5 comments about The Wrong Stuff.

1. Back years ago (more than thirty), Sports Illustrated ran a story on Bill Lee, showing his no-famous picture of pitching with a space suit on. The story was the first I had read about Lee, and my first exposure to Warren Zevon, as Lee called himself an excitable boy. For SI to be somewhere in the vicinity of the cutting edge of pop culture, I am quite grateful, as I became a fan of both. Unfortunately, I am guessing, their careers fell victim to the SI curse. Bill Lee was a talented and prolific winner with the Red Sox in the mid-1970s, an outspoken individual on any number of subjects, and a likable man who has never stopped being a baseball fan. In his best decade, when tell-all books were all the rage, this was his effort, and a fine one it was. But behind the successes and the long decline leading to his continuous unemployment by baseball, I sort of sense that he went from singing "Excitable Boy" or quoting Warren Zevon to being the "Excitable Boy" character, or a character from a Warren Zevon song - going from doing something funny and outrageous occasionally to doing something funny and outrageous continually, because that's what people expect The Spaceman to do. It's an entertaining and fun book about the man, his teams, and the people running baseball in the 1970s, although we may also wonder "what might have been" while the story progresses.



2. Also know the Spaceman. He has been a troubled geek all his life, and socially inept - had few, if any friends growing up, and is still begging for attention. Cheated on all his relationships, which he likes to make a good thing. The baseball stories are true for the most part, but he will publicly state he lies. There are many other baseball memoirs more worthy of the time and expense.



3. This book is written in the "I'm a character, ain't I cool" style, and I found it very annoying after about 10 pages. There are the inevitable comparisons to "Ball Four", but before you buy this, remember this: There's a good reason you've heard of "Ball Four", and a good reason you've never heard of this book.



4. Anyone wishing to escape the blandness of the mass manufactured sports biography should read Bill Lee's "Wrong Stuff." Not your average baseball player but a sharp incisive wit.



5. The Wrong Stuff is a book written by former Red Sox and Expos left handed pitcher Bill Lee in 1984, about a year after his career as a major leaguer ended. It is a fairly quick read at 242 pages. What it is NOT, however, is a "typical" autobiography by a retired athlete. Lee, a California native who attended USC and now resides in Craftsbury, Vermont, instead delivers a real gem of a read.
   
   Humor, insight, irreverence, and honesty are the bedrocks of this book, which follows Lee from his childhood in California, through high school and college, and into ranks of organized baseball. Lee is open and honest about drug use, love, sex, and his personal philosophy on life.
   
   Lee was not a big prospect coming out of college, not like guys like Tom Seaver and Dave Kingman, both of whom he played with briefly before being drafted by the Red Sox in the 22nd round of the 1968 rookie draft. While he didn't throw that hard, he managed to get guys out by being crafty, out thinking hitters, and sometimes just by being crazy enough to believe he could do it. He headed off to pro ball without a lot of hope of making the major leagues. He figured he'd become a forest ranger when he grew up. Thankfully for him and baseball, Bill Lee never grew up.
   
   Lee chronicles his moves through the minor leagues. During these years, he tangled with tough minor league managers (Rac Slider), met future Red Sox teammates (Carlton Fisk), and his future first wife (Mary Lou), and made bets with teammates about who could drink a gallon of milk in one sitting without vomiting (nobody). As he does throughout the book, he chronicles some games he pitched in...there's no bravado here, though...he talks about the good and the bad with the same honesty and good humor. Lee's minor league career didn't last that long, as in 1969 he was called up to the Boston Red Sox.
   
   Once he found his way to Fenway Park (an adventure in itself), Lee appeared in 20 games in that first season, including one start. He only performed so-so, but made the team out of spring training in 1970. He only appeared in 11 games, however, because he was called up for military service. Lee has some fun talking about the absurdities of military life, but is also brutally honest about how he got preferential treatment because he was a pro athlete.
   
