Book Description
Becoming a Major League ballplayer for Dwight and me, that was the dream.
Dwight is Dwight Gooden. Most people know him for winning the Cy Young Award. To me, though, he’s family, an uncle, but at four years older, really a brother. I can still remember those games of catch with Dwight in the backyard: him rearing back, and me somehow getting my mitt up to stop one of his fireballs. Often the two of us would sit with Grandpa (Dwight’s dad), and he’d tell us how hard it would be to make our dream come true, how just playing our best wouldn’t be enough.
He’d talk about “inside power.”
At the time, I didn’t really understand what Grandpa was driving at. But I do now. After twenty years in the “bigs” and seven Major League teams, I understand. When I landed with my first team, Milwaukee, I thought being a ballplayer was about hitting home runs. I’ve always been good at that. It took me longer to learn that “the game” as it’s played at the Major League level with millions on the line and the cameras always turned in your direction asks far more of you.
If you’re a go-along guy, it can be great. I’ve just found that too often “going along” gets in the way of being a man. I love this game. Love the feel of the bat in my hand, the grass under my feet, the shouts of encouragement as I step into the box. I draw strength from the fans and play my heart out for them.
I just wish those who control the game had more respect for the guys doing the playing.
What I want to do in this book is show you what it’s been like taking this strange, wonderful, sometimes immensely frustrating life journey. “Malcontent” . . . “greedy” . . . “selfish” I’ve had plenty of adjectives lobbed my way, and believe me, they’ve stung. There are a lot of stories to tell from a life lived on and off the field: some sweet, others horrific. Everything from soaking up Little League glory to nearly being shot to death, from learning the startling truth of how I came by my last name to playing with and for characters like A-Rod, Jeter, Lasorda, Leyland, and Torre. And, yeah, I’ll finally set the record straight about a guy named Steinbrenner and a guy named Bonds.
It’s a story Grandpa would want me to tell. It’s a story I need to tell.
Customer Reviews:
2 Thumbs up for Gary Sheffield.......2007-08-24
If you like baseball, then read this book. This book describes most owners and GM's are just business men. It shows really how cruel the Yankees baseball staff is and how great the players. It shows how baseball is unfair to a lot of players and how it is becoming more of a racist sport. This book also shows inspiration and how money isn't everything. This book also shows that Barry Bonds is a really egotistical power-hungry maniac(no offense Giants fans). This is a great book. I picked it up and i didn't put it down until I finished it.
Great Book.......2007-06-18
Gary Sheffield Is one of My Favorite Players and David Ritz is One of Favorite Writers as well. bring there two Worlds together and you have a strong Book. what I dig about Gary Sheffield is that He is One of the very Few true Soul Brothers around who speaks his mind. I miss that from so many cats who are only too happy to grin and get the Money and Be Bought off. Sheff stays on the real.I dug what he said about his Grandpa I can relate to that. Great mentions of his Uncle Dwight "Doc" Gooden. a Strong Book from a Strong Minded Soul Brother.
Among the better Sports books.......2007-06-17
This is among the better sports-related books written recently. Gary Sheffield's story is about what makes a player tick -- and the motivation and self-hype that goes with it. A fast and entertaining read, it has some inside insights into the game of baseball. Sheffield, now playing for my Detroit Tigers, is someone I have never admired, nor liked. This book makes me neither like him more, nor admire him more - once a Yankee, always a Yankee -- but it certainly presents a slice of life into the world of baseball, big egos, and (thank God) ghost writers. A good sports book, that reads in about three hours. Don't look for any amazing revelations. Don't look for anything surprising about any of the (now 7) teams that he has played for. This is about pure ego and how it helps you excel.
inside power.......2007-06-08
the book was awesome Iam a Wrestling coach and i have asked all my Wrestlers to read it to see what a real work attic is all about
Good Read.......2007-05-27
This was a good read. Sheffield wasn't as outspoken as I thought he was going to be, but you learned a lot about what makes him tick in this book. He's a very intense person, who will go to great lengths to prove his worth, both to himself and to others. He doesn't like authority, doesn't like being told what to do or how to do things. This is the basic message you will get from after reading this book. The whole "Bonds" chapter was interesting. Not sure if I believe the steroids issue (I mean, come on, there's no way on Earth he's going to admit to using them--he's got MILLIONS of dollars and his legacy to worry about). He was definitely on juice back when everyone else was. He was IMMENSE! Now he's strong, but not even close to what he was back in 2000 or so. Other than the juice issue, the rest was fairly interesting. It was the kind of book that I read in its entirety in one day, because I didn't feel like putting it down.
Book Description
Derek Jeter
Jason Giambi
Bernie Williams
Gary Sheffield
Alex Rodriguez
Johnny Damon
Melky Cabrera
Hideki Matsui
Bobby Abreu
Jorge Posada
Mariano Rivera
Chien-Ming Wang
Robinson Cano
Mike Mussina
Randy Johnson
“The Yankees always said they valued players who could handle the white-hot spotlight, could handle life in the Yankee Fishbowl.”
--from The Pride and the Pressure
What’s it really like to wear the pinstripes? This riveting account from New York Post writer Michael Morrissey takes readers inside the clubhouse of the 2006 New York Yankees and reveals what really goes on behind the hype, the media glare, and the roar of the fans surrounding the most fabled organization in the world of professional sports.
