alumni buy players. This was the beginning of when college basketball was becoming big money but Knight wasn't interested in winning with kids who weren't interested in getting an education along the way. He saw scholarship as a sign of dedication and he needed that attribute to win on the court as well. His graduation rates showed this. Feinstein acknowledged it. Knight appreciated the acknowledgment. I'm guessing where Feinstein went wrong was the coach saw this book as a betrayal of their friendship not because it wasn't true, but maybe because he thought it would play into the narratives of his detractors. I have read that later books explain more of the mitigating circumstances behind much of his actions. But Feinstein tells many a story of Knight's generosity to fans and former players. He is friendly with most of the coaching fraternity. I don't think I would have enjoyed playing for the coach, but playing for him would have made any of us more successful as adult human beings.
Personal Notes
A few weeks ago I was talking to a co-worker during the events surrounding the Super Bowl. I'm not sure how the subject came up, but she use to date the Orlando Magic guard, Scott Skiles. Skiles is playing for Michigan State during the events in the book and he is the player Indiana has to beat to win. Skiles is a great player but his arrests for cocaine possession and intoxication made him the kind of player Bobby Knight avoided. The book also talks about Knight's recruiting trips to my old high school to scout Shawn Kemp. Feinstein misspells his name. Kemp was year behind me and a raw talent. I don't think I saw him make a shot outside of 10 feet all season, but his size and athleticism made our team hard to beat. Shawn had a long NBA career and he became a greater shooter. If he had been that well rounded in high school we would have won a few state championships. I don't know if Shawn ever wanted to play at Indiana, but he wasn't the kind of student that Knight chose and his low SAT score kept him from playing as a Freshman in college and eventually just entered the NBA draft where he too would one day play for the Magic.
I was doing some show in college during the 1992 Final Four game between Duke and Indiana. I don't remember the show we were doing, but I had a small part and would come off the stage to the green room and watch the game. We had an unlikable professor whose son went to Duke so I wasn't alone rooting for the Hoosiers. If I remember it looked like they had that game won or at least the momentum but then it all unraveled at the end. I didn't know at the time that the Duke Coach was a player and coach for Knight at Army. I can pronounce his name but I don't feel like looking up the spelling. That was the last great team Knight had at Indiana. Calbert Chaney and Damon Bailey.
I liked Bobby Knight because I was from Indiana and he brought national championships. Had I been from Michigan I would have hated him. Now that I have read this book I realize I could have learned to love him even if I had been from Michigan.
Knight was an Army guy who coached at West Point. He treated college basketball like a war because life is a war. He made the kids in his program tough so they not only survived college but they were better prepared to take on life. We know that he would later be fired for treating college basketball like combat because a younger generation of students and even college officials had a softer life and an expectation of being treated like men before they earned it. Feinstein seems to understand this intuitively although he doesn't doesn't make the direct correlation as to how the President that hired him grew up in an America of depressions and world wars. The president that fired him in 2000 was an academic Knight's age and his America never fought a war where we could have lost the American way of life.
I grew up in Indiana and I remember this team pretty well. I had always wondered why the highly touted Delray Brooks washed out of the program and Feinstein explains not only the saga but why Brooks's talent wasn't the right kind of fit for Knight's program. Knight only saw Brooks play once in high school and he was in foul trouble. He listened to his assistants that talked of his great talent, but weren't experienced in constructing a team. Knight didn't choose Charles Barkley to be on the Gold Meal Olympic team in 1984 because he was talented but not coach-able. Brooks was a great kid and coachable but his talents weren't symbiotic with the rest of the team.
If there is one thing that Feinstein captures is why Bobby Knight was successful coaching in a program that produced so few NBA superstars. Isiah Thomas is the only one I can think of. Knight success rested on his ability to take marginal players and talented unskilled athletes and make them work as a team by teaching them to be better at the skills they had and by relying on teammates that had complimentary skills. His drilling was an attempt to scare the bad decisions out of them. If they executed smart basketball they could overcome the teams with more talent. He and his teams watched game tapes again and again looking for how an opponent would play and how his kids should counter.
I thought the histrionics on the court and in press conferences was simply hating to lose, but as you follow him for a season he seems more upset that the games they lost presented opportunities for victory that the players didn't seize. It was the failure at execution and thus a personal failure in his coaching that these guys didn't listen well enough.
Feinstein's title Season on the Brink is suggesting that the team was on the brink of collapse. But it was a prescient title because the season following this they won their third national title under Knight ,and it turns out that this was a season was on the brink of greatness.
The most intriguing thing about the book was why Bobby Knight would give John Feinstein the kind access considering how much the coach disliked the depiction. What you learn in the book is that Knight hated the press but he counted many actual reporters as loyal friends. Feiunstein came to his attention when he put the chair throwing episode into perspective. Throwing the chair during a game was a venal sin compared to numerous dirty programs around the country that recruited illegally by letting the alumni buy players. This was the beginning of when college basketball was becoming big money but Knight wasn't interested in winning with kids who weren't interested in getting an education along the way. He saw scholarship as a sign of dedication and he needed that attribute to win on the court as well. His graduation rates showed this. Feinstein acknowledged it. Knight appreciated the acknowledgment. I'm guessing where Feinstein went wrong was the coach saw this book as a betrayal of their friendship not because it wasn't true, but maybe because he thought it would play into the narratives of his detractors. I have read that later books explain more of the mitigating circumstances behind much of his actions. But Feinstein tells many a story of Knight's generosity to fans and former players. He is friendly with most of the coaching fraternity. I don't think I would have enjoyed playing for the coach, but playing for him would have made any of us more successful as adult human beings.
Personal Notes
A few weeks ago I was talking to a co-worker during the events surrounding the Super Bowl. I'm not sure how the subject came up, but she use to date the Orlando Magic guard, Scott Skiles. Skiles is playing for Michigan State during the events in the book and he is the player Indiana has to beat to win. Skiles is a great player but his arrests for cocaine possession and intoxication made him the kind of player Bobby Knight avoided. The book also talks about Knight's recruiting trips to my old high school to scout Shawn Kemp. Feinstein misspells his name. Kemp was year behind me and a raw talent. I don't think I saw him make a shot outside of 10 feet all season, but his size and athleticism made our team hard to beat. Shawn had a long NBA career and he became a greater shooter. If he had been that well rounded in high school we would have won a few state championships. I don't know if Shawn ever wanted to play at Indiana, but he wasn't the kind of student that Knight chose and his low SAT score kept him from playing as a Freshman in college and eventually just entered the NBA draft where he too would one day play for the Magic.
I was doing some show in college during the 1992 Final Four game between Duke and Indiana. I don't remember the show we were doing, but I had a small part and would come off the stage to the green room and watch the game. We had an unlikable professor whose son went to Duke so I wasn't alone rooting for the Hoosiers. If I remember it looked like they had that game won or at least the momentum but then it all unraveled at the end. I didn't know at the time that the Duke Coach was a player and coach for Knight at Army. I can pronounce his name but I don't feel like looking up the spelling. That was the last great team Knight had at Indiana. Calbert Chaney and Damon Bailey.
I liked Bobby Knight because I was from Indiana and he brought national championships. Had I been from Michigan I would have hated him. Now that I have read this book I realize I could have learned to love him even if I had been from Michigan.
March 18, 2025
4.5 stars
This is Feinstein’s magnum opus written at the age of 29, the sportswriting phenom had unprecedented access to Bobby Knight for a full year. For the record, I am a huge basketball fan. And although Feinstein does a good job of minimizing the inside basketball jargon, I don’t think this book would be of that much interest to non sports fans because of its detailed coverage of every game.
This was very close to a 5 star book however for me as the writing and pacing were both outstanding. However in the end, the book is too long for one season and Bobby Knight’s extreme narcissistic behavior becomes wearisome by about a third of the way through the book
Most of us have had a coach, parent or boss who is a narcissist. It felt like many times in this book, the rationalizing of Knight’s behavior in the book is that Knight couldn’t help himself. I think this is true. But a little more psychoanalysis would have been appreciated. Later in the book we hear that Knight’s dad had a terrible temper and that Knight’s mother and grandmother had spoiled Knight as an only child.
