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When the Game Stands Tall

When the Game Stands Tall

The Story of the De La Salle Spartans and Football's Longest Winning Streak

About the Book

De La Salle High School in Concord, California, is home to perhaps the greatest dynasty in sports history. At age 23, Coach Bob Ladouceur launched a legend, "The Streak," with no teaching or head-coaching experience, and with his teams amassed the highest winning percentage in all of football history with 138 consecutive victories. This book takes readers behind the scenes, closely following individual players, as Ladouceur guides his team through the most daunting schedule in school history, the 2002 season. Numerous interviews with major-league coaches such as Bill Walsh, Steve Mariucci, and John Gruden show the depth of respect accorded to Ladouceur and his methods and philosophies. Written with full cooperation from the coach and including dozens of photographs, this book is perfect for anyone interested in the factors behind phenomenal team success.
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Praise for When the Game Stands Tall

“Exceptional. A story about brotherhood and the endless fight to achieve greatness in all aspects of life.”—Alexander Ludwig
 
“A road map for developing great teams and great young men. A must read for any coach or parent who wants to help kids reach their true potential.”—David Zelon, producer
 
“One of the greatest football stories ever told.”—John Madden
 
“A story we need to read.”—Tony La Russa
 
“Human vulnerability gets equal time with athletic invincibility throughout Hayes’s book.”—San Francisco Chronicle
 
“Remarkable.”—Pro Football Weekly

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About the Author

Neil Hayes
Neil Hayes is a sports columnist for the Contra Costa Times newspapers, a 195,000-circulation chain of daily newspapers based in Walnut Creek, California. He is a frequent guest on Bay Area radio stations, and his column is distributed nationally by Knight-Ridder wire services. He has twice been honored by the Associated Press Sports Editors for his enterprise reporting and has won numerous writing awards from the Pro Football Writer's Association of America. He lives in Pleasant Hill, CA, with his wife Charlee and their two children, Nicholas and Riley. More by Neil Hayes
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About the Author

Tony La Russa
Tony La Russa, the St. Louis Cardinals manager, is a former Bay Area resident who zealously follows De La Salle and considers Bob Ladouceur a true authority and coaching guru, as well as a personal friend. He has used Ladouceur quotes to inspire and motivate his own St. Louis Cardinals players. More by Tony La Russa
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About the Author

John Madden
John Madden, the legendary NFL broadcaster synonymous with football for millions of fans nationwide, has an ability to explain the game's finer points with an idiosyncratic sense of humor. After 21 seasons as a game analyst for CBS and Fox, he is in his third season as the expert analyst for "Monday Night Football." More by John Madden
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About the Author

Bob Larson
Bob Larson, the award-winning photographer, has been allowed behind the scenes access to De La Salle's program for more than ten years. He documented the team's national record setting 73rd consecutive victory as well as the school's 100th straight win. Larson also created a photo documentary of the 2002 season. His black and white photos evoke both the public spectacle and personal faces of De La Salle's intriguing 'Streak.' More by Bob Larson
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