Book Description
HALL OF FAMER DAVE WINFIELD:
"THE GAME I LOVE IS HURTING."
Revenue has never been higher, attendance has never been better, and baseball has never had a stronger international presence. Yet, with all of the prosperity, the game has rarely faced more significant problems, both in the headlines and deep within our communities. Steroid scandals, labor strife, self-centered superstars, a dramatic decline in the number of African American players and fans, constraints on Little League facilities and resources, and competition from trendier sports and entertainment options all threaten the foundations of our national pastime.
Dave Winfield knows and loves the game and he believes baseball can be rescued and revitalized. In Dropping the Ball, Dave presents his compelling plan of action for saving this great game from self-destruction. A respected role model and ambassador of the sport, Winfield outlines his strategy for making baseball the game he knows it can be: inclusive, empowering, and entertaining. He focuses on how to make the game more fan-friendly, and especially how to reach out to the African American community. From the commissioner's office to the kids on the street, Winfield examines the game from every perspective, offering ideas and solutions for diversifying front offices; marketing the game; developing community-based programs; and working out fair, creative, and lucrative parameters for the business of baseball. Dropping the Ball inspires readers to get out of the armchair and into the action.
Urbane and entertaining, this is a trenchant, thought-provoking, and uplifting analysis of what can be done -- by the baseball giants and by all who play and love the game -- to save America's national pastime for you, your kids, and your community.
Customer Reviews:
very strong book.......2007-07-23
off the Bat when George Steinbrenner is the doing the introduction then you know anything can be resolved. Brother Dave Winfield is a down to earth cat who pulls no punches and wants to see More Young Black Players respecting and knowing the what the Negro League,Jackie Robinson,Larry DOlby and other Black Ball Players who paved the way through Blood,sweat,tears to play this National past time. Dave Winfield has alot of strong concepts at making the game even better and also a strong future. this is a must read book.
A good start.......2007-07-19
This book did what I expected it to. It laid out some good ideas that Winfield feels would both improve the game of baseball and improve the image of baseball. In these times of steroids (allegedly, of course) and poorly behaved athletes, a clear, "UNITED" manifesto and direction for baseball is something the game clearly needs. Winfield delivers this.
Another reviewer points out that there are no "A-ha!" moments in this. I have to agree with him, HOWEVER, I think that is really actually the point. What Winfield proposes in this book is not earth-shattering, but one must believe that implementing these changes, the game will be better, both on and off the field. What is so shocking, to me, is that implementing a lot of these changes should really be so simple that the true "A-ha!" is that they aren't already being done!
What muddles the book, though, is that the book does get to be a bit rambly. It is hard not to feel like this is a beefed-up transcription of a monologue that Winfield gave one afternoon. It seems to me, though, that any type of book, whether about baseball or politics or knitting, in which the author is making a proposal, or making a pitch to a certain way of thinking, that there will be some extent of "ramble".
I would take Winfield to task, though, in that he at times seems to ignore the white elephant in the corner of the room. He, at times, lets people off the hook a little too easily and does not take them to task. But you should kind of expect that from him. I'm not questioning his integrity, but, as others have pointed out, he has one foot in both sectors of the game- as the former player and the current executive. His allegiances are, unfortunately, prone to being a bit murky.
Having said all this, I still give this book 4 stars, because he has very good suggestions for all aspects of the game, suggestions that will surely not hurt the game. If I were to become commissioner of MLB, he'd be one of the first people I'd bring in.
Analytical and Revealing.......2007-05-22
Great book! I really enjoyed reading Dave's prospective of the game I love. I found it purposeful, direct and full of great solutions for improving America's pasttime. Dave has hit another grand slam! He gives everyone an action plan that includes people of all colors, class and creeds.... moms, dads, coaches and the like. Must read for young people and adults alike. Another great job Dave!
Not Exactly A Strikeout, But...........2007-05-18
Former Yankee slugger, Dave Winfield's put together a thoughtful, from-the-heart analysis of what's wrong with today's major league baseball...but it's a softball (if you will) approach to improving baseball's public image. It's heavily lacking in direct quotes. Anecdotes are few and far between, and fiery criticisms are just not there.
Apparently, Dave told himself one day: "I gotta' write down what's wrong with baseball." -And this is the result. Dropping The Ball is a nice, over-coffee review of everything about the game and what needs improvement and what to do about it. He makes some good points, but very few are of the "Ah-hah!" eye-opening variety one might expect of someone on a mission of change.
One of the forever-recurring themes of the book is that "[MLB] isn't doing enough to market [baseball] properly" hence, he says, the drop-off in fan interest across the board. He gently complains about the inferior abilities of some players, but doesn't address league over-expansion, which may be the cause of it. Too, Winfield could have zeroed-in on the hows and whys of over-priced tickets...and the major-league out-of-pocket costs for game-day hot-dogs, beer, pizza, parking and Pepsi. He didn't. Dave, what about the new pasteurized, kid-friendly, Disney-land-like stadiums that waterdown youngster interest in the game? [Didn't Las Vegas learn that pandering to the under-12 crowd just didn't work?] -And how come corporate elements can easily get playoff tickets while the average fan doesn't have a chance? Dave doesn't say. He (only in passing) mentions the crazy-high player salaries, but our author doesn't attribute big-time fan disinterest in and detachment from the game to them.