Bobby Knight coached three Hoosier teams to national championships during his tenure at Indiana which ended with multiple incidents of physical abuse directed to his own players. He preached excellence and hard work and got more out of his players than any coach. Unfortunately the success and championships for many justify the collateral damage. I would argue hundreds of young men would also have been better off not having ever met Bobby Knight. So on balance I don’t think the experiment was worth it.
One of the most famous sports books ever written. Highly recommended reading. I have several Feinstein books and I liked all of them. John Feinstein passed away last week at the young age of 68. He will be missed mightily.
This is Feinstein’s magnum opus written at the age of 29, the sportswriting phenom had unprecedented access to Bobby Knight for a full year. For the record, I am a huge basketball fan. And although Feinstein does a good job of minimizing the inside basketball jargon, I don’t think this book would be of that much interest to non sports fans because of its detailed coverage of every game.
This was very close to a 5 star book however for me as the writing and pacing were both outstanding. However in the end, the book is too long for one season and Bobby Knight’s extreme narcissistic behavior becomes wearisome by about a third of the way through the book
Most of us have had a coach, parent or boss who is a narcissist. It felt like many times in this book, the rationalizing of Knight’s behavior in the book is that Knight couldn’t help himself. I think this is true. But a little more psychoanalysis would have been appreciated. Later in the book we hear that Knight’s dad had a terrible temper and that Knight’s mother and grandmother had spoiled Knight as an only child.
Bobby Knight coached three Hoosier teams to national championships during his tenure at Indiana which ended with multiple incidents of physical abuse directed to his own players. He preached excellence and hard work and got more out of his players than any coach. Unfortunately the success and championships for many justify the collateral damage. I would argue hundreds of young men would also have been better off not having ever met Bobby Knight. So on balance I don’t think the experiment was worth it.
One of the most famous sports books ever written. Highly recommended reading. I have several Feinstein books and I liked all of them. John Feinstein passed away last week at the young age of 68. He will be missed mightily.
December 18, 2020
A brilliant portrait of perhaps the ultimate "Complicated Man" figure in sports. Feinstein was granted incredible access to the 1985-86 Indiana basketball team and he took full advantage of it, resulting in an excellent behind-the-scenes tale of the team and all its personalities. The star, of course, is the indelible Bobby Knight, famous (or infamous) for his verbal tirades, harsh demeanor, and apparent anger problems. It's striking to read A Season on the Brink all these years later, in both small ways (Indiana had trouble selling out Assembly Hall back then?) and big ways (multiple people close to Knight worrying that he would cross the line again in a way that would cost him his job, a prophecy that came true in 2000). In one sense, Knight almost comes off as a sympathetic figure, as it seems clear he suffers from some kind of personality disorder or unresolved emotional issues—there's seemingly no other explanation for his constant changes in mood and the way he treats every loss as a devastating, life-altering event. In another sense, Knight is the opposite of sympathetic, as he engages in behavior that should be embarrassing for any adult and unendingly berates his 18- to 22-year-old players—Knight's relationship with his team has the appearance of a classic abusive relationship in many ways. But no matter how you view Knight, there's no doubt that Feinstein captured him here for all that he is. This book left me reflecting on how we always seem exceedingly willing to tolerate egregious behavior—as long as it comes with positive results.
December 24, 2021
This is a "sports book" that should appeal to most readers. Its subject matter, Bobby Knight, is fascinating, just a strange and brilliant and altogether unique human being. Knight gave the book's author, sports journalist John Feinstein, unprecedented access to the Indiana Hoosiers’ basketball team throughout its 1985-86 season, and Feinstein responded by telling all that seemed worth telling.
Knight is presented as both hero and villain, a funny, at times magnanimous soul who could also be a real jerk, one who heaped untold verbal abuse on his players. "You know what you are Daryl?" he tells his center, Daryl Thomas, at one point. "You are the worst fucking pussy I've ever seen play basketball at this school. The absolute worst pussy ever. You have more goddamn ability than 95 percent of the players we've had here but you are a pussy from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet. An absolute fucking pussy. That's my assessment of you after three years."
The book's structure is inherently dramatic. Really any sports book can easily possess a page-turning three-act structure. Act I, Setup: It's preseason, and the coach assesses his ragtag assembly of players, seeing both possibilities and problems. Act II, Rising Action: The season begins, the team faces one challenge after another, the stakes rising as the postseason approaches. Act III, Resolution: The Big Game is played, the team's mettle is ultimately and finally tested.
Feinstein recounts each game with a fair amount of detail, but I think that even these parts can be enjoyed by non-sports fans. His prose is simple and clean — “Alford and Calloway lit up creaky old Jenison and by halftime the lead was 48-35, Alford ending it with a spinning twelve-footer just before the buzzer” — but his real purpose in recounting these games is to further elucidate Knight's personality. With every missed shot, with every rebound, we find ourselves wondering how Knight will respond. Will he again erupt in fury? Will he manage to calm his own emotions and find a way to instill some confidence into his struggling players?
Knight was in many ways a brilliant coach, and A Season on the Brink can at times be read as a work of performance psychology. It's instructive to learn how Knight thought and the strategies he employed to get the most from his players. Far too often, however, Knight's tempestuous nature took over, and he didn't seem able to keep that nature in check. There was undoubtedly method to his madness, but it appears that the madness, or at least its intensity, was often beyond his control. In the end, this turns out to be less a work of performance psychology than a modern Greek tragedy.
Knight is presented as both hero and villain, a funny, at times magnanimous soul who could also be a real jerk, one who heaped untold verbal abuse on his players. "You know what you are Daryl?" he tells his center, Daryl Thomas, at one point. "You are the worst fucking pussy I've ever seen play basketball at this school. The absolute worst pussy ever. You have more goddamn ability than 95 percent of the players we've had here but you are a pussy from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet. An absolute fucking pussy. That's my assessment of you after three years."
The book's structure is inherently dramatic. Really any sports book can easily possess a page-turning three-act structure. Act I, Setup: It's preseason, and the coach assesses his ragtag assembly of players, seeing both possibilities and problems. Act II, Rising Action: The season begins, the team faces one challenge after another, the stakes rising as the postseason approaches. Act III, Resolution: The Big Game is played, the team's mettle is ultimately and finally tested.
Feinstein recounts each game with a fair amount of detail, but I think that even these parts can be enjoyed by non-sports fans. His prose is simple and clean — “Alford and Calloway lit up creaky old Jenison and by halftime the lead was 48-35, Alford ending it with a spinning twelve-footer just before the buzzer” — but his real purpose in recounting these games is to further elucidate Knight's personality. With every missed shot, with every rebound, we find ourselves wondering how Knight will respond. Will he again erupt in fury? Will he manage to calm his own emotions and find a way to instill some confidence into his struggling players?
Knight was in many ways a brilliant coach, and A Season on the Brink can at times be read as a work of performance psychology. It's instructive to learn how Knight thought and the strategies he employed to get the most from his players. Far too often, however, Knight's tempestuous nature took over, and he didn't seem able to keep that nature in check. There was undoubtedly method to his madness, but it appears that the madness, or at least its intensity, was often beyond his control. In the end, this turns out to be less a work of performance psychology than a modern Greek tragedy.
August 4, 2022
"A Season on the Brink: A Year with Bob Knight and the Indiana Hoosiers" by John Feinstein is a remarkable book. Remarkable for the breadth and depth of access Bob Knight granted to a journalist and remarkable for the behind the scenes look at, despite his profanity, bullyness and mercurial mood swings, one of the greatest basketball coaches of all time. "Season" follows Bob Knight throughout the tumultuous 1985-1986 season, a year before Knight and IU again win the NCAA tournament, and a year after Knight's infamous throwing-the-chair moment during a sideline tirade.
I have mixed feelings about Bob Knight. Some of my earliest memories watching basketball with my father involved Bob Knight and the 1975-76 IU team that went undefeated. As a senior in high school, I watched Bob Knight and the Hoosiers win a second title. By its third championship, I was deployed aboard the USS Enterprise halfway around the world. Throughout that entire period, Bob Knight's IU teams could be expected to play smart, disciplined, team basketball - a perfect example for a young midwestern boy/man heading off to the Naval Academy and a career in the Navy. Throughout the period, there were also increasingly loud whispers of Bob Knight's exploits - some lovely (helping out a family in need, assisting an old player who fell on hard times, putting in a good word for an up and coming coach) - and some truly horrid. Over time the horrid began to outweigh the excellence of his teams. My father went from being a Knight fan to rooting against him. I thought Knight's mind games were remnants from an era gone by, and that basketball and society had passed him by.
