This book in a enjoyable book that highlights Northwestern's Rose Bowl Trip. Even if you are not a NU fan you will find this book very interesting and at the end you will be cheering on NU throughout the book. It explains how Gary Barnett took a "nothing" NU football team to be top-ranked and possibly contend for the national championship.

Barnett writes about success not only in football but in life. I was so touched by this book that I wrote Barnett a letter telling him how good the book was.

You will enjoy!

Gary Barnett is one of those guys you'd like to have a beer with....A master of motivation and getting young people to believe in themselves (even when the facts say they shouldn't!) Barnett works from everyday experiences and personal convictions to extract the absolute best from his players. The result is not only the greatest turn around of an entire collegiate program in history, but the "release" of some truly gifted student athletes into the world. I virtually read this book in one sitting -- I simply could not put it down. Someday, I going to have to find a way to buy Barnett that beer, just to get the advance copy of his sequel. By the way, Gary, just exactly was that "horrid" event in college, for which you got into so much trouble? The intrigue is killing me

This book does double duty by teaching the basics of Excel and basic statistics. It starts with the assumption that you know nothing about Excel, which can be skipped if you are familiar with the product, then starts tying things together with a chapter on fundamental statistics using Excel. From there the book devotes a foundation chapter on distributions, which is a nice refresher if you're a bit rusty, and next covers functions and data analysis tools that come with Excel 97 or higher that you're be using throughout the remainder of the book.

The remaining chapters thoroughly cover statistical process control charts (X-Bar, R, p, np, c and u), and process capability. You'll learn much about SPC from this part of the book, as well as some advanced Excel charting techniques. Also, the material with which you'll be working is provided on the accompanying disk, saving a lot of time by avoiding creating spreadsheets from scratch.

Pareto charts and Ishikawa (fishbone) diagrams are also covered, as well as advanced distributions such as binomial and hypergeometric, and excellent material and techniques for determining operating characteristics and power curves.

This is an excellent learning tool that has additional value from the accompanying spreadsheets that can be used on real projects with modification and expansion. I use the spreadsheets as a basic library of templates, which have proven to be real time savers. The book is clearly written and easy to follow, making it ideal for self-study.

A book for any Michigan State Football fan who lived through the George Perles era. I was a student at MSU during George's era and liked him as a football coach and for what he brought to the University. In this book, I had hoped he was going to share his insight and perspectives on the games and the players he coached. What the book seemed to focused on was his battle with MSU administration and a calling to the NFL (Packers, and Jet).

The book starts by covering his early years growing up in Detroit and playing High School football. George then leaves the state of Michigan to play college football else where (can't let the cat out of the bag). He then finds himself in the Army surrounded by all his High School friends. The Book next focuses on his meeting with Duffy Daugherty and how that meeting affected his entire career... From his first coaching position to his days with the Steelers to MSU.. Book is good so far... Next we get into the mess with the administration and the downfall of the book.

I would recommend this book to any MSU grad or football fan (Steelers).... I would of given it a much higher rating if the book followed the teams he coached and the players