Review of "Moron"

Anyone who has been involved in youth sports, whether as a player, coach, parent or official will want to check out this book on one man's drive to ban body checking in minor (youth) hockey in the city of Calgary, Alberta.

 

Title/Author:

“Moron: The Behind the Scenes Story of Minor Hockey” by Todd Millar

Genre:

Non-fiction, Ice hockey, youth sports, policies, safety

Published:

April 15, 2013

Length:

186 pages (paperback)

Rating:

3 of 5 stars (Okay)

Review:

When an official of Hockey Calgary published a blog post that used the word “moron” 17 times, it brought light to a controversial topic that had not gained much traction.   In order to protect young hockey players in minor hockey (Canada’s term for what would be called youth hockey in the United States), a proposal to eliminate body checking was defeated.   Todd Millar took the opponents of the proposed rule change to task and published the infamous blog post.  

The book is a call to correct this situation as Millar uses statistics, anecdotes and instances of rule infractions to make his point of how the game would be safer and more fun for everyone involved – players, coaches, parents and officials.   While the book has its moments, good research and a theme that is hard to argue with, it comes across as overbearing at times.   Anyone who had played in youth sports, been the parent of a player in these games, or has been a referee or umpire can share similar stories.  The book makes a great point and presents a worthy case – but in the manner of a sledgehammer driving it into the reader’s head.   That was the main drawback I had with the book, and why I lowered my rating to three stars.  The anecdotes were great, the research good and the cause worthy.  Those alone should be powerful enough to make the case.

 

Did I skim? 

I did skip some sections that were repeats of the same points made in earlier chapters.

 

Pace of the book:

At times, I felt it was slow and repetitive.  Otherwise, it moved along fine.

 

Positives:
The passion that Millar has for this issue is evident and he has performed extensive research to illustrate the dangers of body checking in minor hockey.  He uses his own Hockey Calgary experiences to illustrate his points as well as the research.  He also is a great story teller.  One that I particularly enjoyed was his story about a father who was climbing over the glass so he could scream his displeasure about an official’s call.  The referees in these games are not much older than the players, so they are impressionable as well, and Millar reminds the reader of this as well.

Negatives: 

Two big ones curbed my enjoyment of the book.  One, while I commend Mr. Millar for his passion to this cause and his tireless effort to get the rules changed, the message came across as preachy.  I felt like it was either “Do it my way or, of course, you are a ‘moron.’”   Two, while the title word is important in the context of the book, I felt it was used far too often.  Yes, we got the message of who are the “morons” and who was wearing the “moron helmet.” 

 

Do I recommend?
Only for those people who are associated with youth sports in some way, such as parents, coaches or officials. 

 

Book Format Read:

ebook

 

Author Media Links:

www.toddmillarspeaking.com/hockey

www.toddmillarspeaking.com/blog

 

Buying links (free as of the posting of this review on May 31, 2013)

http://www.amazon.com/Moron-Behind-Scenes-Hockey-ebook/dp/B00CFAZ68E/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1369865889&sr=1-1&keywords=moron

 

Review of The Rookie - flash ficition piece

An interesting piece of flash fiction that anyone who has ever picked up a baseball bat will enjoy.

 

Title/Author:             

“The Rookie” by Kirkus MacGowan

Genre: 

Baseball, fiction, flash fiction

Published: 

November 13, 2012

Length:

7 pages

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

 

Review

Flash fiction is always tricky to write as a complete story must be told in so few words.  Kirkus McGowan does a very good job of doing that in “The Rookie.”   The story is short and about the type of situation that anyone who has picked up a bat has played out in his or her dreams.

Bases loaded, two outs, bottom of the ninth inning of game seven of the World Series.   The story is told through the eyes of the batter and what he is going to do in this moment with everything on the line.   No spoiler here, so I won’t give away the finish.  But I will say that if you invest the 10 to 15 minutes it will take to read this piece, you will not be disappointed.

Did I skim?

No      

Did I feel connected to the characters?  

Yes.  Not only will the reader be drawn into the batter’s feelings and actions, he will also know what the other players on the field are doing as well.

Pace of the story: 

Quick. Like most good flash fiction pieces, there are no wasted words here.

