I had the good fortune to have started this book only a week or two before the 'Spygate' scandal broke out, and it really provided some context into the whole situation for me. Belichick is a guy who will do anything to win, and it's not inconceivable that this is something he would do. That said, I do think he is an honorable man as well, and I don't think what he did was the dramatic mess it was made out to be. With great success comes the inevitable backlash, and that's what 'spygate' was, no different from Dane Cook being heckled all over the internet by the same folks who worshiped him a year earlier.

Halberstam was a great writer, and this book shows his dedication to the details. We're given a heretofore unseen glimpse into the life and mind of possibly the greatest coach in football history, and it's clear how he came to be such. As a huge Patriots fan for my whole life, I thought I'd evaluated the Belichick era from every possible angle, and for someone like me, it was refreshing to see it on display from a new, deeper one. Fans of the Patriots can read the book and see certain Belichick 'tricks of the trade' such as faking an injury to stop the clock or slow another team's momentum, described from his early days as a Defensive Coordinator with the Giants, and then smile, remembering games such as the one in Indianapolis against the Colts in the regular season a few years back, where the Patriots benefited from a Willie McGinest 'injury' to slow the Colts' approach to the goal line, and then McGinest was the one to make the final tackle against Edgerrin James on 4th and Goal from the 1, sprinting to mid-field to celebrate the victory.

In other words, Patriots fans will have a deeper appreciation for this book, but I think it can be enjoyed by anyone who appreciates a good character study.