A story of passion and commitment and faith?qualities that drove one working-class kid to not only build a sports empire, but also to change the way the entire sports industry has done business. This book is a tale of determination, faith, and, most assuredly, good timing and good luck. In truth, this isn't one story?but many.?Sports executive and businessman Jerry Colangelo weaves together a lifetime of great moments in sports and tense times in business. In How You Play the Game, sports executive and businessman Jerry Colangelo details a lifetime of stories, including: How he emerged from the tough streets of Chicago Heights as a high school and college sports star. How he helped create and build the Chicago Bulls?at a time when the NBA was a second-tier professional league, and two basketball teams had already failed in the Windy City. How he moved to Arizona and started the Phoenix Suns, an organization that fought its way to become the ninth richest franchise in all of sports. And how he then began baseball's newest team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Peppered with stories about players and coaches, including Charles Barkley and Connie Hawkins, Red Holzman, and Buck Showalter, as well as owners, general managers, investors, reporters, and more, How You Play the Game is truly an insider's look at the sports world.

"A must-read book for twenty-first-century leaders who want to lead with both soul and talent." -Jerry Colangelo, Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer If you're one of the many leaders who struggle with insecurity, it may be because you are either unrecognized, untested, or untrained. Though you haven't yet had the chance to prove yourself, your heart for people and your love for inspiring them set you apart as a natural leader just waiting for the opportunity to succeed. In The Exceptional Leader, bestselling author and leadership coach Stan Toler shares an illuminating leadership parable that will build your confidence in your ability to lead. This book will teach you proven principles of leadership and help you refine your skills and intuition for effectively directing, delegating, and encouraging. No matter your level of experience, The Exceptional Leader will prepare you to become the best you can be wherever you lead.

When it comes to the humorous back-story of the Phoenix Suns basketball franchise, "2WACKO " picks up where "Notes From the WACKO File" left off. Looking at Suns history since the team moved to their new downtown arena, the focus now falls on Steve Nash, Charles Barkley, Tom Chambers, Mark West, Kurt Rambis, Shaquille O'Neal along with other Suns players and coaches of more recent vintage. There will still be plenty of flashbacks, cross-overs and double-dribbles going back to the early days of the Suns. The book also explores the history of downtown Phoenix and examines the decisions that went into the design and construction of the Suns' "Purple Palace."

"Notes from the WACKO File and Tales from the Madhouse on McDowell," is one man's collection of stories and oddball letters saved over a 37-year career in public relations for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association. The book covers the author's personal journey and its intersection with the first quarter-century of Suns history (1968-1992). It features behind-the-scenes stories on Jerry Colangelo, Connie Hawkins, Joe Proski, Dick Van Arsdale, the Phoenix Suns Gorilla and many others who help shape the early history of the Suns franchise. "The Madhouse on McDowell" was the nickname given to the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, where the Suns played their first 24 seasons.