Positives: 

The reader won’t know who is really telling the story until the very end.  That made the story even better

Negatives:

While I like flash fiction pieces that can tell a complete story, this particular story would be even better as a short story or novella.

Do I recommend? 

Yes

Book Format Read: 

ebook

Author Media Links:

http://www.kirkusmacgowan.info

 

Product link: (this is free as of posting date of May 29, 2013)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A7HE2XW/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title

 

Review of Sum It Up

I hope everyone had a happy Memorial Day and took the time to reflect on why we celebrate this day.   I spent some time this weekend with the autobiography of my favorite college basketball coach and the review of this book follows.  Enjoy!

Title/Author:

“Sum It Up: 1,098 Victories, a Couple of Irrelevant Losses, and a Life In Perspective.”  By Pat Summitt with Sally Jenkins

 

Genre/tags:

Basketball, autobiography, college, women’s, coaching

 

Published:

March 5, 2013

Length: 

416 pages

Review:

Pat Summitt’s autobiography is written in the same manner as she coached. When she learned that she was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s she didn’t let the disease knock her down.  She was determined to keep coaching and while she privately wept, she kept up her work, her spirit and her life.  

 

This book shows that this is typical Summitt.   Whether it was her childhood on the farm in Tennessee with her parents and brothers, as a player at the University of Tennessee- Martin, on the 1976 Olympic team, or the head coach of Tennessee, she has always approached each task and challenge head on.   The writing and recollections in this book illustrate this characteristic well.

I found the beginning of the book very interesting as she starts out with memories as “I remember” and other items that she doesn’t have clear recollection as “I don’t remember.”  It was sobering when the reader remembers why she is no longer coaching.

I also liked how Summitt addressed subjects that would be troubling to her personally and also how she addressed matters that would be considered controversial at the time.   For personal matters, not only did she write about learning of her diagnosis with grace, she also wrote about the end of her marriage, her miscarriages and her other medical conditions without any anger or bitterness.  She simply wrote about what took place, what she was feeling, how she dealt with it and what came next.  

As for controversial matters, the best example would be her writings on the feminist movement in the 1970’s.   She never sounded bitter about being “in her place” especially as it related to her childhood.  While she certainly worked toward the goal of women’s equality, she was not a rabble rouser or radical when it comes to this issue.  She realized that her program at Tennessee benefitted by Title IX, the ground-breaking legislation that required schools and other institutions that received federal funding to ensure that programs for each gender were equal.  In the world of college sports, that meant that many women’s sports programs had to now include better facilities, scholarships for athletes and other such improvements.  Summitt realized what this meant, and wrote about it as someone who graciously accepted this, but also knew it was long overdue.

 

Summitt has won the most games in college basketball history, male or female.  She has made the Tennessee Lady Volunteers one of the premier basketball programs in the country.  But through it all, she has never forgotten that family is important, whether it her parents, siblings and son, or whether it is her players who grew up while playing for her at Tennessee.   “Sum It Up” an outstanding book that anyone will enjoy, whether or not the reader is a sports fan.

 

Did I skim? 

No

 

Did I learn something new?

Yes.  Too many to list each of them, but I would place at the top of the list learning about the coach’s childhood upbringing on the farm in Tennessee.   She was certainly “one of the boys” on the farm, and despite the roles each gender played at that time, she was one who broke the mold early.  

 

Pace of the story: 

Good.  It never dragged and progressed in chronological manner, as autobiographies usually do.

 

Positives: 

Through all of her ups and downs, the reader never really feels negativity through Summitt’s words.  This is not to say she never expresses any sadness or anger – she states these in a manner that is more of the line that “this is what happened, this is how I felt, this is how I dealt with

 

Negatives:

There are no glaring negatives or weakness in this book.   Summitt covers every aspect of her life, both personal and professional, without pulling any punches or leaving out chunks that would make readers feel like something is missing.

 

Do I recommend?

Yes!  This is an excellent book for not only basketball fans, it is also a great read for anyone who is looking for a role model, a source of inspiration or for finding out how to do things the right way. 

 

 

Book Format Read:

Hardcover.  I was fortunate enough to receive a copy autographed by Ms. Summit.

