Yardstick

by Rick McGee

Bob graduates college but cannot find a job, well not a real job anyway. Once the star QB he now faces hunger and fear as there are no more free meals at the U. Bob is saved by Coach Mac, his mentor and high school football coach, an old throw back who molds boys out of mud and field turf. Coach Mac teaches Bob how to develop the "ladies" into men, with a life plan after the last whistle has blown.

Bob's real fear is measuring up to his buddies from school and the 'meet-ups' where they celebrate successes, lament failures and hold each other accountable. Real truths are shared by men more accustomed to ripping each other than baring their souls. Over the years Coach Bob learns the yardsticks that matter and measure the value of one's life.

255 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 10, 2014

Reviews

[Kim McGee · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do you measure a life? Is it how much money you make, how many friends you have or how much power you have? Should there be a different system used to measure the kind of life you lead- one that determines how many people you reached,one that measures if you did the right thing and hoped the world took notice? "Yardstick" answers these questions in a moving story of Coach Bob and his small group of childhood friends. The story is told in a split screen - one part being present day at a very important football game, the other part being Bob telling stories and life lessons that led him to be the person he is. We begin at graduation from college and progress through his career as a football coach, both at the high school level and college. While some would say his life is perfect, he feels like he doesn't measure up to his friends, future wife and father-in-law. It is life lessons he learns over time and the people whose lives he is able to affect that he uses to measure himself against his friends at five year meet ups and determine his true self worth. It is neither a football story nor business drama but a character driven story of what it means to be a successful man. The storytelling will remind you of Pat Conroy or Mitch Albom with the richness of characters in "Friday Night Lights". My thanks to the author for an advance copy. It is due to be published in mid March.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very engaging look at life and career through the eyes of Bob who's telling his story both in real time and through get togethers with his college buddies every five years to compare how their lives and careers are progressing.

[Mindy Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a great book to read now as we enter football season.

[Kim McGee · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do you measure a life? Is it how much money you make, how many friends you have or how much power you have? Should there be a different system used to measure the kind of life you lead- one that determines how many people you reached,one that measures if you did the right thing and hoped the world took notice? "Yardstick" answers these questions in a moving story of Coach Bob and his small group of childhood friends. The story is told in a split screen - one part present day at a very important football game, the other part being Bob telling stories and life lessons that led him to be the person he is. We begin at graduation from college and progress through his career as a football coach, both at the high school level and college. While some would say his life is perfect, he feels like he doesn't measure up to his friends, future wife and father-in-law. It is life lessons he learns over time and the people whose lives he is able to affect that he uses to measure himself against his friends at five year meet ups and determine his true self worth. It is neither a football story nor business drama but a character driven story of what it means to be a successful man. My thanks to the author for an advance copy of this book.