   Lee pitched for Boston from 1969 to 1978, and the stories of winter ball fights, teammates, pennant races, trades, near trades, and run ins with management and coaches are all classic. He talks about the Red Sox teams from those years....moves they made, didn't make, should have made, and how he and the team did those years. Lee was a 17-game winner three times in a row from 1973-1975. He rails against the DH and talks about friendships, rivalries, and enemies, both on his team and around the league. He writes about his only All-Star selection and racism in baseball. He acquired his nickname, the Spaceman, during this time. He also experimented with drugs and alcohol, all of which he talks about openly and honestly.
   
   The 1975 season had the Red Sox winning the pennant and going on to play the Cincinnati Reds in one of the greatest World Series ever played. Lee chronicles the season, and the run through the playoffs and the World Series. He started two games in that series, including the deciding seventh game, but did not record a win or loss. He had to leave game seven when a blister popped. The Sox bullpen coughed up the lead, and the Sox lost the series. Lee was fairly philosophical about the World Series loss, reasoning that it was great just to be part of such a great series. He spent two weeks that off-season in Red China as a goodwill ambassador, and came away with some interesting insights and stories.
   
   Lee writes a lot about the 1976 season...a season that saw several players Lee saw as key cogs in the 1975 World Series team traded away, a brawl with the Yankees, his painful recovery, more trades in Boston, his thoughts on free agency, and a lot more. The brawl with the Yankees, who Lee and many other Red Sox flat out hated, involved Lee sustaining a major shoulder injury after being body slammed during the brawl by Yankees third baseman Craig Nettles. That year also saw the death of longtime Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey. Between the shoulder injury, the death of Yawkey, and a managerial change from Darrel Johnson to Don Zimmer, Lee feels that this season was a turning point in his time in Boston, and that his days there were now numbered.
   
   During the 1977 season, Lee and several other "renegades" bound together to form the "Royal Order of the Buffalo Heads", named after manager Don Zimmer, who the compared to the buffalo, considered by many to be one of the dumbest animals alive. Lee also pitched the first game of his career under the influence of a controlled substance that year. He got shuffled between the pen, the rotation, and the manager's doghouse. By the beginning of spring training 1978, Lee was one of only two of the five "buffalo heads", who was still around. Both assumed they wouldn't be around for long.
   
   Lee talks about friendships with teammates like Dennis Eckersley and Bernie Carbo, and opponents like George Brett, providing some great stories. The 1978 season started out hot for both the Red Sox (led by slugger Jim Rice) and Lee, although Lee's injured arm would tire as the season progressed. Lee's first major run-in with management happened right after the trading deadline in June. When Carbo, a good friend and solid player, was sold to Cleveland for only $15,000, Lee went on strike for a day. It caused a major uproar, and got Lee into confrontations with team management. The Red Sox began to slip, and the Yankees came on hard. What had been a big division lead evaporated, and the division title came down to a one game playoff between the Yankees and Red Sox. The famous game was decided on a home run by light-hitting Bucky Dent, the Yankees went to the World Series, and the Red Sox went home. Lee, who loved his time in Boston, knew his time there was over. In December, he was traded to the Montreal Expos for Stan Papi, who would appear in only 50 games for Boston, hitting just .188.
   
   Lee began the 1979 season on a new team (the Expos), in a new league (the National), and with a whole new roster of teammates. He was reunited with manager Dick Williams, something he was pleased with. Trouble tended to follow him, though...and in spring training, he admitted to the media that he'd been using marijuana since 1968. This caused quite a stir, including some visits from the FBI, but Lee managed to escape any real trouble. He speaks a bit more at this point in the book on his own drug use, drug use in baseball, and baseball training and the changes that were happening in that area during his career. Again, he hits all topics with humor, honesty, and insight. Lee went on to win 16 games in his first year in Montreal, and the talented team finished in second place. Even success came with its rough spots...Lee was hit by a cab while jogging in mid-season, but only missing two starts. The new teammates in Montreal provide for a whole new batch of amusing stories.
   
   Lee could have become a free agent after the 1979 season, but without an agent, he negotiated himself a new three year deal with Montreal. The contract was probably below market for the time, especially since it included deferred money, but he said he had fallen in love with the city, and that money wasn't that important. He was not a fan of free agency, at all, considering it a bad thing for the game.
   
