5 comments about The Lion in Autumn: A Season with Joe Paterno and Penn State Football.

1. The book "The Lion in Autumn:A Season with Joe Paterno and Penn State Football" is a good book to be read by a Penn State football fan. The book takes you through the Nittany Lions 2004 season where they finished the disapointing season at 4-7. The book travels through the rough season with an inside look at Penn State football. Week by week the book takes you in depth into what happened during the 2004 season. The book goes in chronological order game after game with recollections of Nittany Lion football pasts along the way. At the end of the book there is an afterword about the Lions next season whre they went 11-1 and finished 3rd in the country. I recommend "The Lion In Autumn" to any Penn State football fan who is looking for something to read.



2. I thought the book was very good. Would recommend it to Penn State fans as well as any other football fans.



3. One of the great joys of Penn State football fandom is reading books about Coach Paterno and his program. As both a fan and a reader, any disappointment I had with this one was chiefly due to the limited access given to the author. After a nine-loss season in 2003 that marked the nadir of precipitous competitive slide, and an increasing number of off-field incidents, Coach Paterno was understandably guarded -- even abandoning a longstanding tradition of meeting with reporters over cocktails the night before game day. (Stiffing reporters in this fashion was probably an unwise political move that helped to contribute to the "JoePa Must Go" sentiment.)
   
   What then is a writer to do? One approach could have been to chronicle the growing division within the Penn State community -- former players, alumni, students, and the media -- over the tough times in Happy Valley, using a few colorful and outspoken characters as a catalyst for that division.
   
   Instead, Mr. Fitzpatrick delivers a fairly straightforward chronicle of the 2005 season's aspirations and disappointments. He does an adept job for those readers who may not be familiar with the programs history, but for those readers who are the chapters on glories past provide no new insight and interrupts the narrative of the current season.
   
   Penn State's decline was primarily attributable to lackluster recruiting that produced players unable to compete effectively in the Big Ten, and Mr. Fitzpatrick is spot on when he writes that Paterno was mindful of this: "Other teams had more talent than Penn State. But to admit that too often in public was to demean his players.... [He] understood that the quickest solution to the Nittany Lions' troubles would be to search harder and more selectively for talent." (p. 287)
   
   Once again, Coach Paterno's refusal to publicly contemplate life after football is highlighted, where is prospective retirement activity has changed over the years from collecting stamps to cutting grass. With the almost immediate death of Alabama's Bear Bryant after his retirement, Mr. Paterno is quite candid about his deep seated fears: "I'm alive. I don't want to die. Football keeps me alive." (p. 276) This outlook is quite tragic and perplexing, given his successes off the field as an educator, philanthropist, community leader and family patriarch.
   
   In short, this volume does not quite rise to the level of incisiveness of Ken Denlinger's "For the Glory" or Coach Paterno's decades-old autobiography, which is in desperate need of an update. But it reads quickly and provides and admirable journalistic account of Happy Valley's darkest days in the Paterno era.



4. I just finished the book a couple of days ago and as it settled it my mind, two impressions came over me.
   
   One is that there is a big part of Joe Paterno who still feels deep inside that he is not as good as his rich college classmates at Brown and how he has to prove to them that he belongs.
   
   The second is that while Saint Joepa Paterno can talk all he wants about the excesses in college athletics, he is not willing to forgo any of the excesses that reward him. You don't see him turning away any of the huge salaries or the other luxuries, do you.
   
   Paterno comes across as a control freak, if he is trying to prepare his players and assistant coaches for the outside world, why does he restrict acccess to them so tightly.
   
   I am a big sports fan of college and pro sports but I have major issues with people glorifying coaches the way they do. They are just athletic coaches. They are not helping solve the problems of the world, just entertainers.
   
   Joepa also comes across as humorless, a man who takes himself way too seriously.
   
   It is a shame that Fitzpatrick was denied access to so many sources. It would have been interesting to find out why Joepa's son is unwilling or able to get a job on his own instead of depending on Daddy.
   