In his book, John Feinstein does a remarkable job of showing us the Good Bob and Bad Bob. Toward the end, Knight makes a point that "the ends justify the means." I do not agree. But the incongruity of a great basketball mind inside an often troubled man makes for great reading.
I recently listened to a Bill Simmons podcast in which he and several sportswriters discussed their Top Ten or so favorite sports books. "A Season on the Brink" was firmly high on each sportswriter's list. In 2002, in its Top 100 Sports Books article, Sports Illustrated listed "A Season on the Brink" as the sixth greatest sports book of all time, in between #5 "You Know Me Al" by Ring Lardner (1914) and #7 "Semi-Tough" by Dan Jenkins (1972). [#1 was "The Sweet Science," a book about boxing by A.J. Liebling (1956).]
"Season" is highly recommended. For those interested, the Sports Illustrated article is available on line.
I have mixed feelings about Bob Knight. Some of my earliest memories watching basketball with my father involved Bob Knight and the 1975-76 IU team that went undefeated. As a senior in high school, I watched Bob Knight and the Hoosiers win a second title. By its third championship, I was deployed aboard the USS Enterprise halfway around the world. Throughout that entire period, Bob Knight's IU teams could be expected to play smart, disciplined, team basketball - a perfect example for a young midwestern boy/man heading off to the Naval Academy and a career in the Navy. Throughout the period, there were also increasingly loud whispers of Bob Knight's exploits - some lovely (helping out a family in need, assisting an old player who fell on hard times, putting in a good word for an up and coming coach) - and some truly horrid. Over time the horrid began to outweigh the excellence of his teams. My father went from being a Knight fan to rooting against him. I thought Knight's mind games were remnants from an era gone by, and that basketball and society had passed him by.
In his book, John Feinstein does a remarkable job of showing us the Good Bob and Bad Bob. Toward the end, Knight makes a point that "the ends justify the means." I do not agree. But the incongruity of a great basketball mind inside an often troubled man makes for great reading.
I recently listened to a Bill Simmons podcast in which he and several sportswriters discussed their Top Ten or so favorite sports books. "A Season on the Brink" was firmly high on each sportswriter's list. In 2002, in its Top 100 Sports Books article, Sports Illustrated listed "A Season on the Brink" as the sixth greatest sports book of all time, in between #5 "You Know Me Al" by Ring Lardner (1914) and #7 "Semi-Tough" by Dan Jenkins (1972). [#1 was "The Sweet Science," a book about boxing by A.J. Liebling (1956).]
"Season" is highly recommended. For those interested, the Sports Illustrated article is available on line.
March 28, 2025
This is often held up as the gold standard for sports books, and after reading, I can now understand why. The inside access that Feinstein received from Bob Knight and the Indiana basketball program is the blueprint that so many sport “one season” narrative books follow to this day. Among other things, this story prominently demonstrates how Knight, like most successful coaches and leaders of their field/industry, had an unhealthy relationship with his job and how it became an all-consuming force in his life.
December 12, 2014
I am not an athlete nor a huge sports fan, but I do read a wide variety of genres and have enjoyed some athletic nonfiction previously. This book came to me highly recommended, but in the end fell a bit short for me. I was curious about why I didn't find this book as good as others had said and spent a fair amount of time reflecting on that. In the end, I think it is because I struggled with the story itself, and not with the telling of it. I did learn some new things about Bobby Knight, about his compassion, his kindness, and his commitment to education (not just athletics), that impressed me. However, his story and the anger and frustration he showed others, how he treated others, etc.; the good in my mind just could not outweigh the bad. Bobby Knight's story made me sick. Not theoretically or figuratively; actually. I was so torn by how he treated others, by his swings in moods, by the duplicity of his actions, that it made me sick. I wish he was more of all those good things and that those good things were his legacy. Sadly, they won't be. If you love basketball, if you are so curious about Bobby Knight that you have to read this, then do. Otherwise, skip it and find some other nonfiction to enjoy.
October 17, 2024
Truly unbelievable that Bob Knight granted a journalist this much access, but what a perfect portrait of how far a psychotic, abusive coach can stretch the relationship between himself and the fans, players, and admin when you win a whole lot and foster some relationships off the court.
If I have to criticize John Weinstein:
1. He really drags this book down with some of the repetitive game descriptions.
2. He seemed to really believe in 1985 and then 1986 that Bob Knight wouldn't push things too far and eventually get himself fired. But I suppose it took until 2000 until Knight blew it, and even then he immediately got another job so *shrug*
If I have to criticize John Weinstein:
1. He really drags this book down with some of the repetitive game descriptions.
2. He seemed to really believe in 1985 and then 1986 that Bob Knight wouldn't push things too far and eventually get himself fired. But I suppose it took until 2000 until Knight blew it, and even then he immediately got another job so *shrug*
September 2, 2008
This book proves 2 things without a doubt:
1. Bob Knight is an asshole
2. You can read about a game or see it live, but basketball is best enjoyed on TV in the comfort of your own home.
The end.
1. Bob Knight is an asshole
2. You can read about a game or see it live, but basketball is best enjoyed on TV in the comfort of your own home.
The end.
March 20, 2025
A Season on the Brink profiles one of the most legitimately fascinating characters in the history of sports. Reading through this book, you really get a feeling for who Bob Knight was as a man, good and bad. You understand what made him so successful with his focus on preparation, dedication to the sport, and attention to detail. At the same time, you find yourself frustrated by his faults. Really good read for any college basketball fan.
March 16, 2007
stop the presses!
Bob Knight is an asshole......
Bob Knight is an asshole......
December 21, 2020
This book by John Feinsten really shows what A great coach Bob Knight was. As an IU fan reading this was very enjoyable, and interesting. This book really shows that Bob Knight cared about his players and wanted them to succeed. He yelled at them, because he cared about them, and wanted them to get better. For example a quote he said is "The problem is you aren't hurt enough. This shows that Bob Knight wanted them to work harder and be the best they could.
In this book there are a lot of ironic quotes. For example "If you don't, I guarantee you'll get knocked right on your ass. This is ironic because the year before this one they did just that. Bob Knight wanted to win this year and no excuses. In the book there are also a lot of anologys. For example, "Jesus Christ Kit does this seem fair too you?" This is comparing the game too the bad refs.
I think this book is a one of a kind, and you can't really find something else like this book. I rate it a 5/5, but that might be a little bias, because I'm an IU fan.
In this book there are a lot of ironic quotes. For example "If you don't, I guarantee you'll get knocked right on your ass. This is ironic because the year before this one they did just that. Bob Knight wanted to win this year and no excuses. In the book there are also a lot of anologys. For example, "Jesus Christ Kit does this seem fair too you?" This is comparing the game too the bad refs.
I think this book is a one of a kind, and you can't really find something else like this book. I rate it a 5/5, but that might be a little bias, because I'm an IU fan.
December 7, 2023
It has been a long while since I read this. At the time I was a huge fan of Coach Knight & would often defend his on & off court meltdowns. Looking back at the game with LSU in the ‘87 tournament, he bullied his way to a win. Dale Brown & the team just couldn’t overcome the team on the floor & Knight stalking the sidelines.
The book… at the time I read it, I felt J. Feinstein had written a hit piece. It was an ugly look at times of the Coach & the program. The language was shocking & expected. I never had the skills to ever play college ball but I thought my boys would never play for this man.
This was maybe my first Feinstein book & it hasn’t been my last. It was revealing in some of the worst ways. It shattered the image of a man that was a hero to me. Rather than being mad, I am thankful. Men are not to be worshipped. No man is above the rules. Bobby Knight was maybe the greatest coach of the ‘70’s & ‘80’s. I can appreciate that & I’m willing to set aside all the other junk.
The book… at the time I read it, I felt J. Feinstein had written a hit piece. It was an ugly look at times of the Coach & the program. The language was shocking & expected. I never had the skills to ever play college ball but I thought my boys would never play for this man.
