When March Went Mad: The Game That Transformed Basketball

by Seth Davis

The dramatic story of how two legendary players burst on the scene in an NCAA championship that gave birth to modern basketball Thirty years ago, college basketball was not the sport we know today. Few games were televised nationally and the NCAA tournament had just expanded from thirty-two to forty teams. Into this world came two exceptional Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Larry Bird. Though they played each other only once, in the 1979 NCAA finals, that meeting launched an epic rivalry, transformed the NCAA tournament into the multibillion-dollar event it is today, and laid the groundwork for the resurgence of the NBA. In When March Went Mad , Seth Davis recounts the dramatic story of the season leading up to that game, as Johnson’s Michigan State Spartans and Bird’s Indiana State Sycamores overcame long odds and great doubts that their unheralded teams could compete at the highest level. Davis also tells the stories of their remarkable coaches, Jud Heathcote and Bill Hodges—who were new to their schools but who set their own paths to build great teams—and he shows how tensions over race and class heightened the drama of the competition. When Magic and Bird squared off in Salt Lake City on March 26, 1979, the world took notice—to this day it remains the most watched basketball game in the history of television—and the sport we now know was born.

Genres: Sports, Basketball, Nonfiction, History

336 pages, Hardcover

First published February 17, 2009

Reviews

[Nicolo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started following professional basketball when Michael Jordan was transcending the game with his dominating talent. But he only inherited an NBA already defined by the rivalry of two personalities, Magic and Bird. The games of these two superstars where they go head to head, especially in the NBA Finals are legendary. This started when they both were college basketball stars, in the 1979 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship game.

The book details the events that lead to the 1979 Final Four and the main game itself. The writer, Seth Davis, argues that this was the most important game in basketball, collegiate and professional. This garnered the highest ever television rating for a basketball game, an achievement never duplicated, and changed the game forever. The rivalry of Magic and Bird is no small part responsible.

Part of the mystique that enamored America, besides the final game that featured Magic’s storied Spartan of the Michigan State University basketball program and Bird’s Middle American Indiana State University Sycamores was the disparate backgrounds of the two stars. Both were basketball prodigies, not as athletically gifted as their peers and successors in the game but blessed with an uncanny basketball sense and unique ability get the best out of their teammates. That is where there similarities end. Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson honed his skill in the city of Lansing, Michigan and with his megawatt smile was destined for the limelight and comfortable with the attention his gifts brought him. While Larry Bird grew up in rural Indiana as “the hick from French Lick” and was known to be painfully shy. He found his sanctuary in the court and let his game do the talking.

Eventually, there can be only one winner. No spoilers here, the better team won.

The book is adequately written, as a sports memoir it is as I expected. It is similar from what you will find in a special report in Sports Illustrated, only this one has a proper epilogue. This is not surprising as the author is a regular contributor to the magazine.

What I enjoyed about the book is that I get to read about one of the best rivalries in sports ever. Magic and Bird are like Ali and Frazier of boxing or DiMaggio and Williams of baseball. I get to read how it all started and their motivations as the championship game beckoned.

This is a must read for any sports fan.

[Will Plucker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good story about the 1979 NCAA basketball season, featuring Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and their respective teams. I learned a lot about both players and how their special season contributed to the popularity of March Madness that exists today. I would only recommend this, however, to college basketball fans, as it won’t appeal much to a general audience.

[Ty Schadt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, entertaining, informative read. Really interesting to learn Larry & Magic’s journey’s that led to their many historic battles. Scratched a nice September basketball itch.

[Michael Diamond · Rating 3 out of 5]

I lived this era and while somewhat nostalgic, often redundant.

[Mike Van Campen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book succeeds and fails at the same time. First, Davis does an exceptional job of recreating the 1979 NCAA Championship game and the build up to that game. The reader really gets a feel for the players and coaches of the two seemingly unlikely teams: the Michigan State University Spartans and the Indiana State University Sycamores. Further, he does an excellent job of highlighting the superstars from that season and that game: Larry Bird and Earvin "Magic" Johnson. As someone whose familiarity with Bird and Magic was limited to an emerging interest in the NBA as a child in the '80s, I found the historical aspect of the '79 tournament fascinating. I had no idea that the two had met prior to the Lakers-Celtics rivalry of that time. Since I was a mere 6 at the time, I had no memory of who won and read with a great deal of interest. This aspect of the book was quite good.