   As noted above, Joepa was influenced greatly by his days at Brown. I would have loved to learn how in the world an Italian kid from Brooklynin the 40s made it to the Ivy League.
   
   This is not a puff piece on the man, that is a great accomplishment by the author.



5. I hesitated picking up this book because even though it was published only one year ago, it is arguably outdated since Penn State football finally bounced back and had a very good year. That said, I am glad I read it because the book goes beyond the marketed "A Season with Penn State" storyline and provides a very good historical synopsis of Joe Paterno and his role in the history of college football.
   
   Since Paterno has been around so long, people tend to forget his importance in the development of college football. Once he retires, he will undoubtedly be remembered in the same breath as Bear Bryant, Knute Rockne, Daryl Royal, Bud Wilkinson and the other Legends (with a capital "L") of college football.
   
   This book provides interesting insights into his personal history and the development of Penn State University, which Paterno literally transformed from a backwater agricultural school into a well-known and successful state school. I doubt any coach in college sports history has been more important to his school's development than Paterno has been to Penn State.
   
   The parts about the actual season are fairly boring, since PSU was horrible the year Fitzpatrick followed them but it is worth picking up if you are a fan of college football history.

5 comments about The Courting of Marcus Dupree.

1. This book is about the South and northern places in the mid 60's-80's. To be sure it is about a gifted black athlete having to survive a white society that wants somehow to be with him in his quest for greatness. Much more than that, this book is about racism at its core, promise, insecurity, and reluctant goodness, and we should hope that Morris's honest and understandable "sorta" autobiographical dissertation on his homeland Mississippi will compel us to take another look at where we are as a society. We should not let Pete, Willie's mid-life dog, be the best of what we can be.



2. This is a must read-especially for the young athletes of today. This man was a legend! Hands down the best running back in the country during his era!
   Having met him, he's a modest, humble man who loves football and loves his hometown. Would love to see this made into a movie!
   Get it, you won't be disappointed!



3. I recently read "The Courting of Marcus Dupree" and found it to be exciting and spell binding. My entire family was caught up in it. The book is an excellent tale of the birth of a young Black male in a troubling time for the South. The way Willie Morris related Marcus' birth and powerful strength to the struggle of his town and state was awesome, he should be the Mayor of Philadelphia or the Governor of Mississippi. I expected the book to be totally about football but it proved to be much more. It made you laugh and cry at times because of the tremendous pressure on Marcus Dupree, the 17 year old athlete that was blessed with such miraculous skills. The book made you feel like you were at the games when he made some of the beautiful plays. It was so intense that you wanted to get to the next page, but never wanted the book to end. I wish it was reprinted.



4. I read this book again recently and it was better than I remembered. It was so interesting to see how one 17 year old boy could dominate one small town's conversations. I expected this book to be a tale of a high school football star and his recruitment, but I got more, much more. Willie Morris examines the importance of football in Mississippi and how Marcus brought blacks and whites together with his play. He had insight in to Marcus that nobody outside of his family and high school coach could have had. Overall, a great read.



5. As an OU fan and a person who remember Marcus Dupree light up Norman during his brief time, I was very excited to have a little bit more background on this fascinating person.

   The book hits several different topics. Obviously his recruitment of many football schools at times take center stage. But much of the book also discusses the effect of a black athlete becoming a state hero in Mississippi and gaining fans of all races. The foil of Dupree's time to that of two decades earlier when three cival rights activists were brutally murdered by the Klan. And the author, Willie Morris, contrasting and comparing his life with what he sees around him while following Dupree.

   I recommend this book to anyone looking for a great personal account that takes you back to 1981 Mississippi, civil rights, and the power of football.

5 comments about Turning the Thing Around: Pulling America's Team Out of the Dumps-And Myself Out of the Doghouse.