--But one thing is clear. Dave gets a little worked up over the decreasing percentages of Black major league baseball players...but then seems to concur with MLB's decisions to go on outsourcing to the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Venezuela, Mexico, etc. to get large rosters of cheap (but decent) players into today's baseball games. The numbers of White players is also on the decline, he points out, but not a whole lot is made about those stats. On and on, he treats the lack of Black athletes in the game as a true major problem. Maybe it is, but I don't think he fully made his case.
Dave Winfield is still a baseball insider, being an exec for the San Diego Padres MLB team. Maybe that's why this book lacks the focus, luster and impact of a true motivating force. Like MLB itself, the focal point of the book is generally ho-hum. It's like a current US Senator sincerely (?) writing about "making Congress `better'" -without naming names or overtly coming down on all of the "guilty." Now, how would that work?
This book is chock full of warm, heart-felt generalizations and sentiments, repetitions, and excuses. Winfield's put down some lengthy but sketchy plans for his "Baseball United." His "solutions" are all very nice, but "improving" an already successful multi-billion dollar organization [MLB] seems mostly an aimless gesture that leaves this reader flat. Not much fire. Not much "insider" revelation. A fast, pleasant read...but there's not much new or deep here. Winfield kind of dropped the ball on this one....
Like MLB: Enjoyable, but Full of Unfulfilled Potential.......2007-04-16
Being a person who noticed the whiteness of baseball crowds for years now, I took to the call to urgency made by Winfield and Levin in this book. Baseball has suffered a number of problems over the years, and this book struck me as one that was written as a labor of love by a Hall of Famer who wanted to see his sport do better for itself, and not written as a brash "tell-all" expose.
I suppose that I was right in that regard. Winfield and Levin do truly love professional baseball as a game, and they make a lot of valid points: dwindling interest and participation by inner-city blacks, the economic advantage of "farming" Hispanic players versus fostering them in our own communities, and presenting ideas that would help build bridges between major-league baseball teams and players with their communities.
I suppose that, feeling a great sense of appreciation for Winfield's points led to me feeling so disappointed in this book. Much like Winfield's baseball, it's still something to admire and appreciate, but there is a great amount of untapped promise. Winfield takes a very real and noticeable demographic change to a ludicrous extreme when he talks about "the last African-American ballplayer." It may be his attempt to sculpt a "modest proposal" for baseball, but it does not contain Swift's shrewd irony.
In addition, Winfield laments that the NFL and NBA are succeeding where baseball is failing in working with the community; he also is bothered by the structure of baseball scholarships for college students relative to the same sports. In the end, one gets the feeling that he isn't in the least bit concerned about improving genuine opportunities for disadvantaged children with an interest in sports. Instead, I feel that he's merely upset that these opportunities aren't centered around *baseball*.
The book contains this idea throughout it, underneath the surface of Winfield's arguments. His discussion of the MLBPA player's trust is evidence of that, when he spends several pages lauding how the NBA and NFL promote their charitable works. His concern isn't the degree of involvement as much as it is the public perception that good things are being done. I find that rather self-centered and bothersome.
There are still great points made in the book. Winfield's criticism of the economic structure of baseball in the past, in the current era, and the phony nature of the MLB commissioner as a patsy to the owners is accurate and needed. His (possibly ironic, given his career trajectory) concern with the lack of "legacy" players (like Kirby Puckett), who stay in one town for their entire career, is surely related to the lack of camaraderie between players, teams, and community; how can one become enamored with a city when a trade or free agency may jeopardize that at any time?
Ultimately, though, I think the kinds of policies Winfield suggests for "Baseball United" are naive (if he thinks that we can shift from the current era of profit-hungry owners to one of community-oriented philanthropists so quickly), misdirected (yes, providing inner-city kids with opportunities to play ball is great, but since we know so few people make it to the big leagues, couldn't such money be better appropriated for the disadvantaged?), and self-serving (that he's more concerned with his legacy and baseball's legacy than with actually improving conditions for ballplayers and communities).
Winfield clearly loves baseball, but just as he wishes MLB could live up to its potential, so I wish this book would have lived up to the promise its dustjacket seems to suggest.
