Review of “Watford Forever”

 While I had heard about Elton John owning a soccer team in the 1970’s, I never knew the details until I received this book as a Christmas gift. Thank you to my son for giving me this -mit was very good. 

Title/Author:

“Watford Forever” by John Preston

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

In 1976, the Watford soccer club and Elton John (Reggie Dwight) were at polar opposites in their respective worlds. As John was soaring to great popularity and fame with his music, Watford was languishing at the bottom of the standings in England’s Fourth Division - about as low as an English soccer club could go. However, those fortunes were about to change as Elton John purchased the club and soon thereafter hired Graham Taylor to run the team. How they changed Watford’s fortunes is told in this book by John Preston.

Both men are portrayed in great detail, which helps illustrate both the similarities and the differences between the two men. When they first met, Taylor was questioning both the level of commitment that John would put into the team aside from money and also just how much of a challenge did he want by taking over such a poorly funded and run club - at least they were before these two took over. It helps if the reader understands the inner workings of English soccer, both on and off the field to understand what Taylor was doing. But that isn’t required to thoroughly enjoy the book, especially with the character development of not only the two main figures in Watford’s rise to the First Division, but also many of the players on the pitch.

Speaking of the action there, Preston doesn’t spend a lot of time giving play by play details of games, but he does include accounts of all the important matches Watford played at all levels. This included both friendlies and league play. This was good writing as well - advanced enough that fans who know the sport well won’t be bored with reading these passages, but simple enough that casual or new fans will be able to easily understand the game.

Not only is there writing about the soccer, but there is also some very good material on John’s rise in the music industry and the demons that haunted him. Like many other musicians, dugs and alcohol were problems for him. But he never let that interfere with his love of the Watford club he had since his childhood. He often went to their games with his father, the only true bonding time they had. John also knew when to set aside his authority and let Taylor dictate what should be done when needed - right down to making sure the owner was properly dressed when making appearances with the team.

If a reader is either a soccer fan or an Elton John fan they should pick up this book. Entertaining and fast paced, it will make a great addition to the library of this type of reader.

Link:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CGN9YR9P/ref=x_gr_bb_amazon?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_bb_amazon-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0CGN9YR9P&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2 

Review of "88 and 1"

The timing for this review is perfect - it was exactly 50 years ago today that a historic winning streak ended.  This book tells the story of not only that thrilling basketball game but the inside stories of the two teams involved.  Here is my review of "88 and 1"

 

Title/Author:

“88 and 1: UCLA, Notre Dame and the Game That Ended the Longest Winning Streak in Men’s College Basketball History” by Timothy Bourret

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:  

One of the longest winning streaks in all of sports occurred between 1971 and 1974 when the University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA) men’s basketball team won 88 consecutive games.  That streak ended on January 19, 1974 when Notre Dame upset the Bruins 71-70.  While this book about the game and the streak by Timothy Bourret is not meant to be a means to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of that historic game, it is nonetheless timed well to be published when that game will be talked about on sports media.

One of the most interesting aspects of the book is how Bourret brings fascinating tidbits into the dialogue that centers around the two schools’ basketball teams during that era.  The first, and a fact that is fairly well known, is that the streak started in 1971 when UCLA defeated Notre Dame.  One fact that might not be as well known is that in January 1974, Notre Dame became the first school to have three of its sports teams defeat the number one ranked team in that sport.  In addition to breaking UCLA’s streak in men’s basketball, the Fighting Irish defeated #1 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl and the hockey team, in only it’s third season of existence, defeated #1 Denver.  Items like this, which are interspersed throughout the book, make it one that a reader will absorb cover to cover so that they will not miss any more interesting items like this.

Both schools’ basketball seasons between 1971 and 1975 are covered extensively throughout the book as Bourret does a good job of not only writing about the historic game, but the ups and downs (in UCLA’s case, almost all “ups”) of the two basketball teams.  However, there are not a lot of player profiles in the book.  There are brief write ups of star players from both sides such as Bill Walton for UCLA and Adrian Dantley for Notre Dame but there is not a lot of human interest material.  The best profiles for that aspect are for the two coaches, John Wooden (UCLA) and Digger Phelps (Notre Dame).

But if a reader is looking for factual reporting on games, plays and seasons, then this book is a treasure trove of valuable information on these two programs during that time period.  Bourret also highlights many of the differences between that era and today and often will note how something that happened during that time would not occur today or vice versa.  Rule changes such as allowing freshmen to play on the varsity team and dunking are among the changes that are discussed and fans who have followed the sport over the decades will nod in agreement about how different the game was then compared to now.

