Review of "The Q Factor"

Thanks to a couple of reading challenges and also with my sports attention on football with the start of the NFL playoffs, I picked up this book that had been sitting in my TBR since its publication in September.  It was worth the wait, especially with three of the quarterbacks playing a prominent role in the book playing for their teams in the playoffs this weekend.  Here is my review of "The Q Factor"

Title/Author:

“The Q Factor: The Elusive Search for the Next Great NFL Quarterback” by Brian Billick and James Dale

Tags:

Football (American), professional, coaching, management

Publish date:

September 29, 2020

Length:

272 pages

Rating:

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

The position of quarterback has always been the most important in professional football, but has become even more so in today’s game with the increase of scoring and with a quarterback’s mobility becoming more important in evaluation.  Former NFL head coach Brian Billick, considered to be one of the more knowledgeable coaches for offense, provides an in-depth look at how college quarterbacks have been evaluated and offers his take on what works, what doesn’t and what should be measured or considered when a team wants to draft a quarterback.

The book stars by focusing on the 2018 draft in which five quarterbacks were selected in the first round: Baker Mayfield by the Cleveland Browns, San Darnold by the New York Jets, Josh Allen by the Buffalo Bills, Josh Rosen by the Arizona Cardinals and Lamar Jackson by the Baltimore Ravens.  Billick offers both the good and the bad in his description of reports from teams on each one of these quarterbacks and follows them throughout the book through the 2019 season.  As is the case with any other group of young quarterbacks taken in a single year, there were those who became stars (Jackson), those who are believed to not be quite there but are improving with some warning signs (Allen, Mayfield), those for whom there are still many question marks after two years (Darnold) and some who just were not good enough to hold a job (Rosen).  It should be noted that any and all of these statuses may change soon as this was determined before the 2020 season commenced in which both Allen and Mayfield took steps forward. 

This start was a tough read unless one is a football junkie with advanced knowledge of how to read scouting reports, playbooks and other such material.  However, once one gets past this chapter, the book is filled with terrific observations that go just beyond what a scout will observe or loads of advanced statistics that read alone will not only seem complicated, but will not give a true picture of how a quarterback will perform. 

Billick’s belief that data alone, especially one particular statistic such as pass completion rate, will not sufficiently determine the ultimate success or failure of a quarterback is a key part of his observation and is one that he repeats frequently in the book.  Another frequently mentioned word is “extrapolation.” Observing a young college quarterback for just one or two seasons, no matter what a scout or coach is looking at, cannot accurately predict how he will do in that area over a long period of time without proper extrapolation.    

When Billick talks about extrapolation and his wish that it could be used, as well as more quantifiable data on characteristics a good quarterback needs such as leadership, intelligence (his opinion on the current use of the Wonderlic test is quite pointed to say the least) and the ability to make quick decisions, it makes for great reading as he explains in detail why these traits are important. He does so in a careful manner so that more casual fans of the game will be able to understand the concept, but yet he also states this in a way that football nerds will enjoy as well. Billick’s experience as a long-time football coach and analyst comes through in this and other passage when he explains why he believes that there is more needed in order to fully analyze a quarterback properly.

Even with all this, another key point he makes is that in the end, this is still basically an endeavor that has a 50/50 split in determining which ones will pan out as expected and which ones will become a bust. A good example of this is the classic comparison of Ryan Leaf and Peyton Manning in the 1998 NFL draft.  However, what Billick did instead of that one was to take the scouting consensus on Leaf, who was considered a can’t-miss project, and compare him to a different college quarterback who didn’t measure up to Leaf in every single category and was taken in a later round. That quarterback – Drew Brees. That is a fresh take on a common topic that many football fans hear about regularly and it is also a reason, among others, why this book comes recommended for any fan of NFL football.  

I wish to thank Twelve Books 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/Factor-Elusive-Search-Great-Quarterback/dp/1538749920/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-q-factor-brian-billick/1137181900?ean=9781538749937

 

Review of "America's Game in the Wild Card Era"

While all sports have undergone major changes in the last 25 years, none have had quite the overhaul in so many area like baseball has.  This book covers all of them and has good information on all the teams in that era as well.  Here is my review of "America's Game in the Wild Card Era"

Title/Author:

“America's Game in the Wild Card Era: From Strike to Pandemic" by Bryan Soderholm-Difatte

Tags:

Baseball, professional, history

Publish date:

April 21, 2021

Length:

224 pages

Rating:

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

In the last 25 years, Major League Baseball has undergone many changes, both on the field and in the front office.  This book by Bryan Soderholm-Difatte is a good summary of many of the changes and how they affected the game and all 30 franchises.

