Sunday, October 29, 2017

Short review - The Great Book of Football

I received a request from the author to provide a review of this brief book on professional football. I gladly did so as the book was a quick read. Here is the review:


Title:
"The Great Book of Football: Interesting Facts and Sports Stories" by Bill O'Neill

Rating:
4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:
If a reader is looking for a quick but complete history of professional football, this short book by Bill O'Neil is a very good source. Covering the game from the early days of the NFL in the 1920's up to the amazing comeback by the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI, the book covers a lot of information, leagues (including the AAFC of the 1940s and 50's and the AFL of the 1960's) and players. Of the latter, great players from every era has an essay written about hi!, from Bronco Nagurski to Tom Brady. While no section is very long or overly detailed, each era has enough information to satisfy those readers who wish to learn more about the sport during that time.

The trivia part contains 5 multiple choice questions at the end of each chapter, which also lists interesting facts from the chapter as well. The questions are fairly easy, especially if the reader was paying attention. This book is recommended for those readers who wish to learn more about professional football in a short time. 

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Review of "The First Major"

It has been too long since I reviewed a book.  With obligations to both work and a community organization to which my wife and I belong, plus postseason baseball, I was falling behind on my reading.  But if anything can break a person out of a reading slump, picking up a book by an author the reader loves can do the trick.  That happened with me with this book, as I have been a fan of John  Feinstein ever since I read his first golf book, "A Good Walk Spoiled."  His latest golf book continues his legacy of excellent golf writing.  Here is my review of "The First Major"




Title/Author:

“The First Major: The Inside Story of the 2016 Ryder Cup” by John Feinstein

Tags:

Golf, professional, championship

Publish date:

October 24, 2017



Length:

320 pages



Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (Outstanding)

Review:

What started as a relatively friendly competition between groups of professional golfers in the United States and Europe, the Ryder Cup, has become one of the most emotional and pressure-packed events in golf.  The 2016 edition was no different and the entire competition, as well as the history of the event, is captured in this book written by best-selling author John Feinstein, who is a very respected author on the sport.



Having read every book for an adult audience that Feinstein has written, I opened the book with very high expectations. The first half of the book was very informative as it gave a very good account of the history of the Ryder Cup as many legendary golfers on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean have competed in the competition.  Some golfers have performed better on this stage than the tourneys in which a golfer’s own individual score is his only concern, not that of a team. An example of a player with this reputation is Colin Montgomery, an outstanding European Ryder Cup player.  Feinstein shares the story of the Ryder Cup through descriptions of stories of Montgomery and many others who have gone through the joy and the agony of the tourney.



As a reader, I found this part of the book a little difficult to follow. One reason is that when something takes place at a past Ryder Cup, the year isn’t given but instead the location such as Gleneagles (2014) or Medinah (2012).  Until I got used to this, I had to frequently look back to find out what year that particular incident took place.  Also, the pace of these stories, while fascinating and entertaining (especially the Phil Mickelson press conference at Gleneagles), was fairly slow.



However, once the book shifted from the history of the competition to the actual 2016 Ryder Cup played at Hazeltine in Chaska, Minnesota, then the writing was pure Feinstein magic that his fans like me have come to know and love about his books.  Even though I knew who won the tournament, it read like a gripping drama, complete with great golf, emotional speeches by the players, unruly fans and eventually a championship won in which the winners were elated and the spirits of the losers were deflated. I look at this ending like a round for a golfer who struggled on the front nine, but once he or she made the turn, the shots were going straight and the putts were finding the cup.  The writing about the actual tournament was so good, if it were the golf round described above, Feinstein would have been threatening to shoot under 30 on the back nine.



Golf fans and fans of Feinstein’s work will want to add this book to their libraries as it is another work in the long line of excellent golf books by the author. If the reader has not heard of Feinstein, this is an excellent introduction to his writing.



I wish to thank Doubleday Books for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.



Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)



Buying Links:




Sunday, October 15, 2017

Review of "Defying Expecations"

A confession: I hardly paid attention to Major League Soccer until I attended my first game this summer, watching the new expansion club Minnesota United face DC United.  The atmosphere was great and the fans were some of the noisiest I have ever heard at a sporting event that I attended.  When I heard about this book and the same type of environment that is present for another fairly new MLS club, I decided to take a look at the book - that was a good choice.  Here is my review of "Defying Expectations."


