Review of "Kingdom on Fire"

Having taken a break from sports reading for a short period, this was a very good choice to get back into sports - great book on the UCLA basketball dynasty. 

 Title/Author:

“Kingdom on Fire: Kareem, Wooden, Walton and the Turbulent Days of the UCLA Basketball Dynasty” by Scott Howard-Cooper

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (Excellent)

Review:  One of most storied sports dynasties took place in the 1960’s and 1970’s when the UCLA Bruins won 10 of 12 NCAA men’s basketball titles.  While there were many players and other people who helped make this dynasty, there were three people who were the biggest names.  First it was Lew Alcindor (later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who will be referred to by that name in this review although he was “Alcindor” at UCLA) and the legendary coach John Wooden.  Then shortly after Abdul-Jabbar graduated, another “greatest college player ever” came to UCLA – Bill Walton.  How these three men made UCLA basketball as great as it was during a time of social upheaval is captured in this book.

While there is some text about the games on the court, especially famous ones like the 1968 “Game of the Century” in the Houston Astrodome and the January 1974 game in which Notre Dame broke UCLA’s 88-game winning streak, most of the work is about the lives, personalities, and beliefs of the three men.  This is especially true for Abdul-Jabbar as he was at times conflicted about what he truly wanted from his education and time in Los Angeles.  His conversion to Islam and his actions toward civil rights for Black citizens are particularly noteworthy, such as his decision to not participate on the 1968 USA Olympic basketball team.

Here, there is a connection to Walton as he too declined becoming part of USA Olympic basketball in 1972 – this time as a protest over the Vietnam War.  Like the civil rights issue in 1968, the war was a hot spot of protest in 1972 and how both players approached their beliefs and actions upon those beliefs made for very good reading.  Of course, there is also material on their basketball accomplishments at UCLA.  Reading those, while good, is no match for the great material on their off-the-court lives.

As for the coach, how he dealt with these types of personalities was to just be himself.  He never let on that he was playing favorites with Abdul-Jabbar, Walton or any other player – he coached the way he always coached, instilled discipline as always and never seemed to move away from what he believed was correct.  Whether that meant never cursing no matter how tense the situation, teaching players at the first practice the proper means of tying shoes and pulling up socks or never calling a time out during games to let opponents think the team was in trouble, Coach Wooden was mostly a pillar during this time.  However, that doesn’t mean there weren’t moments of weakness, and this book shows that side of Wooden as well.

For basketball junkies or historians, this book is a great addition to their libraries.  It isn’t the most perfect book on UCLA basketball, but it gives excellent insight to topics one may never have heard previously about one of the most dominant teams in college basketball.

I wish to thank the author and publisher for providing a review copy via NetGalley. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.

Link: Amazon.com: Kingdom on Fire: Kareem, Wooden, Walton, and the Turbulent Days of the UCLA Basketball Dynasty eBook : Howard-Cooper, Scott: Kindle Store

Review of "88 and 1"

The timing for this review is perfect - it was exactly 50 years ago today that a historic winning streak ended.  This book tells the story of not only that thrilling basketball game but the inside stories of the two teams involved.  Here is my review of "88 and 1"

 

Title/Author:

“88 and 1: UCLA, Notre Dame and the Game That Ended the Longest Winning Streak in Men’s College Basketball History” by Timothy Bourret

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:  

One of the longest winning streaks in all of sports occurred between 1971 and 1974 when the University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA) men’s basketball team won 88 consecutive games.  That streak ended on January 19, 1974 when Notre Dame upset the Bruins 71-70.  While this book about the game and the streak by Timothy Bourret is not meant to be a means to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of that historic game, it is nonetheless timed well to be published when that game will be talked about on sports media.

One of the most interesting aspects of the book is how Bourret brings fascinating tidbits into the dialogue that centers around the two schools’ basketball teams during that era.  The first, and a fact that is fairly well known, is that the streak started in 1971 when UCLA defeated Notre Dame.  One fact that might not be as well known is that in January 1974, Notre Dame became the first school to have three of its sports teams defeat the number one ranked team in that sport.  In addition to breaking UCLA’s streak in men’s basketball, the Fighting Irish defeated #1 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl and the hockey team, in only it’s third season of existence, defeated #1 Denver.  Items like this, which are interspersed throughout the book, make it one that a reader will absorb cover to cover so that they will not miss any more interesting items like this.