The book will not have memorable storylines, does not follow a true chronological order of the state of the game, nor will it offer a lot of insight into why some of the changes took place.  What it does do is offer a look at the major issues and events in baseball during that time frame in a thorough manner.  It also does something that many other baseball books about a specific year or timeframe don't do – this book has good information on all 30 teams in the game, not just the best ones. 

So yes, the reader who wants to read about of three major championship droughts that ended in this era (Red Sox in 2004, White Sox in 2005, Cubs in 2016) will be able to do so, but that reader will also read about the Colorado Rockies rise to the postseason in only their third year, the Florida Marlins winning the World Series in their fifth year and the Arizona Diamonbacks doing the same in their fourth season of existence. The New York Mets get plenty of text for their collapses in 2007 and 2008 plus their pennant in 2015, but so do the Minnesota Twins for their run of division titles in the 2000's and their resurrection in 2019 when they set the major league record for home runs in a season.  This balance of coverage for all teams was the most refreshing aspect of this book. 

As mentioned earlier, no one topic is covered in great detail – readers who want to get a lot of information on major events like the 1994-95 strike, the use of performance enhancing drugs or the cheating scandal by the Houston Astros will get some information on them but will have to go elsewhere for a deep dive.  However, the book accomplishes its goal to provide the reader information on every team and every important topic in the game since that strike, including information on how the players and owners eventually came together to be able to play a 60-game schedule in 2020 through a pandemic.  It's a good quick read for a baseball fan to gain a little bit of additional insight into the recent history of the game.

I wish to thank Rowman and Littlefield Publishers for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

E-book (PDF)

Buying Links:

America's Game in the Wild-Card Era: From Strike to Pandemic: Soderholm-Difatte, Bryan: 9781538145937: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "Havin' a Ball" - first review of 2021

Happy New Year to everyone and thank you for visiting my blog.  Starting off another year of reviewing some great books with one on longtime basketball coach Richie Abudato.  While he may not be a household name or have his name engraved on the Larry O'Brien trophy, he certain has some great stories to tell from his lengthy coaching career.  Here is my review of "Havin' a Ball."  

Title/Author:

“Havin’ a Ball: My Improbable Basketball Journey” by Richie Adubato with Peter Kerasotis

Tags:

Basketball, professional, memoir, coaching, Piston, Mavericks, Magic, Liberty, Mystics

Publish date:

October 1, 2020

Length:

216 pages

Rating:

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Richie Adubato is what one could call a basketball lifer. Between playing, coaching and broadcasting, he has been involved in the game in some manner for over six decades and shows no sign of stopping.  Currently doing color commentary for the Orlando Magic, Adubato had a very interesting career as a coach. He didn’t have the success of a Hall of Fame coach like Pat Riley or Phil Jackson, but he did become a well-known and beloved figure in professional basketball.  As a result, he has plenty of stories to share as he does in this very entertaining memoir.

A self-proclaimed “Jersey Boy”, Adubato began his coaching career in the junior and senior high schools of New Jersey, primarily in the Paterson area. He gained not only a good coaching reputation but also was known for his toughness both on and off the court, mainly due to the neighborhoods of the schools in which he worked.  He also coached at Division III Upsala College when he got his first break into professional basketball.  It came when a fellow Jersey Boy, Dick Vitale, called Adubato to be one of his assistant coaches of the Detroit Pistons.

From there, Adubato got the itch to stay in the professional game and he turned it into a lengthy career.  When Vitale was fired in the middle of his second season, Adubato became the interim head coach.  After the Pistons gig, Adubato made several stops as both an assistant and as a head coach for the Dallas Mavericks and the Orlando Magic.  He had success at both places, guiding the franchises to playoff appearances but also had down seasons that led to his dismissal at both places as well – such is the life of a NBA coach.  However, he didn’t let that stop him as he became the head coach of the New York Liberty in the early years of the WNBA, leading that team to at least the Eastern Conference finals in four consecutive seasons.  He also coached in Russia (one of the most entertaining stories in the book took place there) and came back to the WNBA, coaching the Washington Mystics in his last coaching job before going into broadcasting.

With all of this experience and travel, one would expect the book to contain plenty of stories and name-dropping.  It certainly delivers on that promise as Abudato shares so many stories of not only his coaching career, but also a few stories about meeting other celebrities such as Frank Sinatra.  There isn’t a lot of personal information in the book as he doesn’t talk about his family very much.  The most amount of text used for a personal or family story was when he married his second wife Carol and they were able to brag that they got married in Italy – Italy, Texas that is. 