1. THIS BOOK IS ABOUT FORMER NFL HEAD COACH OF DALLAS AND MIAMI JIMMY JOHNSON. HE TELLS THE READER MOSTLY ABOUT HIS CAREER COACHING A BIT ABOUT HIS LIFE OFF THE FIELD. I TOTALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK AS HE TELLS US HOW HE WON A NCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AND A SUPER BOWL. HE GIVES HIS HONEST AND INTERESTING INSIGHTS ON MANY PLAYERS AND COACHES. I FOUND THE MOST INTERESTING TO BE HOW HE MADE THE COWBOYS INTO A POWER HOUSE DURING THE 1990'S. EVEN AFTER 15 YEARS, THIS IS STILL A GREAT BOOK. NOW JIMMY STILL USES THE HAIRSPRAY AND IS A COMMENTATOR ALONG WITH TERRY BRADSHAW AND HOWIE LONG ON THE PRE GAME AND POST GAME WRAP UP ON FOX AND ARE QUITE GOOD AND ENTERTAINING. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK.



2. Straight forward, no nonsense book about everything from Johnson's college coaching days to the Cowboy's first super bowl under his staff. He spends several pages scattered through the book almost whining about certain calls of the official in certain games, but what coach doesn't (even I'm guilty). However, I read the book in one day because I just couldn't put it down. He does give insight into how he became (in my mind) the master motivator of NFL football. Recommened to any football coach or player who loves the game and loves learning pychological aspects of the game.



3. I read this book when I was 12 years old and the Cowboys had won their first of 3 Super Bowls in the 90's. I loved it but, then again, I would have loved a bottle of poison if it had a Cowboys star on it.
   
   I picked it up again about a year ago when I was thinking about what made that team (and champion teams in general) tick. The psychological edge those teams enjoyed is probably what made the difference, to which Jimmy Johnson deserves the ultimate credit.
   
   His approach to the mental side of football is evident in this book. For example, instead of telling a kicker "don't miss" before a good field goal, Jimmy will always say "make this." The difference is the seed, either positive or negative, that is planted in that kicker's mind.
   
   But the book goes beyond coaching philosophy to chronicle the interesting, if not a little whacky, life of an extremely sucessful football coach.



4. Jimmy Johnson's life is a great story, this book tells that story with great detail from Johnson's boyhood in Port Arthur, Texas all the way through his days of restoring glory in Dallas. This book is not just for Cowboy fans, it's for anyone who loves a good book.



5. If you are a Jimmy Johnson fan or a fan of good football autobiographies, then check this book out. It starts with Jimmy living in Port Arthur and takes you all the way through to his days with the Cowboys. The best part of the book in my opinion was the behind the scenes of the different colleges he coached at.

1 comments about A View from the Bench: The Story of an Ordinary Player on a Big-Time Football Team (Sport and Society).

1. Interesting insight into " big time " college athletics. Parents can learn to guide their children into the " best option" for college athletics by being realistic. The book confirms what we all know.

2 comments about Green and Golden Moments.

1. It was very informative and yet fun to read! If you love the packers or just football in general you will love this book! ,, If you want to know how to run or how they run a 1st class football-public relation operation this book will help!



2. GREEN AND GOLDEN MOMENTS, BOB HARLAN AND THE GREEN BAY PACKERS by Bob Harlan with Dale Hofmann
   
   GREEN AND GOLDEN MOMENTS delivers an entertaining account and perspective of the life and career of Bob Harlan, particularly from his time as president of the Green Bay Packers. In this book, Harlan conveys many of his memories, both good and bad, in his career at Marquette University, the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, and, of course, the Green Bay Packers. There are 25 chapters, with all but three covering his tenure with the Packers. With the exception of the first chapter, the chapters are in chronological order, taking the reader from the beginning of his career to retirement. Furthermore, each chapter is a short story, which allows the reader to put the book down for a few days after completing a chapter and then continuing with no problem. The book is well written with no major writing or editing errors. This will be an enjoyable read for any Packer fan, which will see what was going through Harlan's mind when events, both on the field and off, involving the team occurred.
   
