Review of "The Long Game"

With the arrival of the 2026 World Cup to the United States, Canada and Mexico, I wanted to pick up this book to get a good look at the United States' squad.  I got that and a whole lot more from this excellent book. 

Title/Author:

“The Long Game: U.S. Men's Soccer and Its Savage, Four-Decade Journey to the Top, or Thereabouts” by Leander Schaerlaeckens

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

Leander Schaerlaekens’ book offers a thorough and engaging history of the United States Men’s National Soccer Team (USMNT), tracing its long and often winding journey from obscurity to renewed relevance on the global stage. The narrative begins by framing the USMNT’s early years through the lens of its stunning 1–0 upset over England in the 1950 World Cup—an achievement that stood in isolation for decades. After that moment of international shock, the United States failed to qualify for another World Cup until 1990, a period Schaerlaekens characterizes with precision and clarity.

One of the book’s strongest sections is its examination of that 40-year gap, during which American soccer struggled for identity and stability. Schaerlaekens effectively documents the fragmented nature of the sport during this era: the absence of a formal national program, the collapse of early professional leagues, and the sport’s marginal cultural footprint. His account of how the United States finally clawed its way back to the World Cup in 1990—despite limited infrastructure and minimal global respect—provides essential context for understanding the program’s modern era.

From there, the book offers a detailed, tournament-by-tournament exploration of the USMNT’s growth, challenges, and internal dynamics since 1990. Schaerlaekens blends analysis of on‑field performance with discussion of coaching philosophies, roster decisions, and the evolving expectations placed on the team. These chapters illuminate the difficult decisions and political maneuvering that shape the national team, giving readers a deeper appreciation of the complexities behind each World Cup cycle.

Interspersed throughout are insightful player and coach profiles that enrich the broader narrative. Schaerlaekens highlights the personalities who have shaped the program over the past three decades, while also providing an accessible look into the governance and politics of both U.S. Soccer and FIFA. For a casual fan—especially someone whose interest peaks during World Cup years—these sections offer valuable background on how players are selected, how coaches are evaluated, and how organizational pressures influence the team’s trajectory.

A notable feature of the book is its series of chapters dedicated to contemporary stars such as Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams. These segments help bridge the historical story with the present and future of the team, offering readers a sense of how today’s core players developed and why they are integral to the United States’ ambitions ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which the country will co‑host.

Overall, Schaerlaekens delivers a balanced and comprehensive chronicle of the USMNT. Whether one is a longtime supporter or a casual viewer who tunes in every four years, the book provides both historical insight and forward-looking context. It is an informative and enjoyable read for soccer fans of any level.

I wish to thank Viking Penguin for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

 

Link: Amazon.com: The Long Game: U.S. Men's Soccer and Its Savage, Four-Decade Journey to the Top, or Thereabouts: 9780593653876: Schaerlaeckens, Leander: Books

Short review - "Baseball in Blue and Gray"

Going away from my usual type of book and format for this review.  This book was one that I found for a reading challenge for my local library.  There's a different theme every month in 2026 for this challenge.  In February, the theme was the 19th century - read a book set in the 19th century.  For sports, that can pose a challenge, but I remembered this book I saw a few years ago.  I skimmed it at that time - this time I decided to read the entire book and it was very good. This is my short review of "Baseball in Blue and Gray."  

Title: "Baseball in Blue and Gray: The National Pastime During the Civil War" by George B. Kirsch

Rating: 4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: 

While professional baseball began in earnest inn1869 with the Cincinnati Red Stockings, there were plenty of organized teams and (roughly) leagues in the game before that team had its initial season. While there were soldiers playing the game during downtime on the Civil War battlegrounds, this book only touches that aspect of the game briefly. The better description of this book is baseball as a whole during the middle of the 19th century. Even so, this is a good quick read on the sport.

Link: Baseball in Blue and Gray: The National Pastime during the Civil War: Kirsch, George B.: 9780691057330: Amazon.com: Books

Review of “Beloved Warrior”

Have you ever wanted a book (or really, anything) you felt was really inappropriate and had to wait a long time to obtain but still would be great to read?  This book fits that category. 