The book doesn’t have a really good flow, although Abudato tells his stories in chronological order, which is helpful.  The writing is pretty good and is clearly in conversational style as he sometimes just goes immediately from discussing one coaching job ending to another starting and a reader may not remember which season this refers to unless he or she is paying close attention.  But those are minor annoyances because reading this book is just so much fun. The stories will often make you laugh, but a few are more somber, such as the story of one of the players he coached in Dallas, Roy Tarpley.  Those stories and situations are just as easy to read, however, and it shows how much coaching and basketball are in Abudato’s blood.

Any basketball fan who has heard about Abudato, either through his coaching or his broadcasting, will want to read this book. It has the feel of a chat on the porch while sitting on a swinging bench and enjoying one’s favorite beverage while the coach shares another tale from his coaching life.

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

Book Format Read:

E-book (PDF)                                                                                                                                   

Buying Links:

https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/nebraska/9781496212825/

https://www.amazon.com/Havin-Ball-Improbable-Basketball-Journey/dp/1496212827/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= 

Review of "Nicklas Lidstrom" - final review of 2020

Rather than stating some obvious observations about 2020, I will just start this post with the thought that it was yet another year with some great sports books published. This blog will end 2020 with a review of a 2019 book that was okay, but considering the subject is one of the greatest hockey players in NHL history, it was a bit disappointing.  Here is my review of "Nicklas Lidstrom." 

 Title/Author:

“Nicklas Lidstrom: The Pursuit of Perfection" by Nicklas Lidstrom with Gunnar Nordstrom and Bob Duff

Tags:

Ice Hockey, professional, memoir, Red Wings, championship

Publish date:

October 1, 2019

Length:

288 pages

Rating:

3 of 5 stars (okay)

Review:

Nicklas Lidstrom is universally considered one of the greatest hockey players to lace up the skates.  Over a 20-year career with the Detroit Red Wings, his accomplishments include contributing to four Stanley Cup championships, seven Norris Trophies (awarded to the best defenseman in the NHL), 12 all-star selections and gold medals representing his native Sweden in the Olympics and World Championships.  With such an outstanding resume, one would think that a book about him would strive to be as good.  While this memoir/biography co-written with Gunnar Nordstrom and Bob Duff is engrossing at times, overall, it doesn't match his play on the ice.

The bulk of the book is a chronological study of his Red Wings career, with some text about his play in Sweden where the Red Wings couldn't believe their luck to find a defenseman with his skill set being under the radar of most scouts. This is mainly because at that time in the 1990's, there was still a misconception that European players couldn't excel in North America. Even though there were stars from Europe previous such Borje Salming (who is mentioned in the book), that mindset allowed Detroit scouts to draft Lidstrom in a lower round that really didn't reflect his greatness.

Because the book concentrates heavily into his Red Wings career, the reader will only gain minimal information on other aspects of Lidstrom's other experience and also his personal life.  The most that is covered is the last 10% of the book when his family headed back to Sweden after he retired from the Red Wings.  Even that isn't described in great detail – at least nothing close to his time in Detroit.

There is a LOT of praise for Lidstrom throughout the book and numerous quotes from many different people in the NHL.  Not only Detroit teammates, but coaches, general managers, fans – just about anyone who saw him play and would be willing to speak to the authors were quoted.  While there is no question he was worthy of praise, it was almost too much.  He was often called "perfect" as in the perfect player, the perfect person, and such.  About the only person who refuted this reputation was Lidstrom himself, who would often remember imperfections he would exhibit.  The best example of this was his memory of the last shot of game 7 in the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals that a Pittsburgh Penguins defender blocked and thereby denied the Red Wings a second straight championship.

Overall, this book is fine to read if one is a big fan of the Red Wings or Lidstrom.  However, if a reader wants to learn more about him outside of the Red Wings, there won't be a lot of material.  Decent book for a quick read. 

Book Format Read:

E-book (PDF)

Buying Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Nicklas-Lidstrom-Fantastic-Gunnar-Nordstrom-ebook/dp/B07BB2Y4L5/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Review of "The Captain"

 David Wright was the face of the New York Mets for 15 seasons and was universally liked by teammates and opponents alike.  His story, including his emotional final game in 2018, is captured in this excellent memoir.

Title/Author:

“The Captain: A Memoir” by David Wright and Anthony DiComo

Tags:

Baseball, professional, memoir, Mets

Publish date:

October 13, 2020

Length:

368 pages

Rating:

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

David Wright is one of those baseball “what if” stories. What if he was able to stay healthy and not have battled injuries the last few seasons of his career?  What if his team, the New York Mets, had been able to win at least one championship instead of losing some of those chances in heartbreaking fashion?  Those are questions for others to answer as Wright has no regrets and lives up to his reputation as one of the best ambassadors to the game in his memoir, co-written with Anthony DiComo.