 

Author Media Links:

 

Pat Summit:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Pat-Head-Summitt/e/B001HD44HE/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

 

Sally Jenkins:

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/2011/02/24/ABAfeyI_page.html

 

https://twitter.com/sallyjenx

 

Buying links:

 

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sum-it-up-pat-head-summitt/1113244441?ean=9780385346870

 

http://www.amazon.com/Sum-Ninety-Eight-Irrelevant-Perspective-ebook/dp/B00985E9HS/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1369701121&sr=1-1&keywords=sum+it+up+by+pat+summitt

Model Sports Franchises

Just received the latest issue of Sports Illustrated and the cover States that the St.Louis Cardinals are baseball's model franchise. Have not read the article yet...have to get through the next book for this blog! :) Anyway, it got me thinking about model franchises and what makes a franchise "a model" one. I see three important characteristics. 1) Consistent results on the field. This doesn't mean championships every year or even playoffs. But the team will be a factor year in and year out. 2) Stability in the owner's box, coaching staff and roster. The best example of this is the NBA's model franchise, the San Antonio Spurs. When was the last time you heard that the Spurs were for sale, fired the GM, or let go of the coach? And how long has the core of Duncan, Ginobli, and Parker been there? Stability at its finest. 3) Players want to play for the team for reasons other than money. Yes, today's sports landscape rarely allows players to stay with one team for long. But when players want to sign with a team like the New England Patriots, how can you not take notice and try to see what they are doing right? Those three teams, along with the NHL's Detroit Red Wings, make up the model franchises for each sport. Do you agree? If not, which franchises are they? And why? Let's have some fun with this topic.

Review of "Johnson and Johnson"

Title/Author:

“Johnson and Johnson: A Short Story about Athletics and Academics in College Sports” by Larry LaForge

 

Sport: 

College Football (American)

 

Genre:

Fiction, sports, American football, college, ethics, academics            

 

Published:

August 19, 2012

 

Length:

36 pages

 

Rating: 

3 1/2 of 5 stars – good

 

Review:

Southeast State University’s football team has risen to one of the powerhouses of college football under the tenure of Coach Brack Johnson.  This season looks to be one of the finest as the school is highly ranked in the polls.   All the money that the university has invested in the program with top-notch facilities seems to be paying off. 

Professor Carson Johnson is a rising star in his own right.  On the fast track to tenure, he notices a peculiar trend in the grades and scholastic work of the team’s All-American quarterback.  He does what he believes is the right thing and notifies the dean of academics.  Could this really be happening?

Larry LaForge has addressed this ethical dilemma that is faced by many schools in this era of college football.   This is a short story that alternates the viewpoints of the coach and the professor. The center of the controversy is the team’s star quarterback, Stan Rogers.   Rogers does suffer an injury during the season, but at the time, it is discovered that his academic record shows good grades for work done outside class, but poor grades for in-class work. This creates an ethical dilemma for both the coach and the professor as neither wants the school to appear to be “soft” on academics, but at the same time, needs the quarterback to play.  

The story does take an interesting turn on this issue as Rogers is held out due to his injury, even when it has healed, so this can be addressed.  Each time the story is told in one viewpoint, the section ends with a hint of what is about to happen.   However, this is never spelled out in that next section.   The reader doesn’t really get to experience what the ultimate decision will be.  Instead, the reader will have to draw his or her own conclusion based on the progression of SSU’s season and the action of the academic board.  

 It is a good story that is very relevant for the topic.   It could use a little more substance and character development for the quarterback and the athletic director.  It does have a nice touch with the alternating viewpoints as the reader does understand the issues each man does face.  All in all, a decent short read that college football fans will enjoy.

_________________________________________________________________ 

Did I skim?

No

 

Did I feel connected to the characters? 

Yes.  I especially felt the pain of Coach Brack Johnson, as coaching is a very tenuous occupation at best, and this new revelation made the coach engage with a very hard conversation with his family on what the proper choice should be.  

 

Pace of the story:

Good – switching between the coach and the professor was important with this theme and both sides kept the story moving forward.

 

Positives:   

Both sides of the issue were addressed in the same amount of detail, and the arguments were presented fairly.  This book did not preach one way or the other about the issue – it simply painted a picture of the troubles facing both coach and professor.

 

Negatives:

The final outcome could be presented in a more clear and concise fashion.  I did re-read the last two sections before the epiloge to ensure I understood the entire picture.  For a short story, I found that a bit unsettling, as most short stories will be sharper.   This is not to say that the reader will be left without a conclusion – he or she just has to draw that conclusion on his or her own.