Where this book fails is that the title (or subtitle) states that this game and season transformed basketball. This seems to be the thesis of the book. However, Davis only occasionally supports this thesis with the events of that season. After having finished the book, I left convinced that things were indeed different in 1979 but not so certain that this game or season was THE crucial turning point in basketball in America. I think this would have been a much better book if Davis merely focused on the 1978-79 NCAA season instead of attempting to attach grandiose assertions about the importance of this season over any other in the development of basketball in America. I would argue that if any season of NCAA basketball contributed to the rise in the popularity of basketball as a whole it was 1982, and specifically when a player from UNC named Michael Jordan made a game winning jump shot in the NCAA Championship. I accept that Bird and Magic and the season covered in this book laid the ground work for Jordan and others but I am not convinced that their first meeting "transformed basketball".

Still, I did find this book quite interesting and the author at his best when detailing the history of this season and introducing us to these young athletes on the cusp of superstardom.

[Mahlon · Rating 4 out of 5]

In When March Went Mad, Seth Davis offers a narrative account of the 1979 College Basketball season through the eyes of it's two greatest players, Larry Bird of the Indiana State Sycamores, and Magic Johnson of the Michigan State Spartans, whose teams eventually met in the finals of the NCAA Tournament, with Michigan State winning 75-64. Davis argues that this is the greatest basketball game ever played, both for it's effect on televised college Basketball, and later on the NBA, since both Magic and Bird helped lay the foundation for the modern game, paving the way for the rock star players of the current era.

The author does a nice job of weaving both team's season's into one continuous narrative. It's obvious that he did a large amount of research for this book, interviewing many of the players, coaches, and broadcasters, involved. As a result, you'll feel as if you are there, experiencing the emotional highs and lows with the players as the season progresses.

Unfortunately, this book has a major flaw, Michigan State wins the tournament halfway through, which is kind of a letdown considering that it's the centerpiece of the book.

Seth Davis is a better writer than you'd expect, therefore I'd recommend the book, despite the uneven nature of the two halves. It's not good enough for a 4, but I enjoyed the first half way too much to give it a 3.

[Machaia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one for the most part. The author did a pretty good job not just making it a book of stats and play by plays, and the build-up was very good. However, the actual game that the whole book is supposed to be about felt like a letdown after reading literally hundreds of pages to get there. Furthermore, the ending was pretty sad and disheartening, and it seemed like the book was unsure of what it wanted to be, so it made the book a bit uneven at times.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 1979 NCAA Basketball Championship was arguably the most important event in college basketball history. Its success spurred the growth of ESPN and excited sports fans all over the country (1/4 of the nation's televisions were tuned to the final game). But more than anything, this is a story of two men who captured the nation with their incredible play and became the new face of basketball. Before they were millionaires in the NBA, Magic and Bird were college rivals, with completely different personalities and backgrounds. Larry Bird took time from college and worked as a garbage man, before his coach convinced him to return to campus. Bird was shy of the media, whereas Magic embraced the spotlight and never grew tired of entertaining. Seth Davis is not a great writer, but he's done his research (tons of interviews with players, coaches, and broadcasters). It's too bad that the Indiana State Sycamores can no longer compete with the big dogs in March Madness.

[Rob Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I tell people that this game was the first game I ever watched on TV, and as far as I can remember, I'm not lying. I lived in Bloomington, Indiana when this game was played, and was a staunch Larry Bird fan (and continue to root for the Celtics to this day). The rivalry that this game birthed gave hoops fans a decade of basketball bliss.

I didn't learn much more about Bird or Magic from this book, but what little I learned was worth the read. The bigger win was learning more about Heathcote, Hodges, Nicks, Kelser--the other people involved in that amazing season that led to this game. I never realized, for example, that this was Hodges' absolute basketball zenith, and that hoops never panned out for him after this. Or that Indiana State has largely disowned that magical season.

Hoops fans should all read this book. Bird or Magic fans? It's a must-read.

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best basketball books out there. A small Indiana school led by the Hick from French Lick goes up against a Big Ten powerhouse in the NCAA Finals. Compulsively readable. Or readably compulsive.