This was maybe my first Feinstein book & it hasn’t been my last. It was revealing in some of the worst ways. It shattered the image of a man that was a hero to me. Rather than being mad, I am thankful. Men are not to be worshipped. No man is above the rules. Bobby Knight was maybe the greatest coach of the ‘70’s & ‘80’s. I can appreciate that & I’m willing to set aside all the other junk.
December 10, 2024
On the one hand Bob Knight couldn’t control himself, insulted his players constantly, and often acted like a spoiled brat. On the other hand he was intensely loyal and would be the biggest supporter of his players if he thought they deserved it. Mostly he hated losing more than anything else and that was the biggest key to his success.
From the acknowledgments: “I did not discover or write about a saint, but about a driven and brilliant coach: a flawed man, but a good man.” Apparently Bob Knight was not pleased with the book, but I don’t know what he expected. Seemed like a fair shake to me
The cover claims this is the best-selling sports book of all time
Here is my advice for my active goodreads friends:
- Tyler: Must read
- Margaret: Stay away, he is too mean to his players at times
- All others: if interested
I read this because it inspired “Running with the Buffaloes” which I liked a lot
Borrowed from SFPL through Link+ from the Santa Clara Library
From the acknowledgments: “I did not discover or write about a saint, but about a driven and brilliant coach: a flawed man, but a good man.” Apparently Bob Knight was not pleased with the book, but I don’t know what he expected. Seemed like a fair shake to me
The cover claims this is the best-selling sports book of all time
Here is my advice for my active goodreads friends:
- Tyler: Must read
- Margaret: Stay away, he is too mean to his players at times
- All others: if interested
I read this because it inspired “Running with the Buffaloes” which I liked a lot
Borrowed from SFPL through Link+ from the Santa Clara Library
April 2, 2025
A few weeks ago, one of my favorite writers, John Feinstein, suddenly passed away. Growing up, I always loved reading his books because he was able to intersect two of my favorite things in the world: sports and reading.
After he passed, I read a couple articles on the life he lived (he rocked btw) and this book kept getting mentioned as his “magnum opus” so I decided to finally pick it up and I’m so glad I did. There’s never been a more interesting coach in the history of sports than Bobby Knight and it’s just perfect that Feinstein was the one who had total access to his life for a season. If you’ve ever wondered why people love basketball, just read this book.
After he passed, I read a couple articles on the life he lived (he rocked btw) and this book kept getting mentioned as his “magnum opus” so I decided to finally pick it up and I’m so glad I did. There’s never been a more interesting coach in the history of sports than Bobby Knight and it’s just perfect that Feinstein was the one who had total access to his life for a season. If you’ve ever wondered why people love basketball, just read this book.
November 7, 2020
I actually listened to the audiobook read by the author instead of reading it, but I think it made it more enjoyable. Growing up as an IU fan in the heyday of Bob Knight I loved reading this. It is an interesting insight into the mindset of a consummate competitor. I also enjoyed the insights into the people around the program and all of the connectivity in the college BB world. Fair warning, there is a not insignificant amount of language, but that shouldn’t surprise anyone. I will probably read some other books by Feinstein as he did an amazing job on this.
June 8, 2025
I'm not usually an audiobook person, but I saw this was free on Spotify and gave it a shot. While Feinstein's narration style is repetitive, a dull rhythm that I even hear this review being read in now, his accounts of Indiana University's tumultuous 1985-1986 basketball season are captivating. While certainly not a relaxing or pleasant read, Season On The Brink captures the life-and-death, bipolar nature of sports fandom, and in this case coaching, like few other. As a modern college basketball fan, it's a fascinating window into how the game used to be, and why it can't be done like that anymore. Bob Knight wasn't the most likeable character I've ever shared a season with, but he was the most fascinating I've ever had the pleasure of being screamed at for the duration of an audiobook.
April 17, 2025
RIP Feinstein & Knight.
December 30, 2022
A well written story on Bob Knight. Written 35 years ago about the 85-86 season. Feinstein talks about how great a coach Knight is but other than his record of wins, Knight comes across as an asshole and bully. The 35 years have not changed my view of his coaching methods or personality.
January 12, 2018
A good listen for college basketball nuts. Covers the Indiana Hoosiers in a fairly unremarkable season in classic Feinstein fashion. I think my understanding of Bob Knight didn't change so much as it broadened. He would still be probably the last famous basketball coach I would choose to play for. He has reprehensible views on gender, and no one should be surprised that a faux-macho guy like Knight gravitated to a fraud like Trump. However, there are things about Coach Knight that make him different, well, better than a Trump. He's a man of rules. Some of them are bad rules, like refusing to work with women on his staff. He also believes firmly in following the NCAA's rules, which many coaches skirt or violate to their advantage. He makes his players go to class, follows through on punishments if they don't, and gets a huge portion of them to graduate (I'm looking at you John Calipari). He will do anything for his friends and former players, even ones with whom he didn't have a great relationship. Several times in the book, he reached out with great warmness and generosity to kids with disabilities.
So there's more to Bob Knight than a screaming, sexist chair-thrower. However, that's also an integral part of who he is. In this book, he repeatedly crosses the line with his language and treatment of his players. To some extent he's strategic with the tirades and mind games, but it's clear that he often just loses control. The players and staff live in a kind of terror and misery because of his temper. Basketball should be a little bit fun, even at the highest levels, but playing for Knight doesn't seem to be that way. There really seems to be serious emotional instability here, as well as a fixation on the negative. Given his behavior after this book at Indiana and Texas Tech, it's clear that he never really got control of his emotions and learned to treat people as if they have feelings too. I'm not trying to say that there's not a place for toughness in coaching, but that toughness should be controlled, not meted out in random bursts and mind games that simply aren't fair to the players.
So I understand Bob Knight a lot better, but I still don't like him. I'd say Feinstein is an excellent guide to this team and this season. He's pretty fair-minded and objective, but entertaining as well. I'd say this book deserves the reputation it has as a great sports book. Actually, the fact that Knight didn't like the book, despite how fair Feinstein was to him, should be consider another notch against his character.
So there's more to Bob Knight than a screaming, sexist chair-thrower. However, that's also an integral part of who he is. In this book, he repeatedly crosses the line with his language and treatment of his players. To some extent he's strategic with the tirades and mind games, but it's clear that he often just loses control. The players and staff live in a kind of terror and misery because of his temper. Basketball should be a little bit fun, even at the highest levels, but playing for Knight doesn't seem to be that way. There really seems to be serious emotional instability here, as well as a fixation on the negative. Given his behavior after this book at Indiana and Texas Tech, it's clear that he never really got control of his emotions and learned to treat people as if they have feelings too. I'm not trying to say that there's not a place for toughness in coaching, but that toughness should be controlled, not meted out in random bursts and mind games that simply aren't fair to the players.
So I understand Bob Knight a lot better, but I still don't like him. I'd say Feinstein is an excellent guide to this team and this season. He's pretty fair-minded and objective, but entertaining as well. I'd say this book deserves the reputation it has as a great sports book. Actually, the fact that Knight didn't like the book, despite how fair Feinstein was to him, should be consider another notch against his character.
June 2, 2025
Appropriate for this time of year, finally got around to reading A Season on the Brink, a practice by practice, game by game recounting of Indiana’s 1985-86 basketball season, and, more memorably, a too-close, relentless encounter with Coach Bob Knight’s fiery demeanor. In the introduction updated for the book’s 25th anniversary, the author, John Feinstein, writes: “What made A Season on the Brink so successful was the access I had to Knight. The book would not have sold as well if I had access to Dean Smith or John Thompson…If I had waited six years and had that same access to Mike Krzyzewski after his back-to-back national titles at Duke, the book still would not have become a publishing phenomenon. There isn’t anyone like Knight.”
Few other sports personalities translate to the page or screen as colorfully as Bob Knight. For every scene Knight makes by losing his temper at practice or with refs, there’s another side of Knight’s loyalty and appreciation:
“Whenever Indiana stays in a hotel near a Bob Evans, Kight is apt to eat there three times a day, the last time usually at two or three in the morning…Knight was sipping an iced tea when a boy of about twelve gingerly approached him. Behind were two older men…Kight is eminently approachable in these situations, patient and polite. He always signs an autograph when asked politely. The young man’s name was Garland Loper. Shyly he explained that his father and older brother were deaf-mutes and would like to meet Coach Knight. When the other two wanted to say something, they signed it to him and he spoke it to the world. Knight was completely charmed by Garland Loper. He talked for several minutes to the three Lopers, gave them his autograph, and asked Garland for his address. When Knight returned to school, he had Indiana shirts, brochures, and an autographed team picture sent to the Lopers. Then he called and invited the whole family to come to a game. ‘Sometimes,’ he said softly, leaving the restaurant, ‘you see what it really means to have guts.’”