Title/Author:

“Beloved Warrior: The Rise and Fall of Alexis Arguello” by Christian Giudice

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: 

Alexis Arguello was one of few boxers who won the championship in three different weight classes - featherweight, super featherweight and lightweight. His dedication to the sport and his gentlemanly demeanor both in and out of the sport made him a figure well respected by many. This book by boxing author Christian Giudice is an excellent account of Arguello’s life, including his shocking death in 2009.

Having read two other books by Giudice on Latino boxing legends - Roberto Duran and Hector Camacho - I expected this one to be very good and it did not disappoint. Through extensive research and many interviews, Giudice provides the reader with a fair and balanced portrayal of the boxer from Nicaragua. 

It’s balanced because while Arguello’s excellence in the ring, having won 77 of 85 fights including 62 knockouts, is covered in excellent detail, his problems out of the ring are also explained very well. In addition to his extramarital affairs (he was married 4 times), his alcoholism and the mishandling of his finances , it included his support and fighting for the Contras in the Nicaraguan civil war in the early 1980’s. His subsequent support for the opposing Sandinista government later in life  (who had taken all his property and forced his family into exile) is also explained as is his entry into politics. It was here where after he was elected mayor of Managua, the capital city, he was found dead in 2009 of an apparent suicide shooting to the chest. Some don’t believe it was suicided, a question still asked today. This political part of Arguello’s life is very well chronicled, a testament to Giudice’s work and dedication to tell this side of Arguello’s life. 

This is in stark contrast to how so many who were involved in boxing and knew him through the sport remember him, including his opponents. They fondly recall his as gracious and kind, never having a bad word to say about anyone. Most notably, the one boxer who defeated Arguello twice, Aaron Pryor, also felt the same way despite fighting his own demons. Pryor twice stopped Arguello from obtaining a championship in a fourth weight class. 

No matter who’s aspect of Arguello’s life a reader wants to learn about, this book is one of the best sources to get a good start at that goal.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Beloved-Warrior-Rise-Alexis-Arg%C3%BCello/dp/1597977098/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8 

Review of "When the Lights Went Out"

With my subscription to Audible, there are books that can be obtained at no charge just like Kindle Unlimited.  This book, even though it was published 20 years ago, caught my eye as I am always interested in books that have information on the former Soviet Union's hockey program.  I loved this audiobook and highly recommend it to readers of hockey books. 

Title/Author:

“When the Lights Went Out: How One Brawl Ended Hockey’s Cold War and Changed the Game” by Gare B. Joyce, narrated by Jeff Burling

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: 

The World Junior Ice Hockey Championship tournament is one of the most prestigious tourneys in the sport.  Teams of young players compete early each calendar year to represent their countries and become of a source of national pride, especially in hockey-mad nations like Canada.  In the 1987 World Juniors, Canada had a chance to capture the gold medal with a win over the Soviet Union in the last game of the tournament, who fell out of medal contention.

However, instead of a coronation for Canadian superiority, a bench clearing brawl occurred with 6:07 left in the second period.  This “skirmish” (what it was called by CBC broadcasters when they came back from a commercial break) led to tournament officials to remove both nations from the tourney, thereby denying the Canadians a chance at a medal. This book by Gare B. Joyce covers every aspect of this event – before, during and after – and does an excellent job in doing so.

Joyce gives excellent background information on the hockey organizations of both nations – the junior hockey program in Canada and the Soviet Union’s hockey development as well.  Players, coaches and off-ice employees are all mentioned in this section and this leads up to the teams competing in the 1987 tourney.

Several players on both sides will be familiar to fans of NHL hockey in the 1990’s and early 2000’s.  Two notable players on each side were Brendan Shanahan and Theo Fleury for Team Canada, Sergei Federov and Alexander Mogilny for the USSR.  The sections on the actual brawl are quite interesting as the narration by Burling is great here.  The instructions are for a reader to put in the DVD (book was originally published in 2006) and stop at various points where Burling describes Joyce’s observations of what was going on. I thought this was a unique way of capturing what was happening on the ice during the brawl, and it was excellent.

