Title/Author:
“I Did It
My Way: A Remarkable Journey to the Hall of Fame” by Bud Grant and Jim Bruton
Tags:
American Football, Canadian Football, professional, coaching, autobiography, Vikings
Published:
September
1, 2013
Length:
288 pages
Rating:
5 of 5
stars (outstanding)
Review:
Bud Grant
is a legend to Minnesota sports fans, so when I saw that he wrote an
autobiography I immediately picked up a copy.
I was hoping to not only read about his time coaching the Vikings, but
also more about his time in the Canadian Football League, his playing days and
what he has done since coaching. Those were all covered, but there is a lot
more to the book than that, and it is some of those stories that make this an
outstanding book.
No matter
what topic is discussed, Grant writes much like he coached - he stated his view
or point, talked about the important aspects to either give credence to the
story or explain his opinion, and then moved onto the next topic. He stated several times during the book that
he would not dwell too much on games that were lost or players that left the
team because he felt that it did not help to dwell on the mistakes if the team
was to move forward. He wrote the book
with that concept in mind, as there is not a lot of reflection on the four
Super Bowl losses by the Vikings during his tenure or other tough losses. Instead, he talks a lot about the great
players he coached such as Fran Tarkenton, Chuck Foreman and Alan Page. Vikings fans who followed the team during
this time will recall fondly those players who were the stars of the team’s
heyday.
There were several “firsts” that Grant accomplished during his sports career as both a player and a coach that are covered in this book. One of these are becoming the first “hardship” case when he left the University of Minnesota’s basketball team to play professionally for the Minneapolis Lakers. Many readers may not know that Grant was a fine athlete, excelling in basketball and baseball as well as football. He also talks about the Vikings running the “West Coast” offense in the 1970’s before the San Francisco 49’ers did, giving it that moniker. His writing comes across as prideful yet not boastful when covering these topics.
However, I
believed some of the best sections of this book were not about his playing or
coaching career. His account of how his
family got through the tough economic times was fascinating reading (I won’t
give away too many details of that.) His chapters on animals and the outdoors
are also well written.
But the
best chapter was chapter 3 when he describes his ordeal when he was caught
outside during the famous Armistice Day blizzard of 1940. An avid hunter and fisherman since he was a
young boy, Grant was hunting when the storm suddenly arrived and the tale of
what he did to survive that storm and ensure his hunting companions were safe
was nothing short of incredible. That
chapter alone makes the book worth the time to read.
This is an
outstanding book written by a legendary coach that captures his life in the
same manner as he coached his football teams.
It covers many topics and aspects of the man’s life in an even-keeled
manner and comes across as sincere, not boastful or regretful. Readers who are sports fans, especially
Minnesota sports fans, will love this book.
Did I skim?
No.
Pace of the book:
Very good.
The book does follow a true timeline and does not skip much. There are times
Grant will go off on a tangent with a related story, but these are infrequent
and short – it doesn’t steer off course for too long.
Do I recommend?
Pro
football fans will like this book, especially Minnesota Vikings fans. Also,
those who enjoy the outdoors will like Grant’s chapters on hunting and animals
in general. Something for many tastes.
Book Format Read:
e-book
(Kindle)
Buying Links:
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