Both schools’ basketball seasons between 1971 and 1975 are covered extensively throughout the book as Bourret does a good job of not only writing about the historic game, but the ups and downs (in UCLA’s case, almost all “ups”) of the two basketball teams.  However, there are not a lot of player profiles in the book.  There are brief write ups of star players from both sides such as Bill Walton for UCLA and Adrian Dantley for Notre Dame but there is not a lot of human interest material.  The best profiles for that aspect are for the two coaches, John Wooden (UCLA) and Digger Phelps (Notre Dame).

But if a reader is looking for factual reporting on games, plays and seasons, then this book is a treasure trove of valuable information on these two programs during that time period.  Bourret also highlights many of the differences between that era and today and often will note how something that happened during that time would not occur today or vice versa.  Rule changes such as allowing freshmen to play on the varsity team and dunking are among the changes that are discussed and fans who have followed the sport over the decades will nod in agreement about how different the game was then compared to now.

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

Link: 88 and 1: UCLA, Notre Dame, and the Game That Ended the Longest Winning Streak in Men's College Basketball History: Bourret, Timothy: 9781493081219: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "Role of a Lifetime"

Starting off May, which will mark 10 years of this website, with a review of a book reliving some of the glory years of UCLA basketball by a man who was both a player and a coach for the school.  Here is my review of "Role of a Lifetime."

Title/Author:

“Role of a Lifetime: Larry Farmer and the UCLA Bruins” by Larry Farmer

Rating: 

4 ½ of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

When one thinks of UCLA basketball’s glory days in the 1960’s and 1970’s, the names that come to mind include John Wooden, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton and Jamaal Wilkes.  Those are just a few of the many stars that came from that program coached by Wooden, but one name who all of those mentioned considered important but is not easily recognized is Larry Farmer.  He was a player on three UCLA championship teams, his team’s record in games he played was 89-1 and he later coached the team for four seasons.  His stories about UCLA as both a player and coach are described in this book written by Farmer

This book cannot be described as a true biography as there is very little mention of any events in Farmer’s life, personal or professional, after his resignation as the UCLA coach in 1984 aside from a stint coaching in Kuwait.  Per Wikipedia, he did later coach at Weber State and Chicago Loyola, as well as assistant coaching jobs with both NBA and college teams.  This was the only aspect of the book that disappointed me as his stories about UCLA were excellent.

Whether he talked about his role on the UCLA championship teams, the unrealistic expectations from fans on the coaches that succeeded Wooden or his own work at the school doing coaching duties, whether as an assistant or the head coach, Farmer’s dialogue is easy to read.  This is especially true if one is knowledgeable in basketball-speak as there is a lot of technical language during his playing days.  For coaching, that was more about his recruiting trips and how he would handle young men who are away from home for the first time and for many, having a male authority figure.  His stories about the rivalry games against Notre Dame are great, whether he was a player or a coach.

Because the focus of the book is strictly on UCLA, this is recommended only for readers who are fans of that program or who enjoy learning about basketball history, especially in that time frame.  I do fall into that latter category, so I did rate the book highly, but if one is not interested in UCLA, then it is best to skip this one.  

I wish to thank Santa Monica Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.  The opinions expressed are strictly mine.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Role-Lifetime-Larry-Farmer-Bruins/dp/1595801154/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

 

Review of "Court Justice"

While not planned, this post can be filed under "irony" - during the NCAA basketball tournament, I read a book about Ed O'Bannon's court case against the NCAA.  The book was just as good as the basketball in the first two rounds.  Here is my review of "Court Justice"

Title/Author:

“Court Justice: The Inside Story of My Battle Against the NCAA and My Life in Basketball” by Ed O’Bannon and Michael McCann

Tags:

Basketball, college, UCLA, legal, memoir, race

Publish date:

February 6, 2018

Length:

304 pages

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

Starting with the images from a video game, Ed O’Bannon decided to take on the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in court, arguing that current and former college athletes should be compensated for the use of their likenesses.  The course that this lawsuit takes, as well as O’Bannon’s life and career as it relates to the case, is captured in this book that is a must-read for fans of college sports and readers interested in this case.

The book takes the reader through the case, starting with the motivation of the lawsuit, through the discovery and testimony of several NCAA officials, the verdict rendered by the judge and the aftermath.  Through it all, O’Bannon shares stories from his college life as well as basketball, his frustration through his NBA career and the successful career he has had since leaving basketball. 

