Review of "Leafs Abomination"

Just in time for hockey season - a book on one of the Original Six franchises.  Not a bad book, but I was hoping for better.

Title/Author:

“Leafs Abomination” by Dave Feschuk & Michael Grange

Tags:

Ice hockey, professional, Maple Leafs

Published:

August 11, 2009

Length:

288 pages

Rating: 

3 of 5 stars (okay)

Review:

Fans and even writers can feel frustrated when their favorite teams are performing poorly for a long period of time.   For this author, he is frustrated that the Toronto Maple Leafs have not won the Stanley Cup since 1967, yet continually manage to turn a profit.   This book is the author’s take on why the Leafs have had such a long drought and the various players, coaches, general managers and other key personnel who have contributed to this long period without a championship.

It is an interesting book if one wants to learn a few things about running a sports franchise.  It also does illustrate quite nicely how the “group think” mentality of running a team doesn’t work as well as it does in the corporate world.  The various groups who have overseen the team (including the administration of a teachers’ pension fund) have been working against each other over the years.  At times this was deliberate, at others it was simply not knowing what others were doing.   The player transactions that seemed questionable are also used by the author in order to show the troubles the franchise has had.

While the reasons are numerous, the solutions do not seem to come as easily.   Instead of offering solutions and what can the team do to improve its lot, the book reads more like a history of all the transgressions of the franchise.   While that is okay, I was hoping to at least read about more solutions, even if they would be pie-in-the-sky wishes.  After all, this was written from the perspective of a fan, and don’t hardcore fans know what is best for their team?  They certainly do – just ask them.

Therefore, the book overall rates as an okay read for learning a little history on the franchise and some insight into the inner workings of the front office.  Otherwise, I felt that a lot was missing from a book that had the potential to be one that would generate conversation – instead I felt it just generated more questions. 

Did I skim?

No. 

Pace of the book: 

Good.  It moved along well and was entertaining.

Positives:

The inner workings of the front office of a professional sports franchise was illustrated quite nicely.  It did get confusing at times, but that is because of the number of people involved in the decision, and in the case of the Maple Leafs, the committees and organizations such as the Teacher Pension that made it dizzying at times.

Negatives:

Because I follow another NHL team, I felt that this was far too Toronto-centric.  The title would lead one to believe that, but from past reading experience, I felt that there would be more general discussions on how to improve the team, such as what other franchises did.  But unless you followed the Maple Leafs closely, it was easy to get lost by all the talk of situations that were unique to only the Maple Leafs.

Do I recommend? 

Yes, but only for Maple Leafs fans.  Hockey fans that are fans of other teams may not be very interested in the inner workings of a rival team.

Book Format Read:

EBook (Adobe Reader)

Buying Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Leafs-AbomiNation-dismayed-handbook-ebook/dp/B00329UWEA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380581815&sr=8-1&keywords=Leafs+abomination

Review of "TT: Full Throttle"

I do not know much about motorcycle racing other than a few motocross highlights and having heard about a race on the Isle of Man.  This race is called the Tourist Trophy race and is a premier event in the sport.  Nicole Winters wrote a book about this race geared for young adults and I was fortunate to be provided a copy for review.  Here is my review.

Title/Author:

“TT: Full Throttle” by Nicole Winters

Genre/topics: 

Motorcycle Racing, fiction, Young Adult (YA)

Published:

September 20, 2013

Length:

264 pages

Rating:

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

The Tourist Trophy (TT) Race on the Isle of Man, one of the premier motorcycle racing events, was the dream of Scott and his father.  Now Scott has to attempt to qualify for this race without his father, who died before realizing that dream.   How Scott continues on this quest, not only for himself but also for his father, is the story told in this outstanding young adult (YA) book by Nicole Winters.  

What sets this book apart from many other YA novels is that the focus of the story is about the sport of motorcycle racing and the course for the TT race.   Many critics of this genre complain about too much “teenage angst” that takes away from the main story.  That is certainly NOT the case with this book. 

