New York Times Book Review for Are You Watching, Adolph Rupp?

"A Surprise Tradition"

Monday, July 17, 1989
Jack Cavanaugh
The New York Times

Not many first-time authors receive letters of praise from such literary giants as James Michener. But Dan Doyle did. And what makes that particularly noteworthy is that Doyle is a former college basketball coach with no experience as a writer.

The Michener letter, which described his work as "fascinating" and "impressive," was one of several surprises Doyle has experienced following the publishing of his novel, Are You Watching Adolph Rupp? which offers an insight into many of the abuses in big-time college basketball.

Though friends like Bob Cousy, who wrote the introduction, told him he had written a good novel, Doyle was skeptical about the book's chances. But the novel, published by Stadia Publishers, has done very well and is about to go into its third printing.

The latest surprise was a telephone call that Doyle received last week requesting permission to translate the novel into Czechoslovak.

"A lady who serves as a translator for a number of Czech sports federations phone from Czechoslovakia and said that a member of their basketball federation had picked up the book while he was here for the Final Four in Seattle in April," Doyle said in an interview. "After a few more phone calls, we worked out a deal that definitely is not going to make me rich."

Doyle, who is 40 years old, is aware that some cynics will think that Czechoslovak authorities want to publish the book because is depicts the seamy side of American college basketball, although the main protagonist is an honest coach who eschews any illegal practices. But he does not believe that is the reason for their interest.

"I'd like to think they feel it's a good story," said Doyle who was a coach at Trinity College in Hartford before founding the Institute for International Sport at the University of Rhode Island, which he serves as the executive director.

"One factor for the interest by the Czechs, I think, is their incredible curiosity about American college and professional basketball, neither of which they have, although the sport is very popular in Czechoslovakia," he said. "And they told me they like it because it demonstrates the human ability to triumph over adversity."