The New York Yankees began the 2006 season with baseball’s highest payroll and sky-high expectations—and more challenges than other any Yankee team in history. From owner George Steinbrenner right on down, the team took an urgent, almost militaristic, approach toward winning their twenty-seventh world championship. Morrissey had full access, chronicling the ups-and-downs on the field and the public and private skirmishes that defined their season:
·Why manager Joe Torre and general manager Brian Cashman chose to stay on for another season, despite chafing under Steinbrenner in 2005
·The saga of Alex Rodriguez: his peculiar relationship with the fans and the media and the crushing scrutiny that shaped 2006
·How Johnny Damon, the fun-loving, former Red Sox superstar, assimilated into the Yankee line-up and clubhouse
·How Jason Giambi quietly overcame a steroid scandal and became a reliable, formidable power once again
·How the acquisition of Bobby Abreu at the trade deadline redefined the Yankees, attempting to overcome serious injuries to Gary Sheffield and Hideki Matsui that nearly derailed the team’s prospects
·An unexpected role for Bernie Williams, a huge fan favorite whose Yankee career seemed to be over until team injuries drew the aging star back into the line-up
·Why the Yankee pitching rotation never felt bulletproof – from inconsistencies by Randy Johnson to the embarrassing injury streak suffered by Carl Pavano
·How Yankee superstar and captain Derek Jeter handled relentless expectations to win the World Series, guided the team through disastrous injuries, and faced stinging accusations of not supporting teammate Alex Rodriguez
Nothing in sports compares to the prestige and weight of wearing the pinstripes. THE PRIDE AND THE PRESSURE takes Yankees fans behind the scenes and brings it all to life.
Customer Reviews:
Another Yankee Odyssey .......2007-09-03
For once, we are not talking about the Yankees of days gone by. We are dealing in the current events of their often lopsided universe, and this book presents all of the players and all of the king's men in a very honest, current spotlight(or glare, if necessary). We are treated to a better understanding of some of the people you don't normally hear enough about. Mike Mussina, Godzilla, Robinson Cano and others are given the attention normally reserved for Jeter or Rodriguez. Even George Steinbrenner is updated to the reality of who he is right now, and not the volatile, cartoonish owner of the past. There is still plenty of ink devoted to the superstars but even they are shown to be every bit as human as the rest of us. Fans who live in the Yankee past will probably not enjoy this book as much, since they tend to continually want to compare every year and every line-up with a time that is long gone by. That's too bad. But for those of us who follow the Yankees right now, today - this book is really a terrific find. The Yankees will always be the gold-standard of class, excellence and profitability, but atleast this book will show you just how hard it is to get where they are and even harder to hold on. Forget curses, spells and other mumbo-jumbo. Success and heart - that is the true Yankee credo.
shoddy.......2007-05-30
Baseball has always been the most literary of pastimes and has without doubt produced more great books than any other sport. Unfortunately, Michael Morrissey's new release, "The Pride and the Pressure" is not an addition to that canon. Subtitled "A Season Inside the New York Yankee Fishbowl," the book chronicles the Yanks' 2006 dramatic season, ending with their abrupt defeat against the Detroit Tigers in the first round of the playoffs.
Billed as an insider's look into the Yankees season, the book lacks a strong narrative and offers virtually no detail on the games themselves. Instead Morrissey focuses a chapter at a time on specific players, ("Jeter," "Giambi," "Mussina") causing the book to feel scattered and lacking focus. He often steps outside of his journalist role and editorializes needlessly, calling players "jerks" and other names. The clichéd analogies and badly structured sentences seem to indicate that Morrissey was a journalist struggling under deadline - never conducive to great literature.
If you want to read a great baseball book this summer you may have to pick up "The Boys of Summer," (Roger Kahn) "Summer of '49," (David Halberstam) or another classic. This one isn't much more than an extra long research paper.
Great Overview of 2006.......2007-05-07
Morrissey's book is a terrific synopsis of this disappointing season. It may be quote- heavy, but that is exactly what makes it interesting. He did not try to go through the season day-by-day or month-by-month simply recapping the box scores. He let the players and key personnel describe in their own words what happened, and gave everyone a chance to get their viewpoint across while adding valuable insight of his own. This makes for a much more enjoyable read. Perhaps fans who have already read every one of the daily newspaper stories during the season will not get as much from this. Readers who love (or even those who hate) the Yankees who do not have access to the daily reporting will really love this book.
Decent as a research paper, poor as a book.......2007-04-25
I remember when I used to write papers in school and in college -- if I had trouble filling the page demands, I would stretch the material as far as I possibly could, fluff up the quotes, throw in some extra notes I had edited out before, and so on. It seems Michael Morrissey approached "The Pride and the Pressure" the same way, taking what is essentially an extremely long magazine feature piece and padding it until it became a 250+ page book. It's probably my least favorite baseball book of all time.
I'll admit, I didn't have high hopes for this book going in. I'm a die-hard Yankee fan, but there are two things -- I felt -- that worked against this book right from the start. 1) Despite what Morrissey and some reviewers contend, the 2006 Yankees weren't all that interesting. They had some injuries, some clubhouse tension, high hopes that fell short -- but there wasn't much so extraordinary that it was worthy of a book. 2) Only five months separated the end of the '06 season and the day the book hit the stores -- as a result, there is nothing but quotes, quotes, and more quotes. Any anecdotes on the team or players that were new or interesting were very infrequent. There is probably a reason why some of the best books that recap a season or consecutive seasons (Summer of '49, October 1964, October Men, The Last Good Season, Boys of Summer, to name a few) come out years or decades later, giving the material time to grow and the people that were involved time to reflect back and share their thoughts in a different (more interesting and less inhibited) way.