   Starting with chapter one, Lambeau Showdown--Saving the Franchise, the reader immediately realizes the referendum that sought Brown County's approval of an addition to the sales tax was the most difficult endeavor that Harlan has ever achieved. After all, he made it the first chapter in the book. He made mention of the referendum several times throughout the book. Any member of the Packer nation will remember Harlan lobbying for votes, but most don't realize the sleepless nights he endured.
   
   The non-Packer chapters include stories of his time in the front office of Marquette University's athletic department, where he became friends with Al McGuire, and his time in the front office of baseball's St. Louis Cardinals.
   
   The remaining chapters document Harlan's time with the Packers, from when he arrived as a Dan Devine hire in 1971 to 1989, when he became the team's president, until his retirement in 2007. The reader receives Harlan's view of the head coaches in his tenure, from Dan Devine to Mike McCarthy, and how they changed and evolved from the team's successes and failures. Harlan discloses how he came about in making decisions that affected the team, such as moving the home games out of Milwaukee, and why he hired Ron Wolf to be the Packer GM. There are many more stories which Harlan discusses, including the Super Bowl years, the stock sale, being threatened by one player when he was the team's contract negotiator, and Mike Sherman's duo role as GM and coach.
   
   More than anything, the reader will learn that Bob Harlan is no different than any other Green Bay Packer diehard fan. His nerves wouldn't allow him to watch the end of most of the games; he was disappointed when the Packers lost Super Bowl 32; he became nervous when rumors that Mike Holmgren would leave the Packer started, etc.
   
   GREEN AND GOLDEN MOMENTS is a collection of stories from the life and career of Bob Harlan, particularly his time with the Green Bay Packers. Packer fans are sure to enjoy reliving the stories that they are familiar with and learning new anecdotes of the man that brought glory back to the Packers.

5 comments about I Remember Woody: Recollections of the Man They Called Coach Hayes.

1. This book was amazing. I could not put it down. It is a must for Ohio State fans. I will remember Woody after reading this.



2. This book was amazing. I could not put it down. It is a must for Ohio State fans. I will remember Woody after reading this.



3. This book shows Woody Hayes as the true person, not just the ranting coach on the sideline. As an aspiring coach, I see Woody as an excellent model for success. His genuine love and concern for his players is unique and inspiring. This book is a must read for those who want to see Woody as his players, friends, and family see him. Great book about a Great man.



4. being woody's grandson, i liked it, there was a wide array of people talking to the author about him. I thought that my favorite section was the last, the friends, foes and fans part. it seems as if many people here in columbus have their own personal run-in or encounter with him and for me, those stories are infitley more interesting than anything else.

   the recollections from the players and coaches were good, but they kind of blurred together under the "they may be smarter than me but i can outwork 'em" mantra.

   overall, good job. the photos were pretty interesting. we have a few at home that will never make it out, including one of woody in my darth vader helmet at christmas (i must've been ten or less).




5. I was surprised that such a complete collection of stories and experiences existed. Woody was bigger than life but at the same time he was only a simple man that expected the best from everyone he touched. A must read for all fans--not just Buckeyes!

5 comments about The Rest Of The Iceberg: An Insider's View On The World Of Sport And Celebrity.

1. Although this book would probably be best appreciated by those of us who were already Robert Smith fans, it should also be interesting to anyone who follows football. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book because he kept it real--he was honest about the good and not-so-good things he had done in his life and throughout his football career. He gives readers insight into a player's frame of mind before and after games, and the drama that can sometimes occur between players in the locker room. I was a little disappointed that he didnt address some of the rumors that he has to know we have heard, but I liked that he wasn't afraid to give his opinions on divisive issues like race and religion, even though I didnt agree with some of them. I will definitely be reading this book again.



2. I was very disappointed in the overall content of the book. Very little insight into the game of football. The author's view of race, religion, and politics added nothing but a few pages to the length of the book.



