Review of "Battles at Annapolis"

A fascinating blend of military history and college football, Battles at Annapolis revisits the two Army–Navy games played on Naval Academy grounds. The focus on the 1893 and 1942 matchups highlights how tradition, leadership, and wartime realities shaped this legendary rivalry.

Title/Author:

“Battles at Annapolis: Two Remarkable Football Games in the Army-Navy Rivalry” by David Gendell

Rating: 

3 of 5 stars (okay)

Review: 

David Gendell’s Battles at Annapolis explores two rare moments when the storied Army–Navy football rivalry shifted from neutral sites to the grounds of the Naval Academy itself. Blending military history with college football, Gendell focuses on the 1893 and 1942 matchups—games shaped as much by national circumstance as by the players on the field.

The 1893 contest is anchored by the compelling rise of Worth Bagley, who became captain of the Navy squad that edged Army 6–4 in a tight, defense‑heavy battle. Gendell’s attention to Bagley’s development and leadership gives this section its strongest emotional pull. The 1942 game, played in Annapolis due to wartime travel restrictions, offers a different tone. While Navy again prevailed, 14–0, the richer material comes from Gendell’s writing on World War II and its impact on the Cadets and Midshipmen—young men preparing for a game while also preparing for war.

The book doesn’t dive deeply into either military history or football strategy, but its blend of the two makes for an engaging look at a rivalry shaped by tradition, circumstance, and service. Recommended for readers who enjoy both military narratives and the history of college football.

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

Link: Battles at Annapolis: Two Remarkable Football Games in the Army–Navy Rivalry: Gendell, David, Lynch USN (Ret.), Rear Admiral Thomas C.: 9781493088386: Amazon.com: Books

Review of “Iron in the Blood”

With the calendar turning to August, that means college football season will soon be upon us. To get ready for this season, I picked up a book that is about a game played at the end of the season, the Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn. Excellent book on one of the sport’s fiercest rivalries. 

Title/Author: “Iron in the Blood: How the Alabama vs Auburn Rivalry Shaped the Soul of the South” by Jay Busbee

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: College football has many legendary rivalries, some of which are quite fierce and quite old - Michigan-Ohio State, California-Stanford, Minnesota-Wisconsin and Oklahoma-Texas to name a few. One of the best is an intrastate rivalry in the Southeast Conference, Alabama vs Auburn. This book by Jay Busbee takes a deep dive into the history of these two schools in the Yellowhammer State.  

Both schools get equal amounts of coverage in the book, something that is refreshing when one considers the storied history of Alabama Crimson Tide football and their overall success which is much greater than Auburn. Coaches for both the Tide and the Auburn Tigers are portrayed here. Especially the legendary names at both schools - Shug Jordan for Auburn, Paul “Bear” Bryant and Nick Sabin for Alabama are the most notable names among the coaches. Players such as Bo Jackson (Auburn) and Joe Namath (Alabama) also have much text dedicated in the book. Busbee does a great job of telling how the contributions of these men, plus others, have helped shape this rivalry into one of the best in college football. 

His accounts of some of the more memorable games in this series, such as the 2013 “Kick Six” game, the 1972 “Punt, Bama, Punt” game and the 2023 Gravedigger game. Each one of those chapters allowed the reader to relive those extraordinary games with enough details and storylines to give a complete picture of the intensity of the rivalry. 

But what makes this book so good are the stories away from the football field and how anyone living in Alabama will be chanting either “Roll Tide” or “War Eagles” depending on their loyalty. One of the best stories in the book was already known by many football fans even if they don’t have a rooting interest in this rivalry. An Alabama fan named Harvey Updyke poisoned two oak trees at Toomer’s Corner in Auburn. Those trees were covered in toilet paper when Auburn would win the Iron Bowl and Updyke wanted that to end after the Tigers won in 2010. He eventually pled guilty to the crime. While there have been other publications and stories about this, Busbee’s detailed and complete account of this is great reading and just one example of how he brings the deep seated passion of these rivals to life. 

Even if a reader doesn’t take sides in Iron Bowl matchups, they will be informed and entertained by reading this book. Any college football fan of any team will want to add this one to their bookshelf.

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

Link:https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Blood-Alabama-Auburn-Rivalry-ebook/dp/B0DL7D7ZP6/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0 

Review of “Rivals on the Track”.

I’m getting an early start on one of my New Years resolutions - to use my Kindle Unlimited account more frequently and read more of the books available through that service. I found a series of books on sports rivalries that looked interesting so I checked out the first one I saw on my feed - this one on F1 rivalries. It was very good and so I will check out the other 4 in the series as well. Look for those reviews soon, but today I’ll post on the first one I read in the series. 