Wright doesn’t spend much time talking about his childhood when he grew up in the Norfolk/Hampton Roads region of southeastern Virginia.  He played alongside another future MLB player, Michael Cuddyer, whom he mentions frequently in this part of his story and later becomes his teammate when the Mets reach the World Series in 2015.  At the time, the local minor league team, the Norfolk Tides, were the AAA farm team for the Mets and Wright had dreams of playing for them.  So when the call came that he was drafted by them, you can imagine the joy he and his family were sharing, even if that meant he had to back out on his agreement to play baseball for Georgia Tech.

Even though he had a fairly quick route to the major leagues, he talks about his insecurities and questioning of his ability to reach the majors.  Knowing what we know now about his success (when healthy) during his time with the Mets, that seems awfully strange, but it was a constant for him throughout his minor league time.  That is one explanation behind his work ethic, which is another topic he writes about often, 

Wright had the image of a clean cut, very friendly baseball player who would rarely criticize anyone and lead more by example than by yelling.  That image is certainly verified in this book, where he is very reluctant to criticize anyone, tell stories that would shed a negative light on anyone, or even say anything bad about some who are not favorably received.  A very good example of this is his praise and thanks to the former owners of the Mets, the Wilpon family.  While most Mets fans do not look upon the former owners too kindly, Wright is very thankful to them for giving him the chance to succeed.  Another is his defense of Carlos Beltran for taking the third strike to end game 7 of the 2006 National League Championship Series and thereby costing the Mets a chance to go to the World Series.

The best baseball stories for Wright come from the more successful seasons that the Mets had during his time, such as the aforementioned 2006 season and the 2015 season as well, even though by this time, he had already begun missing significant playing time due to various injuries.  His home run in game 3 of the 2105 World Series is the moment that he considers to be his best as he states it was one of the few times he didn’t think about the game at hand and just let himself enjoy the moment.  It probably helped that this was the one game the Mets won during that series.

After Wright was diagnosed with spinal stenosis in 2016 which eventually led to his decision to retire, it is clear to the reader that he is less engaged in baseball and more about his family as he got married and had two daughters in that time.  When he finally made the decision to retire and asked if he could play one last time on the penultimate day of the 2018 season, the reader will feel the joy and relief that Wright did when he knew that this was the end, but was very appreciative of the love that he received from the sold-out crowd at Citi Field.

A memoir that truly reflects the person who wrote it, “The Captain” is a book that Mets fans will want to add to their collection and one that baseball fans who just want to learn more about the captain of Mets will also want to read.

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)                                                                                                                               

Buying Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Captain-Memoir-David-Wright/dp/1524746053/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=

Review of "From Hang Time to Prime Time"

Christmas Day is the day when the NBA is on display with games from noon until late into the night.  I, like many other basketball fans enjoyed a lot of the game action, but during some of the downtime, I started this book - and I missed a couple of the games because I was so engrossed in the book, it was that good.  Here is my review of this great book on the rise of the league as an entertainment league as well as a basketball league, "From Hang Time to Prime Time."  

Title/Author:

“From Hang Time to Prime Time: Business, Entertainment and the Birth of the Modern NBA” by Pete Croatto

Tags:

Basketball, professional, business, history

Publish date:

December 1, 2020

Length:

384 pages

Rating:

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

Current fans of NBA basketball are treated to not only the sport itself, with the displays of athleticism and flash provided every game, but also to a complete entertainment package whether watching at the arena or at home.  The league has been the leader in many innovations when it comes to making a game an entertainment spectacle, but it hasn’t always been that way.  This book by Pete Croatto is an excellent account of how the league went from irrelevance to the global phenomenon it has become.

Many people, including non-basketball fans, know about Julius Erving, or “Dr. J”, for his entertaining dunks in the 1970’s when his career was at his peak.  Basketball fans, even casual ones, know that he performed at this level not in the NBA, but the rival ABA league.  While that league eventually merged with the NBA because of its financial situation, the NBA wasn’t in much better shape.  The league had just gone through a lengthy court battle with the player’s association over free agency with the end result being that their reserve clause was struck down.  Led by commissioner Larry O’Brien (who gets a lot of credit for the state of today’s NBA by the author), the NBA not only took in four ABA franchises and now had Dr. J playing for one of their signature teams, but also started looking at how to better market themselves through television and other forms.

