The Last Amateurs: Playing for Glory and Honor in Division I College Basketball

John Feinstein spent a season with the basketball players of the Patriots League. What started as an assignment for the Washington Post (even though Feinstein was not working for the organization at the time) turned into The Last Amateurs. This is an in-depth peek into the lives of the players as athletes, students, sons, and brothers. Ambitious coaches become fathers and husbands. Characters become real people as personal lives are explored. Because Last Amateurs is extremely well researched readers will get a play by play of the more significant games and mini biographies of coaches, colleges, and players. All the heartbreak due to injury or losses as well as the triumphs of success. They will also get added detail like the careers show more and alma maters of the parents of the players. Rutgers, Holy Cross, Bucknell, Navy, Lehigh, Lafayette, Army, Colgate, Duke, Wagner, Yale, Penn State, and Villanova are the institutions to get Feinstein's extensive coverage. Feinstein's description of the the game between Lehigh and Lafayette was pretty exciting. I almost could feel the atmosphere in the gym as the players battled for the win. show less

I generally enjoy Feinstein's writings and his commentary. 'The Last Amateurs' is Feinstein's best work. Following his standard procedure, Feinstein gets inside access to the teams of the Patriot League, an east coast league of mostly small private colleges. At the time the schools did not offer athletic scholarships. The players played because they wanted to keep playing competitive hoops and they were all required to be real students.

These games are played in small arenas far way from the glare of the big time spotlight. Nonetheless, these players and coaches passionately want to win. The big dream is to make the NCAA post-season tournament. The conference torunament championship that determines which team goes to the the Big Dance show more is one of the great sporting events on the modern scene.

With very few exceptions, none of these players have the slightest chance of making the NBA. For the coaches, things are a little different because coaching college hoops is their career and they are looking to move up.

Feinstein does a great job of taking the reader behind the scenes. In a way, these players and games are the ideal of amateur competition that has a deep emotional resonance for many fans - and therein lies a danger that too much exposure will ruin the very thing that makes the league attractive.

Highly recommended for college sports fans. show less

There's a lot to like about the Patriot League. I particularly liked the new coach being shocked to see his players studying before a 6am practice.

Feinstein must be the BEST sportswriter there is, and this is one of his best.