Yes, there are conflicts with each of the characters. Scott is wondering how he can possibly qualify for the race.  Maggie, or Mags as she is called in the book, loves working on bikes and wants to be a top-notch mechanic, but her parents have other ideas. Scott has feelings for Mags, but wonders if she feels the same and whether he should tell her. Dean has demons from his past he wants to overcome. All three of them are mourning the loss of their friend Neil, who wanted to travel to the Isle with Scott for the race. They are important to the story, but not written in a manner that neither detracts from the race nor is over the top in dramatics.

A reader does not have to be a fan of the sport or even have much knowledge to enjoy this book.  Ms. Winters does a wonderful job of not only explaining the technical aspects of the bikes, but also her description of the course. The scenes in which Scott is on the track, whether in practice or during a qualifying run, are superbly written.  The reader not only experiences the thrill of the sharp turns and fast straight sections, but also gets inside Scott’s mind as to what he is thinking about at that moment. 

This book can be read by anyone of any age and be enjoyed.  It is one that I would recommend for anyone who simply loves a good story or if one wants to learn more about motorcycle racing.  Ms. Winters did her homework on the topic and this story is one that shows that hard work can result in an outstanding product.

I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Did I skim?

No – I made sure to devour every word of this story.

Did I feel connected to the characters?

Yes.  Each one of them seems to be genuine with conflicts, but focused on thier task.

Pace of the story:

Excellent – the main story of Scott’s attempt to race in the TT moves along and is always the focus.  The side stories of each characters other issues are woven nicely into the main story without becoming a distraction.

Positives:

There are so many.  While the story is marketed as a YA story, it is a great read for any age.  I felt the best aspect of the book was the outstanding research into racing and the course that Ms. Winters did in preparing to write this book.   The details of particular marks and turns on the course are illustrated in a way that the reader will think he or she is actually there on the course.

Negatives:

There aren’t many, whether it was for the story, characters, editing, flow, or the research into racing or the TT course.  All aspects of this book are well done.

Do I recommend?

Yes – for anyone, any age who simply enjoys a good book. 

Book Format Read:

ebook (Kindle)

 Author Media Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Nicole-Winters/e/B00CWEJTFY/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1380471865&sr=1-2-ent

Buying Links:

http://www.amazon.com/TT-Full-Throttle-Nicole-Winters/dp/1459405153/ref=la_B00CWEJTFY_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1380471955&sr=1-1

Review of "Sweetness"

Back home from vacation, with a little time to recover - or write reviews!  I read four books during the train adventures between New York and Minnesota (and they were adventures) that will be reviewed here, one per day.  First up was a biography on the man many consider to be the greatest running back in NFL history, Walter Payton.   He set a single game rushing record in 1977 against my Vikings - but he no longer holds it as that was broken by a VIKING (take that!) - Adrian Peterson. 

Anyhow, here is my review of this very good book on Payton. 

Title/Author:

“Sweetness: The Enigmatic Life of Walter Payton” by Jeff Pearlman

Tags:
Football (American), Professional, Bears, Biography

Published:

October 4, 2011

Length:

496 pages

Rating: 

4 1/2 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

Having seen Walter Payton play football in his prime and admiring what he did on the field, I was interested in reading this biography written by a well-known and respected writer for Sports Illustrated.  It turns out there was a lot more to the man than the image that was portrayed as the hard-working football player and dedicated Christian and family man.

The research and detail in this book was very good.  Pearlman talked to many of Payton’s teammates in high school and college.  The section on Payton’s time at Jackson State was quite impressive in its detail – such as the details of some of the practices endured by the players.    When he turns pro with the Chicago Bears, the ups and downs of not only Payton but the entire team is well researched as well.  The reader learns why Payton struggled at times because the Bears team was not very good.

What makes the book even better, however, is Pearlman’s account of Payton’s life off the field, both during his youth and his adulthood.   Very often biographies of professional athletes will reveal unknown characteristics about the athlete that most fans did not know existed.  This is no exception.  The best way to describe this aspect of the book is conflicting.   Payton is trying to live the proper Christian life, but has many sessions of infidelity, including fathering a child with someone other than his wife.   He is at times portrayed as an egomaniac, but yet will always visit sick children in hospitals when called upon.  He is often portrayed as a great team player, yet is shown to be sulking about individual slights, whether real or perceived.  The best story of that was during Super Bowl XX, when he was livid that William “Refrigerator” Perry, a defensive lineman, was given the ball to score the last touchdown of that game instead of him.  