Once Feinstein’s account of the 1985-86 season gets going, what I like best is knowing how many of my older, distant relatives from my Mom’s side in Indiana, some of whom were IU students at the time, followed in real time, watching each game or listening on the radio. To this day they’ll remember game-by-game seasons of Indiana basketball better than they bother keeping track of today’s headlines. According to them, college basketball is what got the state through Indiana’s long winters.
Few other sports personalities translate to the page or screen as colorfully as Bob Knight. For every scene Knight makes by losing his temper at practice or with refs, there’s another side of Knight’s loyalty and appreciation:
“Whenever Indiana stays in a hotel near a Bob Evans, Kight is apt to eat there three times a day, the last time usually at two or three in the morning…Knight was sipping an iced tea when a boy of about twelve gingerly approached him. Behind were two older men…Kight is eminently approachable in these situations, patient and polite. He always signs an autograph when asked politely. The young man’s name was Garland Loper. Shyly he explained that his father and older brother were deaf-mutes and would like to meet Coach Knight. When the other two wanted to say something, they signed it to him and he spoke it to the world. Knight was completely charmed by Garland Loper. He talked for several minutes to the three Lopers, gave them his autograph, and asked Garland for his address. When Knight returned to school, he had Indiana shirts, brochures, and an autographed team picture sent to the Lopers. Then he called and invited the whole family to come to a game. ‘Sometimes,’ he said softly, leaving the restaurant, ‘you see what it really means to have guts.’”
Once Feinstein’s account of the 1985-86 season gets going, what I like best is knowing how many of my older, distant relatives from my Mom’s side in Indiana, some of whom were IU students at the time, followed in real time, watching each game or listening on the radio. To this day they’ll remember game-by-game seasons of Indiana basketball better than they bother keeping track of today’s headlines. According to them, college basketball is what got the state through Indiana’s long winters.
October 15, 2008
As an IU fan, John Feinstein's inside look at the 1986 Indiana basketball season is a must read. It's a book where those that love Bob Knight will find more to like about him and those who hate him will find more to fuel their fire.
Read
May 23, 2023A Season on the Brink Book Review
Bob Knight was among the greatest and most influential coaches of the late 1900s and early 2000s. He was the coach for three different college basketball teams; his most famous tenure was with the Indiana Hoosiers, where he won three national championships. He started his career at Army and ended at Texas Tech. He was also the coach for the 1984 USA Olympic men's team, where he led them to the gold medal. He built a name for himself at Indiana throughout 29 seasons there, winning 11 Big Ten Championships, along with three national titles, ending with a 662-239 record or a 73.5% winning percentage. This led Indiana, and Bob Knight as a coach, to become two very respected names in college basketball.
Written by John Feinstein in 1986, A Season on the Brink gives sports fans around the world a behind the scenes look of a college basketball team and the coach that runs it. The book dives into the practices, team meetings, and games throughout the season. It goes through Bob Knight's methodology around his decisions throughout the season and what he thinks about. This is an essential read for all types of sports fans, especially basketball. Feinstein started the book at the beginning of the 1985 season. The 1984/85 seasons had been Knight’s worst season ever at Indiana. The Hoosiers went under .500 for winning percentage the first time ever with Knight as their coach; yet, the summer before he won gold at the Olympics, making the 1984/85 season with Indiana an embarrassment. This led Bob Knight to consider changes in his coaching styles from recruiting to how he acts at practices. Knight needed to find ways to improve his team from last year with many star players lost and not as much talent coming in. He had to figure out how to use the players and talent he does have available to him to create the best team he can for the upcoming season.
Throughout the book, the season is told as if the person writing is part of the team. Feinstein writes as if he was a coach on the team explaining thoughts behind the big decisions of who to play in games, what to do at practices, and more. No other book before this one had been able to give this perspective of college basketball due to the restrictions on the media. Feinstein, however, was able to give solo access into the Hoosiers team, which allowed him to write this book as a part of the team. He’s able to go in depth of the emotions of Bob Knight and the team through the ups and downs, tense moments at practices or after defeats, and sincere moments after key victories. The author is able to portray the shift in emotions throughout the text by the dialogue and thoughts of Knight during the season, going from the tense and uncertain aura around the team at the beginning, towards the happy and uplifted atmosphere in the team and the fans supporting them. Because of this, Feinstein is able to show basketball fans exactly what lies behind the methodology of Bob Knight and the difficulty of being a coach.
This book provides fascinating insight into the world of college basketball. It shows people how hard it is to coach a team and all of the responsibility and stress that comes with it. A Season on the Brink gives basketball fans a better appreciation for their teams and a greater understanding of the work that is required, which no one ever sees. Feinstein is able to capture the reader's attention, wanting them to keep reading to see how the season and the choices Knight and his coaching staff make, turn out in the end.
Bob Knight was among the greatest and most influential coaches of the late 1900s and early 2000s. He was the coach for three different college basketball teams; his most famous tenure was with the Indiana Hoosiers, where he won three national championships. He started his career at Army and ended at Texas Tech. He was also the coach for the 1984 USA Olympic men's team, where he led them to the gold medal. He built a name for himself at Indiana throughout 29 seasons there, winning 11 Big Ten Championships, along with three national titles, ending with a 662-239 record or a 73.5% winning percentage. This led Indiana, and Bob Knight as a coach, to become two very respected names in college basketball.
Written by John Feinstein in 1986, A Season on the Brink gives sports fans around the world a behind the scenes look of a college basketball team and the coach that runs it. The book dives into the practices, team meetings, and games throughout the season. It goes through Bob Knight's methodology around his decisions throughout the season and what he thinks about. This is an essential read for all types of sports fans, especially basketball. Feinstein started the book at the beginning of the 1985 season. The 1984/85 seasons had been Knight’s worst season ever at Indiana. The Hoosiers went under .500 for winning percentage the first time ever with Knight as their coach; yet, the summer before he won gold at the Olympics, making the 1984/85 season with Indiana an embarrassment. This led Bob Knight to consider changes in his coaching styles from recruiting to how he acts at practices. Knight needed to find ways to improve his team from last year with many star players lost and not as much talent coming in. He had to figure out how to use the players and talent he does have available to him to create the best team he can for the upcoming season.
Throughout the book, the season is told as if the person writing is part of the team. Feinstein writes as if he was a coach on the team explaining thoughts behind the big decisions of who to play in games, what to do at practices, and more. No other book before this one had been able to give this perspective of college basketball due to the restrictions on the media. Feinstein, however, was able to give solo access into the Hoosiers team, which allowed him to write this book as a part of the team. He’s able to go in depth of the emotions of Bob Knight and the team through the ups and downs, tense moments at practices or after defeats, and sincere moments after key victories. The author is able to portray the shift in emotions throughout the text by the dialogue and thoughts of Knight during the season, going from the tense and uncertain aura around the team at the beginning, towards the happy and uplifted atmosphere in the team and the fans supporting them. Because of this, Feinstein is able to show basketball fans exactly what lies behind the methodology of Bob Knight and the difficulty of being a coach.
This book provides fascinating insight into the world of college basketball. It shows people how hard it is to coach a team and all of the responsibility and stress that comes with it. A Season on the Brink gives basketball fans a better appreciation for their teams and a greater understanding of the work that is required, which no one ever sees. Feinstein is able to capture the reader's attention, wanting them to keep reading to see how the season and the choices Knight and his coaching staff make, turn out in the end.
March 31, 2025
There is no better time of year than March Madness to peel back the pages of college sports nostalgia and read A Season on the Brink, John Feinstein’s groundbreaking account of the 1985-1986 Indiana University men’s basketball team. Given nearly unprecedented access to Coach Bob Knight and the Hoosiers, Feinstein tracks Indiana’s many ups and downs under the angry eye of one of the most successful coaches in college basketball history. A Season on the Brink represents the wild frontier of pre-Internet sportswriting. Like the teenage Rolling Stone reporter from Cameron Crowe’s hit film, Almost Famous, Feinstein covers so many behind-the-scenes moments during the Hoosiers' 85-86 campaign that the book’s primary characters seem to forget he’s even there. His fly-on-the-wall writing style exposed mainstream America to the ugly side of Bob Knight. As a result, the NCAA passed a rule restricting media access before and during games. It was one thing for fans to watch Knight lose his temper at a referee on TV, an entirely different experience to read 350 pages laced with his profanities.