 

Do I recommend?  

Yes, for college football fans or readers who like ethical issues in the book.  

 

Book Format Read: ebook (Kindle)

 

Author Media Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Larry-LaForge/e/B009137XU2/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

http://www.facebook.com/LarryLaForgeStories

Interview with Bruce E. Spitzer

I had the privilege of interviewing the author of "Extra Innings", Bruce E. Spitzer, about  his book.   I enjoy speaking to authors because we can learn a lot from them.   Not just about their books, but also what gave them their ideas and stories. 
___________________________________________________________________________________

 

What inspired you to write “Extra Innings”?

The idea came to me six years ago.  After watching a Red Sox game in which the announcers talked about Ted Williams and also seeing another show about the afterlife, the idea popped into my head – cryonics could one day bring Ted Williams back. After all, he was indeed frozen when he died in 2002.

Do you have any memories of Ted Williams or stories about him that were passed down in your family?

I am not old enough to have personal memories but here in New England the legend of Ted Williams lives on.  I conducted interviews with people who knew him as part of my research.  I also included audio research to get the correct cadence and language that he used. 

 

In the book, you address topics that can be considered controversial.  Why did you choose to include them?

First and foremost the book is about second chances and redemption. Beyond that there are several subplots that run throughout the novel.   The world becomes a dystopian place, hat includes baseball, the environment, and the military-industrial complex.   It might be considered a parable of what could go wrong if we don’t get it right now.  Don’t forget it’s a love story too.

Your knowledge of military air combat is impressive. How did you obtain this knowledge?

I included this in my research because the book is about what any of us would do with this great second chance.   Would we do things differently or be destined to repeat ourselves? He was a war hero in his first life and I felt that Williams might not say no to the Marines during his second trip around the bases. 

Why robotic pitchers?

With the proliferation of performance enhancing drugs in the novel, the batters were becoming so good that the robots were needed to keep up with them. Conflict and struggle are a big part of the novel as Ted must decide to play at all against a machine that he detests and he faces tremendous pressure to take the performance enhancing drugs that he abhors.

Do you have any projects or books that you are currently writing?

I will be writing another book – it is a high-concept novel that is not related to this material.  That is all I can say now to preserve the idea.

Is there anything else you wish to add?

The best part of writing a novel is receiving fan email.  I have had many exchanges with readers about the topics addressed in the book.  I am also amazed at the many women readers who told me that they enjoyed the book.   Of course, there are plenty of women baseball fans, but these are women who somehow picked up the book for another reason and it resonated with them. That’s very rewarding to me. I wrote this book with the intention that it be much more than a baseball book.

Review - Extra Innings by Bruce E. Spitzer

 

Title/Author: “Extra Innings” by Bruce Spitzer

Genre: Fiction, sports, baseball, Ted Williams  

Published: October 16, 2012

Length: 386 pages

Rating:  4 of 5 stars – very good

Review:

When baseball legend Ted Williams died in 2002, his son John Henry wanted to preserve the DNA that made him one of the greatest hitters in the history of Major League Baseball.  A process called cryogenics was used to preserve his genetic makeup.  But could this really be used to recreate a baseball legend?

Bruce Spitzer’s novel “Extra Innings” gives us a glimpse of what might happen with this science.   In the year 2092, William’s head and brain are surgically attached to the body of a young tennis player who died in an accident.   The surgery is performed at the CryoCorp headquarters by the world-renowned Dr. Elizabeth Miles.   What follows is a story that covers many topics and may even be considered a futuristic biography of Williams.

Being a reader of sports books first and foremost, I was not disappointed with the baseball aspects of the book.   These did not take place until about 25% into the book, as Williams had to first adjust to his new body in a new era.   Major League Baseball is much different than during the “first” Williams’ time, with teams all over the globe, a longer season of 200 games thanks to warmer weather, and the elimination of human pitchers.  His introduction to the “Botwinder”, the robot pitchers who use technology to throw fastballs at 120 miles per hour, was one of the many humorous parts of the book.  