This was helped greatly by two of the biggest names in college basketball, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, joining the league in the same year and also joining two of the league’s most storied franchises, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers respectively, and also by the tireless work by O’Brien’s legal counsel, David Stern.  Stern did a lot of legwork to get a new television contract, start the division of NBA Enterprises and oh, yes, negotiate the first salary cap in professional sports history. The stories of people who were working at NBA Enterprises in the 80’s when Bird and Johnson were joined by Michael Jordan as the faces of the league.  Their stories of their long hours, the poor working conditions and the endless questions by Stern would usually make a reader cringe, but both the people interviewed and Croatto make them seem like they had the best job in the world.

If the NBA was doing better in both finances and exposure with Bird and Johnson, both of those areas saw explosive growth once Jordan came on the scene. His on-court dunks, his on-camera persona, his savvy business acumen such as his deals with Nike, and oh, yes, winning championships in Chicago, all helped make the NBA an international league.  The changes in attitudes toward the skills of international players and the 1992 Olympic team were the catalysts for this change as they are covered in this book as well.

The last aspect of the growth of the league, especially for entertainment, was that it was in tune with the pop culture of the era.  When the VCR gained popularity, the league started promoting recordings of highlights and family-friendly entertainment geared around NBA stars tor sale.  When rap music gained mainstream popularity, the NBA was right there alongside to incorporate it into its marketing. The league was also willing to now take chances that some more conservative executives and fans may not have considered.  One great example of this was allowing Marvin Gaye to sing his version of the national anthem before the 1983 All-Star game.  If you have never heard it, make sure you do as it can be found on YouTube.  Watching the players move to the beat is just as good as the singing. 

Croatto’s in-depth research, hundreds of interviews and writing style that is so engrossing make this a book that every person interested in basketball, the NBA or the pop culture of the 1980’s should read.  It will capture your attention at the start and will be one that is very difficult to put down.

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

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)                                                                                                                               

Buying Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Hang-Time-Prime-Entertainment-Modern-Day-ebook/dp/B084GBGKZS/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/from-hang-time-to-prime-time-pete-croatto/1136314613?ean=9781982103972

Review of "J.L. Wilkinson and the Kansas City Monarchs"

 As we approach the holiday season and the end of 2020, like many others, I have been interested in learning even more about the Negro Leagues after they obtained major league status.  This book is a good read on one of the most successful teams of that time, the Kansas City Monarchs.  Here is my review of "J.L. Wilkinson and the Kansas City Monarchs." 

Title/Author:

“J.L Wilkinson and the Kansas City Monarchs: Trailblazers in Black Baseball" by William A. Young

Tags:

Baseball, professional, Monarchs, Negro Leagues, history

Publish date:

November 2, 2016

Length:

240 pages

Rating:

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

The Kansas City Monarchs were one of the most successful franchises in the Negro Leagues for nearly the entire time those organizations existed.  They wouldn't have lasted long into their first decade had it not been for the resources and progressive actions of the team's first owner who was a white man, J.L. Wilkinson.  The story of Wilkinson and the Monarchs is captured in this quick, easy read by William Young.  

At times, especially in the beginning of the book when the topic is mainly Wilkinson and his interest in owning a baseball franchise, seems to be TOO easy a read and is more of a long conversation instead of a story. Because of this, at times a reader may become lost with all of the names of people, players and others involved in the Monarchs or Negro Leagues. Those are the only aspects of the book that is otherwise a very good source of information on not only the Monarchs franchise but also for the development of the Negro Leagues.

Reading about how Rube Foster's dream of creating a professional league for Black players who were not allowed to play major league baseball is probably the best part of the book.  However, that doesn't diminish the colorful history of the Monarchs team, whose history and players make for great stories and are shared in this book.  Through it all, the most common theme, however, is Wilkinson's acceptance by everyone involved with the team.  This is because not only did he treat his players and employees fairly, he compensated them well (in line with what white players earned in the major leagues) and provided them with the best equipment, uniforms and facilities possible.  It is also notable that despite having to rent the ballpark in which the Monarchs played, he did not follow the standards of the day and opened all parts of the park to all fans, regardless of race.

This is a book that readers who are interested in the team or the Negro Leagues, especially with the increased attention those leagues have received after obtaining the long overdue major league status, should pick up and learn the story of one of the most storied franchises.

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

Book Format Read:

E-book (PDF)

Buying Links:

https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/jl-wilkinson-and-the-kansas-city-monarchs/

https://www.amazon.com/J-L-Wilkinson-Kansas-City-Monarchs-ebook/dp/B01N66LXZC/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=