Title/Author:

“Rivals on the Track: 15 Greatest Formula One Rivalries of All Time” by William Whitfield

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: 

Formula One (F1) racing has produced some great rivalries in its history between many of its top drivers. This short book by William Whitfield highlights 15 of these rivalries with good background information on each one.

Several drivers are listed in more than one rivalry and they include all time greats like Alain Prost, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton. The rivalry between the latter two and the one between Prost and Arytan Senna were probably the fiercest and therefore the two that I felt were the best chapters in the book. 

This is not to say the others are not as good as in each one, Whitfield provides background information on each driver, the teams on which they compete and the reason the two drivers became such rivals. These can range from an incident on the track to a driver who didn’t appreciate his status as second to another driver on the team who should be given leeway to win or at least make a podium finish or points toward the championship. No matter what the circumstances were to cause the friction between drivers, Whitfield’s writing about the rivalry was informative and easy to digest.

The book is fairly heavy on recent rivalries, but there is a good chapter on Juan Manuel Fangio versus Alberto Ascari, covering the early days of F1. He also has a good write-up of the Niki Lauda-James Hunt rivalry of the 70’s, brought to the screen by the movie “Rush.” 

While some of the information gets repetitive (mainly on drivers involved in more than one rivalry) this is a very good book for readers interested in more about some of the best rivalries in the sport and some background information on the drivers involved. It’s a quick read and one that F1 fans of any level of interest should enjoy.

Link:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CKTNZDJ3?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_2&storeType=ebooks  

Review of "Duel for the Crown"

It isn't often that a sports rivalry will not be between two teams or two people.  But this one, that thrilled fans in 1978, is one that goes down as one of the best sports rivalries as two fine horses battled each other in the Triple Crown races that year.  Here is my review of "Duel for the Crown."

 Title/Author:

“Duel For the Crown: Affirmed, Alydar, and Racing’s Greatest Rivalry” by Linda Carroll and David Rosner 

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:  After a 25-year drought in which no horse won the Triple Crown, the decade of the 1970’s saw this happen three times.  After fans watched in awe the feats of Secretariat (1973) and Seattle Slew (1977), they were absolutely enthralled by the races for the Triple Crown in 1978.  During that year, all three races – the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes – were decided by less than one length.  The same horse won – Affirmed – and the same horse finished second – Alydar – in all three races.  This book by Linda Carroll and David Rosner is a through account of this great rivalry.

 There is much more to the book than just the races.  Although the writing about all three Triple Crown races (and many others in which one or both horses participated), what makes this book stand out is the background information. To start, it was noted that both horses were conceived in the same breeding shed, with ties to another famous horse (Native Dancer) within a month of each other.  The breeding and training grounds of the famous Calumet Farms was described in rich detail.  Background information that was so detailed that they almost read like biographies of the owners was included. 

 It also helped these two great horses that they had two famous jockeys in the saddle.  For Alydar, that duty went to Jorge Velasquez, who did everything he was supposed to do with the horse but came up short seven times out of nine in duels with Affirmed.  Affirmed, in the meantime, was ridden by Steve Cauthen who at the time was the most recognizable person in the sport of horse racing. Riding Affirmed at the young age of 18, he had already smashed records for wins and earnings and was even named Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated – the first person in horse racing to be so honored.  This helped hype up the media for these races – and again, the rich writing by Carroll and Rosner will bring the reader knowledge that they will enjoy, even if they are not fans of the sport.

 No matter your interest or knowledge of horse racing, this book is one that any sports fan will treasure.  Fans of any sport love a good rivalry.  Whether your favorite rivalry was Ali vs. Frazier, Yankees vs. Red Sox or Celtics vs. Lakers, Affirmed vs. Alydar is one that ranks right up there with the great rivalries and this is the best source for information on these two outstanding horses.

 Link: Duel for the Crown: Affirmed, Alydar, and Racing's Greatest Rivalry: Carroll, Linda, Rosner, David: 9781493080199: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "Formula One: The Rivals"

One of the most memorable sporting events I have attended in my life was the 1990 Monaco Grand Prix in which Aryton Senna and Alain Prost had an exciting rivalry and were the best drivers at that race won by Senna.  When I saw there was an upcoming book on F1 rivals that included these two, I had to check it out.  Any F1 fan will enjoy this - here is my review of "Formula One: The Rivals"

Title/Author:

“Formula One: The Rivals: F1’s Greatest Duels” by Tony Didgins

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: While all forms of auto racing will have rivalries between certain drivers, the driver rivalries in Formula 1 racing usually produce the sport’s fiercest. From the sport’s inception during the 1950’s to today, these rivals have produced some of the most exciting racing that the sport has seen.  They are captured in this book by racing journalist Tony Didgins.