Amazon.com
The global power of soccer might be a little hard for Americans, living in a country that views the game with the same skepticism used for the metric system and the threat of killer bees, to grasp fully. But in Europe, South America, and elsewhere, soccer is not merely a pastime but often an expression of the social, economic, political, and racial composition of the communities that host both the teams and their throngs of enthusiastic fans. New Republic editor Franklin Foer, a lifelong devotee of soccer dating from his own inept youth playing days to an adulthood of obsessive fandom, examines soccer's role in various cultures as a means of examining the reach of globalization. Foer's approach is long on soccer reportage, providing extensive history and fascinating interviews on the Rangers-Celtic rivalry and the inner workings of AC Milan, and light on direct discussion of issues like world trade and the exportation of Western culture. But by creating such a compelling narrative of soccer around the planet, Foer draws the reader into these sport-mad societies, and subtly provides the explanations he promises in chapters with titles like "How Soccer Explains the New Oligarchs", "How Soccer Explains Islam's Hope", and "How Soccer Explains the Sentimental Hooligan." Foer's own passion for the game gives his book an infectious energy but still pales in comparison to the religious fervor of his subjects. His portraits of legendary hooligans in Serbia and Britain, in particular, make the most die-hard roughneck New York Yankees fan look like a choirboy in comparison. Beyond the thugs, Foer also profiles Nigerian players living in the Ukraine, Iranian women struggling against strict edicts to attend matches, and the parallel worlds of Brazilian soccer and politics from which Pele emerged and returned. Foer posits that globalization has eliminated neither local cultural identities nor violent hatred among fans of rival teams, and it has not washed out local businesses in a sea of corporate wealth nor has it quelled rampant local corruption. Readers with an interest in international economics are sure to like How Soccer Explains the World, but soccer fans will love it. --John Moe
Book Description
Soccer is much more than a game, or even a way of life. It is a perfect window into the cross–currents of today's world, with all its joys and its sorrows. In this remarkably insightful, wide–ranging work of reportage, Franklin Foer takes us on a surprising tour through the world of soccer, shining a spotlight on the clash of civilizations, the international economy, and just about everything in between. How Soccer Explains the World is an utterly original book that makes sense of our troubled times.
Customer Reviews:
Quick, informative read for an American.......2007-09-23
Just finished up this amusing set of essays about soccer and how it relates to "globalization." The book isn't quite what it promises to be on the cover -- I mean, no real "theory" emerges. It's more just a set of observations relating to this particular author's travels around the world experiencing soccer in different locales and writing about it. The transitions between chapters are usually smooth but this is really 10 essays that all have to do with culture and soccer.
But they're fun to read. The author covers:
* Soccer in Serbia and how nationalist fans of Red Star Belgrade formed the nucleus of the Serb paramilitary forces created during the Milosevic regime (and the ties between the most notorious Serb thug, Arkan, and soccer -- I had no idea he ran the Red Star fan organization and then bought a soccer club),
* Celtic vs. Rangers and how the two clubs exploit Catholic/Protestant resentment
* How Tottenham became "Jewish" and the history of Jewish and Zionist soccer clubs (and other clubs like Tottenham associated with Jews and how it hurts them)
* Corruption in Brazilian soccer and why all the Brazilian teams are no good (it's not just because Brazil is less affluent)
* The results of a traditional Ukranian club recruiting several players from Africa
* The role of soccer in the rise of Berlusconi (once and perhaps future Italian prime minister)
* How soccer intersects with Iranian history and society
* The role of FC Barcelona in the Catalan nationalist movement over the years
* The overlap between Americans' attitudes toward soccer and those same Americans' attitudes toward globalization
I enjoyed learning more about these people and places through the lens of sport. As an American, it's interesting to be reminded how passionate some of the feelings are about these teams -- but I guess our media is a bit more ginger in covering the less politically correct aspects of how these teams have come to represent cultural resentments, etc., in so many places.
It's a bit like a P.J. O'Rourke book (without the ideology and with fewer punchlines) in the sense that it's a very first-person account of places you're never going to go, told by someone with a fresh set of eyes who lacks background but nevertheless sees a lot. And It's a pretty fast read -- about 250 pages but the pages are very narrow with larger print -- perhaps an effort to disguise just how short the book actually is.
Very much worth it. Whether a non-soccer-fan would enjoy it is more dodgy, but it's possible. And that's probably as good an endorsement as any.
Quirky--but intriguing--book.......2007-09-03
This is a quirky work; it ends up proving more satisfying than one might have imagined. The subtitle:"An Unlikely Theory of Globalization." That subtitle provides a takeoff point for the book. The author notes that (Page 5): "On my travels, I tried to use soccer--its fans, its players, and strategies--as a way fo thinking about how people would identify themselves in this new era."
He explores the role of soccer by a series of case studies of teams--in Serbia, Scotland, Brazil, England, Jewish teams, the Ukraine, and so on.
In the end, I am not sure how well he links these various nationalistic loyalties to teams with globalization.
However, this is an intriguing book that gets one to thinking about much larger issues.
Wow.......2007-06-22
This book is an amazing combination of football, history, and politics on an international level. It exceeded my expectations by far. If you like the above topics, then you shall enjoy it.
