The Last Amateurs: Playing for Glory and Honor in Division I College Basketball (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780316278423)

America's favorite sportswriter takes readers on a thrilling and unforgettable journey into the world of college basketball in this national bestseller.
Like millions who love college basketball, John Feinstein was first drawn to the game because of its intensity, speed and intelligence. Like many others, he felt that the vast sums of money involved in NCAA basketball had turned the sport into a division of the NBA, rather than the beloved amateur sport it once was. He went in search of college basketball played with the passion and integrity it once inspired, and found the Patriot League. As one of the NCAA's smallest leagues, none of these teams leaves college early to join the NBA and none of these coaches gets national recognition or endorsement contracts. The young men on these teams are playing for the love of the sport, of competition and of their schools.

John Feinstein spent a season with these players, uncovering the drama of their daily lives and the passions that drive them to commit hundreds of hours to basketball even when there is no chance of a professional future. He offers a look at American sport at its purest.

Author: John Feinstein
ISBN-10: 0316278424
ISBN-13: 9780316278423
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Language: English
Published: 11/01/2001
Pages: 480
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.97lbs
Size: 8.38h x 5.46w x 1.50d

Review Citation(s):
Entertainment Weekly 11/09/2001 pg. 103
Kliatt 05/01/2002 pg. 44

About the Author
John Feinstein is the author of many widely acclaimed and bestselling books on sports, including One on One, Moment of Glory, Are You Kidding Me?, Living on the Black, Tales from Q School, Last Dance, Next Man Up, Let Me Tell You a Story (with Red Auerbach), Caddy for Life, Open, The Punch, The Last Amateurs, The Majors, A Good Walk Spoiled, A Civil War, A Season on the Brink, Play Ball, and Hard Courts. He is also the author of five sports mystery novels for young readers. He writes for the Washington Post, Washingtonpost.com, and Golf Digest, and is a regular commentator on The Golf Channel.