After the brawl, the description of the events afterward, to a reader not familiar with the incident, may seen biased toward the Canadians and even I thought at times if felt that way.  Two things stood out to overcome that thought – one was Joyce’s explanation of the dismissal of many conspiracy theories about officials not wanting to award Canada a medal.  The other was his criticism, which to many was fair, of referee Hans Ronning.  The Norwegian was named to be the referee for this game for his neutrality but instead his lack of being able to control the players was clear, long before the brawl.  In order to stop the fighting, arena workers were asked to turn off the lighting, which was the inspiration for the title of book.

While the two teams were kicked out of the tourney and each player was suspended for one year, that was reduced to six months, which allowed several players from both nations to again compete in 1988, both in the World Juniors and the Olympics held that year in Calgary.  Here, Joyce does more fantastic writing and research on describing what took place not only there, but how this affected the players, coaches and the overall rivalry between the two hockey nations, which was going to change drastically soon with the fall of the Soviet Union.

Finally, one more terrific aspect of the book – Joyce’s interviews with players from both sides nearly 20 years after that event.  For some, it affected them greatly.  Others, not so much, but each interview Joyce published here had some great insight given by the players.  It also had interesting stories about the Russian players who were now free to play in the NHL and other professional leagues.  Mogiliny’s story was quite riveting as he had to apply for asylum as he was going to come to North America before others were officially allowed by the Russian government.

If a reader is interested in the World Junior tournament, Canadian junior hockey or hockey in the former Soviet Union, this book is for them.  A great read, even 20 years after its first publication.

Link: When the Lights Went Out Audiobook by Gare Joyce  

Review of “Tiger v. Jack”

Keeping with my recent golf theme and impatiently awaiting spring so I can break out my golf clubs, I decided to read this book on one of the few discussions on the “greats of all time” in which one could choose one of two names and not get a strong rebuttal but the other person - it’s that close. Here is my review of “Tiger v. Jack”

Title/Author: “Tiger v. Jack: Golf’s Great Debate ” by Bob Harig

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:  When golf fans are debating who is the greatest golfer of all time, two names are usually mentioned - Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. While the two golfers played in different eras of the game, their accomplishments are well known and constantly compared. This book by Bob Harig digs deep into their careers and their games to provide his opinion on the debate that many agree on one thing - no matter who you pick, both of them are head and shoulders above everyone else.

The first and last chapter are perfect bookends to the debate. The first chapter covers the 1986 Masters tournament when Jack made a huge charge on the back nine on Sunday to become the oldest winner of the Masters at age 46, good for his 18th major championship. The last chapter is about the 2019 Masters, when Tiger won his 15th major at age 43 after a lengthy drought from majors due to injuries, most notably several back surgeries. 

Between those chapters, a reader will learn about the best aspects of each golfer’s game, their first major tournament win, how their career trajectories played out and how they came to be the best of their eras. Harig goes beyond counting wins in majors and PGA wins to provide in-depth information on both golfers. One example of this that I really enjoyed was how both men would intimidate their opponents before teeing off on the first hole. They knew how to exploit any fear or doubt their opponents had which would result in those golfers either trying too hard or making mistakes they normally would not make.  This description was very interesting.

There is information on legendary golfers whose marks first Jack, then Tiger, would eventually shatter. Information on Bobby Jones, Walter Hagen, and Ben Hogan give a good history of how the four major tournaments became a very important part of a golfer’s career. The sections on each man’s accomplishments outside of just winning majors were also very good. Also interesting was a discussion on how each man became involved in the police of golf during their times - Jack on the PGA’s policy that favored club pros instead of those on the PGA tour, Tiger on the emergence of the rival LIV golf league. 

Other golfers, broadcasters, and golf personalities, all from both eras, were included in Haig’s analysis. The last sections before the 2019 Masters where Harig breaks down each man’s game (putting, driving, bunker play, etc), the quality of other players at the time and the size of the field during their time and other statistics, Harig makes his decision and lays it out well. This is an excellent book for those wanting more information on their golfer they choose in this debate. 