3. I purchased this book because I find it intriguing that a guy with a gazillion dollar future ahead of him walked away from it all to pursue another path. How many of us would do the same I wonder? Smith consistently had an interesting and thoughtful perspective throughout his athletic career. And that's exactly what he still manages to deliver in this book. For those of you looking for solutions to resolve all that ills our society or a good dissing on Randy Moss for that matter, you are not going to find it here. Just his point of view, which is personally why I bought it to begin with. And whether you agree with his thought process or not, I don't think the guy needs any validation. His actions have always spoke volumes about his character. Overall, I found this book to be a commendable first time effort from a notable personality that I hope we hear more from in the future.



4. I trudged through the book hoping there would be some kernels of stimulating thought. But I never really found any. The same themes -- sometimes nearly the same sentences -- appeared over and over and over. Smith seems to want to capitalize on his football status as well as the idea that he's "articulate for an athlete."



5. After hearing Robert speak on a local radio show, I found his opinions interesting and the fact that he was obviously articulate made me curious about the book. I asked for and received it for Christmas and was not disappointed. As a huge football fan, and someone who had him on his fantasy football team both good and bad years, I enjoyed the first part of the book for it's insider's look into the life of an NFL player. Although I didn't agree with some of his positions regarding player compensation, it is basically an autobiography and therefore we must expect that the writer will tell us his opinions. Whether we agree with them or not, you must feel that he is entitled to them or you should not be reading an autobiography. The 2nd part of the book is insightful and thought provoking. Maybe it helped that I happened to agree with most of his opinions, I don't know.
   
   I guess my only real "complaint" about the book was where he tried to illustrate his point about player salaries by using analogies to more common work environments. The purpose of an analogy is usually to get the person to agree with something that they can more readily identify with and therefore agree with the original situation. But what if you do not agree with the analogy? Does that mean that you do not agree with the original statement, or does it just mean that it was a bad analogy? To me it just made him seem as out of touch to the common man as we are to the professional football player.
   
   "What would you say if your boss hired you at the same position as one of your co-workers but said that he was going to pay you a salary 5 percent lower?"
   
   Well, I just accepted a job in a field where I have 15 years experience and am working with a friend of mine who has 4 years experience. I'm making %15 less. I needed the job so I accepted it. That does not mean that I don't agree with him holding out for more money that season.
   
   "Imagine if your boss asked you to come in a few hours early every day and said he was going to pay you 1 percent of your normal salary."
   
   Many people are "salaried" employees (myself included) and are asked to come in early, stay late and work weekends with no extra pay, let alone 1 percent. I am a computer programmer in the healcare industry so I am quite sure that Robert's healthcare software company has salaried employees that this happens to all the time. Again, just because I don't agree with the analogy it doesn't necessarily mean that I agree with the practice.
   
   Other than these and a few others, I still felt it was an interesting read about an interesting person.

1 comments about Driving Home: My Unforgettable Super Bowl Run with DVD.

1. This was a christmas gift for our grandson, who is a steelers fan.
   He was real excited to receive this as a gift.

2 comments about John Elway: Armed & Dangerous: Revised and Updated to Include 1997 Super Bowl Season.

1. This book is a great read for Bronco and Elway fans of any age. It chronicles the life of John Elway from the time he was a child, through college and his joining of the Broncos, to his victory against the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXII. Black and white pictures are included with each chapter, and the center section 14 pages of color photos, as well. The author (Clay Lattimer) is a sports writer for the Rocky Mountain News, and he also draws on Sports Illustrated, Becket Football Monthly, and even Newsweek, as well as several other sports sources, so he packs a lot of information, dates, and statistics into each chapter. He also packs a lot of superfluous detail, too -- the writing meanders a bit and doesn't always stay on focus. But hey -- if you're an Elway fan (like me), who cares? The book is fun to read even in the places where it goes off topic. If there was such a thing as a "definitive" biography of an Elway, this would probably be it. If you're an Elway fan, get this book and enjoy it!



2. John Elway: Armed and Dangerous, by Clay Latimer, is a must for the John Elway and Denver Bronco fans. It is an easy to read book on Elway's career and personal life filled with quotes from players and unknown stories about other football greats. It sometimes drags a little as it gets off the subject quite a bit.

No comments about Johnny Unitas: The Best There Ever Was.