The overwhelming point made throughout the book was that the NCAA has been exploiting college athletes by generating billions of dollars through their activity and their images and likenesses.  Not just during the actual games, but O’Bannon uses examples like jerseys, promotional material and press releases to add to his point.  He also refutes those who believe that athletes are compensated because they receive scholarships and therefore have no grievance.  He believes that these athletes, especially those who came from poverty, can’t afford a “normal” college life (something the NCAA continuously tries to illustrate), athletes are not guaranteed sufficient medical care should they suffer injuries and that because many athletes have to spend up to 50 hours a week on athletic-related activities they don’t get to obtain the true educational experience. 

There is also one other inconsistency with the NCAA that O’Bannon mentions with athletes being able to speak to “advisors”, usually meaning agents and the professional drafts.  If a college hockey or baseball player speaks to an “advisor”, he is not subjected to his NCAA eligibility being revoked.  Nor is it in danger if he is drafted by a professional baseball or hockey team – as long as he doesn’t sign a contract, he can still play at the college level in his sport.  These are not afforded to football or basketball players (both men and women in the latter) because in order to retain eligibility, a player who is considering being eligible for the draft must withdraw before the day of the draft and cannot have contact with any outside “advisor.”  While stopping short of calling the NCAA a racist organization, he does make the reader think because college hockey and baseball players are mostly white whereas college football and basketball players are mostly black. 

Inconsistencies like this are at the crux of O’Bannon’s case and the reader will be captivated with his account of the trial, his life and how the NCAA needs to undergo serious changes.  O’Bannon ends the book with twelve suggestions he has for this last point and the reader will be left hoping that something can be done for these athletes to be fairly compensated for the hard work they do for the schools and NCAA.

I wish to thank Diversion Publishing 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/Court-Justice-Inside-Battle-Against-ebook/dp/B078YXWJSY/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/court-justice-ed-obannon/1127405612?ean=9781635762624#/

Review of " The Black Bruins"

While I was sent an advance review copy of this book to be reviewed as a "sports" book, it is much more than just about sports, in this case college football.  Playing together at UCLA is the common bond among these five men, whose post-college football lives were even more important.  Here is my review of "The Black Bruins"

Title/Author:

“The Black Bruins: The Remarkable Lives of UCLA’s Jackie Robinson, Woody Strode, Tom Bradley, Kenny Washington, and Ray Bartlett” by James W. Johnson

Tags:

Football (American), baseball, college, professional, UCLA, Dodgers, Rams, politics

Publish date:

February 1, 2018

Length:

312 pages

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (Very good)

Review:

During an era in which there were “gentleman” agreements between schools to not sign African-Americans to football scholarships, the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) broke that agreement in spectacular style, having five black players on the team in 1938 and 1939. The stories of these five men, whose impact would be felt much further than just in college football, is told in this well-researched book by James W. Johnson.

The five men, whose names are in the title, all had good playing careers for the Bruins and each left UCLA on good terms, but little did they realize that every one of them would be leaving their marks as ground-breaking pioneers in various industries.

Of course, the best known of these is Jackie Robinson, who broke major league baseball’s color barrier in 1947 when he suited up for the Brooklyn Dodgers. His story and the many tribulations he went through during his time with first the Montreal Royals and then the Dodgers is well known and has been the subject of several books and even movies. Therefore, readers who have read other works on Robinson may not find anything new about him in this book, but because Robinson is such an important figure in not only sports, but in the civil rights movement, his story is worth reading.  Whether it was the meetings with Branch Rickey before appearing on the field, the way Jackie kept quiet when other players and managers were heaping abuse upon him, or his later distrust of Dodger owner Walter O’Malley; the author does a good job of writing about Robinson in a relatively limited amount of pages dedicated to his story.

The reason I say “relatively limited amount” is that Johnson also gives well-deserved pages and tributes to the other four men as well.  Kenny Washington and Woody Strode became the first black players to be signed by the NFL after World War II, each signing with the Rams.  Washington had several good years for the Rams, although it was believed that he was not signed right away not because of his race, but because he wasn’t as good on defense as many players in the league.  Remember, this was during the era of players who played both offense and defense.  One other note about Washington – many feel that he was a good enough baseball player that if he chose that route; he, not Robinson, would have been the man to break the baseball color barrier.  And conversely, many also felt Robinson would have made a fine NFL player had he chosen football instead of baseball.