Great Read...........2007-06-15
As a first generation american (Italian/Polish) and a fan of football and politics I found Foer's book to be an intriguing read. I'd recommend it to anyone that either loves the game and would like to know more about the integration of the sport and religion/politcs as well as American detractors and novice soccer fans who'd like to know more about why the rest of the world is so infatuated with the game.
For any soccer fan..........2007-05-29
As a follower of the Bundesliga, the stories and histories of the other leagues in Europe were fascinating! I especially enjoyed the Celtic/Ranger and Barca/Real stories that provided a much needed context to why these are two of the biggest rivalries in sports today. The political influence of some of these clubs is something to read...that power just doesn't occur here in the states. Overall, I thought the book was a great read for the new or casual fan, as well as the long time super-fan. A must read!
Book Description
Sports in Society is the definitive text for the sport sociology course. Taking a global, issues-oriented approach to the study of the role of sport in society, this text encourages the discussion of current sports-related controversies and helps students develop critical thinking skills.
Book Description
From Jackie Robinson to Muhammad Ali and Arthur Ashe, African American athletes have been at the center of modern culture, their on-the-field heroics admired and stratospheric earnings envied. But for all their money, fame, and achievement, says New York Times columnist William C. Rhoden, black athletes still find themselves on the periphery of true power in the multibillion-dollar industry their talent built.
Provocative and controversial, Rhoden’s $40 Million Slaves weaves a compelling narrative of black athletes in the United States, from the plantation to their beginnings in nineteenth-century boxing rings and at the first Kentucky Derby to the history-making accomplishments of notable figures such as Jesse Owens, Althea Gibson, and Willie Mays. Rhoden makes the cogent argument that black athletes’ “evolution” has merely been a journey from literal plantations—where sports were introduced as diversions to quell revolutionary stirrings—to today’s figurative ones, in the form of collegiate and professional sports programs. Weaving in his own experiences growing up on Chicago’s South Side, playing college football for an all-black university, and his decades as a sportswriter, Rhoden contends that black athletes’ exercise of true power is as limited today as when masters forced their slaves to race and fight. The primary difference is, today’s shackles are often of their own making.
Every advance made by black athletes, Rhoden explains, has been met with a knee-jerk backlash—one example being Major League Baseball’s integration of the sport, which stripped the black-controlled Negro League of its talent and left it to founder. He details the “conveyor belt” that brings kids from inner cities and small towns to big-time programs, where they’re cut off from their roots and exploited by team owners, sports agents, and the media. He also sets his sights on athletes like Michael Jordan, who he says have abdicated their responsibility to the community with an apathy that borders on treason.
Sweeping and meticulously detailed, $40 Million Slaves is an eye-opening exploration of a metaphor we only thought we knew.
Customer Reviews:
A Must Read........2007-09-30
I thought the book was great. Its a good historical tool in terms of Afican-Americans in sports. People who do not like the book obviously never read it from start to finish.
Rhoden does a great job in showing the correlation between the negro athlete of slavery times to the African-American athlete of today. One black man who is making 10 million dollars for himself is making 20 million or more for a white business men. A handful of black millionaires doesn't negate the fact that there are millions of black people in the world that are being exploited for other peoples gain. A must read.
Great Book.......2007-09-21
This is an excellent truthful book. From reading some of the reviews, it's obvious the racist and racism are in the house. Envious, jealous and feeling entitled to say this book is horrible only because Mr. Roden calls it like he sees it(and many of us see it as well)to those negative posters, GET OVER IT!!...again an excellent book..
Provocative!!.......2007-08-28
Mr. Rhoden I applaud you for this book. It is really on time and long overdue. Some of what you have written in this book concerning the Black
Athlete I have been saying for years but no one wanted to hear it. All Blacks not just athletes, should read this book. Thank you again for calling it like it is.
Forty Million Dollar Slaves.......2007-07-29
This book enunciates the problems in graduation from the inner city
into the big leagues. Historically, by the late 1890s, black athletes
excelled at an ever increasing rate. Despite the progress made,
the profile of the black athlete stands at the periphery of power
in the sports establishment. This has lead to the loss of an overall
mission, although the psychological armor remains in the achievements
of the black athletes over the years. The author states that the
plantation slaves performed great physical labor. Prior to the 1970s,
segregation was a significant limiting factor. Sojourner Truth
worked on behalf of the black women of the time. Today, there are
multiple tiers of blacks in America. The book provides some very
important historical background; however, the next step is to
turn the capital acquired from the sports into personal wealth .
In addition, an athlete's physical stamina remains until the
mid-30s or early 40s. What does an athlete do when his/her career
has peaked athletically? The book could discuss this aspect in more
depth. For instance, black athletes could graduate into their
own businesses or attend college/further study to branch out into
other careers/ventures. Another important issue regards how the
black athlete invests money for the future.
Overall, the book provides an important perspective relevant to the
black history of athletes in the various sports. As such, it is
a valuable addition to American History in the sports arena.
Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete by William C. Rhoden.......2007-05-10
This is an excellent resource.
Book Description
This informative text focuses on the role of sport in U.S. and Canadian societies. The approach is sociological, analytical, and critical.
Book Description
This sequel to the best-selling Growing Old is Not For Sissies teaches us to reevaluate the popular associations of age with increasing malaise and infirmity. Instead, it presents 100 vital, compelling portraits of senior athletes accompanied by personal statements and poems on aging. Growing Old is Not for Sissies II is testament to the joy of physical activity and of living to a ripe old age. Fourth printing. By Etta Clark.
Customer Reviews:
Gotta love the [...] kicking old farts.......2007-09-09
As a 50 year old runner and biker, I loved this book. I am now firmly entrenched in middle age and need the occasional inspiration to get out on the trails of Houston especially during the brutally hot summers. This book is full of what I need. A beautifully photographed and written book portraying active seniors competing and loving life, some well into their 90s. Truly amazing. The book is generally formatted with a picture and a few paragraphs written about and in some cases by these special people. By personal favorite is 83 year old surfer "Woody" Brown pictured with his 6 year old son Woody Jr. (Yep.... do the math) A copy of their picture is posted on my refrigerator for those days I hesitate to lace up the running shoes.
Wonderful gift idea!!!.......2007-04-15
I have bought this book now as a birthday gift for my father, my husband and two of our friends (all of whom are athletes who are definitely NOT sissies!). It is such a beautiful testimony to the fact that age is just a number. I hope someday I might qualify to be in one of Etta Clark's future edition of this book.
Stirring Art.......2006-03-11
Etta Clark scores with Growing Old is Not For Sissies II. Her book is filled with beautiful photography and a second look at some of the subjects from her first book. With frank honesty, she captures the essence of her subjects once again. An excellent book of art for any fan of photography.
A Must for Anyone Working in Gerontology.......2003-01-28
This book is a must for anyone who works with older adults. It is a photographic essay of some very special people....people who embrace the robustness of life, and who are disciplined to maintain their capabilities as long as possible. Our world is steeped in ageism, that is, believing that older people are only capable of doing things that are "appropriate" for their age. This book shatters those beliefs and provides living examples of people who continue doing what they love to do physically. I wish that Etta Clark would revise this book with a new set of photos every year! I have seen some of these photos over and over again in lectures that people give about aging. It is a book to be owned, not borrowed.
So inspiring, I think I'll run a marathon!.......2000-09-09
Just one look at the photos and all your excuses for being a couch potato go out the door. This book is filled with inspirational photos of senior athletes. Helen Zechmeister, age 91, works out 3 days a week, deadlifts 200 pounds and can do the full splits. A competitive swimmer, Marie Wilcox-Little at 73 has a much better figure than I could ever hope to have (I'm merely 30). My favorite: Ivor Welch,(Volume 1)was never active until 83 when his wife his wife passed away. To mourn her death he started walking, then running, then running marathons. By the age of 90 he ran five marathons and 2 half marathons! If Ivor can do it, by golly, so can I! A must have for anyone who wants to enjoy life to its fullest!
Average customer rating:
- woman runners!
- A Collection of Running Stories
- Another Sole Sister
- Ready for more!
- Inspiring and Motivating
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Sole Sisters: Stories of Women and Running
Jennifer Lin , and
Susan Warner
Manufacturer: Andrews McMeel Publishing
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ASIN: 0740757113 |
Book Description
Half of all runners are women, and they are changing the face of the sport. It's a social outlet, a healthful way to improve mental well-being, and an opportunity to form bonds with like-minded women.
Sole Sisters: Stories of Women and Running is a gripping collection of stories that captures the inspirational heart of the women's running boom. Authors Jennifer Lin and Susan Warner have interviewed women of all ages from all walks of life and all parts of the country. All of their subjects have one thing in common: Running has transformed them. There are both heartrending stories of grief and survival and lighthearted tales of friendship. Among them are:
" Sisters who competed in a 5K race to honor a sister who survived breast cancer.
" A 9/11 widow who ran her first marathon to honor the memory of her husband.
" A 65-year-old woman who overcame obesity and alcoholism to finish the grueling Ironman triathlon.
" An unknown runner from Norway named Grete Waitz who decided to run a marathon-and changed the face of the sport.
Sole Sisters is not just for women who run. It appeals to all women who know what it means to have the support of others who share their trials and triumphs. Sometimes touching, sometimes funny, and always inspiring, Sole Sisters has the makings of a runaway hit.
Customer Reviews:
woman runners!.......2007-06-27
all woman runners should read this book!
it is well worth the time and money!!
A Collection of Running Stories.......2007-04-12
These personal stories of runners are perfect to share with your running friends. They'll get you all motivated to keep it up.