Another aspect of the game that is addressed is the use of performance enhancing drugs.   In 2093, the first season in which Williams plays for the Boston Red Sox, every player is using some form of a drug.  Williams staunchly refuses to do so, and initially performs remarkably well without them.  Without giving away too much of the baseball story, Williams and the Red Sox both have roller coaster rides during the second baseball career of the “Splendid Splinter.”

However, there are some baseball traditions that are kept.  Despite most of Boston being flooded now, Fenway Park still exists, complete with the Green Monster, but is now called Fenway Island.  Players (human ones, anyway) are still introduced and take their place on the baselines to applause by the fans, and caroms off the Green Monster still are tricky.

Spitzer develops the “second” Ted Williams character with painstaking detail, ensuring that his personality, characteristics and mannerisms are kept the same as the person Red Sox fans in the 1940’s and 1950’s grew up worshipping.   Williams was as well known for his love of fishing, his foul language and his dedication to the military (Note: there is a lot of cursing in the book by Williams, so younger readers and parents should take note).  Ted even repeats history by interrupting his baseball career in 2093 by joining the Marines by becoming a pilot.

Military combat is next for Williams, and the book does a good job of placing the reader in the cockpit of his plane and in his mind.  When Williams’ wingman is killed after her plane is hit, the reader feels the anguish in his mind.   Even those who have never served in the military can feel comfortable reading this and will understand the camaraderie that is shared by Marines.   The second Ted Williams underscores the Marine motto of “Semper Fi.”

Spitzer also touches on other topics that can be considered controversial, and does a good job of not tipping the reader or the story one way or the other about them.  These include climate change, the existence of Heaven, and the aforementioned performance enhancing drug use in baseball.   The climate change has already taken place with warmer temperatures year round and the flooding of some major cities. 

Ted has many more ups and downs during this second life, including brawls, romance, time with children (another aspect of Williams that is remembered here – the time he spent in hospitals with kids) that is wonderfully portrayed in his interactions with the young son of Dr. Miles, Johnnie.   These are all interwoven in the story of the baseball season and the military missions.  No one part of the story seems to be interrupted when another is taking place – they are all interwoven together to create a well-written novel that is worth the time to read.  A very good look into the possible future of cryogenics, baseball and life.

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

Did I skim?

During the military combat chapters, I did skim a few of the paragraphs with more complex military vocabulary.  As long as I understood what was happening, such as the jets being fired upon, I felt that I was still able to follow the story.  No skimming during any other chapters.

Did I feel connected to the characters? 

Yes.  Even though this story takes place 90 years into the future, the reader will feel no different when any of the characters are speaking.  Whether Ted is in the CryoCorp lab just after he is reanimated, on the baseball field, in the cockpit of his fighter jet, or even just having a chat with Johnnie, the reader is right there.   The other characters are portrayed just as well, especially Dr. Elizabeth Miles and her son Johnnie.

Pace of the story:

Very good.  Whether the topic is Ted adjusting to life in the late 21^st century, the action taking place at Fenway Island, or flying missions over the Middle East, the story moves along and does not get bogged down in too many details.

Positives:

All topics covered, including baseball, science, and military, are well researched and written in language that will be easy enough for a reader not familiar with them to understand, but at the same time not too basic as to bore those with a lot of knowledge of the topic.

The more controversial topics were handled well.  While the story does show what would happen if one side of the issue happened (i.e. for climate change, the world’s temperature did rise enough to melt ice caps and in baseball, players are using performance enhancing drugs), Spitzer does not portray these as controversial.  His writing simply describes them as something that happened or is taking place now and the world is adjusting. 

Negatives:

At times, I did feel that the particular topic was getting to be too dominant.  Depending on where I was in the book, I wondered if there would be a very long section on science, on Ted’s budding romance, or on military fighter pilot training.   These suspicions did not last long, however, as when this started to kick in, another chapter with another topic began.  Hence, the good pace to the book.

Do I recommend?  

Yes.  This book covers many topics that will appeal to a wide range of readers.   There is enough baseball action that sports fans will enjoy it, but also readers who like political topics (climate change), military topics (Middle East conflict), and romance will also enjoy this book.

Book Format Read: ebook (Nook)

Author Media Links:

www.ExtraInningsTheNovel.com

www.Facebook.com/TedWilliamsBook

www.Twitter.com/BruceSpitzer1

Extra Innings Video Book Trailer: bit.ly/Mp1xZo

Review - A Pitch for Justice by Harold Kasselman

A good mix of baseball and the legal system makes this book a winner.