[Eli]

Since this 1978-79 season took place before the advent of extensive TV coverage of NCAA basketball, it was fun reading the "backstory" for the championship matchup everyone remembers. The championship game itself was sort of anticlimactic. Definitely worth a read for college BB fans.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and definitely thought it was appropriate to read at this time of year. Since I grew up in Terre Haute and was born right before the 78-79 season, so I had heard some of what was in the book, but still thought it was interesting.

[L · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really interesting read. It's rare to find a sports book that deals with such a familiar topic and yet provides so much new information. (Or at least new for me.)

[Gerald Koskinen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable read. Adds a lot of insight to the backgrounds of 2 of the greatest nba players of all time. Ends with a “where are they now” of teammates and coaches.

[Liben Kebede · Rating 4 out of 5]

During the 1970's College basketball didn't have that much flare or drama to, it ever since greats like Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain went to the NBA. That was until Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Larry Bird, two all time greats, entered the NCAA for their college seasons. They met in the 1979 NCAA Championship game and formed one of the most epic rivalries in sports. This impacted NCAA and NBA basketball and brought more excitement to the basketball world. Although this book didn't use much literary techniques, besides multiple examples of imagery, there were some examples and they helped put the story in perspective. One example is when the text reads, "when [Magic] was surrounded by autograph seekers he couldn't turn down...he would turn to Charles Tucker, his friend and mentor since childhood, and touch his hand to the brim of his cap" (Davis 11). This is an example of imagery because it makes me feel like I was there when Magic was surrounded by multitude of fans. When he said "touch his hand to the brim of his cap" (Davis 11), it put an image in my head of Magic Johnson doing this action. Another example of a literary device was when the text said, "He stabbed me in the back. I got him a job" (Davis 17). This is a hyperbole because he exaggerated the event. He didn't really get stabbed in the back, but that was how he felt about the event. The third example of a literary device, was another use of imagery when the text read, "Bird leveled a fan who had jumped on his back in the postgame melee. The guy ended up on his back with a bloody nose. Rick Shaw, the team's student manager, recalls thinking that it looked like someone had poured ketchup all over the man's face" (Davis 86). This is a great use of imagery because Davis describes how graphic the man's face looked after the fight. The phrase describing it as ketchup being poured all over the man's face, puts an image in the reader's mind of how it actually looked. Seth Davis provides a great look into the lives of Magic and Bird leading up to, and a little beyond, the 1979 NCAA Championship game. I would highly recommend this book to sports fans and mostly basketball fans in particular. It is a great read for people who are fans of the sports genre and know basketball history really well. It is also similar to books like, "Eleven Rings" by Phil Jackson and the popular 30 For 30 documentaries that air on ESPN.

[Preston Caddell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun and easy read for any sports fan, but basketball people in particular will find this it very interesting. For readers my age, our basketball knowledge tends to start with Michael Jordan and the 90s Bulls. However, before MJ took the NBA to another level, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird carried the league from a low point and made the sport popular again.

This book largely centers around the 1979 NCAA Tournament between Johnson's Michigan State Spartans and Bird's Indiana State Sycamores. The game itself is not really that important; instead, it's the contrasting backgrounds of the key players and the crazy media hype around the title match that made it unique. Davis believes that this game is the most important in basketball history since it revitalized the sport, and he does a good job of backing up his hypothesis. Magic and Bird could not have been more different and this made them perfect rivals. Magic had a happy childhood, was recognized as a star early on, and played with a well-rounded and well-coached Michigan State team that complimented his skills. On the other hand, Bird grew up with a lot of pain, wasn't always committed to basketball, and had to carry his team and coach. As it became apparent quickly that these were the two best players in college basketball, the media jumped all over them.

This game was crucial for the growth in both college basketball and ESPN, and it's hard to imagine any game in any sport having the same impact today.Their NBA careers aren't covered as extensively, but that is another story for another book. For that reason alone, it's well worth a read.

[Clair Keizer · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun look back on one of the most interesting seasons of college basketball. Seth Davis takes us on a terrific look back at Michigan State and Indiana State Universities and their respective journeys to the NCAA championship.

More so, When March Went Mad is a look at the two athletes, Larry Bird and Earvin Johnson, that did so much to make the NCAA tournament and the Final Four top of mind for so many every season since.