Another Sole Sister.......2007-01-09
I had never read this book, but after reading a review, purchased it for two running friends. It was a hit! One copy has now been passed around to at least 3 different readers. The chapters are good, motivational, real to life running adventures. I would recommend it to both walkers and runners, beginners to advanced.
Ready for more!.......2006-11-20
I very much enjoyed the personal nature of the story each runner had to tell. One or two were a little to much brag for me. Most provided inspiration and joy at the growth the runner achieved by their running. More than a couple brought a tear to my eye. I encourage the writers to create an annual supplement. (Keep it simple and don't over do it the way the Chicken Soup guys have done.) I look forward to more!
Thanks. egm, Vermont
Inspiring and Motivating.......2006-11-07
Great book. No matter what your sport or fitness regime, the stories in this book will inspire and motivate you to overcome whatever obstacles stand in your way.
The lessons can be applied to any struggle you might be facing, from relationships to business to yep, even learning how to run. The stories are short and easy to read--great if you don't have much time to indulge.
These amazing and uplifting stories of the power of women would make a great gift for any woman (or man). Give a copy to all your "sisters".
Book Description
In the past, when sport simply excluded girls, the equation of males with active athletic power and of females with weakness and passivity seemed to come easily, almost naturally. Now, however, with girls' and women's dramatic movement into sport, the process of exclusion has become a bit subtler, a bit more complicated-and yet, as Michael Messner shows us in this provocative book, no less effective. In Taking the Field, Messner argues that despite profound changes, the world of sport largely retains and continues its longtime conservative role in gender relations.
To explore the current paradoxes of gender in sport, Messner identifies and investigates three levels at which the "center" of sport is constructed: the day-to-day practices of sport participants, the structured rules and hierarchies of sport institutions, and the dominant symbols and belief systems transmitted by the major sports media. Using these insights, he analyzes a moment of gender construction in the lives of four- and five-year-old children at a soccer opening ceremony, the way men's violence is expressed through sport, the interplay of financial interests and dominant men's investment in maintaining the status quo in the face of recent challenges, and the cultural imagery at the core of sport, particularly televised sports. Through these examinations Messner lays bare the practices and ideas that buttress-as well as those that seek to disrupt-the masculine center of sport.
Taking the Field exposes the subtle and not-so-subtle ways in which men and women collectively construct gender through their interactions-interactions contextualized in the institutions and symbols of sport.
Michael A. Messner is professor of sociology and gender studies at the University of Southern California. His previous books include Power at Play: Sports and the Problem of Masculinity (1995) and Politics of Masculinities: Men in Movements (1997).
Customer Reviews:
A feminist man who's both smart and honest.......2002-10-02
Here are a few of the many reasons I keep reading everything Mike Messner writes:
1) He seems to take the feminist "personal is political" slogan to heart, revealing much more of himself and his own questions and vulnerabilities than most other male writers.
2) He uses both academic and journalistic techniques to research his topics and support his theses.
3) He lacks the arrogance of many experts, retaining an open mind as he delibertely attempts to look at things in original ways.
4) The topic of this book -- and several of his others -- continues to fascinate me. By looking at how we "do gender" in a sporting context, we come to understand so much about how and why any and all women and men behave as we do.
Highly recommended. -- Mariah Burton Nelson
Putting Sport into the Center of Gender.......2002-09-07
USC Sociologist Michael Messner, who has spent the majority of his academic career studying issues of sport, masculinity, and power has written a truly significant book with Taking the Field: Women, Men, and Sports. The book finds a place for much of his previous research, as well as the research of other gender and sport scholars, to elicit the mechanisms in which gender is produced, reproduced, and contested in sport.
The premise of the book holds that gender is a product of structure, culture, and an individual's interactions within culture. This serves as the launching point for a deft discussion of the affects of sport in America. Messner has a talent for seeing the larger picture in seemingly "normal" events, and in Taking the Field he analyzes the affect that "normal" interactions in sport has on the subjugation of women and gay men, and the real and symbolic violence committed against both women and men by men.
Messner's work is important to scholars of both sport and gender, but is particularly important to gender scholars who too frequently fail to recognize the power sport, and sport media, has in shaping current gender relations, particularly the institutionalization of manhood. But Taking the Field is also highly recommend for anybody who has an interest in understanding the larger implications of American sport, beyond winning and losing. It is a must read for coaches, parents, and educators who have anything to do with sport.
To help us understand how theory hits the road, Messner highlights familiar news events such as the Columbine Massacre, or the 1999 Women's World Cup Championships, and analyzes them from a social-feminist perspective. In such he clearly elucidates the perils of the way we do sport in America and shows us that the concepts and theories he speaks of are not just found on the pages of books - that they are real, with real life application, and have a very real affect on people's lives.
