* Confirmed National Publicity:Good Morning America on 9/4
* More Confirmed Publicity: Associated Press publication announcement on 8/1; Sports Illustrated excerpt; The Players' Tribune "Open Letter"; Radio appearance on WFAN's "Mike's On"; Multiple ESPN venues
* Pitino's name recognition: only coach to take four different schools to the Final Four and two different schools to NCAA Championships
* The true story behind college basketball's most current scandal, which began one year ago: Sept. 27, 2017, New York Times headline was "Rick Pitino Is Out at Louisville Amid F.B.I. Investigation"; Sept. 28, 2017, headline was "Rick Pitino Is Under FBI Investigation for His Role in Corruption Case"
* Unmatchable influencer's view of the evolution of college basketball: Pitino has been there from the 1960s to today, and he is the only authoritative insider voice willing to reveal how the money flows throughout the ENTIRE college recruiting game
* Unmatchable influencer's account and opinion on sneaker money in college basketball: from its introduction in the 1980s to its overwhelming influence today
* Unflinching accountability and defense of author's roles in college basketball scandals: a 2010-2014 escort sex scandal involving recruits; and the 2017 investigation-still ongoing-into allegations that an Adidas executive conspired to pay $100,000 to the family of a top-ranked recruit to attend Louisville and represent Adidas when he went pro
* Among the most outspoken voices on the past 50 years of college basketball: especially on issues like the one-and-done NCAA players, coaches who do things right vs. wrong, and the rule of the NCAA government
* Unflinching accountability and defense of author's roles in college basketball scandals: a 2010-2014 escort sex scandal involving recruits; and the 2017 investigation-still ongoing-into allegations that an Adidas executive conspired to pay $100,000 to the family of a top-ranked recruit to attend Louisville and represent Adidas when he went pro
* For the good of the game: Pitino offers his take on what needs to change in basketball--from the NBA to college down to youth leagues--in order to save the game he loves
* First to market: will be in bookstores more than a week before The Last Temptation of Rick Pitino from Penguin Press
MARKETING
- Confirmed pub date appearance on Good Morning America
- Confirmed excerpt with Sports Illustrated
- Confirmed article with Players Tribune
- Confirmed appearance on Mike Francesca WFAN
- Sports media second serial excerpts
- Social media marketing on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads giveaways
- Heavy emphasis on sports media
Industry Reviews
"This book charts the journey of a coach who became a Hall of Famer. When I first saw him at the famed Five-Star basketball camp run by Howard Garfinkel, I knew he was headed for stardom-his motivational and inspirational skills were off the charts. And throughout his career he's been a master at work as a clinician in practice. More than thirty assistants he's mentored have become household names in college basketball. While he shares the good, the bad, and the ugly of his life in our sport-including the unvarnished truth behind today's sensational headlines-I know one thing: We miss him on the sidelines."-Dick Vitale, ESPN College Basketball Analyst and member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
"Obviously he has had an incredible impact on my life as a coach, but not in the way most people think. It was not about X's and O's. It was about how to conduct yourself in a cut throat business. He showed me integrity every day in every way.... Working at Providence for Coach Pitino set me up with a foundation of never putting winning ahead of what is right." -Jeff Van Gundy, NBA analyst, former head coach of the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets
"[A] clear account of how the investigation unraveled. . . . [Pitino] lays out a convincing case for his innocence. . . . strongly argued and insightful." -Publishers Weekly
"Besides my parents, there is not another person who has taught me more about the game, life, and what it takes to be successful."- Billy Donovan, head coach, Oklahoma Thunder
"Working for Coach Pitino, there was always a stern directive to follow every and all of the NCAA's rules. Every detail of how we did things had to be by the book. We were going to outwork everyone, but it had to be within the rules." -Frank Vogel, head coach, Orlando Magic