Ironically, when all the smoke cleared, it was less about the championship and more about the run up to the Final four that made this season so special and so memorable, especially as it relates to Larry Bird and Indiana State. Author Seth Davis never once uses the term Cinderella in describing the Sycamores' run to the championship. The team was, after all undefeated going in to the final game and defeated a few powerful programs along the way. But who the heck was Indiana State? Were it not for Bird, we would still be asking that. Bird, with a first year head coach and a team of athletes few ever heard of almost became that engine that could, but in the end, didn't.

Ironically, that championship game against MSU was a letdown after the build up all season and the hype building around and about Johnson and Bird. But the months leading up to that game made for great newsprint (since TV coverage was still hit and miss) and created that target for every mid-major basketball program to aspire to reach.

One can't say enough about Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. But as much as they became the face of their teams, they were still just one player on their respective teams. And that was the real beauty of this college basketball legend.

[Todd Stockslager · Rating 5 out of 5]

For folks of a certain age, 1979 wasn't that long ago, but it is hard to fathom how much the entertainment and sports world has changed since March went Mad. Seth Davis's new book covers the 1979 NCAA championship basketball game between Michigan State and Indiana State that introduced the world to Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, and the madness that became March.

Part of the magic of that year was that, before the days 24-hour coverage of nearly every college basketball game on some regional or national media outlet with endless analysis on the Internet, most fans and even head coaches had not seen Indiana State or Larry Bird play. So the run to the semi-finals (the trademarked "Final Four" tag was still a few years in the future!) by these two teams was covered by local media and newspapers (I'll pause while you parents explain those to your young children). Even the better-known Michigan State with Magic Johnson, despite playing in the more powerful Big Ten conference, were a relative unknown. But in that final weekend, the bright lights of national attention was turned on in what is still the highest-rated championship game of all time.

Davis recounts the season leading up to the big game, introduces us to the head coaches and programs they rescued from previous obscurity (Indiana State) and scandal (Michigan State), and most importantly shines the spotlight on the young men who fascinated the public imagination that spring, and for decades to come in the NBA. Yes kids, before Koby and LeBron there was Larry and Magic, and boy were they good. Davis takes us to their hometowns, where each was a hero on the court and off, even though they could not have been more opposite in personality. Basketball fans who remember when they dominated the NBA championship teams in the 1980s will meet them as young men, boys really, maturing in sometimes faltering steps in their ability to handle the adulation, attention, and pressures that came with their surprisingly similar and strongly developed basketball skills.

One quick example has special resonance the week I am writing this review, as seemingly unstoppable college star Stephen Curry of Davidson was held scoreless by an opposing coach who assigned two defenders to Curry for the entire game--even after Curry just stood far from the basket and passed the ball to his teammates playing four on three for a 30-point victory (http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketba...). Davis recounts an Indiana State opponent that did exactly the same thing to try to slow down Larry Bird. When Indiana State head coach Bill Hodges tried to draw a play for Bird to get free to score, Bird told his coach he was content to play the decoy the entire game--which Indiana State won easily! In this instant-news always-on era, it is easy to forget that amazing things happened in the days before Youtube was there to instantly memorialize it. Larry and Magic had many such moments that Davis recounts in this book.

Davis does an excellent job recounting both the basketball games and the people and events off the court. The actual championship game takes only a chapter of the book, as the largest part of the book are the stories behind the game--and after. While we all know the success of the careers of Bird and Johnson, the aftermath of the game for their teammates, head coaches, and programs was not always so successful. Especially poignant and interesting are how the upstart Indiana State program and its first-year head coach Bill Hodges mishandled events after their brief flash of fame on the national stage.

This is a great story well-researched and told without a false step. Even the cover art showing the records of the two teams going into the championship game doesn't give away the eventual winner--and neither will I. Read and enjoy.

Davis recounts the season leading up to the big game, introduces us to the head coaches and programs they rescued from previous obscurity (Indiana State) and scandal (Michigan State), and most importantly shines the spotlight on the young men who fascinated the public imagination that spring, and for decades to come in the NBA. Yes kids, before Koby and LeBron there was Larry and Magic, and boy were they good. Davis takes us to their hometowns, where each was a hero on the court and off, even though they could not have been more opposite in personality. Basketball fans who remember when they dominated the NBA championship teams in the 1980s will meet them as young men, boys really, maturing in sometimes faltering steps in their ability to handle the adulation, attention, and pressures that came with their surprisingly similar and strongly deeveloped basketball skills.

