The first chapter of the book is called "Sewickley". I think the first chapter is the most important chapter, in the book. Sewickley is a suburb outside western Pennsylvania. In the first chapter you learn that "Sewickley" is also an adjective that Knox uses to describe nonsense. In Sewickley, Chuck Knox lived with his Mother and Father; in a small one-bedroom apartment. Chuck Knox, grew up poor, with Italians Irish, and Blacks. Knox believes that were he grew up, is the reason why he can communicate so well with his players.
Chuck Knox's career began when he started coaching high school teams in Pennsylvania. As a high school coach, Knox won three state championships. After five hard years, Knox got a call from the University of Wake Forest. Within a few a years Knox was promoted to head coach. Chuck Knox then started coaching for the University of Kentucky. Ten years later Knox received a coaching position with the New York Jets. While with the Jets, Knox signed Joe Namath. Years later, Knox went on to coach the Detroit Lions, L.A. Rams, Buffalo Bills, and the Seattle Seahawks. Knox says the only thing he regrets about his coaching career is being a big game loser, and never coaching a super bowl game. On the bright side Knox has one of the best win records as a NFL coach, and he has built a reputation that still stands in every city where he has coached. .
The key people in Knox's life are his wife Shirley, his brother Bill, his daughters Colleen, Chris and Kathy; and his son Chuck Jr. Knox met his wife in college. Knox says he married his wife because she brought out the pleasant side of him. Knox believes that attending Juniata College was the best thing that ever happened to him. If Knox would have decided not to try out for the football team at Juniata College he would have never married Shirley, or have been a NFL coach. .
After reading Hard Knox, I have learned how Chuck Knox succeeded. In the book Knox implies that in order to succeed you must want to succeed, and you have to know how to roll with the punches that life throws.