It should be noted that this book is one that should not only be read by race fans, but also praised for its illustrations.  The photos of the cars and drivers, from Juan Manuel Fangio (winner of five F1 championships in seven years) to the current champion Lewis Hamilton, are even better than the writing of Didgins, which is brief in volume but rich in history.

Didgins covers the best rivalries in the sport in chronological order and some drivers are portrayed multiple times, such as Nikki Lauda, who was a rival of James Hunt and later Alain Prost.  Prost himself later was part of the most exciting rivalry in the sport’s history as he and Ayrton Senna had some of the best races, especially in the early 1990’s before Senna’s death. Micheal Schumacher and Hamilton are also mentioned in two different rivalries which is appropriate considering that these two are often mentioned in discussions on who is the greatest F1 driver of all time.

The actual chapters on each rivalry doesn’t give capsules of each driver’s life – instead it talks about their accomplishments and what they did at the time of the rivalry.  For example, Lauda’s two chapters just describe first his rise to success then his races against Hunt in that chapter, then picks up when he returns to racing after a three-year absence and develops a strong rivalry with Prost.  Same type of description for Prost and his duels with Lauda and Senna.

If nothing else, this book deserves high praise for the great photography throughout.  No matter one’s interest in F1 racing, from casual to fanatical, there is something for everyone in this book.

I wish to thank Ivy Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  The opinions expressed are strictly mine.

Link: Formula One: The Rivals: F1's Greatest Duels (Volume 4) (Formula One, 4): Dodgins, Tony, Webber, Mark: 9780711280717: Amazon.com: Books

 

Review of "Tiger & Phil"

With the biggest story the past week in sports being Tiger Woods playing in the Masters only 14 months after a horrific car accident, I was scouring my TBR pile to see if I had any new books on him - lo and behold, this one was near the top.  It was a very good book not only on him, but also Phil Mickelson who has made his own headlines recently.  Here is my review of "Tiger & Phil."

Title/Author: “Tiger & Phil: Golf’s Most Fascinating Rivalry” by Bob Harig

Rating: 4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:  For about the last 25 years, the two most recognizable professional golfers have been Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Between them they have won 21 major titles and 139 professional tournaments.  Their careers, their lives and how they have intersected are documented in this book by golf writer Bob Harig.

The information obtained on both golfers is very good and shows the work that Harig put into this book, especially when one considers how protective Tiger was about various aspects of both his professional and private life.  That seems to be a contradiction when one considers how much was revealed during his time away from golf, whether for health reasons or due to scandal, but it is still remarkable at how much Harig was able to write about Woods, as well as Mickelson.  Some of this gets repetitive as the book continues but nonetheless is still quite interesting.

The description of both players’ wins in certain major tournaments, especially for those in the Masters (Woods in 2019 and Mickelson in 2010 with his famous tree shot at 13 are notably excellent) are the best aspects of this book for golf fans.  Woods’ memorable 2008 U.S. Open win that took an additional 19 holes to finally defeat Rocco Mediate was also a great section. Readers who enjoy watching these two perform, even if they prefer one over the other, will gobble up these pages as they picture those famous moments in their minds while reading.  There are also nice passages to other not-so-great moments such as the ill-fated pairing of the two golfers for the 2004 U.S. Ryder Cup team.

That disaster for the Americans is the point where readers will most likely believe that the rivalry between them was at its peak and if one considers this a true rivalry, then that would be true.  While Harig does write about the coolness that they had on the course through the years when they played together, the respect each of them had for the other is also portrayed just as strongly.  This is especially true for Mickelson’s many quotes about his reverence for the strong play of Tiger.  While reading the book, it may feel like the “rivalry” that is touted in the book’s subtitle is more of a creation of either fans or the media rather than a true rivalry.  Items like the current spats between Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka feel more like a rivalry than Woods and Mickelson do, despite the very good information in this book.

While one may question whether Tiger and Phil really had a true rivalry, this book is one that any golf fan, no matter who their loyalty may be with, will want to read to learn more about the fabulous careers of two of the very best to ever play the game and who have kept fans entertained for more than two decades.