   Lee had a bit of a rollercoaster ride for the 1980 and 1981 seasons both on and off the field. He hurt himself pretty badly falling from the side a friend's house (he was trying to climb up and tap on the window), and missed a lot of time in 1980. Meanwhile, his marriage was falling apart, and he and his first wife ended up getting a divorce. He had a lousy record in 1980, going 4-6 with a 4.96 ERA in 24 games.
   
   The player strike hit in 1981, and that made for a split season. Lee's personal life continued to be topsy-turvy, with his marriage ending, and him meeting the woman who would become his second wife. Lee pitched pretty well, going 5-6 in 31 games (7 starts) with a nifty 2.94 ERA. Williams was replaced as manager during the season, however, and Lee and the other players soon found his replacement Jim Fanning, wasn't up for the job. The players held a meeting and basically decided to self-manage themselves, so that their new manager didn't cost them a trip to the playoffs. The team did make the playoffs, eventually losing to the Dodgers. Lee was married for the second time after the season.
   
   The 1982 season began with more problems with Fanning. Fanning seemed to have it in for a friend of Lee's, teammate Rodney Scott, who had been the starting second baseman for the previous several seasons. Scott was a good field, not hit player, and Lee felt he was a key to the team's defense. Fanning disagreed, and buried Scott on the roster to begin the 1982 season. Eventually, the team released Scott. Lee again went on strike...skipping the team's game and heading to a bar, where he had three beers while watching the game. When he realized his team might need him to pitch, and not wanting to let down his teammates, he headed back to the park, reaching the clubhouse by the 8th inning.
   
   It would be the last time in a major league uniform, in Montreal or anywhere else. He was released by the Expos on May 9th, 1982. After taking a few weeks off, Lee tried to hook up with another major league team for the rest of the season. Nobody called, and nobody returned his calls. He got more of the same as the 1983 spring training camps began.
   
   Lee believes that he was blacklisted by major league baseball as a troublemaker. A conversation he writes about with Dick Williams seems to lend that theory some credence. Is it true? We may never know for sure...but in 1982, Lee was a 35 year old left handed pitcher who could start and relieve. He was coming off a season with an ERA of 2.94, and had a career ERA of 3.62. In baseball, left handed pitchers who can get people out are always a commodity, regardless of age. The chance that nobody in baseball had a spot for one in 1982 or 1983 seems hard to believe.
   
   Overall, The Wrong Stuff was an excellent read...fun, controversial, enlightening, and thought provoking. Lee is one of the all time great characters in Red Sox, and baseball, history. I consider this book to be one of the top three baseball autobiographies I have read, with Jim Bouton's Ball Four and Ted Williams "My Turn at Bat".
   
   Any fan of the game who wants some insight into the inner workings of major league baseball and one of its wackiest players will enjoy this book. Because of it's blunt discussions about drugs, sex, politics, and other controversial topics, the book is obviously not recommended for young fans of the game.

5 comments about All American: The Rise and Fall of Jim Thorpe.

1. Bill Crawford has written a fairly thorough and detailed account of Jim Thorpe, without a doubt the greatest athlete of the 20th Century. Mr. Crawford, however, fell short when relating, on pages 231-232, Thorpe's passing and eventual burial. At his death he was brought back to Shawnee, Oklahoma, by his family. He was NOT BURIED, as Mr. Crawford states, but his body lay in the mausoleum at Fairview Cemetery. Many local people visited the site in respect, myself included. During the months his body rested there several prominent citizens began work on a project to build a permanent monument for him. Designs for a burial place and a museum were developed and funds began to be raised. Preliminary plans were to put it between the football and baseball field on the west side of town. However, before the total could be raised and the plans finalized Thorpe's body disappeared, literally, in the middle of the night - much to the surprise of his family and to Shawnee citizens. It was a terrible disappointment. In 1949, on one of his trips back to Oklahoma, he had stated that he was born May 28, 1888 "near and south of Bellemont - Pottawatomie County - along the banks of North Fork River . . hope this will clear up the inquiries as to my birthplace", signed Jim Thorpe. (Bellemont was on the county line between Pottawatomie and Lincoln counties, 8 miles off Hwy 18 - Shawnee is the county seat of Pottawatomie County and about 11 miles from the site). Thus, Shawnee citizens were very proud to be known as the home of the greatest athlete of all time. When the town didn't get to be the resting place of Thorpe's body it was decided to name the football stadium in his honor anyway, and it's known as Jim Thorpe Stadium to this day. It was surprising to read in Mr. Crawford's book that "Shawnee refused to erect a memorial for her husband". It just wasn't so and a little further research on his part, maybe perusing copies of the Shawnee News-Star in the local library. Also, just a few years ago (haven't been out there in a while), there was a marker on the vault at Fairview describing that was where Jim Thorpe's body had lain.