Taking the Field is also important because it brings both homophobia and the mediea into the center of analysis. Whereas much attention has been given to the media's role in gender relations, I have been wholly discouraged by the absence of homophobia from much sport literature, and from sport in gender literature. Taking the Field shows the significance homophobia plays in sport, shaping and maintaining athletics as a masculine and heterosexual institution, and how important sport is in the production of gender
In the end Dr. Messner suggests that resistance to the system is possible (perhaps even inevitable). The masculinist center of sport has a soft underbelly and it is currently challenged by individual sports, female athleticism, the growing presence of gay male athleticism, and progressive individual men who are no longer willing to allow the system to function in a homophobic and misogynistic manner. But while these challenges to a hegemonic masculinity have threatened sport's ability to be openly sexist and homophobic, we must understand how sport attempts to reproduce itself covertly, so that we can continue to progress toward a culture of equality...
Book Description
Shooting accurately at one thousand yards for the hunters, target shooters, and law enforcement SWAT shooters.
Customer Reviews:
Good reading.......2007-08-23
I thought this book was pretty good reading. It does not really get into good shooting practice much, but more on history of long range competitions it seems. All in all, I thought it was a good book.
observation.......2005-09-24
i was a little dissapointed in this book because i didn't want to read a biography, i wanted more technical information
An excellent effort. Highly recommended........2002-02-18
The editor has brought together a good selection of articles from first class shooters. I haven't put it down since I bought it. The info on scopes taught me a lot more than I know. Not perhaps for the unambitious beginner. This will be a standard reference work in your library. Buy it.
Book Description
For the Woman Who Wants it all:
Look Way Younger than Your Age
Have a Lean, Graceful, Athletic-Looking Body
Feel Amazing, Feel Vigorous, Feel Beautiful
Have More Energy and More Strength to
Get More Done in Your Day
In Russia, kettlebells have long been revered as the fitness-tool of choice for Olympic athletes, elite special forces and martial artists. The kettlebell's ballistic movement challenges the body to achieve an unparalleled level of physical conditioning and overall strength.
But until now, the astonishing benefits of the Russian kettlebell have been unavailable to all but a few women. Kettlebells have mostly been the sacred preserve of the male professional athlete, the military and other hardcore types. That's about to change, as Russian fitness expert and best selling author Pavel, delivers the first-ever kettlebell program for women.
It's wild, but women really can have it all when they access the magical power of Russian kettlebells. Pavel's uncompromising workouts give across-the-board, simultaneous, spectacular and immediate results for all aspects of physical fitness: strength, speed, endurance, fat-burning, you name it. Kettlebells deliver any and everything a woman could want—if she wants to be in the best-shape-ever of her life.
And one handy, super-simple tool—finally available in woman-friendly sizes—does it all. No bulky, expensive machines. No complicated gizmos. No time-devouring trips to the gym.
Just some of what From Russia with Tough Love reveals:
- How the Snatch eliminates cellulite, firms your butt, and gives you the cardio-ride of a lifetime
- How to get as strong as you want, without bulking up
- How the Swing melts your fat and blasts your hips `n thighs
- The real secret to great muscle tone
- How to supercharge your heart and lungs without aerobics
- How to shrink your waist with the Power Breathing Crunch
- How the Deck Squat makes you super flexible
- An incredible exercise to tone your arms and shoulders
- The cardio and fat-burning powers of the Clean-and Press
- The Overhead Squat for explosive leg strength
- How to think yourself stronger—yes, really!
- The queen of situps—for those who can hack it
- Cool combination exercises that deliver an unbelievable muscular and cardiovascular workout in zero time
- An unreal drill for a powerful and flexible waist, back, and hips
- How to perform multiple mini-sessions for fast-lane fitness
Into sports? Jump higher. Leap further. Kick faster. Hit harder. Throw harder. Run with newfound speed. Swim with greater power. Endure longer. Wow!
Working hard? Handle stress with ridiculous ease. Blaze thru tasks in half the time. Radiate confidence. Knock `em dead with your energy and enthusiasm.
Can't keep up with your kids? Not any more! They won't know what hit them.
Just wanna have fun? Feel super-relaxed from the endorphin-rush of your life, dance all night and feel finer-than-fine the next morning…and the next…and the next.
Got attitude? Huh! Then try Pavel's patented Russian Kettlebell workouts. Now, that's attitude!
Customer Reviews:
Drop the years.......2007-07-23
My wife and I became interested in Kettlebell fitness techniques and decided we would give it a try.
I ordered this for my wife who was over the age of 60. She has always been in fair physical condition, not a fitness freak but also not a couch potato. After a couple of weeks of this exercise plan the difference in her body and sense of well being was obvious. After about six months, she shocks most 40 year old women with her energy and appearance.
There is no doubt that she has reset the clock on physical aging with this plan.
too much ,too much.......2007-05-15
The content on the excersises is good, although there should be more shown. my biggest problem with this book are the pages and pages of what i call advertisement for the kettlebells. i can see one or two comments from people who have used and reccomend the kettlebells, but there are so many that it is distracting and annoying!! I might be less tempted to purchase another of his books if this is the format for all his books.