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

Link: 88 and 1: UCLA, Notre Dame, and the Game That Ended the Longest Winning Streak in Men's College Basketball History: Bourret, Timothy: 9781493081219: Amazon.com: Books

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

First review of 2024 - "George Allen"

Happy New Year! For those who remember the "Over the Hill Gang" Washington Redskins, you'll recall their coach George Allen.  A very good biography of this legendary coach has been published - here is my review.

Title/Author:

“George Allen: A Football Life” by Michael Richman 

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:  The subtitle of this book is a perfect description of its subject – George Allen’s life was all about football.  He was a highly successful coach at both the college and professional levels.  It was in the latter area where he earned the most fame, coaching the Los Angeles Rams and the then-Washington Redskins from poor seasons to the playoffs.  This biography of Allen by Michael Richman is a wonderful tribute to the coach. 

Through many interviews of Allen’s former players, family members and siblings, the reader can get an inside look at the man whose obsession with football seemed to have no boundaries.  When he was coaching, he was always searching for players who might help his team.  This is the case whether it was his first coaching jobs at Morningside and Wittier Colleges (Morningside is where he met his wife Etty), his goal of lifting the Rams and Redskins out of their doldrums, his tenure in the United States Football League with the Chicago Blitz/Arizona Wranglers franchise and even his tenure with Long Beach State in 1990, which ended with his death in that year.

Allen always felt older, experienced players would help his teams during his time in the NFL more than rookies and he developed a well-deserved reputation for trading draft choices for veteran players.  Between this practice and his requests for better equipment and facilities, he often clashed with the owners of his teams.  While he was successful on the field, he ended up getting fired twice by the Rams (the second coming after only two pre-season games in 1978) and having an unhappy departure from the Redskins. 

This provided a complete, contrasting picture of Allen with so many of his players speaking highly of him to be coupled with his critics in front offices and in the media – Allen never had a great relationship with the media.  The interviews with his sons also shed much light onto the inner workings of Allen.  While one must take into account these are family members, they still provide the reader with great information on one of the most successful football coaches in the second half of the 20^th century.  Any football fan or historian of that era will enjoy this book.

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

Link: George Allen: A Football Life: Richman, Michael, Vermeil, Dick: 9780803249684: Amazon.com: Books

Final review of 2023 - “Snow in the Kingdom”

For my last review of 2023, I decided to go back to a topic that always fascinates me - high altitude mountain climbing. Found this book on Kindle Unlimited written by a climber who scaled Everest without Sherpas or bottled oxygen. Wondering how he and the team could possibly do this, I picked up the book and am glad I did.  Here is my review of “Snow in the Kingdom.”

Title/Author: “Snow in the Kingdom” by Ed Webster 

Rating: 4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: No matter which peak, which path, or how many are in the climbing party, there is always an element of danger is such an expedition. This book by Ed Webster brings to life one such trek, when he and three other climbers reached the summit of Mt. Everest in the spring of 1988. This was accomplished without bottled oxygen, assistance from Sherpas, or radios. Webster’s account of this expedition on a new path to the top, along with stories from before that Everest climb (it was his third attempt to reach the summit) that make the a very good read for the most part.

I say “most part” because there times the book feels like it is moving slower than a novice climber on their first Himalayan climb. This is especially true when Webster describes his previous climbs before his famous 1988 trekking. The book also moves along slowly at times durian the Everest climb although that helped readers to understand the slow pace, and the danger, these climbers faced.

Two parts of the book I really liked were the descent after reaching the summit and the photography. While reaching the peak for any climb is undoubtedly the goal and is often dangerous, often the descent back to Base Camp is just as risky. In Webster’s case, that was certainly true. The terrifying ordeal the team went through on the descent, with frostbitten toes and fingers that eventually were amputated as a result, was a more gripping account of climbing than the journey to the highest peak in the world was.

Even though I read this in e-book format, the photography was stunning, especially the color photographs. Whether it was the beauty of the mountains, happy pictures of Webster and others (including a few of Lauren, his girlfriend who was killed in a rock climb accompanying Webster) or photos of the climbers on the mountain or back in camp, they all help to tell the story of this very intriguing climb of Mt. Everest.

Link:https://www.amazon.com/Snow-Kingdom-Storm-Years-Everest/dp/0965319911/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= 

Review of “Deep Thoughts From an Armchair Quarterback”

Happy Holidays! For one of the last reviews of 2023, I went with this book written by a sports fan on thoughts that other fans usually have and/or express. Here is the review of this book. No matter which holidays you celebrate, I wish all of you a joyous season.  