As others have noted, the major flaw in this book is the use of quotes. I don't ever recall seeing a book so heavily padded with unnecessary quotes as this effort by Morrissey. Quotes go on for paragraphs at a time, and often, they make no sense. With the apparent lack of editing, some do nothing but confuse the reader who is forced to read someone's spoken rant verbatim.
To compare, "Birth of a Dynasty," another recent book written by a NY Post sports reporter, had me hooked within the first three chapters, and it was a breeze to finish. "Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty" was very good. "The Pride and the Pressure," unfortunately, does not come close to either one. It simply did nothing for me and was frustrating to read.
Like I said earlier, it basically reads like Morrissey was told to write a 250-page paper on the Yankees as a final project, but he stalled at about 150.
awful.......2007-04-24
This was like reading a year's worth of newspapers at once. There is absolutely nothing worthwhile that even the most casual Yankee fan doesn't know. (Jeter and A-Rod don't get along? you're kidding!) This was clearly slapped together and put out to coincide with the start of the baseball season. I read a lot of baseball books and this is waaaayyyyy at the bottom.
Book Description
It is the tournament that separates champions from mortals. It is the starting point for the careers of future legends and can be the final stop on the down escalator for fading stars. The annual PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament is one of the most grueling competitions in any sport. Every fall, veterans and talented hopefuls sweat through six rounds of hell at Q school, as the tournament is universally known, to get a shot at the PGA Tour, vying for the 30 slots available. The grim reality: If you don't make it through Q school, you're not on the PGA tour. You're out. And those who make it to the sixday finals are the lucky ones: hundreds more players fail to get through the equally grueling first two stages of the event. John Feinstein tells the story of the players who compete for these coveted positions in the 2005 Q school as only he can. With arresting accounts from the players, established winners, rising stars, the defeated, and the endlessly hopeful, America's favorite sportswriter unearths the inside story behind the PGA Tour's brutal all-ornothing competition.
Customer Reviews:
Tales From Q School.......2007-09-13
For several years I have considered John Feinstein to be one of my favorite authors and have read most of his books. His prior golf books were all excellent. He should have stopped, though, with A Good Walk Spoiled trying to characterize Q-school. He did a great job then and a poor job now. I'm beginning to think he's on an annual deadline with his publisher as his last few books have lacked the quality of his earlier ones in an effort to ht a deadline. It was all I could do to finish the book and did only because one of the first stage qualifiers of Q-school will soon be held at our local country club and wanted to get a feel of the pressure from someone who I thought could best articulate it. I should have reread A Good Walk Spoiled. And what's with all the name dropping in the credits. Geez, there must be a lot of famous people that get off seeing their name (again) in print. I'm beginning to enjoy Feinstein more as a radio commentator on NPR than an author.
A Rare Book Worth 5 Stars.......2007-09-10
I am no avid golfer but have been attracted to the Nationwide tour and Q school because even I knew there is so much more at stake there than worrying about who falls out of the PGA's top 10. This book has honest drama on every page. I didn't realize how many phases Q school had and that it is even more of a gauntlet than I had imagined. As you watch old pros who have tasted glory and money fall out and young guns move up or move out you really get into the tense mood that never lets up for the players trying for the magic PGA card. The author is a great writer and has done another exceptional job. Even if your not a golfer you'll enjoy the human stories and competition.
Tale From Q School.......2007-08-10
For golf fans, this book is a quadruple bogey...like a good hole, the concept was a good one but very poorly executed. Feinstein repeats himself constantly - where was the editor? The stories that he builds up to be so entertaining are flat out boring. Send this one back to writing school.
Feinstein Fatigue.......2007-08-03
I've read many of Feinstein's previous works and enjoyed some of them immensely. A Season on the Brink and A Good Walk Spoiled were outstanding. His last two books, however, have been disappointing.
Perhaps his style is such that over time it begins to wear and grate on you. I could swear that he wrote a similar book on Q school some years ago. Much of the story seems very familiar, though with different names. The old 40 something year old pro trying for one last shot. The former major winner relegated to Q school. The hot young junior golfer suddenly struggling to make the show. I've heard it before and to make matters worse, Feinstein seems to repeat himself throughout the book. He tells a story in the foreward and then repeats it in the body of the book, perhaps to beef up a work that can easily be read in one sitting.
If you watch the television special on Q school each year, you get the same story with video. Hold out for the TV special.
Must for any level golfer.......2007-08-02
I could'nt put this on down. Having read A Good Walk Spoiled some time ago I had forgotten how well John covers the topics he writes on. The Q school has got to be one of the hardest hustles there is and John as usual makes you feel as if you are there too if only as a spectator. Which for me would be plenty. I play alot of golf and keeping your mind in it helps an awful lot. I actually played better. I look foward to re-reading Good Walk and buying Open and Caddie for Life. Thank You.
Customer Reviews:
Your kidding right?.......2006-10-22
Is it possible to rate this rag as less then 1 star??
I love this statement from the book: "I did not win the America's cup. The entire team did". Bill Koch
Not for ONE MINUTE did ANYONE think that you, Bill, had "personally" won anything! You simply paid the bills so Buddy Melges and Dave Dellenbaugh could!