The 1986 Hoosiers were a team at a crossroads. The season before, they had a losing record in conference play; the season after, they won the 1987 National Championship. Throughout the book, it is obvious how much Knight cares about winning, going to great lengths to help his players reach their full potential. Feinstein circles the question of what toll this emphasis on winning means for his players, with Knight constantly subjecting them to manipulative mind games and verbal assaults. Knight vacillates between praising his players after victories and routinely calling them names or threatening to kick them off the team after poor results. Unsurprisingly, the season-long emotional rollercoaster ride ended with a disappointing defeat in the first round of the NCAA tournament to 14-seeded Cleveland State, a loss so humiliating it may have helped push the following year’s team to victory the next season.
Bob Knight coached for over forty years, won three NCAA championships, and more than 900 games. However, today he is remembered just as much for his violent tirades and abusive motivational tactics. In 2000, video surfaced of Knight choking one of his players during a practice. Indiana put him on a zero-tolerance policy, but Knight couldn’t stop being Knight. Later that year, he was fired after a physical encounter with an IU student heckler. He continued coaching for seven more seasons at Texas Tech, but one can’t help but wonder how Knight would’ve fared in 2025 during the modern age of lucrative NIL deals and the transfer portal, when a player can switch teams without losing eligibility or having to sit out a season of play. While players have far more financial power and professional autonomy now than they did in Knight’s heyday, his legacy suggests his passion and unrelenting will may have made him successful in any era. Feinstein wrote that because Knight saw the world in black in white, the world saw him in black and white too. Of course, real life is not this convenient. Knight’s former players seem split on the ramifications of his coaching style, with some celebrating his methods and others alleging despicable abuse. A Season on the Brink depicts Knight’s complicated legacy in all its glory, causing fans to question if the means of winning really justify the ends.
The 1986 Hoosiers were a team at a crossroads. The season before, they had a losing record in conference play; the season after, they won the 1987 National Championship. Throughout the book, it is obvious how much Knight cares about winning, going to great lengths to help his players reach their full potential. Feinstein circles the question of what toll this emphasis on winning means for his players, with Knight constantly subjecting them to manipulative mind games and verbal assaults. Knight vacillates between praising his players after victories and routinely calling them names or threatening to kick them off the team after poor results. Unsurprisingly, the season-long emotional rollercoaster ride ended with a disappointing defeat in the first round of the NCAA tournament to 14-seeded Cleveland State, a loss so humiliating it may have helped push the following year’s team to victory the next season.
Bob Knight coached for over forty years, won three NCAA championships, and more than 900 games. However, today he is remembered just as much for his violent tirades and abusive motivational tactics. In 2000, video surfaced of Knight choking one of his players during a practice. Indiana put him on a zero-tolerance policy, but Knight couldn’t stop being Knight. Later that year, he was fired after a physical encounter with an IU student heckler. He continued coaching for seven more seasons at Texas Tech, but one can’t help but wonder how Knight would’ve fared in 2025 during the modern age of lucrative NIL deals and the transfer portal, when a player can switch teams without losing eligibility or having to sit out a season of play. While players have far more financial power and professional autonomy now than they did in Knight’s heyday, his legacy suggests his passion and unrelenting will may have made him successful in any era. Feinstein wrote that because Knight saw the world in black in white, the world saw him in black and white too. Of course, real life is not this convenient. Knight’s former players seem split on the ramifications of his coaching style, with some celebrating his methods and others alleging despicable abuse. A Season on the Brink depicts Knight’s complicated legacy in all its glory, causing fans to question if the means of winning really justify the ends.
June 15, 2025
For the 1985-86 basketball season, John Feinstein was given unrestricted access to Bob Knight and the IU college basketball team. Bob Knight had won two national championships at Indiana already in 1976 and 1981, but the 1984-85 season had been a disaster. The team had won 19 games, which wasn't bad, but they had had a losing record in the Big Ten and hadn't qualified for the NCAA tournament. They had advanced to the NIT finals, but Knight had melted down numerous times and in February, he had thrown a plastic chair in response to his being charged with a technical foul. For the rest of his career, the chair throwing incident would be mentioned in conjunction with any of his accomplishments.
The 1985-86 team was good, but not great. They finished the season with a record of 21-8 and were second in the Big Ten. They lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The book follows the ups and downs of that college season and Knight's fluctuations in response to it.
Feinstein's writing is excellent and he attempts to capture the full picture of Bob Knight -- the good things about him as well as the negatives. He mentions that Knight was upset at Feinstein's recording of expletive filled tirades, but Feinstein claims that he cleaned them up for publication. Knight was significantly more profane than Feinstein's work shows.
Herein lies the rub. The book made me upset because Knight felt like an abuser whose excuses for being abusive are extremely predictable. "If the players only gave it their all and listened to what I said, I wouldn't have to berate them." or "I just want to see them achieve their potential."
I'm certain that Knight believed his style of coaching, his passive aggressive mind games, and profane tirades pushed his players to be better men than they would have been otherwise, but I am not convinced. The fact that Knight got his players to graduate and supported them after graduation in no way makes up for the fact that he was brutal to them during the season.
We find here a man who was a basketball genius, but also a monster who constantly attacked his players. Even stars like Steve Alford were not immune to the heat of his ire. Reading between the lines, Knight lasted as long as he did at IU because he won a lot of games. When, in the second half of the 90s, his teams fell on hard times, the school ended up firing him.
Feinstein attempts to leave us with a sense of hope. The 1986-87 season was a magical one. Knight's team climbed the mountain and won the championship. It wasn't the most talented team, but they played together and listened to Knight and the end was success. In addition, Feinstein points to some growth on Knight's part, less willingness to blow up at his players and a little more calmness when dealing with stress.
Unfortunately, we know that nothing had really changed. Knight was better when his teams were winning -- I suppose most coaches are -- at the same time, he continued to demonstrate the same vitriol and anger when his teams didn't succeed.
If you are a college basketball fan, this book is a must read. It gives a window into the complexities of IU basketball in the mid 1980s. Just be warned, despite Feinstein's attempts to clean up Bob Knight's expletive ridden speeches, they are still extremely profane.
It makes you wonder how bad the originals were...
The 1985-86 team was good, but not great. They finished the season with a record of 21-8 and were second in the Big Ten. They lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The book follows the ups and downs of that college season and Knight's fluctuations in response to it.
Feinstein's writing is excellent and he attempts to capture the full picture of Bob Knight -- the good things about him as well as the negatives. He mentions that Knight was upset at Feinstein's recording of expletive filled tirades, but Feinstein claims that he cleaned them up for publication. Knight was significantly more profane than Feinstein's work shows.
Herein lies the rub. The book made me upset because Knight felt like an abuser whose excuses for being abusive are extremely predictable. "If the players only gave it their all and listened to what I said, I wouldn't have to berate them." or "I just want to see them achieve their potential."
I'm certain that Knight believed his style of coaching, his passive aggressive mind games, and profane tirades pushed his players to be better men than they would have been otherwise, but I am not convinced. The fact that Knight got his players to graduate and supported them after graduation in no way makes up for the fact that he was brutal to them during the season.
We find here a man who was a basketball genius, but also a monster who constantly attacked his players. Even stars like Steve Alford were not immune to the heat of his ire. Reading between the lines, Knight lasted as long as he did at IU because he won a lot of games. When, in the second half of the 90s, his teams fell on hard times, the school ended up firing him.
Feinstein attempts to leave us with a sense of hope. The 1986-87 season was a magical one. Knight's team climbed the mountain and won the championship. It wasn't the most talented team, but they played together and listened to Knight and the end was success. In addition, Feinstein points to some growth on Knight's part, less willingness to blow up at his players and a little more calmness when dealing with stress.
Unfortunately, we know that nothing had really changed. Knight was better when his teams were winning -- I suppose most coaches are -- at the same time, he continued to demonstrate the same vitriol and anger when his teams didn't succeed.
