The Punch
by John Feinstein
The punch gives us a look back into the minds and
hearts of two very different men brought together in a violent moment of rage
that would change their lives
forever.
John Feinstein allows us to see into the struggle of a young Kermit Washington
as he fights an everyday battle against all odds to overcome a tough,
lower-class upbringing to star at American University and finally earn a spot in
the regular rotation as a rebounding force for the L.A. Lakers. Rudy
Tomjanovich is the finesse shooter. The all-around good guy who happened
to play in a 70's NBA dominated by thugs and enforcers. One regular season
NBA game, one fight, one act of violence would forever change the lives of these
two men forever. The Punch.
If you read one book in your life about the NBA this is the one. My heart
ached for Kermit Washington who just as he got everything he dreamed it slowly
slipped
away. My soul warmed when Rudy Tomjanovich put aside his fears, overcame a
gruesome injury, and coached the Rockets to a championship. The Punch!
--Andrew P. Huffman