Title/Author:
“Defying Expectations: Phil Rawlins and the Orlando City Soccer Story” by Simon Veness and Susan Veness
Tags:
Football (European), soccer, professional, biography, business
Publish date:
November 1, 2017

Length:
304 pages

Rating: 
4 of 5 stars (very good)
Review:
No matter the sport, league or level of play, one of the more difficult tasks in the business side of sports is to build a franchise from scratch.  Phil Rawlins, his wife Kay and their team of investors and executives did this in Major League Soccer, building the Orlando City Soccer Club from the ground up.  Their success, starting with Phil’s success in both business and football in England, is captured in this book by Simon Veness and Susan Veness. 

The origins of Orlando City can be traced back to another soccer club, Stoke City who is currently a club in the English Barclay’s Premier League.  This team was the one Phil Rawlins followed from childhood and when they had been playing poorly enough to be relegated out of the Premier League, Rawlins felt it was time to do something about that and he became an influential member of Stoke’s board. His innovation put Stoke back on track, but the lure of building a soccer team in the United States brought him to Austin, Texas.  There, with his then-wife Wendy (Rawlins would have three wives, Kay being his most recent) they put together a success team in the heart of American football territory, piling up wins and drawing fans to Austin’s minor league team.

However, Phil’s ultimate goal was to build a team in the largest American league for soccer, Major League Soccer (MLS). The league wanted to expand to the southeastern part of the country and Orlando was considered to be one of the markets in which a franchise could be viable.  By then, Phil realized he had gone as far as he could in Austin, so he and his new wife decided to make the plunge and go for it in Orlando.

Using Six Core Values the couple developed at the kitchen table, they set out to find investors and other key personnel required to build a team.  Like in Austin, the franchise in Orlando started in the United Soccer League, winning the title in their first year, 2011.  But unlike Austin, they saw much more potential. Through hard work, perseverance even after setbacks such as denial for stadium funding from the Florida legislature and a very large and loyal fan following, the club became an MLS expansion team in 2015.  They made the league sit up and take notice by not only signing Brazillian superstar Kaka, but also for selling over 60,000 tickets for the very first game. Orlando City has been one of the more successful MLS franchises since then and they hope to continue this into the future.

This entire story is told in an easy to read manner by Simon and Susan Veness and covers much of Phil Rawlins’ life successes in both business and soccer. The story of how he went from a hustling salesman to earning $259 million on an initial IPO is just as interesting a tale as is the success of Orlando City.  The book is part business, part soccer and part biography of a man who never let setbacks stop him from achieving his visions.  It is an inspiring story that readers will enjoy, even if they are not soccer fans.

I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:
Hardcover

Buying Links:
https://www.amazon.com/Defying-Expectations-Rawlins-Orlando-Soccer/dp/1496201760/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr


Thursday, October 12, 2017

Review of "Violated"

This book needs no explanation about the content or the topic. This is an issue that is saddening and maddening at the same time. It is a book that needs to be read and then those that read it should do what they can to correct the current climate of sexual assault on college campuses.  This is my review of "Violated."


Title/Author:
“Violated: Exposing Rape at Baylor University Amid College Football’s Sexual Assault Crisis” by Paula Lavigne and Mark Schlabach
Tags:
Football (American), college, rape, Baylor, crime
Publish date:
August 22, 2017

Length:
368 pages

Rating: 
5 of 5 stars (outstanding)
Review:
Sexual assaults on college campuses have been a problem that has gained more notoriety in recent years as universities have been held responsible to create a safe environment for women. The institutions have been accused of protecting athletes accused of assault, especially football players.  Baylor University, a Baptist school in Waco, Texas was exposed to enhancing this culture and the investigation into this culture is the topic of this excellent book by investigative reporters Paula Lavigne and Mark Schlabach.

The book begins with stories of unwanted advances, rape and even gang rape of female students by various football players on the Baylor team. The victims are from various backgrounds, races and interests.  The accounts of these attacks are difficult to read – detailed enough to make the reader uncomfortable, but necessary to illustrate the magnitude of the crimes. These victims are followed through most of the book as their lives are changed forever.  Those that were brave enough to come forward then faced more problems on several fronts. Whether it was Baylor officials not believing the victims, assailants being protected by coaches and other school officials, or investigations that ranged from incomplete to poor, the book shows the lack of compassion the university gave these young women.

As for the players, they are not given any slack by the authors – they are held responsible for their actions and the excuses or protection provided by the university’s athletic department are exposed for the obstruction of justice that they are.  The football coach and athletic director eventually lose their jobs over this issue.  Other players who are not accused or took part in any of these assaults for the most part are not affected, but those who would protect teammates or accuse the victims of lying or consenting are criticized just as much as those who assaulted the women.