This book discribes Bill Koch as the "skipper" of America3. I haven't laughed this hard in a long time!
An excellent primer for success in any field........1998-07-04
Mr. Larsen carefully details Bill Koch's diligently applied Total Quality Management philosophy, which always places attitude and teamwork first; it's an expert treatise on personnel management. Koch's no-nonsense approach to the pursuit of excellence in scientific research (boat design and building) is also very illuminating. Koch won the America's Cup because he earned it; money alone cannot buy victory in such a contest. A great book.
A superb account of victory against overwhelming odds........1996-07-24
Set against the backdrop of the America's Cup, Bill Koch demonstrates his plan for success and beats Dennis Conner, the most famous sailor in the world, in his own backyard. Koch's approach to the America's Cup can be applied to yacht racing, business and life. As a testimony to the validity of his approach, while Koch spent eighteen winning the America's Cup his business recorded very respectable profits in his absence by following his plan for success. Anyone who wants to excell as an employee, employer or entrepreneur can benefit from this well written chronicle of achievement. A revealing look at a master of his environment. This book should be required reading for anyone who wants to achieve their goals
Book Description
The first definitive oral history of the ever popular L.A. Lakers
The L.A. Lakers have long been one of the NBA's most exciting teams. In The Show, critically acclaimed sportswriter Roland Lazenby brings the story of this charismatic team to life in an unprecedented oral history, featuring such legendary players as Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul- Jabbar, and Magic Johnson, along with current stars like Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.
Through in-depth interviews with players, coaches, and many other key figures, Lazenby follows the Lakers from their birthplace in 1946 Minneapolis to their eventual successes and failures in Los Angeles, using his flair for storytelling and eye for detail to show you exactly why the 14-time NBA champion Lakers are a celebrated favorite for sports fans all over America.
Customer Reviews:
A Good Read For Laker Fans .......2007-06-27
A good book, although I started skipping through the last third of it - too bad there wasn't more info on the Minneapolis Lakers version and the early 70's West-Chamberlain-Goodrich Lakers - it would've been nice to read more about personalities on those Laker teams - there was already enuff media saturation with the Kobe-Shaq Lakers so i started to skip thru that section. Seems kind of sad that everyone didn't have the foresight (and media saturation) like we do now, to save every lil scrap and every piece of info, so we can have a better perspective on how things were then.
Showtime At Its Best!!.......2007-04-03
What a wonderful book on the inside story of the Lakers. Having been a huge Laker fan since the early '70's, I found this book to be very informative and easy reading. This book brought back all the heartache of all the loses to Celtics, to the first championship in the '72 season.The Lakers had a great team with Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain. The 33 wins in a row will most likely never be beat. As the book moves through the '80's, I could visualize each year and the outcomes. Magic Johnson, Kareem, James Worthy and company brought alot of excitement and winning during this time. The '90's were exciting in its own right if you are fans of Kobe and Shaq. I tend to favor the early years. I would recommend this book to Laker fans of yester-year and today. Well done.
A very readable history of the Lakers.......2007-02-25
The author keeps the narrative going with many voices. He does a great job of keeping your interest. Lots of colorful characters. I tuned in during the Jerry West era and then back for the Shaq and Kobe era, so it is great to learn about the in betweens. I wish it came with a DVD package.
Good book - I just expected more detail.......2006-10-18
Lazenby wrote one of the best basketball books I have ever read, called The Lakers and one of the best books on the Chicago Bulls dynasty called Blood on the Horns. In this book, he tells the history of the Lakers, but this time, it is told by those who lived it. It is similar in format to Terry Pluto's excellent books Tall Tales and Loose Balls.
The book is very large - over 400 pages which makes you think it is an exhaustive and thorough collection, but it really is not. I found the book to be less informative than The Lakers, with the only difference being that that The Lakers ends in 1993 and this book goes up to the 2004 season. I was wanting more information on Magic Johnson's final comeback and the behind the scenes information on the Dennis Rodman acquisition and dismissal, but this book left me wanting much more. Furthermore on seasons that the Lakers did not do well, they are passed over briefly, so rather than being an exhaustive history, it is closer to highlights of the franchise. In defense of Lazenby, if he wrote the book I wanted, it would probably be 2 volumes, but after the bar he set with his previous work, I expected at least as much detail. If you want more detail on Magic Johnson's short lived first comeback, read The Lakers.
Lazenby goes into great detail about the Phil Jackson-Shaquille O'Neal-Kobe Bryant 4 year soap opera. We heard from the press about how Bryant broke up the team so that he could hog the ball more. Lazenby tells the other side of the story, and details what a despicable person Phil Jackson can be and how his peers and even Jerry West loathe him. He tells more about O'Neal was out of shape an uninterested in defense and rebounding and was a poor team leader. He brings credibility to the argument by often quoting the venerable Tex Winter. However, I noticed that he only briefly touches on the shortcomings of Bryant. I think he would have been better served covering this and bringing balance to the story, much as he did in Blood on the Horns. I wonder if the lack of balanced reporting is a conflict of interest, due to the fact that he wrote a Bryant biography Mad Game: The NBA Education of Kobe Bryant.
Besides exposing the Jackson/O'Neal shortcomings, the strength of the book (compared to The Lakers) is that he goes into great detail about Jack Kent Cooke's reign over the franchise, exposed how tight Jerry Buss was with his money, and covered the power plays between Jackson, Buss, and West. Also, The Lakers bounces around between time eras from the present to the past, which is a bit maddening, whereas this book has more of an authentic feel to it, since it is written in chronological order.
