Gene Wojciechowski

The definitive book on the greatest game in the history of college basketball, and the dramatic road both teams took to get there. March 28, 1992. The final of the NCAA East Regional, Duke vs. Kentucky. The 17,848 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia and the millions watching on TV could say they saw the greatest game and the greatest shot in the history of college basketball. But it wasn't just the final play of the game-an 80-foot inbounds bass from Grant Hill to Christian Laettner with 2.1 seconds left in overtime- that made Duke's 104-103 victory so memorable. The Kentucky and Duke players and coaches arrived at that point from very different places, each with a unique story to tell. In The Last Great Game, acclaimed ESPN columnist Gene Wojciechowski tells their stories in vivid detail, turning the game we think we remember into a drama filled with suspense, humor, revelations and reverberations. The cast alone is worth meeting again: Mike Krzyzewski, Rick Pitino, Bobby Hurley, Jamal Mashburn, Christian Laettner, Sean Woods, Grant Hill, and Bobby Knight. Timed for the game's 20th anniversary, The Last Great Game isn't a book just for Duke or Kentucky or even basketball fans. It's a book for any reader who can appreciate that great moments in sports are the result of hard work, careful preparation, group psychology, and a little luck.

Duke vs. Kentucky and the 2.1 Seconds That Changed Basketball

The Last Great Game

Paul Finebaum

"If God made the world in seven days, He spent the eighth day in his two-car garage, sipping on a cold one, listening to Merle Haggard, and dreaming up the Southeastern Conference." South of the Mason-Dixon line, everyone knows Paul Finebaum. And after a popular 2012 profile in the New Yorker, a spot at ESPN's College GameDay desk, and a contract to be the face of ESPN's SEC Network, the rest of the country has finally been introduced to "the Mouth of the South": the Memphis-born radio-talk-show host with a habit of saying whatever he thinks—and letting his callers say whatever they think, too. In My Conference Can Beat Your Conference, Finebaum chronicles the rise of the SEC and his own improbable path toward being "the Oprah of college football," as he was dubbed by the Wall Street Journal in 2013. And it doesn't matter whether fans love or hate him—they tune in regardless. Finebaum's opinions matter. He's condemned coaches to the gallows of lesser programs, helped elect governors, and prophesied victories. With My Conference Can Beat Your Conference, fans and enemies of Paul Finebaum will be given an all-access pass to the powerhouse teams and passionate fan bases of the country's most legendary conference, plus a behind-the-scenes look into an incredible 2013 Iron Bowl. SEC! SEC! SEC!

Why the SEC Still Rules College Football

My Conference Can Beat Your Conference

An all-access pass into the powerhouse teams and passionate fanbases of the legendary Southeastern Conference, from one of the most influential men in college football: ESPN’s Paul Finebaum. Proud owner of 14 prestigious college football programs, producing seven consecutive national championships, twelve NFL first round draft choices, and a budget that crushes the GDP of Samoa, the Southeastern Conference collects the most coveted ratings, rankings, and revenue of any conference in college football. With its pantheon of illustrious alumni like Bear Bryant, Herschel Walker, Peyton Manning, and Nick Saban, the SEC is the altar at which millions of Americans worship every Saturday, from Texas to Kentucky to Florida. If the SEC is a religion, its deity is radio talk-show host Paul Finebaum. In My Conference Can Beat Your Conference, Finebaum, chronicles the rise of the SEC and his own unlikely path to college football fame. Finebaum offers his blunt wisdom on everything from Joe Paterno and the Penn State scandal to the relevancy of Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron’s girlfriend, and chronicles the best of his beloved callers, and the worst of his haters. My Conference Can Beat Your Conference is illustrated with 8 pages of color photos.

New York Times bestseller "A compelling narrative about the people who produced the most spine-tingling moment in modern college basketball history.” –Seth Davis, Sports Illustrated and CBS March 28, 1992. The final of the NCAA East Regional, Duke vs. Kentucky. Millions could say they witnessed the greatest game and the greatest shot in the history of college basketball. But it wasn’t just the final play—an 80-foot inbounds pass with 2.1 seconds left in overtime—that made Duke’s 104-103 victory so memorable. Each player and coach arrived at that point with a unique story to tell. In The Last Great Game, ESPN columnist Gene Wojciechowski turns the game we think we remember into a drama filled with suspense, humor, revelations, and reverberations. Not just for Duke or Kentucky fans, this acclaimed New York Times bestseller is for everyone who appreciates the great moments in sports.

Spike Lee

Reggie Miller

The basketball superstar offers his views on life in the NBA, candidly describing life on the Dream Team and offering his opinions on players and coaches

Gene Wojciechowski

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