Winning Words

John Harris gives readers a deep dive into the career of football coach Mike Tomlin. Tomlin hit a major milestone in his career when he became the youngest coach to lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to Super Bowl victory during his second season. He started his career as an assistant for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings. It surprised many when he became the head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers and has had a successful run. John Harris, a veteran journalist, covered the hiring of Tomlin in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. This book includes interviews with players, coaches, and executives who worked with Tomlin. He defied all the odds and proved that he is more than qualified to fulfill the duties as head coach, even with all the doubts.

Tony Dungy tells his story in his memoir Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, and Priorities of a Winning Life. He made history by becoming the first African American head coach to win the Super Bowl. Dungy led the Indianapolis Colts to victory in 2007 at Super Bowl XLI. Many look at Dungy as a role model for how he pursued success without sacrificing his team. Readers will get to learn more about Dungy’s journey, from all the obstacles he survived, such as losing a child and navigating stereotypes and firings, to all the successful principles, practices, and priorities that helped him stay on track throughout his life and career. He is considered by many as a real-life hero who teaches about the importance of quiet strength, fierce determination, and having a humble heart.

Legendary New York baseball player Willie Randolph writes about his career, from playing to coaching for the New York Yankees. In his book The Yankee Way: Playing, Coaching, and My Life in Baseball, he shares his stories of being part of the iconic team. He was in baseball for over 30 years and had the opportunity to witness some of the greats, such as Reggie Jackson, Don Mattingly, and Derek Jeter, just to name a few. Even though he spent most of his career with the Yankees, he made history as the first African American manager in baseball when he became the New York Mets manager. Although he has had an illustrious career, he talks about the triumphs and struggles he experienced on and off the baseball field.

I Came As a Shadow is an autobiography about legendary basketball coach John Thompson. Thompson was Georgetown University's legendary basketball coach. He coached the team from 1972 to 1999. He led the team to an NCAA championship, making him the first Black head coach to do so. Along with winning an NCAA championship, he had three Final Fours, was a four-time national coach of the year, had seven Big East championships, and had a 97 percent graduation rate. From growing up under Jim Crow segregation, his father not being able to read and write, and his mom being a teacher but not being able to teach because she was Black, he was able to overcome the odds and grew up to have a statue and a building dedicated to him. Thompson completed his autobiography before his passing in 2020.