I wish to thank St. Martin’s Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Link:   https://www.amazon.com/Tiger-Phil-Golfs-Fascinating-Rivalry/dp/125027446X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Review of "Hell With the Lid Off"

I am always grateful for the publishers who regularly allow me to review their books. One of them, University of Nebraska Press, has been very supportive of this blog and the reviews for several years now and they always let me know their upcoming books.  When I saw this one, not only the title was attention-grabbing but so was the subject.  One of the best rivalries in pro football is the subject during the era when I believe the sport was at its best.  Here is my review of "Hell with the Lid Off"

Title/Author:

“Hell With the Lid Off: Inside the Fierce Rivalry Between the 1970’s Oakland Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers” by Ed Gruver and Jim Campbell

Tags:

Football (American), professional, rivalry, Steelers, Raiders

Publish date:

October 1, 2019

Length:

400 pages

Rating:

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

Sometimes the best rivalries in sports are not necessarily the longest lasting ones, but shorter ones between two excellent teams in their times when they play several meaningful games. Such was the case in the 1970’s with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders. They met each other in the playoffs every year between 1972 and 1976, with the winner between them ending up as the Super Bowl champion three of those five years.  Both teams played hard-nosed, hard hitting football, drafted many future Hall of Famers and provided fans with very memorable playoff games. Those five years of the Steeler-Raider rivalry are captured in this excellent book by sportswriters Ed Gruver and Jim Campbell.

Because Campbell is not only a writer but also was an employee of the Steelers during this time frame, the book does slant a little toward more coverage of the Steelers than the Raiders. But that doesn’t mean Oakland get shortchanged in the excellent writing, detailed accounts of their seasons, or interesting stories on their best players. Both teams are praised for their play on the field, their smart drafting, and their coaching staffs from the head coaches (Chuck Noll and John Madden) on down, both teams are given their proper due for their success in the 1970’s.

The book’s tone is set early on.  The first chapter is an excellent account of one of the most famous plays in NFL history, the “Immaculate Reception” when Steelers rookie Franco Harris caught a deflected pass just before it would fall incomplete and ran it all the way for a touchdown to give the Steelers a 13-7 victory over the Raiders in the 1972 AFC divisional playoffs and begin what would be the fiercest NFL rivalry over the next five seasons.  Every aspect of that play was dissected and each of the main players involved not only shared his recollection of the play but was also portrayed in that chapter.  Then the book provides insight into the two owners and their very different philosophies on how to win, Art Rooney of the Steelers and Al Davis of the Raiders.  After them, each season of Raider and Steeler football is recapped along with their playoff matchup and the Super Bowl results on the three times one of them won that game during this time frame covered.

This book does a wonderful job of portraying both franchises and its players and coaches throughout the entire five year stretch and concentrates strictly on the football. There is very little commentary on the social or political situations of the cities or the nation at the time. That is what makes this book one that hard-core football fans of that era will want to read, even if they are not fans of either one of these teams.  That includes this reviewer – I did not care for either of them but respected their success and reading about them brought back some great memories of their classic battles.

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

                                                                       

Book Format Read:

Hardcover                                                                                                                                         

Buying Links:

https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/university-of-nebraska-press/9781496214676/

https://www.amazon.com/Hell-Lid-Off-Pittsburgh-Steelers-ebook/dp/B07Q5L7KC8/ref=tmm_kin_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 "Cincinnati Red and Dodger Blue"

Books that cover topics which bring back great memories will always draw my attention. This one did that as I remembered watching some great games between these two teams in the 1970's.  Therefore, I was very anxious to read this book.  This is my review of "Cincinnati Red and Dodger Blue."

Title/Author:

“Cincinnati Red and Dodger Blue: Baseball’s Greatest Forgotten Rivalry” by Tom Van Riper

Tags:

Baseball, professional, Reds, Dodgers, rivalry

Publish date:

April 13, 2017

Length:

208 pages

Rating: 

3 ½ of 5 stars (good)

Review:

If one asks a baseball fan today which is the biggest rivalry in the game today, the answer would most likely be one of the following three possibilities:  Yankees-Red Sox, Cubs-Cardinals or Dodgers-Giants.  However, if this same question was asked in the 1970’s there would be only one answer: Reds-Dodgers. The intensity of that rivalry in the old National League West division is relieved in this book by Tom Van Riper.

The two teams combined for 9 division titles in the 1970’s, with the Giants in 1971 being the only other team to do so. The star players were numerous – Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and Tony Perez for the Reds, Steve Garvey, Ron Cey, Don Sutton and Bill Buckner for the Dodgers. The rivalry really took off in the 1973 season, when the two teams battled in a terrific pennant race, one in which the Reds made a big comeback in the second half of the season.