Even more than the players, however, is the harsh criticism that Baylor University took by the authors and it was well-deserved.  In addition to the aforementioned lack of sympathy for the victims, the compliance with Title IX, the federal law that promotes gender equality on college campuses, was poor as well. The authors expose Baylor’s reporting of sexual assaults and subsequent interviews and closing of cases that left a lot to be desired. The people responsible are many and not just those in the football program.  Like most scandals, the responsibility comes from the top, as college president Ken Starr (yes, THAT Ken Starr) had to give up the position. 

While this was a very difficult book to read on all fronts and in all chapters, it is one that is necessary to read in order for one to comprehend the scope and horror of the sexual assault crisis. The reader will not only be angry at the men who assaulted these women, it will be clear to the reader that the university must bear the ultimate responsibility for the victims and must work to change their culture. 

I wish to thank Center Street for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:
E-book (Kindle)

Buying Links:


Monday, October 9, 2017

Review of "S is for the Stanley Cup" - children's book

I was thrilled to receive a request to review a children's hockey book.  Last spring, I took my grandson to his first hockey game and he had a blast.  I am visiting him again in a couple weeks and I plan on going to another one with him.  Thanks to this request, I now have a book to help him learn more about the game as well.  Here is my review of "S is for the Stanley Cup."


Title/Author:
“S is for the Stanley Cup: A Hockey Championship Alphabet” by Mike Ulmer, illustrated by Chris Lyons
Tags:
Ice Hockey, championship, children’s book
Publish date:
August 15, 2017

Length:
32 pages

Rating: 
5 of 5 stars (outstanding)
Review:
The Stanley Cup is one of the best known and much loved championship trophies in sports.  It has a colorful history and many interesting tales outside of the hockey rink.  In this book written for children ages 6 to 9, Mike Ulmer tells this history and some other related hockey poems in poems that start with each letter alphabetically.  To go with each poem, a short story consisting of one or two paragraphs will further explain the word used to start the poem and its importance to hockey. 

While most of the letters are devoted to the Stanley Cup, there are poems and stories about players, funny events with the trophy such as baptizing babies and even a parade of Zambonis. The latter is the last page of the book and describes the 1997 Zamboni parade in St. Paul, Minnesota to celebrate being awarded a franchise before a new arena was built.

While the stories and poems make for fun reading by themselves, the illustrations by Chris Lyons are the best features of this book.  The drawings of famous players such as Jacques Plante, Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier are especially impressive as Lyons is able to capture their facial features in good detail so that adults who are reading along with the child will be able to easily recognize these players. 

If a child is interested in hockey, then this book is one that he or she should read. The child will learn a lot about the game and smile at some of the funny stories and have that learning enhanced by the wonderful illustration.

I wish to thank Sleeping Bear Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:
Hardcover

Buying Links:


Sunday, October 8, 2017

Review of "Dennis Maruk"

Every now and then, a book comes out that will bring back some good sports memories even before I read it.  That was the case with this book, as I remembered Dennis Maruk during his seasons with the Minnesota North Stars, the team I loved growing up and later as a young adult before they left for Dallas.  Even though Maruk had his best season with the Washington Capitals, I was eager to read his memoir.  This is my review of that story. 


Title/Author:
“Dennis Maruk: The Unforgettable Story of Hockey’s Forgotten 60-Goal Man” by Dennis Maruk with Ken Reid
Tags:
Ice Hockey, professional, memoir, Seals, Barons, North Stars, Capitals
Publish date:
October 17, 2017

Length:
320 pages

Rating: 
4 of 5 stars (very good)
Review:
There have been only 20 players who have scored at least 60 goals in one season during the 100 year history of the National Hockey League.  Most of them are well known stars such as Wayne Gretzky, Mike Bossy and Phil Esposito.  There was also a player who was considered too short to be successful in the game and often toiled for poor teams who was the seventh player to scored 60 goals.  That player is Dennis Maruk.  His memoir, co-written with hockey scribe Ken Reid, tells of the story of a player who always had to prove he belonged in the game and lived just as obscure a life after hockey.

The consistent theme throughout the book for Maruk is that he always would do what he felt needed to be done.  Whether it was on the ice during his days in junior hockey or the NHL, he would always believe he had to prove himself.  Whether it was to show his junior coaches he could play, to prove in NHL training camp that he didn’t need to go to the minor leagues (the only time he played in the minor leagues was well into his career when he did a rehab stint in the minors) or to gain more ice time, Maruk’s stories about his career sounded like he played with a constant chip on his shoulder. 