If you haven't read The Lakers, this is definitely worth picking up. Some of the parts will be more Cliff's Notes version compared the other book, but this book covers the last 3 NBA championships, which tells a more complete story of the franchise. If you have read the other book, and come to expect a certain level of detail from Lazenby, you may find yourself a bit disappointed.
Lazenby Does it Again.......2006-04-17
Lazenby doesn't disappoint in "The Show". It is nice to see a repeat of his strong story telling and positive writing style displayed previously in his acclaimed book, "Blood on the Horns". Lazenby explores through the complete time warp of, what I like to call, the "Laker Frontier", going where no one has gone before...straight from the mouths of the people who "were there", through the journals of NBA history, and onto the pages of this book. Lazenby goes beyond the traditional glorification of the legendary players and coaches. This is much more honest than Phil Jackson's basketball diary confessions. Instead, Lazenby focuses on the overall chemistry of what made and continues to make Laker Teams (players, coaches, owners, organization, and fans) "Great" that encompasses their tradition with its numerous rises, falls and rebirths. To better understand that "team concept", Lazenby turns to, who better than, Coach Tex Winter for the unbridled truth and for some of the Laker's more insightful stories. As Tex Winter appropriately stated in the Forward, the Lakers are a team with one "hell of a past" and if we can learn from it, they have a "hell of a future" too. FOOTNOTE: I was unable to edit and correct my rating on Amazon's System. My rating on Lazenby's book is simply "Excellent" - 5 on a scale of 5. If Lazenby's outstanding investigative skills ever "uncover and expose" the Naismith Hall of Fame Selection Board members who have been effectively "blackballing" Coach Winter over the past 10 years, he deserves a Pulitzer Prize in my book.
Book Description
Get inside the minds of the stars of the diamond in this extraordinary tour of brain power, psyche, and sheer will.
Yogi Berra once said, “Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical.” Even so, the Yankee great may have underestimated the brain power professional baseball players routinely draw on to perform such astounding feats of athleticism as hitting 98-mph fastballs and diving to catch line drives. In The Psychology of Baseball, Mike Stadler goes beneath the surface of the game to explore the psychology behind the actions of the game's greats—and breaks down legendary moments from baseball history, such as Willie Mays's full-sprint over-the-shoulder grab in the 1954 World Series.
Stadler begins with the mind's role in the game's basic skills, explaining the anticipatory thinking that can make a hitter see a “rising fastball,” the complex muscular coordination required to throw a major league heater, and the intense spatial calculations the brain must perform in a split second in order for a fielder to catch a struck ball. Stadler then discusses the hidden nature of streaks and slumps, explaining why a “hot” hitter is most likely just getting lucky and why there's no such thing as a clutch hitter, and also looks at the psychological basis of the so-called “sophomore slump” and the effect that a big-money contract has on a player's performance. He also examines the personality types that are best suited to baseball, and explains what traits are most associated with success at the highest levels.
A revolutionary new look at America's pastime that will appeal to the many fans of bestsellers like Moneyball and Three Nights in August, The Psychology of Baseball is a must-read book for the serious baseball fan.
Customer Reviews:
For the Fan...or For the Classroom?.......2007-09-14
I'm not embarrassed to say I quickly got lost and bored reading this book. I started out in earnest, then as Stadler got into the details of his LOT models and strategies, generalized optical acceleration cancellations, coarticulations, psychometrics, physics, even NASA (!)...and beyond, I started skimming pages, then skipping paragraphs and then jumping pages. When I began to skip chapters to "get to the good stuff," I decided to reach for another book.
I can't imagine the kind of baseball fan or player that would take the time to closely read the fatiguing analysis of catching wind-blown flyballs, hitting a monster curve ball, or throwing a tricky, rising (?) fastball, and more...although there must be lots of them who need/want this information. --But it's definitely more fun playing the game!
It's a good, solid work. There's no getting around that, and there are probably plenty of readers beyond psychologist types who would fully understand and enjoy author Stadler's effort. For me, however, a true "died-in-the-wool" baseball fan for over 30 years, it turned out to be quite over my head and beyond my sphere of interest.
Very good.......2007-08-06
Pros: Fascinating look at the mental intricacies of baseball. Includes a chapter on fan psychology, which was a nice, unexpected touch
Cons: Would have liked more mention of baseball superstitions, like not talking about a no-hitter in progress.
Grade: A-
A very good Psychology Textbook .......2007-07-19
The research and information present in this book is top notch. This author knows his stuff inside out.
On the flipside it's delivery "paints the corners" of becomming a bone dry Psychology textbook. Young readers curious for a mild read may lose their grip on this one. I found myself skipping pages upon pages of statistical analysis.
Illuminating a different side of baseball.......2007-04-26
Stadler's book proves to be an interesting read for baseball fans who want to know about the game from a different perspective.
Using a myriad of different psychological studies, Stadler explains many different facets of the baseball world - hitting, fielding and behavior of the fan to name a few - in an understandable manner for the average fan who has very little background in psychology. He uses examples from real-life situations to illustrate his points; in fact, one of the most interesting aspects of the book is its comparison of Billy Beane and Darryl Strawberry. Both players were drafted in about the same position, but their successes on the field were much different, and Stadler examines why this is.
