Book Review: When The Game Was Ours

For my birthday, I was given When The Game Was Ours, authored by Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, with Jackie MacMullan. It is a fun and entertaining read. About 330 pages long, I had it finished within a week.

It details the careers of the two title athletes, beginning with their high school careers, their meeting in the NCAA Championship game, and their intertwined professional careers.

I learned a few key points from the book. The first is that they were both obsessed with winning, and that obsession drove their success, individually and on their respective team.

Also, Magic and Larry were both aware of a certain team mentality that either encouraged or hindered success. During their title winning years, the team was more focused, more engaged, practicing harder, and winning more games.

During their non winning years, they noticed that support players weren't giving their all, and injuries were also a factor. Motivation and effort were noticeable factors. And that hints that some teams are trying to win a championship and some aren't. Even some good teams are simply going through the motions and not actively trying to improve.

A sharp observer could find these details.

All in all, a good read. Thanks Dad!