I wish to thank St. Martin’s Press for providing a copy of the book.  The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0FLZ4MNRW/ref=x_gr_bb_kindle?caller=Goodreads&tag=x_gr_bb_kindle-20 

Review of “America Tees Off”

 As I noted in my last post, the huge winter storm that hit most of the country allowed me more reading time. This book was one I was able to complete in a fairly short amount of time. Since it was a golf book, it also left me dreaming of golf weather! 

Title/Author:

“America Tees Off: True Tales of Golf’s Rich History” by David Sowell

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: 

Even non-golfers know that the game has a rich history. Beginning with its origins at St. Andrew’s, also known as the Old Course to today’s game, there are many stories to be told about it. This book by David Sowell does just that, with concentration on stories from courses in the United States.

Stories might be generous here as most of the essays take less than two pages. While this made for quick reading, it often left me wanting more information about the golfer, the course, or whatever else the story was about.

This disappointment, however, was offset by the great variety of topics chosen and that the book covered the entire span of time that the game has been played here. Some of the more interesting topics included President Eisenhower playing at Augusta, how golf balls were kept cool when they were made of gutta perch and a deal made between Charles Schwab and Andrew Carnegie on the golf course.

Of course, professional golfers have their stories too. Not just big names like Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus, but players like Ben Curtis and Juli Inkster have their moments in this book too. That is the best aspect of the book. The brevity of the stories made it possible to have many people featured without making the reader get lost in trying to keep them straight. A quick, enjoyable read for those who enjoy golf. 

I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book.  The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/America-Tees-Off-Tales-History/dp/1496243161/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0  

Review of "Baseball's Outcast"

While the past week was quite busy for me, the snowstorm that is gripping much of the nation has helped me catch up on reading and writing reviews.  To start the recovery of reviews, here's one on former MLB star Ron LeFlore. 

Title/Author:

“Baseball’s Outcast: The Story of Ron LeFlore” by Adam Henig

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: 

While every professional athlete, no matter their background, has an interesting story to share about the rise to becoming one of the best at their profession, former Major League Baseball player Ron LaFlore had a very different path to get to that point.  His story of going from a convicted criminal serving time in prison to becoming an All-Star outfielder is covered in this book by Adam Henig.

LaFlore grew up in a poverty-stricken, mostly Black area of Detroit.  Succumbing to life on the streets, he took to committing various crimes to obtain money.  During an armed robbery, he was arrested and sentenced to serve time at Jackson State prison.  While I was certainly interested in LaFlore’s baseball career, I found this section of the book to be the best as Henig did a masterful job of describing LaFlore’s life in prison, his change in behavior from rebellious to model prisoner due to athletics and the ways he developed his skills in baseball, a sport he never played before suiting up for the prison team.

A scout from the Detroit Tigers discovered LeFlore through connections and he was granted a 48 hour pass to attend a tryout at Tiger Stadium.  While still fairly raw with his fielding and hitting, it was LaFlore’s speed that eventually earned him a contract with the Tigers and more importantly, an early release from prison.

From there, the book is mainly about his baseball career, where he became an all-star with the Tigers during the 1976 – 78 seasons, led the American League twice in stolen bases and was a fan favorite. He teamed up with a local sportswriter to pen an autobiography, which became a best-seller and also was made into a made-for-TV movie that starred LeVarr Burton playing LaFlore.  Henig’s writing was also very good here, including when he injected aspects of LaFlore’s personal life that not only affected LaFlore’s performance on the field, but also his standing with teammates and the Tigers’ front office. 

That led to a trade to the Montreal Expos, where he led the National League in stolen bases, becoming the first major league to accomplish the feat in both leagues.  However, again due to difficulties with getting along with teammates and the front office, the Expos released him after just one season, 1980.  After that, he tried to catch on with the Chicago White Sox, but that didn’t end up well either. 

Here is where the book turns into simply a brief summary of his life after baseball, save for one incident where he and his wife were invited to a reception for former players in Detroit, only to have several issues such as the lack of a hotel reservation make it more difficult.  I found this to be quite an abrupt end to the book after all the great detail about his life before and during baseball.

I wish to thank Bloomsbury Academic for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley.  The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Baseballs-Outcast-Story-Ron-LeFlore/dp/1538194953/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0