One quick example that has special resonance the week I am writing this review, as seemingly unstoppable college star Stephon Curry of Davidson College was held scoreless by an opposing coach who assigned two defenders to Curry for the entire game--even after Curry just stood far from the basket and passed the ball to his teammates playing four on three for a 30-point victory (http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketba...). Davis recounts an Indiana State opponent that did exactly the same thing to try to slow down Larry Bird. When Indiana State head coach Bill Hodges tried to draw a play for Bird to get free to score, Bird told his coach he was content to play the decoy the entire game--which Indiana State won easily! In this instant-news always-on era, it is easy to forget that amazing things happened in the days before Youtube was there to instantly memorialize it. Larry and Magic had many such moments that Davis recounts in this book.

Davis does an excellent job recounting both the basketball games and the people and events off the court. The actual championship game takes only a chapter of the book, as the largest part of the book are the stories behind the game--and after. While we all know the success of the careers of Bird and Johnson, the aftermath of the game for their teammates, head coaches, and programs was not always so successful. Especially poignant and interesting are how the upstart Indiana State program and its first-year head coach Bill Hodges mishandled events after their brief flash of fame on the national stage.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book "When March Went Mad" written by Seth Davis takes us back to 1979 and a historic game that helped basketball rise to the popularity it enjoys today. This game was played between the Michigan State Spartans and the Indiana State Sycamores. The stars on these 2 teams were Magic Johnson for the Spartans and Larry Bird for the Sycamores. Davis describes the personalities and styles of these 2 players. As the reporters were debating about whether this game would end up in a blow out win, there was a lot of news coverage which helped increase the popularity of the game of basketball. This game was one of the most watched NCAA games in history. Along with this game Davis also tells the readers about the overall history of the NBA which lead to its mass popularity today. I really liked this book because it gives you a good insight about the players. In particular Larry Bird was interesting to me because he was really humble and shy yet he ended up being one of the most dominant players in the NBA. I enjoyed this book because I am passionate about basketball and so I would recommend this book to people who like basketball. If you are a sports fan and like to learn about statistics, the history of your favorite sport and the important players on your favorite team, then this book will suit you perfectly.

[Evan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe that this book by Seth Davis is great because it really gives all the readers an inside look on the super different lives of two basketball super stars, Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Larry Bird. The readers are presented with the facts that Indiana State has a star player but not much else, and Michigan State is loaded with talent. The novel tracks the two teams through the 1979 season all the way to the championship game where the Spartans end the Sycamore's magical 33 win undefeated season. Near the end, it is clear to see though, that it wasn't Michigan state versus Indiana State anymore, it was Magic Johnson versus Larry Bird. There are two clashing personalities, of outgoing, and shy. There is also the race factor, African american versus white. Overall I am giving this book a five star rating because you get to understand the way two of the greatest basketball players of all time think and play, as well as get all the information on how they both make their unlikely appearances in the national championship game to face off versus each other.

[Paulo · Rating 4 out of 5]

1979 was a very important year in basketball that was to come, the first "fight" between Larry Bird and Earvin 'Magic' Johnson. The book provides a background for that NCAA season and how Indiana State and Michigan State reached the final game. Of course, Davis focuses on both players, their lifes, their stories, though he tries to establish everyone's situation (teammates, coaches, teams...)

The book is well documented, but I miss interviews with both Magic and Bird. I think that two were the men who formed the heart of this narrative, Jud Heathcote and Bill Hodges, coaches of MSU and ISU in that year. It is interesting to know their opinions to form the shell of the narrative.

On the other hand, the book is a little presumptuous, for in the title itself Davis ensures that it was «the game that transformed basketball»... and that sentence is too categorical. The author fails to consider a variety of other reasons in the boost of basketball's popularity in the 80's.

[Dylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great retailing of CBB history, a great read for the lead up to the final stretch before the madness of March kicks off (thanks to my randomizer formula for picking this now). There's not much to say on this though if I must be honest. Seth is a great writer and this is a greatly written and researched way to introduce a modern audience to that first Larry vs Magic match up that also held so many of the amazing tropes we appreciate and, to some degree, take for granted with the modern tournament.