If you are a college basketball fan, this book is a must read. It gives a window into the complexities of IU basketball in the mid 1980s. Just be warned, despite Feinstein's attempts to clean up Bob Knight's expletive ridden speeches, they are still extremely profane.
It makes you wonder how bad the originals were...
December 28, 2024
It speaks to the timeless allure of John Feinstein's 'A Season On The Brink' that a guy who never watched Bob Knight coach a game could be so absorbed into this portrait
of IU basketball in the mid 80s. The controversial Bob Knight, managing and often causing chaos, is painted as both a genius and an intimidating bully.
Feinstein's book draws you into both the action on the court and the up and down roller coaster in the locker room. The grueling weeks of practice to start the season leading into an unrelenting schedule of Big Ten basketball kept me turning pages, wondering if the next game would tilt Knight toward uncontrollable rage or allow for an uneasy respite for the players and other staff. That's one of the first things about Knight's character that becomes apparent, he's never easy to be around. For player's, Knight creates an atmosphere of fear, playing mind games, heaping verbal abuse and seemingly never satisfied with their effort in practice or in games. Among friends and colleagues there is a similar tension, a tightrope to be walked to avoid Knight spiraling out of control. These instances of Knight's often abusive persona are obvious and abundant, Feinstein didn't have to dig too deep to make this clear. What makes Knight such a controversial figure is the brilliance of his coaching, winning 3 NCAA Championships and a myriad of other awards and at the time of his retirement having won the most games in college basketball history. Knight ran his program with a standard of excellence, the vast majority of his players graduating and never to shady recruiting habits like many other big time basketball schools. And when a member of the Bob Knight family of former coaches or players needed him he was right there like when Landon Turner, a former player, was paralyzed in a car crash, his former coach organized a fundraiser that paid for his medical bills.
While Bob Knight was often capable of acts of kindness such as this over the course of the book the most obvious side of the coach that comes through is hard nosed running of the IU team. While the occasional praise is given to his players, Knight focuses on the mistakes, tearing his players down then beating them with a barrage of profanity laden insults. At the end of the day, Bob Knight is both one of the best basketball coaches of all time and one that most people would hate playing for. Is it worth it to menace players, officials, fans and coaches, to be remembered just as much for your antics as your success on the court? This was the question I found myself asking at the end of Feinstein’s account of Bob Knight’s season on the brink.
of IU basketball in the mid 80s. The controversial Bob Knight, managing and often causing chaos, is painted as both a genius and an intimidating bully.
Feinstein's book draws you into both the action on the court and the up and down roller coaster in the locker room. The grueling weeks of practice to start the season leading into an unrelenting schedule of Big Ten basketball kept me turning pages, wondering if the next game would tilt Knight toward uncontrollable rage or allow for an uneasy respite for the players and other staff. That's one of the first things about Knight's character that becomes apparent, he's never easy to be around. For player's, Knight creates an atmosphere of fear, playing mind games, heaping verbal abuse and seemingly never satisfied with their effort in practice or in games. Among friends and colleagues there is a similar tension, a tightrope to be walked to avoid Knight spiraling out of control. These instances of Knight's often abusive persona are obvious and abundant, Feinstein didn't have to dig too deep to make this clear. What makes Knight such a controversial figure is the brilliance of his coaching, winning 3 NCAA Championships and a myriad of other awards and at the time of his retirement having won the most games in college basketball history. Knight ran his program with a standard of excellence, the vast majority of his players graduating and never to shady recruiting habits like many other big time basketball schools. And when a member of the Bob Knight family of former coaches or players needed him he was right there like when Landon Turner, a former player, was paralyzed in a car crash, his former coach organized a fundraiser that paid for his medical bills.
While Bob Knight was often capable of acts of kindness such as this over the course of the book the most obvious side of the coach that comes through is hard nosed running of the IU team. While the occasional praise is given to his players, Knight focuses on the mistakes, tearing his players down then beating them with a barrage of profanity laden insults. At the end of the day, Bob Knight is both one of the best basketball coaches of all time and one that most people would hate playing for. Is it worth it to menace players, officials, fans and coaches, to be remembered just as much for your antics as your success on the court? This was the question I found myself asking at the end of Feinstein’s account of Bob Knight’s season on the brink.
September 3, 2025
When I started reading this, I envisioned my first line of this review to be something like, "Bob Knight was a complicated man...". Now that I have read it, there can only be one opening line.. Bob Knight was a maniac. I got that sense 15 pages into the book and the feeling never changed. I mean, this guy was a complete maniac. I know that the 80's were a different time but there is no way that this guy would be able to coach today. He put tampons in players lockers, called them pussys, played sick mind games and constantly berated his players. I don't know why anyone put up with that. Not many college kids today would. There are other ways to lead and motivate people. Throw some carrots in Bobby. It doesn't have to be all stick. But I think Bob knew that he was a crazy asshole. That was his thing and he was ok with it. He probably did know a lot about basketball. I won't deny that.
I was aware of Bob Knight before this book so I knew that he was a tough nose, old school coach that was a loose cannon. I had no idea until reading this how unhinged he really was. When I was a kid and heard about him throwing the chair, I thought it was the most insane thing ever. Now I think we are lucky that he threw it instead of beating someone to death with it. The direct quotes from him in this book are jarring. I am not saying that he was a monster. I think for the most part he had good values, deeply cared about all of his players and greatly valued his close, personal relationships. He was just a lunatic. That's all I'm saying. And that is one reason why I really enjoyed this book so much. The entertainment value was top notch. No one knew what was going to happen next. Feinstein is good writer too. I didn't think this painted Bob Knight in a very good light. But I also think it probably painted him in an accurate light. I didn't get the sense that Feinstein was artificially creating Knight to be the villain. If anything, it seemed like he tried to soften Knight's brash demeanor with reminders that Knight really does care about people. It seemed like he was trying to strike a balance between crazy and genius. Bob Knight the mad scientist that actually has a soft side if you look really, really, really close. Be that as it may, I guess when the book came out, Knight hated it and told Feinstein so. Shocker.
I was aware of Bob Knight before this book so I knew that he was a tough nose, old school coach that was a loose cannon. I had no idea until reading this how unhinged he really was. When I was a kid and heard about him throwing the chair, I thought it was the most insane thing ever. Now I think we are lucky that he threw it instead of beating someone to death with it. The direct quotes from him in this book are jarring. I am not saying that he was a monster. I think for the most part he had good values, deeply cared about all of his players and greatly valued his close, personal relationships. He was just a lunatic. That's all I'm saying. And that is one reason why I really enjoyed this book so much. The entertainment value was top notch. No one knew what was going to happen next. Feinstein is good writer too. I didn't think this painted Bob Knight in a very good light. But I also think it probably painted him in an accurate light. I didn't get the sense that Feinstein was artificially creating Knight to be the villain. If anything, it seemed like he tried to soften Knight's brash demeanor with reminders that Knight really does care about people. It seemed like he was trying to strike a balance between crazy and genius. Bob Knight the mad scientist that actually has a soft side if you look really, really, really close. Be that as it may, I guess when the book came out, Knight hated it and told Feinstein so. Shocker.
November 15, 2023
Easily on the Mt. Rushmore of sports books. I came into the book as someone who thought he loathed Knight. I've heard the tapes of his expletive laden, unhinged rants at his teams, saw him throw the chair at Purdue, and saw the video of him choking one of his players. He was the prototypical example of a bullying Neanderthal coach to whom I would never entrust one of my sons.
While those things are still and while Knight's bad behavior is on full display in the book, I learned from the book that there were many positive, admirable sides to the man. He ensured that his team all went to class--every class--and graduated. He was an utterly loyal friend who would go through fire to help any one of them. He helped friends financially. He helped a player's mom mourn the death of her husband. He tirelessly raised money for a paralyzed player. He helped former assistants get coaching jobs and on pro teams as players. He was a consummate teacher and student of basketball. And I believe he pushed his teams and players so hard that he wanted them to become the best versions of themselves possible.
Do those many positives outweigh his boorish, bullying, scare tactics? Would I send my son to play for him? No. But I don't have nearly the terrible view of the man I once did.