Kettlebells rule.......2007-02-16
Kettlebells offer unique advantages over other ways to exercise. Instead of alternating days of weight training for strength with aerobics for fat loss, you can do it in one workout, doing ballistics. Snatches, swings, cleans and jerks give you twice the exercise in half the time. There is also a remarkable carryover effect from kettlebell training onto other, seemingly non-related sports activities.
At the moment of writing this was the best book on kettlebells. The newer one, Enter the Kettlebell, is more elaborate and more hard core. This one is more suitable for the ladies, in my opinion.
Best workout ever!.......2005-08-02
When I first heard of kettlebells a couple months ago they seemed like they were for hardcore macho-man types--commandos, Green Berets, whatever. Not for me, a plump middleaged woman trying to get into shape and lose fat.
But then I found out about this book and video for women, and suddenly I knew I had to try it. I'm so glad I did!!!
Pavel's attitude is highly amusing as he milks the macho Russian drill sergeant schtick for all it's worth, but it's all tongue-in-cheek. And at the same time, he's giving priceless information and motivation about a training method that I'm sure will be huge once it catches on, because the results are so spectacular and quick and it's so physically satisfying and fun to do.
I ordered this book, the accompanying DVD, and one 15-lb. kettlebell to get started with, and I received them and started using them about a week ago. I can honestly say that this kettlebell workout is the greatest form of exercise I've ever tried.
I'd been eating a super-healthy top-quality diet for about five or six months and going to the gym and using the machines (both resistance and cardio) for about an hour to an hour and a half. Hadn't seen much in the way of results yet, despite my healthy diet and working out several times a week. I was feeling good, though.
But when I tried the kettlebell, it just ***blew away*** my gym workouts. I've been using the KB for about a week now and plan to cancel my gym membership ASAP. The KB stays in my bedroom and I use it at least once a day, sometimes twice, for up to 20 minutes at a time. It feels so good that I WANT to do it--and that means no more time-consuming trips to the gym for me.
I'm already starting to feel a difference in my body composition. According to Pavel, if you work out a lot with kettlebells you can shred up to 1% of your body fat per week, which is a LOT.
The book has a lot of pictures showing the correct form, which I like, and it explains the WHY's behind KB training, which helped me to quickly gain a basic understanding of everything KB-related without having to read the book cover-to-cover.
As for the DVD, I watched it through twice, and then started just skipping to the workout at the end, where the two women (DC and Andrea) are doing a freestyle KB workout as Pavel comments in the background. I watched that freestyle workout every day the first few days, as I did my own freestyle workouts, but now (yesterday and today), I've started just doing a freestyle workout to my favorite music instead.
I feel I don't really need the book or the DVD anymore, except for occasional reference. So, to me, I'd say the most valuable part of the three things I bought to get started (Pavel's book, DVD, and a kettlebell) was by far the kettlebell itself. You pretty much need to have either the book or the DVD, or both, to get started, however, because you need to learn the various drills, correct form, etc. The DVD physically demonstrates how to do it, whereas the book explains why and gives more detail. In my opinion you need both, although for me I think the DVD was more valuable.
These KB exercises are very different from dumbbell exercises. Way more fun, for starters! It just FEELS incredibly good to do the KB workouts. I get a flood of pleasant endorphins after only about 15 minutes, whereas it used to take me about an hour to achieve that at the gym. My flexibility has already improved a lot too--now I spring out of bed in the morning like a panther, rather than dragging myself around with morning joint pain/stiffness. After only a week of daily use!
I'm so glad I found out about working out with KBs--I know it will make a profound difference in my life and health. I'm telling everybody I know about them. I'm completely confident that I will be able to shed over 100 lbs. of body fat in a year with my kettlebell training. I'm so ready to become a FEMME FATALE!!!
An Evolution In Method.......2005-07-28
"From Russia With Tough Love" represents an evolution in Pavel's methods of teaching kettlebell techniques. "The Russian Kettlebell Challenge" was male-oriented, taught basic exercises and then said "Have at it." "From Russia with Tough Love" is designed for women, assumes that the reader is an absolute beginner, starts from ground zero, and builds an effective workout step-by-step. I recommend "From Russia with Tough Love" for anyone, male or female, who is just starting out with kettlebells.
Books:
- Dry: A Memoir
- Edge City: Life on the New Frontier
- Emotional Vampires: Dealing With People Who Drain You Dry
- Encyclopedia of Counseling: Master Review and Tutorial for the National Counselor Examination and State Exams
- Exploring Socio-Cultural Themes in Education: Readings in Social Foundations (2nd Edition)
- Fame Junkies: The Hidden Truths Behind America's Favorite Addiction
- Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results
- Forests of the Vampires: Slavic Myth (Myth and Mankind)
- From Sexual Revolution to God Revolution (Fireside)
- Global Sociology: Introducing Five Contemporary Societies
Books Index
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