One part of the hitting portion looks closely at how players' eyes track the ball to the plate - or not quite. Stadler cites research that states that a player's eyes cannot follow the ball uninterrupted to the plate, which renders the adage of "keeping your eyes on the ball" useless. He also explores ways players attempt to cut down on uncertainty when batting.
One drawback exists to the book: Stadler relies on play-by-play too extensively at several places in the book. While he does use the instances to make his points, this style of narration can be difficult to get through. The longest stretch of this is about five pages.
However, despite this, the book as a whole remains very readable and interesting. Stadler has done an excellent job with it, and baseball fans should take advantage of it.
Thorough and Interesting Read.......2007-04-23
"The Psychology of Baseball" is well-researched, thorough, and has greatly enhanced my watching of the game. Stadler combs through a wealth of archival research that explores the psychology and physiology of hitting, pitching and fielding. I now have a new respect for the players, and my love of baseball has taken on a new dimension thanks to this book. Highly recommended!
Average customer rating:
- Running With The Buffaloes
- Wonderful book!
- Makes me wish I had run in college
- Running with the Buffaloes: A Season Inside with Mark Wetmore, Adam Goucher, and the University of Colorado Men's Cross-Countr
- A Year Of Triumph, Tragedy and Learning
|
Running with the Buffaloes: A Season Inside with Mark Wetmore, Adam Goucher, and the University of Colorado Men's Cross-Country Team
Chris Lear
Manufacturer: The Lyons Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Running & Jogging
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The Perfect Mile: Three Athletes, One Goal, and Less Than Four Minutes to Achieve It
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Tanita BC554 Ironman Glass InnerScan Body Composition Monitor Elite Series
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ASIN: 1585748048 |
Book Description
In RUNNING WITH THE BUFFALOES, writer Chris Lear follows the University of Colorado cross-country team through an unforgettable NCAA season. Allowed unparalleled access to team practices, private moments, and the mind of Mark Wetmore--one of the country's most renowned and controversial coaches--Lear provides a riveting look inside the triumphs and heartaches of a perennial national contender and the men who will stop at nothing to achieve excellence. The Buffaloes' 1998 season held great promise, with Olympic hopeful Adam Goucher poised for his first-ever NCAA cross-country title, and the University of Colorado shooting for its first-ever national team title. But in the rigorous world of top-level collegiate sports, blind misfortune can sabotage the dreams of individuals and teams alike. In a season plagued by injury and the tragic loss of a teammate, the Buffaloes were tested as never before. What these men managed to achieve in the face of such adversity is the stuff of legend and glory.
With passion and suspense, Lear captures the lives of these young men and offers a glimpse of what drives a gifted runner like Adam Goucher and a great coach like Mark Wetmore. Like Lance Armstrong's It's Not About the Bike, RUNNING WITH THE BUFFALOES is at once a glowing celebration of a sport and an inspiration to anyone who has ever had the courage to beat the odds and follow a dream.
Customer Reviews:
Running With The Buffaloes.......2007-09-21
In the summer of 1998 in Boulder, Colorado, expectations could not be any higher for the University of Colorado's cross country team. The Buffaloes finished third in 1997 and the returning team in 1998 only lost one runner. Running with the Buffaloes is written by Chris Lear who gives a firsthand account of one of the most emotional and physically trying seasons a college team has ever faced, all to achieve collegiate supremacy. Chris Lear was New Jersey's fastest high school miler in the 1990s; he attended Princeton University where he was awarded many honors. He now lives in Boulder, Colorado where he was inspired to document a season of a collegiate cross country team. The book is written in journal fashion and each chapter represents a new entry; a few chapters have pictures of the activities the team does. Each entry takes you through the day of training and Coach Mark Wetmore's philosophies.
As you read the book you get a feel for the average life of a cross country runner: the pain yet subtle enjoyment you get from running an "easy" ten miler, the feel of the dirt giving way to your spikes, and the shot of adrenaline that the starting gun releases in a human being that makes them feel free. You feel the raw emotions through each trial the team has to face, from injuries to the death of an important teammate.
Mark Wetmore, the fiery exuberant coach, constantly tells his runners that, "It takes 100 days to impress me, not just one." As with any sport, this means a lot. One good day doesn't equal a season of mediocre days. All his runners give their best every day, without an inch of mediocrity in their step.
Mark Wetmore's team consists of the varsity runners Adam Goucher, Mike Friedberg, Ron Roybal, Tom Reese, Adam Batliner, Jay Johnson, Oscar Ponce and Chris Severy. Adam Goucher is a runner who has high expectations to be near the very top at the NCAA Championships. Everyone on the team wants to be at his level, but fellow runner Oscar says you, "can't get greedy. Bad things happen when you get greedy." Adam finished second his freshman year and fourth his junior year at the NCAA Championships. As a senior he is even hungrier for the prize of being the top collegiate cross country athlete and most likely move on to the professional elites.
This book is a must have for any runner, competitive or non-serious. Although any sports enthusiast will enjoy the story and the trials that the team must overcome, a runner will enjoy the book the most. The book is used to not only inspire you, but it defines the sport of cross country itself.
Wonderful book!.......2007-07-15
This book is a great book about running. It is very interesting and motivating.
Makes me wish I had run in college.......2007-04-18
This book is awesome. I don't know how to describe it that well. It pretty much documents every day of the CU xc team during a season that culminates with the NCAA national meet. It has ups and downs, and a little bit of comedy. Some of the "language" in the book are direct quotes, but it would have been nice if they were left out. This book would be a good book to read if you are a HS cross country runner planning on running in college at any division. It could get you mentally prepared for a season of running at the college level.