It's one of the best sports books, or even pieces of literature, I've read and fans of the NBA of the 80's, the NBA superstars, or college basketball will find enjoyment in this. In many ways it's the exceptional recreation as one can get for a game and teams and players that were mostly introduced in 2 week span of March 1979. Seth creates such a great narrative that the epilogues were emotionally sad to someone without any rooting interest prior as me.

[Indydave1958 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I dusted this off from my shelf for the 42nd anniversary of the 1979 NCAA Championship. The 2021 NCAA tournament, with its great underdog storylines, seemed like a good occasion to re-read this wonderfully reported story about a turning point in sports and popular culture history in the late 20th century.

As someone who had a front-row seat for all those Indiana State games — well, more like rafters seats, because I wasn’t crazy enough to miss class and camp out for hours before home games so I could dash for those coveted spots — I can say Seth Davis pretty much nailed it. If anything, the mythology around the game and the culture shifts that followed have only grown since this book was published in 2009. Many of us who were there still see that era as a touchstone. With all the happened after that, it’s wonderful to remember how it all began.

[Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s hard to remember a time when the end of March wasn’t dominated by tourney brackets, “shocking” first round losses for Duke, and Cinderella teams. But Seth Davis takes us back to just that time and follows the journey of Michigan state led by Magic Johnson and undefeated Indiana State led by Larry Bird. During a time when basic cable channels were not always covering sports, the legends of Bird and Magic began to grow and capture the attention of a nation. Davis does an amazing job building towards the ‘79 championship game and then somehow tops himself with two more fascinating chapters which follow up on the coaches, players, and the rise of March Madness.

[Cindy Ladensack · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I had been old enough to remember this as it happened, but this was a great recap of the rise of ‘Magic’ and the MSU championship season—and, oh yes, Larry Bird too. (That’s my Spartan alumni bias showing). Loved the insight into the other players and coaches and staff too — legends like Kelser & Heathcote, but also the others that weren’t so famous. I enjoyed the aftermath stories, too—the ISU ones were pretty sad compared to MSU ones, and many of the MSU stories I think illustrate really well the loyal and proud nature of Spartan nation—but maybe as I said I’m just a little biased. Minus points for ‘Troll Bridge Road’ (but it gave me a laugh).

[Paul Carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book might be a bit thin, with nearly 300 pages centered around a single memorable game. I was wrong. Seth Davis comprehensively tells the stories of Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and how they got to the 1979 NCAA final. Davis doggedly tracks their personal journeys and the very different seasons each team had en route to the final. He creates perfect context for how it became one of college basketball's most important games, and layers in interesting details about both the stars and supporting casts. Highly recommended to any fan of college basketball or sports history.

[Russ Bertetta · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really enjoyable look at the two men who saved the NBA before they were stars. Despite neither Bird nor Magic being interviewed for this book, Seth Davis did a fantastic amount of research to really make them come to life. Magic was pretty easy but Bird was a real enigma. Davis brings him to life and not always in a good light. But this story is more than just Bird and Magic, it's the back-up layers, the coaches, the townspeople of Lansing and Terre Haute who flesh out the story. Close to 4 stars.

[Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read. Gives that bit of back story to the Magic/Bird chess game.

It's a shame Larry Bird is so closed and that more couldn't have been written about him. Magic was and still is an open book. Larry only seems to have a private side, with lots of locked doors and pulled shades.

Still, this IS what built March Madness, and it was great to get the back story of the foundation of the craziness of the tournament.

[Nathan M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read about when basketball truly mattered. I eat up anything Larry Bird, and only knew the basics of Magic Johnson, and was surprised when I found this book. I learned more about Larry Legend than I had from any other book, and everything necessary to know about Magic as well. I loved the back and forth writing style from each teams point of view, as well as alternating from Larry to Magic. Definitely one of the better sports books I've ever read.

[Barry Lacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book on the most famous and still highest tv rating game of college basketball ever. Gives you all the background on the teams and coaches before the season and then building up during the year to the championship game. Also has a last chapter about what happened afterwards to everyone previously mentioned earlier in the book. A great book for fans of the players and or the teams and even just for basketball or sports fans to enjoy.