This is a well researched, well written biography of the running back who many believe to be the greatest to ever play in the NFL.

Did I skim?

No. 

Did I learn something new?

Yes.  The most interesting (or shocking, depending on your viewpoint) was the revelation of Payton’s infidelity and hard-partying lifestyle well after his playing days were over.   It is not all that shocking when any athlete lives like that while playing and especially when on the road, but that Payton did this while being portrayed as an ideal family man was quite eye-opening.

Pace of the book: 

Excellent.  The transitions between football and off-the-field portions were smooth and the book was told in chronological order.

Positives:

The research and detail are the outstanding aspects of this book, but in addition, I believed the manner in which Pearlman presented topics that could be controversial or troubling, such as Payton’s cheating, the way in which he treated his assistants, or his drug and alcohol use, was done with sensitivity and in a non-judgmental manner.

Negatives:

There weren’t any glaring negatives about the book.  The closest I could come to one was that at times, the reader could believe that the author is bashing Payton too much on his lifestyle choices, especially concerning the lack of time he spent with his son born out of wedlock.  However, once the reader finishes the book and everything is covered, this turns out to be simply another chapter in a complicated life of a complicated man.

Do I recommend? 

Yes, for any football fan or reader who enjoys biographies.  

Book Format Read:

EBook (Adobe Reader)

Buying Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Sweetness-Enigmatic-Walter-Payton-ebook/dp/B0052RDJ40/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1380410720&sr=1-3&keywords=sweetness

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sweetness-jeff-pearlman/1100398649?ean=9781101544631

Vacation and upcoming reviews

Taking a break from the blog while on vacation in my home state of Minnesota.  I went to games of two of the team's that I have followed my entire life.  At least since I was old enough to understand sports.  Since this is the last season the Minnesota Vikings will play at the Metrodome (I refuse to call it by its corporate name), I wanted to see one last game there.  My lovely wife Deb and I saw the game this past Sunday and sure enough the Vikings broke my heart again.

Then on Monday we went to Target Field and not only enjoyed a thrilling come-from-behind extra inning win by the Twins, we took a tour of the stadium and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Target Field is certainly the best baseball stadium I have seen.  I also had another bout of laryngitis for the second straight day as I was yelling my lungs out for my teams.

These two days of sports, a wonderful birthday gift from my wife, confirmed my belief that sports are the best form of entertainment.  I will make my case for it in a future post when I am between reviews, but I wouldn't trade the experiences of the last two days (except maybe the results of the Vikings game) for any other entertainment.

When I get back...five or six books will have been read and reviewed.  On the way out,I finished a football book and a hockey book, and am halfway through a YA book on motorcycle racing.  So with plenty of reading time on the trip back....there are more reviews to come.  Thanks for reading, for commenting and for sharing the love of sports and reading about them.

Short review of Hockey Haven

This book was a short quick read as the paperback version, minus the pictures, is only about 70 pages.  It took me less than an hour and a half to read this...so before the train got to Yonkers today I was finished.

I will generally write shorter reviews for short books and given that amount of time to finish, this certainly qualifies as a short book.  But it was on a sport that I enjoy but is hard to find a good book about it. Here the review for Hockey Haven, a book I rated a 4 of 5 stars.

Hockey Haven is a good recap of the 2012-13 season for two schools that don't have much in common other than both being located in New Haven.  College hockey fans will enjoy the book as it tells of how both Yale and Quinnipiac built their respective programs to get to the 2013 championship game.  The only downfall of the book is that the chapter of that game is far too short.  For all the build up to the game a little more time could have been spent on describing everything from both locker rooms for that moment.  Otherwise a solid book on a topic in which it is hard to find a book.

Short review of A Most Unusual NFL Player Negotiation

Rating: 4 of 5 stars (very good)

This short book written by the agent for former NFL safety Wes Hopkins is an interesting recap of the path taken by Himes and Hopkins to secure the contract for Hopkins' s last season.  After posting times in the 40 yard dash that would be considered slow, the Philadelphia Eagles released Hopkins.  But he wasn't ready to quit.  I won't give away the rest of the story here, but let's just say that the title of the book is very accurate.  The only giveaway I will state here is that the Kansas City Chiefs were also interested in signing Hopkins.  But the usual bidding war was not what took place.

Hopkins was a very popular player during his career with the Eagles so Philadelphia fans would enjoy this book as would any serious NFL fan or someone who wants to learn a little bit about what goes on during player negotiations.  Very good short read.  Rated four of five stars.

Review of "Longshot"

Sometimes it is more entertaining to read about a player who had to overcome long odds to just get a shot at playing in the pros, making the Olympics or a similar endeavor.  Very often that story is better than reading about a superstar.  That is the case in this book about a basketball player whose NBA career spanned a total of three games.  But how he got there is a great read.  Enjoy "Longshot."

Title/Author:

“Longshot” by Lance Allred

Tags:

Basketball, professional, NBA, Cavaliers, autobiography

Published:

May 21, 2009

Length:

276 pages

Rating:

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Lance Allred was a professional basketball player who made it to the NBA.   He did not have a distinguished career as he appeared in three games for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2007-08 season.  That is not what makes this book and his story interesting.  It is how he got there that is captured in “Longshot.”

He was raised in a small Montana compound where polygamy was practiced. His family was targeted for harm by fundamentalists.  He later converted to the Mormon faith. Just his youth experiences would make for a tale that would be worth the time to read, but that is far from the whole story.  He writes about his high school basketball coach with reverence, his college experience at the University of Utah and legendary coach Rick Majerus with a little less enthusiasm.  The reason for this is that he believed that the coach was discriminating since Allred was deaf.  

This handicap is important to the story.  While Allred did not try to make the reader feel sorry for him because of this condition, it was mentioned often enough that it seems that way.  At times while reading, I thought to myself, “Yes, I know you are deaf.  Now carry on.”

Thankfully he doesn’t do this with other afflictions he had, such as foot and knee injuries.  In fact, some of the funnier parts of the book are his anecdotes about how he dealt with these.  His tryout for a team when his foot was injured was one of the funnier parts of the book that I enjoyed.  Although that particular passage would not be for the squeamish!

 
Basketball fans will especially enjoy the sections about his time in the NBA Developmental League, or D-League as it is commonly called.  It will certainly remind people that not every professional athlete, no matter the sport, lives a life of luxury.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Allred’s memoir about his struggles and path to finally achieve his dream of playing in the NBA.  Sometimes when looking for a book on an athlete, skipping the stories of the superstars and reading about a fringe player like Allred can be a rewarding experience.  That was the case with this book. 

Did I skim?

No

Did I learn something new?

Yes.  In addition to learning about the culture of polygamy and Mormonism, I learned about the D-League and that it really isn’t the “minor league” of the NBA.  The life of a D-League player is nothing like that of a minor league baseball player. 

Pace of the book:

Very good.  Lance’s story was never boring.

Positives:

I enjoyed the basketball portions of the book, especially his experience in Europe (another excellent source of humor in the book) and in the D-League.  

Negatives:

The biggest negative I found was the constant reference to his deafness.  This has been noted in the review, and while important, I felt Allred reminded the reader about this a little too often. 

Do I recommend?

Yes, especially for those readers who like inspiring stories.  Readers who are not basketball fans will like this book as well because of the information on other topics.  There is very little about basketball in the first third of the book, and the story will grab any reader enough that he or she will want to keep going.

Book Format Read:

eBook (Nook)

Buying Links:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/longshot-lance-allred/1111739440?ean=9780061879999

http://www.amazon.com/Longshot-ebook/dp/B002AR2Q2Q/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1379029509&sr=1-4&keywords=longshot

Review of "How Hockey Saved a Jew"

While looking for a hockey book to read, I found this one completely by accildent.  The story is so inpsiring that I am glad I found it.  Hopefully you will enjoy this review of the story of a Jewish athlete who was able to represent his native country despite the political climate of the time.

Title/Author:

“How Hockey Saved a Jew From the Holocaust: The Rudi Ball Story” by J. Wayne Frye

Tags:

Ice hockey, Olympics, history, politics, race

Published:

February 17, 2012

Length:

104 pages

Rating: 

3 1/2 of 5 stars (good)

Review:

Sometimes one will stumble across interesting books or stories when he or she is not looking for one.  That happened to me when I saw this book as a recommendation for a hockey book.   While hockey has been played in the Winter Olympics since they began in 1924, the story of the German hockey team in 1936 was a well kept secret until J. Wayne Frye began researching and discovered a truly inspiring story.

Rudi Ball was one of three hockey playing brothers who learned to play in Berlin while growing up under harsh economic conditions.  Then the rise of Adolf Hitler began and the blame grew on the Jewish population in Germany for the economic woes.  As has been told in history books, this led to persecution and mass executions of millions of Jewish people in the country.  

The Ball family was not immune to this, not at first.  As Jews were becoming more isolated, Rudi’s hockey skills increased to the point that he was considered one of the country’s finest players.  When it was time for the 1936 Winter Olympic team to be named, Rudi was on the team despite the edict from Hitler that no Jews were to be allowed on any German team.  This “exception” was done because Rudi was the best player and by showing the world that a Jew can play for Germany, they were being treated the same as others.

Without giving away the outcome or the climax of the story that happened during those Olympics held in Germany, it is safe to say that this story is one that will inspire any reader of this book.  It doesn’t matter if the reader wants to read the book for the hockey or the history.

Both of these topics are covered in the same manner.  There is not a lot of detail about either the hockey strategy or game-by-game descriptions.  However, there is enough to show the reader that Rudi Ball was certainly one of the most talented players in Europe at that time, with excellent skating and stick handling abilities.   As for the history of Germany at that time, the text is much the same.  It is informative, but not detailed as the economic woes and subsequent rise of power for Hitler are interwoven with the story of Rudi’s rising hockey career.

This is a good quick read that will make the reader sit up and take notice on what one individual can do in the face of adversity that is greater than simply his athletic skills.  The story of Rudi Ball is one that anyone can enjoy for a good quick read.  

Did I skim?

No. 

Did I learn something new?

Yes.  Of course, having never heard of Rudi Ball, his story was something new. Also, I did not realize the Winter Olympics were also held in Germany in 1936, and just like the Summer Games, but on a smaller scale, that Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party also wanted to showcase Germany and show the world the superiority of the Aryan race in these games as well.  

Pace of the book: 

Good.  It moved along well and was a fairly quick read.

Positives:

Bringing a mostly unknown story like this to print and sharing it with the world is certainly the most positive aspect of this book.  No matter the outcome of the hockey games, just the fact that the Ball family was able to be spared the fate of so many other Jewish people is uplifting.

Negatives:

The book as a whole did have some editing issues such as typos (I found two) and formatting.  I also would have liked to read more about Rudi’s life after hockey.  It was limited to a short, epilogue chapter.  I felt that much more could have been written there, especially how his family fared after his hockey career.

Do I recommend? 

Yes.  While the story is a compact version, it is a good read for anyone who enjoys an uplifting story.  The hockey talk is basic so that non-sports fan can still understand that part of the book but enough that a fan of the game will enjoy it as well.   

Book Format Read:

EBook (Kindle)

Buying Links:

http://www.amazon.com/How-Hockey-Saved-Holocaust-ebook/dp/B007AQB4T8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1378591610&sr=8-1&keywords=how+hockey+saved+a+jew

Short review of "Light Tower Power"

I just read a very short story about a manager and his bat he affectionately calls "THOR."  The name is capitalized in the story to emphasize the power in both the bat and its owner.  While "Light Tower Power" by Jon Sindall was very short, it made its point in a big way.  During batting practice the manager decides to take a hack himself with THOR.  What happens leaves a lasting impression.  A baseball fan who wants a quick read will enjoy this title.  Four stars out of five.

It can be found in many electronic formats at www.smashmouth.com