Title/Author: “A Pitch for Justice” by Harold Kasselman

Genre: Fiction, sports, baseball, courtroom, murder    

Published: February 20, 2012

Length: 326 pages

Rating:  4 1/2 of 5 stars – very good

Review:

An intense rivalry between two Major League Baseball teams is boiling over.  The action on the field is getting nastier as runners are sliding with their spikes up and pitchers are throwing closer to hitters.   When one of these pitches strikes a batter in the head and the batter subsequently dies two days later, which laws should be enforced – the laws of baseball, that would state this is part of the game and it was a tragic accident, or the laws of the state, and this was a criminal act that resulted in the death of a human being?

That question is addressed in this novel that is one part baseball story, one part legal drama, a bit of gang crime and a sprinkling of romance as well.  Harold Kasselman combined all of these elements to produce a very interesting and well-researched novel.

The baseball part is well-researched and written.  The author shows his knowledge of not only baseball history, but also of the strategy, the dynamics of teams when placed in tough spots, and also the workings of the front office.    There are the fictional players on the current Phillies and Mets teams (“current” means 2015, when the story takes place), but they are interwoven well with real baseball personnel.  An example is when the current Phillies manager replaced the retired Charlie Manuel.

There is precedence to this, as one player, Ray Chapman, was killed as a result of action on the field in 1920.  There is an extensive section describing this event as part of the build-up to charge Phillies pitcher Tim Charles with murder when Ken Leyton of the Mets suffers a brain hemorrhage and subsequently passes away after being hit in the head by a pitch thrown by Charles.   The bad feelings and brawls that led to the incident are wonderfully painted by Kasselman.  The reader will feel like he or she is on the field, in the dugout and in the clubhouse during these scenes.

The legal parts of the story are written just as well.  Kasselman’s experience in the courtroom is evident in the excellent writing here.  Details of the judicial events are described in a manner that the reader will understand and enjoy.  These include a grand jury trial, a surprise switch of prosecutors for the trial and the reasons why, and the interactions that take place in these proceedings.  The reader also is a part of the conversations that take place between clients and lawyers. 

A lot of the actions on the part of the prosecuter are not pleasing the widow of the deceased player.  Theresa Leyton’s character is a fascinating person to follow in this book as she gradually becomes more unstable in her quest to secure justice for her husband’s death.  Equally compelling is the character of Tim Charles, who at 20 is seeing his world crumbling before him. 

I will not spoil the story and give away any results, but I can say that both sides of this issue were presented in a balanced way.  It was so balanced that I never was leaning one way or the other how the story would end.  For a book like this, that was perfect.   It was a very good read.

Did I skim?

No

Did I feel connected to the characters? 

Yes.  The character to whom I was most connected was Tim Charles.  His overwhelming sadness when Ken Leyton was taken off the field and his fear during the arraignment and trial was described vividly.   All the other characters were portrayed realistically as well.   There were only two characters who seemed to be overly dramatic.   These were Meyer, the rogue grand jury member who was living a life of crime, and Theresa Leyton, who went from grieving widow to a very angry woman bent on revenge as the book progressed.  Even with these two characters, however, I could understand their gradual changes, especially Mrs. Leyton. 

Pace of the story:

Excellent – even during the pre-trial and grand jury proceedings, the reader is engrossed in the dialogue and characters.

Positives:   

There were many, as described in the review.  I enjoyed the three game series between the Phillies and the Mets as not only was the baseball action exciting, I felt like I was in the Phillies clubhouse as they were planning how they were going to even the score with the Mets – and it had nothing to do with how many runs were scored.

Negatives:

Personally, I felt that the romance between the district attorney Jamie and Barbara, a member of the grand jury who had to be excused because she didn’t live in the district, was not really necessary.  I understand why it was included, and it may appeal to many readers.   I just felt it was simply included for a diversion.  It was a typical romance that many books include, however, and was tastefully written.

Do I recommend?  Yes.  Not only will sports fans enjoy this book, readers who like legal stories will be engrossed as well.

Book Format Read: ebook (Kindle)

Author Media Links:

https://www.facebook.com/APitchForJustice