Strode, on the other hand, appeared in few games and had little playing time during his stint with the Rams.  However, he made his mark in another sport – professional wrestling, where he was often cast as the opponent of Gorgeous George.  This exposure, during which he opened the doors to black performers in wrestling, led Strode to a very successful acting career, appearing in over 50 full-length feature films. More importantly, Strode landed mostly parts that broke the stereotype of roles that had previously been played by black actors, such as servants. Again, Johnson writes about these advancements for African-Americans in this industry with excellent detail and research.

Tom Bradley also broke barriers for blacks after his college football career was done, but not in sports or entertainment.  Instead, he became an officer in the Los Angeles Police Department.  Then after transitioning to politics, he became the first black mayor of Los Angeles. Elected in 1973, he went on to serve five terms in the office and dabbled in national politics as well.  Bradley attributed to his successful political career to his time at UCLA and playing sports – not just football but also his success in track running the 440-yard dash.  Ray Bartlett, the least known of the five, also had a successful career in the police force, becoming the second black officer for the Pasadena Police Department and also donating much time and energy to civil rights causes.

The book tells the stories and accomplishments of these five men in great detail, making sure the reader understands the contributions made about the men.  Of course, their college football careers are well chronicled as well, as that comprises the first quarter or so of the book.  But what happens after UCLA is what makes this book an important one to read for those readers who are interested in the civil rights movement and the integration of sports and entertainment.   

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

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)

Buying Links:

http://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/university-of-nebraska-press/9781496201836/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1496201833/sr=1-1/qid=1509904544/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=1509904544&sr=1-1

Review of "Sons of Westwood"

Between catching up after vacation and writing a poem a day for the October poetry challenge (shameless plug: you can read them and follow all month long at http://ljssportspoems.blogspot.com/ ) I neglected some of my book reviews.  To get back on track, here is the review of an advance copy I recieved from NetGalley of "Sons of Westwood" - a little different book on John Wooden and UCLA basketball. 

Title/Author:

“The Sons of Westwood: John Wooden, UCLA, and the Dynasty That Changed College Basketball” by John Matthew Smith

Genre:

Basketball, College, history, politics, society

Published:

September 30, 2013

Length:

344 pages

Rating:

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

John Wooden is considered by many to be the greatest college basketball coach in the history of the game. His run of 10 national championships in 12 years at UCLA is a feat that may never be achieved again. He has had his Pyramid of Success reprinted for not only coaches in sports but many business people use this model to help their businesses succeed. He achieved this during the turbulent social times of the 1960’s and 1970’s.  Many of his players considered him to be like a father to them.

So one would figure that this book would be another glowing recap of Wooden’s life and career, right?  Well, it does look favorably on some aspects of those topics.  However, John Matthew Smith’s book also digs deeper into the man’s thoughts and beliefs through quotes, interviews with former players and assistant coaches and research.  This is not to say that Smith shatters all of Wooden’s legacy with embarrassing truths or that he is trying to diminish Wooden’s accomplishments. 

What Smith does address is the aura of “integration” and “racial tolerance” that was part of the UCLA and Wooden image during the 1960’s.  Smith refers many times to the fact that UCLA was used as the model institution to show the racial integration taking place in Southern California when the reality was that it wasn’t any different than other parts of the nation when it came to civil rights and the mounting tension.  

Wooden is part of this discussion as well when some of his lesser known thoughts about civil rights and what young men he is coaching should and shouldn’t be doing with themselves while playing basketball and studying while at UCLA.  It bears repeating that the author is not writing this in any judgmental way, nor is he trying to tarnish the image of either UCLA or Wooden.  He is simply shedding new light during this time.

The book helped me learn a lot of new information about not only the UCLA basketball dynasty but also more about the civil rights movement and some pockets of unrest that one may not know about.   I enjoyed reading this book and would encourage anyone who enjoys basketball or reading about the civil rights movement to pick this up. 

Did I skim?

No

Pace of the book: 

Excellent – the narrative never was bogged down with unimportant information or overloaded the reader.

Do I recommend? 

Yes.  For college basketball fans, readers who are interested in the social changes of the 1960’s or those who like books that tackle controversial topics will enjoy this book.

Book Format Read:

Hardcover

Buying Link:

http://www.amazon.com/Sons-Westwood-Dynasty-Changed-Basketball/dp/0252079736/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1381003991&sr=1-1&keywords=sons+of+westwood