As an aside, I can't believe that his act actually worked. He would constantly tell every player that they were the worst who has ever played at IU, that they were pussies, that they wouldn't play next year, that they were no Saint (insert the name of any former player who likewise could never do anything right). It was the same BS every day, every pre- and post-game. Every practice. Maybe because he was so physically and mentally intimidating that it worked to a degree. But I think way more than the mental games he played, was his consummate preparation, teaching, and attention to details that made his teams so great. And he definitely benefited from the era. He would never have done so well with one and done stars (although Isaiah was a two and done player) and the way you can and cannot treat players these days.
Anyway, the book is fabulous. You feel like you are on the bench or standing next to Knightfor an entire season. It was amazing.
While those things are still and while Knight's bad behavior is on full display in the book, I learned from the book that there were many positive, admirable sides to the man. He ensured that his team all went to class--every class--and graduated. He was an utterly loyal friend who would go through fire to help any one of them. He helped friends financially. He helped a player's mom mourn the death of her husband. He tirelessly raised money for a paralyzed player. He helped former assistants get coaching jobs and on pro teams as players. He was a consummate teacher and student of basketball. And I believe he pushed his teams and players so hard that he wanted them to become the best versions of themselves possible.
Do those many positives outweigh his boorish, bullying, scare tactics? Would I send my son to play for him? No. But I don't have nearly the terrible view of the man I once did.
As an aside, I can't believe that his act actually worked. He would constantly tell every player that they were the worst who has ever played at IU, that they were pussies, that they wouldn't play next year, that they were no Saint (insert the name of any former player who likewise could never do anything right). It was the same BS every day, every pre- and post-game. Every practice. Maybe because he was so physically and mentally intimidating that it worked to a degree. But I think way more than the mental games he played, was his consummate preparation, teaching, and attention to details that made his teams so great. And he definitely benefited from the era. He would never have done so well with one and done stars (although Isaiah was a two and done player) and the way you can and cannot treat players these days.
Anyway, the book is fabulous. You feel like you are on the bench or standing next to Knightfor an entire season. It was amazing.
July 31, 2018
I came in with low expectations of this book, perhaps something to take a peek at a few pages and kinda leave it there. Instead, I consumed the entire book in one sitting, as it was an absolutely enjoyable read and kept me interested throughout.
The book itself is basically a documentary of the 1985-86 Indiana Hoosiers, who had disappointed mightily in the year beforehand, and thus, needed a makeup season, not just for the school, who expects their basketball team to contend for national and conference titles every year, but for Bobby Knight, the coach of the squad, who himself is notable for his short-fused temper.
This temper becomes perhaps the most important plotline throughout the book, as he has to figure out how to deal with his angry outbursts, while coaching an inexperienced team that would almost certainly wilt under the pressure if he were to constantly destroy them mentally. To see Knight sometimes being portrayed as someone who is actively controlling his temper would strike most familiar with the sport as strange, considering his tenure at Indiana was ended in 2000 thanks to a physical assault of a player.
It is a thoroughly good thing, that the Bobby Knight-types in coaching are dying out -- the last thing that sports needs are the petty tyrants who justify abuse as motivation. However, this book is written in such a way that does make him seem like a person trying his best to cope with the fact that his competitive nature overtakes the logical and perhaps even warm side of him a lot of times. Feinstein does a good job at presenting him as a fully fleshed out human; in short, it's probably the most sympathetic portrayal of him as a whole.
Overall, the 4/5 star rating comes mostly from the fact that the game and practice recaps do get a bit repetitive, and in a book chronicling a sports team, that's a large chunk. Still, the writing and the portrayal of coaches and players makes it a worthy read.
The book itself is basically a documentary of the 1985-86 Indiana Hoosiers, who had disappointed mightily in the year beforehand, and thus, needed a makeup season, not just for the school, who expects their basketball team to contend for national and conference titles every year, but for Bobby Knight, the coach of the squad, who himself is notable for his short-fused temper.
This temper becomes perhaps the most important plotline throughout the book, as he has to figure out how to deal with his angry outbursts, while coaching an inexperienced team that would almost certainly wilt under the pressure if he were to constantly destroy them mentally. To see Knight sometimes being portrayed as someone who is actively controlling his temper would strike most familiar with the sport as strange, considering his tenure at Indiana was ended in 2000 thanks to a physical assault of a player.
It is a thoroughly good thing, that the Bobby Knight-types in coaching are dying out -- the last thing that sports needs are the petty tyrants who justify abuse as motivation. However, this book is written in such a way that does make him seem like a person trying his best to cope with the fact that his competitive nature overtakes the logical and perhaps even warm side of him a lot of times. Feinstein does a good job at presenting him as a fully fleshed out human; in short, it's probably the most sympathetic portrayal of him as a whole.
Overall, the 4/5 star rating comes mostly from the fact that the game and practice recaps do get a bit repetitive, and in a book chronicling a sports team, that's a large chunk. Still, the writing and the portrayal of coaches and players makes it a worthy read.
April 25, 2021
Un libro interesante, non cabe dúbida. Segue a tempada 85-86 do equipo universitario de Indiana centrándose no seu adestrador, Bobby Knight, aínda que conta tamén cun epílogo no que se resume a tempada inmediatamente posterior.
É unha delicia ler a un periodista ao que se lle posibilitou a entrada no máis produndo dun conxunto, pois iso permítenos coñecer boa parte das interioridades do equipo, como o adestrador manexa a relación cos xogadores, os demais técnicos e a prensa, os vaivéns propios dunha tempada, as reaccións de uns e outros ás estratexias motivadoras de Knight... todos eses aspectos son moi desfrutables e prodúcenme certa fascinación.
O libro comeza contextualizando de onde provén Knight, e como foi a tempada anterior, catastrófica e que incluíu o moi célebre episodio do lanzamento dunha silla á cancha por parte do propio Knight. O que menos me gustou do libro foi a pouco disimulada intención de Feinstein de presentar a tempada 85-86 coma un cambio en Knight, redimíndoo e branqueando en gran medida os seus desvaríos e abusos, incluso chegando finalmente á conclusión de que o fin xustifica os medios. E é que se ben si é certo que existiu certo cambio en Knight, deuse máis no aspecto técnico que no seu carácter, como acabaría por demostrar co paso do tempo.
Creo que Feinstein pretende que o lector empatice con Knight, ou polo semella que intenta excusalo, pero realmente eu non fun quen de conseguilo, seguramente porque non está no meu ideario que para gañar hai que facer o que faga falla. Os seus cambios de humor, as complicadas relacións cos seus subordinados do equipo técnico e as abusivas relacións que mantén cos seus xogadores só fan que este libro aumentase a miña convicción de que Knight pode ter uns enormes coñecementos técnicos e tácticos, pero non é o tipo de persoa que eu admiro.
É unha delicia ler a un periodista ao que se lle posibilitou a entrada no máis produndo dun conxunto, pois iso permítenos coñecer boa parte das interioridades do equipo, como o adestrador manexa a relación cos xogadores, os demais técnicos e a prensa, os vaivéns propios dunha tempada, as reaccións de uns e outros ás estratexias motivadoras de Knight... todos eses aspectos son moi desfrutables e prodúcenme certa fascinación.
O libro comeza contextualizando de onde provén Knight, e como foi a tempada anterior, catastrófica e que incluíu o moi célebre episodio do lanzamento dunha silla á cancha por parte do propio Knight. O que menos me gustou do libro foi a pouco disimulada intención de Feinstein de presentar a tempada 85-86 coma un cambio en Knight, redimíndoo e branqueando en gran medida os seus desvaríos e abusos, incluso chegando finalmente á conclusión de que o fin xustifica os medios. E é que se ben si é certo que existiu certo cambio en Knight, deuse máis no aspecto técnico que no seu carácter, como acabaría por demostrar co paso do tempo.
Creo que Feinstein pretende que o lector empatice con Knight, ou polo semella que intenta excusalo, pero realmente eu non fun quen de conseguilo, seguramente porque non está no meu ideario que para gañar hai que facer o que faga falla. Os seus cambios de humor, as complicadas relacións cos seus subordinados do equipo técnico e as abusivas relacións que mantén cos seus xogadores só fan que este libro aumentase a miña convicción de que Knight pode ter uns enormes coñecementos técnicos e tácticos, pero non é o tipo de persoa que eu admiro.
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