Title/Author:

“Deep Thoughts From an Armchair Quarterback” by Chris R. Weilert

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Sports fans who view many games in a wide variety of sports will relate to this book by Chris Weilert. He’s not claiming to be any different than any other fan - simply a fan who is sharing his thoughts on a wide variety of sports and it makes for a very enjoyable reading experience.

What I really liked about this book is that Weilert covers a wide variety of sports and doesn’t spend a lot of time on any on particular game, team or athlete. He doesn’t get overly critical of anything, nor does he go overboard on praise. If there is a topic that affects him and his feelings about it, he’s not shy to voice his thoughts. The best example of this is when he talks about a topic sports fans debate all the time - who is the GOAT (greatest of all time)? Pick any sport, any team, any player and this debate rages - Weilert thinks that it’s a waste of time - how can one fairly compare performances in different eras? (Note - while it’s not the reason I chose this example, I am in complete agreement with him on this topic). 

Another good aspect of this book is that while it helps to be a fan, a reader doesn’t have to be an expert on the vocabulary or nuances of the various sports discussed to enjoy the book. The language is basic and easy to comprehend- it feels like a barstool discussion on whatever topic is the subject of the chapter. Finally, what makes the book fun is the wide variety of games covered. Of course the main four of baseball, football, basketball and hockey are a majority of the text but so many others are discussed, such as the Olympics and the Highland Games - that was a fun chapter.

No matter who or what they follow, sports fans will want to pick this book up, maybe with their favorite adult beverage close by and enjoy these discussions that fans engage in all the time. 

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

Link:https://www.amazon.com/Thoughts-Recliner-Quarterback-Chris-Weilert-ebook/dp/B0CDP5LT3J/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= 

Review of “The Fighter of Auschwitz”

 Having not read a boxing book for a while, this title intrigued me. It turned into a story on a topic much more important than boxing or sports. Here is my review of “The Fighter of Auschwitz”

Title/Author:

“The Fighter of Auschwitz” by Erik Brouwer

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: Leendert Josua Sanders was a middleweight European boxing champion from the Netherlands in the 1930’s. Even avid boxing fans and historians may have trouble remembering much about his boxing career as he wasn’t one to avidly promote his fights. He was also a Jewish boxer in Rotterdam and this was the time when the Nazis were gaining power in Europe. 

Sanders, who would often fight under the name “Lee” or “Leen” to try to mask his Jewish identity, would eventually be captured with his family and sent to Auschwitz. This excellent book by Erik Brouwer covers both of these segments of Sanders’ life.

Sanders wasn’t keen to pursue the sport at first but with some encouragement from his family, including his brother who became his trainer and manger, Leen did work his way up in weight and prestige, with his biggest boxing accomplishment winning the above mentioned title.

But once Sanders and his family were arrested in Rotterdam as the Netherlands fell to Nazi occupation, this book gets even better. There are many books that describe the brutal conditions Jewish prisoners faced at these concentration camps and this one is just as graphic. Sanders is spared the worst treatment, conditions and work detail when it is learned he was a professional boxer.

Boxers and other prisoners who had special talents that could be used by the SS guards in the camps would receive privileges that other prisoners could have, such as better food and clothing ans special detail such as the kitchen or laundry. Because Leen beat a well-known fighter in one of the Sunday boxing matches held for the “entertainment”of the guards, Leen became one of these privileged prisoners and as such, received this type of detail. 

However, as Brouwer tells in vivid matter-of-fact detail, the other prisoners had much harsher conditions and more brutal work. Leen would help out many less privileged, especially new arrivals to Auschwitz, by providing extra food, clothing or blankets. This was done at great risk to his own safety as if he were caught, he would certainly have faced swift execution. This went on for nearly two years, until Leen and other survivors of the evacuation of Aucwitz were rescued by advancing Allied troops. For a final touch, to make this book complete, Brouwer informs the reader that Sanders had some good and bad experiences in his life after surviving Auschwitz. Even there , Sanders had struggles as he was wrongfully denied the Extraordinary War Pension he deserved until close to his death.

What I really liked about this book is that while the majority of it talks about his heroic feats at Auschwitz, it also gives the reader an inside look at his boxing success as well as his life in the concentration camp. It’s the complete story of a man whose story needed to be told.

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

Link:https://www.amazon.com/Fighter-Auschwitz-incredible-Sanders-survive/dp/1788404300/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=