Wisdom from the Hardwood: A Religion Philosopher Looks at Basketball
Los Angeles, Calif. – When New York Knicks’ Jeremy Lin, a previously unknown point guard, shot to stardom overnight, a new word was born: “Linsanity.” On February 11, 2012, Time.com ran an article entitled “It’s Official: Linsanity Is for Real.” Lin, a devout Christian, credits God for his success. What lessons can Lin’s experience on the court teach us?
With a foreword written by Bob Knight, one of college basketball’s most successful coaches, a new book takes an in-depth look at the psychology of the game as it involves competition, winning, and excellence. Wisdom from the Hardwood, by Jerry L. Walls, explains why for some fans, basketball is far more than a game–it is virtually a religious experience. “For many people the game easily resonates with some of the deepest and most meaningful experiences of life,” says Walls.
Walls’ focus in the book is not the game itself but what can be taken from it and applied to life. “He uses the thoughts and actions of players and coaches to show how one can develop a winning attitude toward life,” says Knight. The book also demonstrates how people can deal with obstacles and overcome disappointments. Walls “does a terrific job” in showing that basketball can teach us a great deal “relative to success in our own lives,” Knight adds.
“Many great basketball players and coaches are what I would call natural philosophers,” Walls writes. “Their accomplishments on the hardwood have instilled in them an instinctive understanding of the nature of excellence and what it takes to achieve it.”
Wisdom From the Hardwood is now available from Gray Matter Books on Amazon as well as selected retail outlets.