Even during his amazing season in 1981-82, when he scored 60 goals for the Washington Capitals, he felt responsible for the fact the team did not make the playoffs.  In those days, that was not easy as 16 of the 21 teams in the league would do so.  Also, that season is when Wayne Gretzky set the all-time record for goals scored with 92 and points with 212.  In comparison, Maruk’s 60 goals seem small potatoes and because so much attention was given to Gretzky’s accomplishments, this was barely noticed, even in Washington.  While Maruk doesn’t express any bitterness toward this, the overall tone set in the book will make the reader wonder whether deep down, he does.

This also the case with his teams – his first professional team, the California Golden Seals, was a lost soul among NHL clubs, first struggling in the Bay Area, then moving to Cleveland and playing in a large empty arena and finally merging with the Minnesota North Stars.  After the merger, the North Stars traded Maruk to the Capitals, where he had that magical season.  Later, he headed back to Minnesota and played there for a few more seasons before retiring in 1989.  His life after hockey was filled with many encounters with celebrities.  Maruk talks most about his interaction with Kurt Russell, who played Herb Brooks in the movie “Miracle.”  Maruk played for Brooks for one season with the North Stars, and was the coach with whom he had the most pleasant memories in the book. 

Maruk also talks about the problems he had in his personal life, including his two divorces and his depression in which his daughter talked him out of a dark place in his life.  He held various jobs after hockey, including working on a boat in the Gulf of Mexico. These stories made this memoir a little different than many.  Also, another unusual aspect of this sports memoir is that Maruk often states that he didn’t remember many of his career milestones, such as his first NHL goal, although at least that wasn’t the case for his 60th in 1982.  It wasn’t because he was in a fog, hung over (although he does talk about alcoholism) or high – he simply states he doesn’t remember.  Aside from some drinks, he wasn’t a hard partier or seen with many women – he just did the work that he felt needed to be done.

This book was a very quick read – it took me less than a two hour sitting to complete it, another rarity in sports memoirs.  It is one that is recommended for hockey fans who either remember him and his play, as I did, or for readers who want to learn more about the forgotten 60-goal man.

I wish to thank ECW Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:
E-book (Kindle)

Buying Links:
https://www.amazon.com/Dennis-Maruk-Unforgettable-Hockeys-Forgotten-ebook/dp/B06ZYJR5F8/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1507508658&sr=1-1&keywords=dennis+maruk+book


Saturday, October 7, 2017

Review of "Golden Days"

Having been in a bit of a reading slump, the best way to get out of it is to pick up a book by an author whom I like.  This book is written by Jack McCallum, considered to be one of the best basketball authors today.  This did the trick - it was a great book on two legendary teams.  Here is my review of "Golden Days." 


Title/Author:
“Golden Days: West’s Lakers, Steph’s Warriors and the California Dreamers Who Reinvented Basketball” by Jack McCallum
Tags:
Basketball, professional, Lakers, Warriors, championship
Publish date:
October 24, 2017

Length:
336 pages

Rating: 
5 of 5 stars (outstanding)
Review:
Two of the best teams in the history of professional basketball are the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers and the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors.  Both teams had lengthy winning streaks – Golden State had a 24 game streak and the Lakers had a 33 game streak that still stands as the longest winning streak by a professional team in the four major sports.  Both teams won their respective championships.  Both teams had several all-star players on the roster.  The comparison between the two teams is captured in this wonderfully written book by Jack McCallum, considered one of the better basketball authors in the business.

There is one link between the two teams from different eras – Jerry West.  West was one of those all-star players on that Lakers team, and was relieved to finally win a championship after many years of finishing second to either the Boston Celtics or New York Knicks.  After his playing career, he worked in the front office for several teams, but his best work was with the Warriors in putting together the team that includes Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Drayman Green. 

The book is fast paced, has many humorous passages and is a wonderful looks back at both teams’ construction and the championship seasons.  One chapter is dedicated to each game of the Lakers’ historic winning streak – this was my favorite section of the book as a reader will either have great memories of the team or, if too young to have seen this team, will learn what the culture of professional basketball was at the time and the colorful characters that made up the Los Angeles Lakers.

This doesn’t mean McCallum shorts changes his quality work for the Warriors either.  The reader will learn how the Warriors went from laughing stock to domination through the hard work of new-thinking owners, sheer luck on draft night in 2009 that allowed them to draft Curry and how they have become the hip team of the current basketball culture.  I enjoyed reading about this team as well, mainly because McCallum writes in such a manner that he shows great respect for both teams without the book coming off as a love fest for either one of them.  It is simply a lot of great information and stories about two legendary teams. This book is highly recommended for all basketball fans of all ages.

I wish to thank Ballantine Books for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:
E-book (Kindle)

Buying Links: