Review of "The Team That History Forgot"

As I continue my work on catching up on reviews, I dug out this book sent by one of the publishers who have supported me throughout most of my time writing reviews, University of Nebraska Press.  This one was a very good book on the Kansas City Chiefs - and no, not the current version with Pat Mahomes and Travis Kelce.  This one goes back further when the Chiefs had other star players. 

Title/Author:

“The Team That History Forgot: The 1960’s Kansas City Chiefs” by Rick Gosselin

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

In the 1960’s, pro football had two leagues, the established National Football League (NFL) and the upstart American Football League (AFL). The NFL had a more conservative style of play while the AFL had much more wide-open offense and also paid its players higher salaries while engaging in a bidding war with the NFL. One AFL team stood out during the decade, the Kansas City Chiefs.  This book by Rick Gosselin tells the story of the Chiefs, which was not necessarily all successful.

The team was owned by Lamar Hunt, the founder of the AFL and got its start in Dallas as the Dallas Texans.  The same year the AFL started play, the NFL awarded a franchise to Dallas as well, the Cowboys.  Neither team had much success at the gate, which was disheartening to Hunt, as his team had much better success on the field than their NFL counterparts.  Hunt, who is portrayed in a brief biography in the book, then decided to move his team to Kansas City where they became the Chiefs.

Along with Hunt, the book portrays many players who made the Chiefs the most successful AFL team.  This includes Len Dawson, Otis Taylor, Buck Buchanan and Bobby Bell.  They also were more integrated along racial lines than most other teams and they played in two of the first four Super Bowls.  These are also covered thoroughly in the book.  Their second Super Bowl, a victory over the Minnesota Vikings, was especially gratifying to Hunt.  The reason for this was that Minnesota was supposed to be one of the charter franchises in the AFL, but owner Max Winter instead accepted an offer to join the NFL as an expansion franchise in 1961.  Hunt never forgot that.

In addition to these items, Gosselin does a commendable job of writing about the Chiefs’ exploits on the field aside from Super Bowls and gives the reader a brief history of the AFL, leading up to the merger with the NFL in 1970.  The book ends with an exhibition game that year between the Chiefs and Cowboys, the first time the two teams who originally called Dallas home met. That ended with a Chiefs win and solidified their spot as one of the best professional football teams in the 1960’s.

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

Link: The Team That History Forgot: The 1960s Kansas City Chiefs: Gosselin, Rick, Reid, Andy: 9781496243102: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "The Blood and Guts"

I started this book on the Thanksgiving holiday, when football is on the mind of most sports fans who celebrate the holiday, and while it took a little time to complete, this was probably one of the more interesting and fun books I have read on the sport.  Here is my review of a book on tight ends, "The Blood and Guts"

Title/Author:

“The Blood and Guts: How Tight Ends Save Football” by Tyler Dunn

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

The position of tight end in football is one of the most challenging positions. For a player to excel in this position, he must have the strength to block defensive linemen who may weigh over 300 pounds, be smart enough to read pass coverage by linebackers and safeties, and also be quick enough to outrun 180-pound cornerbacks. But as any football fan knows, there are many who have not only played this position but have done so at a very high level.  Some of these exceptional tight ends are profiled in this entertaining book by Tyler Dunn.

It should be noted that this is not a ranking of the best players to play the position and it is not meant to be taken that just because a player is not profiled that he would not be considered one of the best to have suited up at tight end.  It starts with Mike Ditka, who began the change of strategy in the use of tight ends to be effective pass receivers as well as blockers.  Dunn interviews and shares the stories of 15 tight ends from Ditka to George Kittle and in between, there are so many interesting stories, on-field recaps and very personal memories.

Of the memories and stories, I felt the most emotional ones were for Dallas Clark (who lost his mother to a heart attack) and for Jimmy Graham, who was literally dropped off by his mother at a group home with his clothes in a garbage bag.  Those two stories both resulted in producing great tight ends who would stop at nothing to succeed.  The circumstances are very different and their paths were certainly not identical, but they both made for compelling reading.

That isn’t to say that every player profiled in this book had tragic or hard stories. Some were out of fear (hard to believe Tony Gonzalez didn’t want to play football because he was afraid of the hard contact), some were just from the “boys being boys” category (Jeremy Shockey’s battles with his siblings) and some were just fun (Rob Gronkowski is probably the most notable party animal). But they, along with all the other tight ends profiled, had in common an unquenchable appetite for success and an incredible work ethic to make sure he did his best to achieve that success.

It should also be noted that while the actual game text is not plentiful in this book, the plays and games that are covered are recapped in an excellent manner.  The most compelling of these is one of the most incredible individual performances in NFL history – Kellen Winslow’s performance in the 1982 playoffs for the San Diego Charges in their memorable win over the Miami Dolphins.  That is just one example of the in-game coverage that is very good when it is presented in the context of that player’s story.

Football fans who remember many of the great tight ends since the era of Ditka and John Mackey will love reading about these players, their stories and their performances.  For me, this book was much like Gronkowski’s early NFL career – just a lot of fun to read.

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

 

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Guts-Tight-Ends-Football/dp/1538723743/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Review of “Kansas City vs. Oakland”

When I saw the cover of this book on NetGalley, I thought this would be about one of the best football rivalries from the 1970’s.  While that was a good portion of the book, it was much more than just the Chiefs vs. the Raiders - a great book on the two cities as well as their football and baseball teams.  Here is my review of  “Kansas City vs. Oakland.”

Title/Author:

“Kansas City vs. Oakland: The Bitter Sports Rivalry That Defined an Era” by Matthew C. Ehrlich

Tags:

Baseball, Football (American), professional, politics, Raiders, Chiefs, Athletics, Royals

Publish:
September 16, 2019

Length:
256 pages

Rating:

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

One of the best professional football rivalries from the 1960’s through the 1970’s was the Kansas City Chiefs and the Oakland Raiders.  While their rivalry was the most notorious and visible, that was certainly not the only rivalry or sports connection the two cities had.  There was a bitter history between the two cities in baseball as well and how these two sports connect with the local politics of both cities is told in this excellent book by Matthew C. Ehrlic.

While the book is geared more toward readers who prefer scholarly works, the narrative is not like that format at all - indeed, it is a quick and easy read that all readers will easily digest.  Ehrlic explains what each chapter will encompass in the introduction and there are plenty of endnotes to illustrate the extensive research he performed about not only the sports teams but the civic atmosphere in both Kansas City and in Oakland.

The coverage of the rise of the rivalry and also the fortunes of both football teams is very good, with most of the detailed passages describing games between the two teams.  Both the Chiefs and Raiders were considered to be the model franchises for the upstart American Football League and both represented the league in the first two Super Bowls, losing to the Green Bay Packers in both.  What really stood out in the chapters about these football teams was the fact that both of them had shaky beginnings in the AFL and nearly didn’t exist. Oakland was awarded a team only after Minneapolis broke its promise to the league and instead accepted an NFL expansion team (who became the Vikings) and Kansas City got the Chiefs only because Lamar Hunt had experienced poor attendance and financial difficulties in Dallas after that city was awarded an NFL expansion team, the Cowboys.  After such inauspicious debuts, it was interesting to read about how both franchises rose to success.

As for the baseball, the early connection between the two cities is more familiar as Kansas City was home to the Athletics in the American League.  In 1968, after a very acrimonious relationship between the city and A’s owner Charley Finley, the team moved to Oakland, where after the very brief honeymoon between that city and the team was over, the same type of attendance and financial problems still were present.  This was the state of the franchise even though the team won three consecutive World Series from 1972 to 1974, with players who were signed by Finley while still in Kansas City. That city was awarded an expansion franchise in 1969 to offset the loss of the A’s and while that team, the Royals, experienced the usual growing pains associated with expansion teams, they too became a good ball club and soon were battling Oakland for the Western Division title in the American League every year.

However, what really makes the book a fantastic read is how all four teams are connected to the civic and political issues of those times for both of the cities.  Both cities had to construct new stadiums for the teams. In Kansas City’s case, Municipal Stadium that housed the A’s was deemed too decrepit for the new Royals franchise, while Oakland had to build a stadium for both the Raiders and A’s from scratch.  Both cities constructed new sports complexes, despite protests from city residents about using tax money that could be better spent on things such as schools. Because these were not built in the respective cities, these were also seen as catering to the suburbs instead of the inner cities, where the population was mostly African American.  Both cities had the same types of problems addressing these issues. The connections between them were numerous, and Ehrlich covers them all, right down to the fact that both teams were awarded NHL franchises that failed as well. These sections were so well researched and written that this is the rare book that while the emphasis is on sports, the passages on other topics are even better reads.

One doesn’t have to be a fan of Kansas City or Oakland teams to enjoy this book.  History and sports buffs who enjoy reading about those topics from the 1960’s and 1970’s will love this book.  Highly recommended for those readers with those interests, as well as fans of those four teams.

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

Book format read:
E-Book (Kindle)

Buying Links:

Kansas City vs. Oakland: The Bitter Sports Rivalry That Defined an Era (Sport and Society): Matthew C. Ehrlich: 9780252084492: Amazon.com: Gateway

Review of "XL7: The Story of Xavier Lysten"

Today is the first full day of the new baseball season, hockey is gearing up for the playoffs, the Golden State Warriors are flirting with history in the NBA and college basketball is crowning a new champion tonight.  So naturally, I have just read a book about a fictional football player. But between all the games of the other sports, this story is one that is a recommended read as it is a good football story as well as one about the dangers of alcoholism.  Here is my review of "XL7."

Title/Author:

“XL7: The Story of Xavier Lysten” by Luther Guin

Tags:

Football (American), fiction, character, Chiefs

Publish date:

July 15, 2014

Length:

296 pages

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

It isn’t often that a superstar athlete who has made some poor decisions in his life will be able to be a sympathetic figure, whether in a fictional story or in real life. However, this novel about a fictional football quarterback named Xavier Lysten manages to make the reader experience many highs and lows a football player can experience, both on and off the field.

Xavier is and isn’t a typical superstar athlete. On one hand, he takes in all the adulation he receives in high school while not only becoming the team’s quarterback but also dabbles with alcohol. On the other hand, he forgoes a national powerhouse college football program and commits to a local college that plays one level below, something not expected for highly recruited quarterbacks. The same give and take occurs during his college and professional career – he is talented enough to earn many chances, despite the fact that his drinking has cost him a suspension from his college team and even landed him in prison during his professional career.

While reading the story, told from Xavier’s point of view, the reader will experience every emotion that Xavier goes through, from the locker room to the field to his struggles with family members – including two marriages.  Everything happens so fast in this story and he gets so many chances that the reader may have a difficult time keeping up with all the events in his life.  However, the reader may at times forget that Xavier is a fictional character because it feels very real.

This includes the action on the field as well. The author writes these scenes with authority, whether it is during practice, in the locker room or during the games. Whether it is during his career in high school, college football at the University of Central Arkansas or his professional career with the San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs, the reader will be taken through the seasons with a feel of authenticity.  The only aspect that feels truly fictional is how many times Xavier gets in trouble because of his drinking and yet when he is done with his punishment, he is welcomed back to the game with open arms. 

This is a book that is recommended not only for football fans, but also for readers who enjoy stories of a second chance (or in Xavier’s case, third and fourth as well).  It is a fast, enjoyable read that is a very good debut novel for Luther Guin.

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

Book Format Read:

Paperback

Buying links:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/xl7-the-story-of-xavier-lysten-luther-guin/1119894036?ean=9781632682963

http://www.amazon.com/XL7--Story-Xavier-Lysten-Luther/dp/1632682966/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1459818121&sr=1-1&keywords=Xavier+lysten  

Review of "When It Was Just a Game"

Let's face it, even if you are not a football fan, you still enjoy the Super Bowl.  Maybe you don't watch the game - but you still know about the commercials, maybe watch the superstar musician at half time, and go to a Super Bowl party for the food and friendship.  However, the game to decide the champion of professional football hasn't always been like this.  This book that will be published in September is a great way to learn what it was like for that first championship game - before it was known as the Super Bowl and when football, like society, was very different than how we know it today. Here is my review of "When It Was Just A Game."

Title/Author:

“When It Was Just a Game: Remembering the First Super Bowl” by Harvey Frommer, foreword by Frank Gifford

Tags:

Football (American), history, professional, Packers, Chiefs

Publish date:

September 9, 2015

Length:

252 pages

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

The Super Bowl has grown to national holiday status in the United States, with the game being one of the top rated television shows every season, parties and gatherings are occurring with many of the people not knowing anything about the game of football, and other entertainment associated with the game such as commercials and the halftime show have taken on lives of their own.  

What can be forgotten, however, is that the game started as the idea of Pete Rozelle, the commissioner of the more established National Football League, as a championship game between the champions of his league and those of the relatively new American Football League. That first game, won by the NFL’s Green Bay Packers 35-10 over the AFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, has a colorful story of its own. This book by sports historian Harvey Frommer tells that story from oral recollections of many who played in the game and were important figures behind the scenes as well.

Gathering stories from many different sources, the book shares thoughts, insights and anecdotes about all aspects of this first championship game.  It wasn’t called the Super Bowl at first, but was used informally by many at the event.  There are excellent stories about the mindset of the two coaches, Vince Lombardi of the Packers and Hank Stram of the Chiefs.  Some of the stories on Stram came from previously unpublished memoirs of Stram. Most came from players and they ranged from play calls during the game to what the coach was like in the locker room and away from the practice field. 

However, the book is far from one that is just about the sport, the players and the coaches.  There are many entertaining and revealing stories about other aspects of this first “world championship” game.  Broadcasters for the two networks that telecast the game share their experiences.  Staff members of the teams and leagues share many anecdotes about other logistics that had to be addressed, such as ticket sales for a game that did not have the heavy hype that the Super Bowl has today. Getting everyone on board for such a game also took a lot of work. Frommer takes all of these aspects, obtains information and stories from people who were there, and weaves them together in a terrific blend of storytelling and narrative that makes the reader truly understand what it was like to put together that first championship game.  

I wish to thank NetGalley and Taylor Trade Publishing for an advance review copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Did I skim?

No

Pace of the book: 

It will be a fast paced read for readers who are familiar with the teams, the history of the game or have researched football history.  As I did not fit into any of these categories, it was a bit slower for me as I took my time reading many of the stories.

Do I recommend? 

Yes - not only readers who are interested in football history will enjoy this book, but also readers who are only familiar with the phenomenon that the Super Bowl has become today should read this. It will give those readers a sense of what the event was like at that time and appreciate what it has become today.

Book Format Read:

E-Book (Kindle)

Buying links (for pre-orders at time of post):

http://www.amazon.com/When-Was-Just-Game-Remembering/dp/1589799208/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434904988&sr=8-1&keywords=when+it+was+just+a+game

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-it-was-just-a-game-harvey-frommer/1120624313?ean=9781589799202