Several sports-themed books are hitting the shelves today, and some of the authors are making the rounds on talk-shows to promote the releases. NFL Giants coach TOM COUGHLIN appeared on NBC’s “Today” this morning to promote his new book, “EARN THE RIGHT TO WIN.” NBC’s Matt Lauer said Coughlin is “one of the most respected men in the NFL” and now he is “using his success on the field to help people in any field” with his new book. Lauer said Coughlin has been a called a “taskmaster” and a “hardass,” which Coughlin said was a fair assessment. Coughlin said of the book, “People need to know where they stand, what they’re up against, what the rules are, what is expected of them right away in order for them to grow.” Lauer added, “It’s an interesting book and it applies to a lot of different fields, not just the playing field” (“Today,” NBC, 3/5). Meanwhile, Baseball HOFer CAL RIPKEN JR. appeared on ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike in the Morning” to promote his new children’s book, “WILD PITCH.” Ripken said he wrote the book because “kids books are a great way to deal with a few social issues." Ripken: "We’ve all played on teams, we’ve all seen issues around and the issues aren’t dated.” Ripken noted that his is about temper, bullying and confidence. He said, "They are normal issues, but I think when you put them in the form of a book and a story, they resonate a whole lot more with the kids” (“Mike & Mike in the Morning,” ESPN Radio, 3/5).
SCALING THE SUMMITT: Former Univ. of Tennessee women’s basketball coach PAT SUMMITT promoted her new book, “SUM IT UP,” in a taped interview on ABC’s “GMA,” and Robin Roberts noted it is a "deeply personal glimpse into the story behind this legend." Roberts noted it is "not just her won-loss record that makes this woman inspiring, it’s the off-court battle that she is waging” with Alzheimer's disease. Roberts said Summit is "such an unstoppable force that when she made the announcement that she had been diagnosed with early onset dementia, Alzheimer-type, it sent shockwaves around the country.” Roberts sat down with Summitt at her Knoxville, Tenn., home telling Summitt the book "is beautiful.” Summitt said her response to her diagnosis was, “Just keep living your life” (“GMA,” ABC, 3/5). USA TODAY's Deirdre Donahue noted Summitt "could only do a limited number of interviews" to promote the book co-written with Washington Post columnist SALLY JENKINS. In addition to the "GMA" appearance, Summitt will be featured on ABC's "Nightline" and "World News," as well as a People magazine piece, and on NPR. The book "recalls her life in vivid detail, describing its triumphs, both on and off the court." Donahue: "With her trademark honesty and grace, Summitt reveals her fears, her early anger and astonishment, her diminishing abilities, her decision to retire, and how her faith sustains her" (USA TODAY, 2/28).