Running with the Buffaloes: A Season Inside with Mark Wetmore, Adam Goucher, and the University of Colorado Men's Cross-Countr.......2007-01-05
A running aficionado would very much enjoy this book. If you never ran track & field in college and wondered what it would be like, the Buffs' story offers some great insights. I especially enjoyed reading about coach Wetmore: every word of his mouth was filled with humor, wisdom and an incredible exuberance.
What I found really annoying about the book was Mr. Lear's consistent misuse of the apostrophy and poor punctuation. His publisher could definitely use a good editor.
A Year Of Triumph, Tragedy and Learning.......2006-09-11
Running with the Buffaloes is an outstanding diary of a year in the life of a coach and his harriers, with a focus on - and it is a pair of shoes that has yet to be filled - the "next Pre," Adam Goucher, then a 2000 Olympic hopeful.
Author Chris Lear pens A Season On The Brink for the pressure-cooker that is Division I cross-country.
All the angst and bitterness of so many good racers challenging for so few top spots is featured, along with the powerful highs and extreme lows of training and racing. The death of team member Chris Severy places a perspective away from college life that one wishes each young person didn't have to face. There are enough years for such tragedies, but Lear captures the variety of feelings of those interviewed.
Coach Mark Wetmore stresses competition on a daily basis and there are few races leading to the 1998 NCAA championships. Though his controversial training schedule yields major results, it also contributes to some serious injuries. Should a coach push young runners to the brink? That is for the reader to decide.
Lear has an advantage over other scribes who keep a "diary" of a season because he was an oustanding high-school and collegiate runner. His journey to cover the season and to get the work published could be a book itself. It was a labor of love and put Lear on "the brink;" of financial meltdown, that is.
Whether you competed on a college team, run for fun or are interested in sports books, there are enough human-interest angles in Running with the Buffaloes to have you hoping for more once the season hits the finish tape.
Book Description
In Blood Feud, Colorado Avalanche beat writer Adrian Dater not only submits that the Red Wings-Avalanche rivalry was the most feverish match-up in recent years, but also that there was none better played.
Customer Reviews:
AWSOME READ.......2007-06-27
anyone who is a hockey fan would enjoy this read, if your an avalanche or red wing fan its a must read, could not put it down untill finished, have passed on to other hockey fans and have enjoyed as much as I have, I even have read out loud to the guys at work during break bits of the book, anyone who enjoys hockey would find this a great read
Interesting Topic; Average Story.......2007-05-25
'Blood Feud' by Adrian Dater tells the story of the infamous Detroit-Colorado rivalry that was responsible for some of the best hockey during the 1990s.
The strong points of this book include interesting biographical information about some of the rivalry's stars (Roy, Lemieux, McCarty, and Bowman to name a few). Another solid component of this book was the inclusion of some of the 'behind the scenes' chatter among the rivals including the details of the famous exchange between Crawford and Bowman. The material was also presented in a fairly even-handed way (pretty remarkable considering this guy is Colorado media).
This book has its weak points as well. The author attempted to weave in and out of the storyline too much. You'll find yourself reading about a particular playoff series, only to be randomly pulled out of it and thrown into another topic (at times, this really killed the flow of the story). Another notable weak point is the author's statement that the Ray Borque to Colorado trade was possibly the "greatest steal of a deal in NHL history" which is absurd. Finally, there were far too many awkward personal interjections by the author (often unrelated to the story itself).
Overall, for this price, I'd recommend reading this book if you have an interest in the rivalry. Don't buy it with the hopes of it being a literary work of art; just enjoy it for what it is: an insider's recollection of an exciting NHL rivalry.
Wingnut Residing in Denver.......2007-05-23
As a 27 year Detroit native living the last 13 years in Denver, I was in the emotional vortex of this great rivalry. This book was a great read and brought back all the polar feelings from these incredible games and bloody fights. Mr. Dater retells this story in a bioptic fashion, delving into the important characters and the stories behind the story. He points out the strange ironic twists that festered into this Hockey hatred. His fact finding was thorough and impressive on both teams. His writing style is casual, easy to read and similar to Jon Krakauer's "Into thin Air." Anyone who suggests Avalanche bias is way off base. This Denver newspaper writer is arguably tougher on the Av's than the Wings with most negative ink heaped on Lemieux and Crawford and some not too flattering episodes by Patrick Roy. Luckily this was an easy read because I had a hard time putting it down after page 1. Sent a copy to my brother in Detroit and he was late to work the morning he cracked it open. He showed the book to his boss and his tardiness was quickly forgotten and his book quickly borrowed.
Sad Day for the Written Word.......2007-04-21
Whether your an Avs or Redwings fan (I am the former) this book is a disgrace to readers everywhere. While I appreciate the subject matter, which kept me from tossing this book into the flames before I was finished, Adrian Dater's inability to write with any depth or clarity is evident. Perhaps there is a bit more background on the relevant events, but the bios focusing on Bowman, Lemieux, Roy and McCarty are pure filler. Half the book is in quotes so I hope Woody Paige and Mark Kiszla are getting royalties from this. There are also sections about Dater himself and self realizations he has. I don't care! I didn't pick up this book to learn about Dater drinking high protein shakes and mentally pounding his HS tormentors. The editor over at Taylor Trade should submit his/her resignation. This should be a pamphlet, but with misc. facts that stray from the subject combined with 12 point font make it two hundred plus pages of dribble. This "book" is a failure on all levels and it's a shame Amazon forces one to give any stars.