That the author concentrates on the 1973 season was part of what made the book not live up to the expectations for which I had hoped.  There is plenty of information on the teams for that year, as well as some of the players for both sides.  There are even multiple pages of information on the general managers (Al Campanis and Bob Howsman for the Dodgers and Reds respectively) and even the broadcasters (Vin Scully and a young Al Michaels).  Therefore, if one wants to read about these two teams in the 1973 season, this is a very good source.

However, there is little information on the rivalry for subsequent years and that does a disservice to readers who remember how the rivalry sustained itself into the early 1980’s.  There is very little mention of any players who appeared for the teams after 1973, such as Tom Seaver who was acquired by the Reds in a trade from the Mets in 1977.  Also, the book shares very little interesting stories of the players as their write-ups are factual and statistical with few anecdotes.  This format is fine for readers who wish to simply learn this aspect of the players but it lacks the comfort of making the reader feel like he or she is talking to that player.  Also, like many other books with a narrow topic, this one will venture off into unrelated topics such as sabermetrics.  However, many of these do help the reader get a complete picture of that snapshot of this rivalry.

Overall, this book does get a passing grade for the sheer volume of information written about these two great teams from that decade.  However, the very factual style of writing makes it a slow read at times and more of a task than a simple pleasurable read.  Baseball historians and fans of one of these teams will enjoy the book and will want to pick up a copy.

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

Book Format Read:

Hardcover

Buying Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Cincinnati-Red-Dodger-Blue-Baseballs-ebook/dp/B06XV3782H/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502761132&sr=8-1&keywords=cincinnati+red+and+dodger+blue

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cincinnati-red-and-dodger-blue-tom-van-riper/1126590564?ean=9781442275386

Review of "Blood Feud"

After a thrilling baseball postseason, capped off by a wonderful World Series played by two excellent teams, it is now time for two things.  One is to gear up for the winter games of basketball and hockey, and second is to catch back up on reading.  Both of those are accomplished in reading this book on the best sports rivalry in the late 1990's and early 2000's.  Here is my review of "Blood Feud."

Title/Author:

“Blood Feud: Detroit Red Wings V. Colorado Avalanche: The Inside Story of Pro Sports’ Nastiest and Best Rivalry of Its Era” by Adam Dater

Tags:

Ice Hockey, professional, rivalry, Red Wings, Avalanche

Publish date:

November 25, 2006

Length:

272 pages

Rating: 

3 of 5 stars (okay)

Review:

Between 1996 and 2002, the best rivalry in professional sports was that between the Detroit Red Wings and the Colorado Avalanche. They were the best two teams in hockey at that time, winning four Stanley Cups between them and facing off in some memorable games in both the regular season and the Stanley Cup playoffs.

This rivalry is captured in this book by Denver sports writer Adam Dater.  There are short biographies of key personnel from both sides, such as Colorado goaltender Patrick Roy and Detroit coach Scotty Bowman.  Memorable fights are relived such as the hit on Red Wing Kris Draper by Claude Lemieux, which was believed by many to be the opening salvo in this bitter feud. 

Dater covers these seasons fully, especially the Stanley Cup playoffs, mainly through stories about the teams in the major newspapers of the two cities. While a book on any good sports rivalry can be riveting, this book falls a bit short of that because of the frequent use of newspaper articles for the information. Most of the original material is not new insight into the rivalry but instead on short biographies on players and coaches for both teams.  The two previously mentioned, Roy and Bowman, make for good information to readers who may not be familiar with their stories, but hardcore fans may be left disappointed with the lack of depth.

Dater also injects personal notes into the book, including a passage on how he became a sports writer.  Again, this is a mixed bag.  Sometimes his personal interactions with players and coaches adds a nice touch, such as the story about Bowman, but other times this comes off as too much self-promotion. 

Because of the quality of the teams and the rivalry between them, I did finish this book and enjoyed reliving that era of hockey.  This book is for readers who are just looking for that type of experience, or if they are fans of either team.  Since Dater is a Denver resident, there is a slant toward the Avalanche, but overall the writing is fair to both teams and also fair in overall quality. 

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)

Buying links:

https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Feud-Colorado-Avalanche-Nastiest/dp/1589793196/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478357498&sr=8-1&keywords=blood+feud+detroit+red+wings

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blood-feud-adrian-dater/1111631083?ean=9781589793194