Blood Feud Review.......2007-04-14
First of all, this book is worth the price just for, as other comments have attested to, the screaming match that Crawford had with Bowman in 97; vulgar, but albeit priceless stuff. Second of all, it would be nice to see a Detroit reporter put together a similar account because I don't know how everyone can take this account as "unbiased". This guy is an Avs reporter for the Post for crying out loud! He includes numerous excerpts from the apparently unabashed homer Avs radio man, while providing nothing from Ken Kal, the Wings radio man who, apparently with his middle-of-the-road approach, is too boring for this book. Look, I am an honest Red Wings fan and appreciated the rivalry between both teams, but there are definitely pro-Avalanche slants in this book. Granted there are few, but they are still there. I would appreciate a counter-offer from the Detroit perspective, maybe from Bob Wojonowski, who is probably one of the top three Detroit sports writers.
Book Description
The must-read sports book of the year, Three Nights in August captures the strategic and emotional complexities of baseball's quintessential form, the three-game series. As the St. Louis Cardinals battle their archrival Chicago Cubs for first place, we watch from the dugout through the eyes of legendary manager Tony La Russa, considered by many to be the shrewdest mind in the game today. In his twenty-seven years of managing, La Russa has won more games than any current manager and has been named Manager of the Year a record five times. A great leader, he's built his success on the conviction that ballgames are won not only by the numbers but also by the hearts and minds of those who play. Drawing on unprecedented access to a major league manager and his team, Buzz Bissinger brings a revelatory intimacy to baseball and offers some surprising observations on the psychology of the clutch, the eccentricities of players, the rise of video, and the complex art of retaliation when a batter is hit by a pitch.
Customer Reviews:
great book.......2007-08-07
I will never see Tony the same again. It is so well written that I never got bored reading it and I cannot say that for all sports related books I have read.
A Great Baseball Book.......2007-05-07
This is one of the best baseball books out there. Bissinger takes the reader to many levels of the game, and gives a lot of insite to Tony LaRussa as a manager and tactician. I strongly recommend this book for any baseball fan. It is a really great read.
A basic book on baseball.......2007-04-13
A well written book that provided some insight into the game, particularly the thought process of a manager. For that I give it three stars.
But '3 Nights' was neither as enlightening nor thought provoking as a 5-star sports book - such as 'The Game' by Ken Dryden, 'Beyond the Sixth Game' by Gammons, or Lewis' 'Moneyball'. At times, Bissigner's work came across more as a hero worship of La Russa than a study of the game, which detracted from the author's credibility to accurately assess what he witnessed and learned from the dugout.
Into the Mind of Tony LaRussa.......2007-04-10
This book provides an in-depth look at a critical three-game series between the St. Louis Cardinals and their archrivals, the Chicago Cubs.
Great Book for any Cardinals Fan.......2007-01-21
Buzz Bissinger is an absolutly fantastic writer. This book combines an indepth behind the scenes look at Larussa and others, but also gives a lot of inside info on players like JD Drew, Pujols, and others. I love hearing about the managerial strategy, what happens after the game, in the club house etc. I'm not a big reader, but once I started this book, I couldn't put it down.
Book Description
Since 1994 Michael Schumacher has dominated Grand Prix, winning the FIA World championship in five of the last nine seasons. In 2001 / 2002 he broke almost every motor racing record and is now the most successful Formula One driver of all time.
Now, in the official Schumacher book, we discover for the very first time the real Michael Schumacher -- through extensive first person material, as well as a narrative by Sabine Kehm, a journalist, colleague and friend of Schumacher. Fantastic new photographs from renowned European photographer, Michel Comte, give us new insight into the man and his life. For the first time the private man who gives nothing away and the driver who takes no hostages relaxes and opens up. This book will be a real surprise to all fans of Formula One and anyone who's wondered just what goes on behind the superhero's mask.
We learn about Schumacher's past, the secrets of his extraordinary success, his family, his view of other drivers and the state of F1, his opinions on controversial races and drivers, and we are given an insider's view of Ferrari.
At last one of the truly great sporting heroes opens up in an intimate, fantastically photographed book.
Customer Reviews:
Good, but could have been better.......2004-03-17
Great book with a great insight into Schuey's life (also privat life), but for me it is too much of a picture book rather than a 'serious' biography of a racing driver. Maybe it's just me, but I would have preferred a more informative autobiography about how he has seen his racing career so far and certain situations. I dream of a Schuey autobiography in which he goes through all of his races, his entire career.
I hope we will get one in the future...
Best Biography ever!.......2004-02-04
This is a wonderful book! It is filled with wonderful pictures and really puts you in the shoes of the best Formula 1 drivers the world ahs ever seen. It is filled with details about his life. And realy shows the way he thinks about things, i can even relate to him! All and all this a fabulous book and teaches you alot about the sport and the "felling"
Best Biography ever!.......2004-02-04
This is a wonderful book! It is filled with wonderful pictures and really puts you in the shoes of the best Formula 1 drivers the world ahs ever seen. It is filled with details about his life. And realy shows the way he thinks about things, i can even relate to him! All and all this a fabulous book and teaches you alot about the sport and the "felling"
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