2. This book provides the most detailed history yet of America's greatest athlete. In an era where athletes could not enhance their performance with drugs, Jim Thorpe was clearly, naturally the best. Bill Crawford's detailed account of Thorpe's life leaves no doubt in my mind. I am amazed by the amount of information Crawford provides on Thorpe as well as other athletes of the time. The history he provides of Carlisle and the Indian school system in general illustrates how poorly the BIA and the US government treated Indians. "All American: The Rise and Fall of Jim Thorpe" should be required reading for all BIA officials as well as strongly recommended reading for others in government. Certainly student athletes and athletic officials would enjoy and learn from it.



3. All American: The Rise And Fall Of Jim Thorpe is the biography of one of the greatest athletes of the twentieth century - who was also at the center of one of the greatest scandals. Jim Thorpe was a grand football running back, a proud Native American, a college player who led his Carlisle Indian Industrial School team to victory, and the winner of gold medals for the decathlon and the pentathlon at the 1912 Olympic Games. Yet a scandal ensued over whether he was truly worthy of "amateur" sports status, whether playing in certain professional ball games required that he be stripped of his titles. The scandal dragged his reputation through the mud and left a black mark on his life, even though he would go on to play professional baseball and become president of what would one day be the National Football League. All American is the candid portrayal of a courageous and dedicated athlete, and one who was essentially used as a guinea pig to determine the rules - who is an amateur, and who is a pro, and what amateurs and pros are allowed to do or not do. Enjoyable in its own right, All American is a welcome addition to prominent Native American biography collections, and highly recommended for American sports history shelves.



4. Bill Crawford's "All American: The Rise and Fall of Jim Thorpe" is a well crafted, insightful and poignant portrait of one of the 20th century's greatest athletes. That alone would be sufficient to give it all-star status among the scores of sports books published in recent years. "All American," however, is far more than that because paints a unique and compelling picture of "amateur" intercollegiate athletics in its infancy and thereby helps us to understand behemoth that it has become today.
   
   Jim Thorpe's story has been told in other biographies as well as in a grade B movie. Crawford's contribution is its investigation of the complex relationship between Thorpe and his legendary coach, Glenn "Pop" Warner - the same Pop Warner who is the namesake of the youth football leagues that are supposed to instill in young men the spirit and ideals of honest and fair competition. Yet, as early as the first decade of the century, Warner, the football coach at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, was earning more than his school's president, was recruiting "student athletes" who were far more athlete than student and was disbursing under the table cash. Although Warner won the trust and loyalty of Thorpe, he ultimately betrayed him by denying that he knew that he had played semi-pro baseball for petty cash. As a consequence, the Amateur Athletic Union and the American Olympic Committee ruled that Thorpe had compromised his amateur status and stripped him of his 1912 Olympic medals. In fact, Crawford makes clear, Warner not only was aware of what Thorpe had been doing in football's off-season, he most likely made the arrangements.
   
   "All American: The Rise and Fall of Jim Thorpe" should be required reading for anyone wishing to gain a perspective on the sports scandals du jour. It's an important book and a great compliment to the daily sports section.



5. As the youngest son of Jim Thorpe, I want to thank Bill Crawford for finally bringing out the truth in writing as to what happened to our father. For years our family and others have tried to clear his name. Much still needs to be done. Although his Gold Medals from the 1912 Olympics have been returned, dad is only named co-winner. His trophys from the games are still held by the IOC.
   
   Mr. Crawford writes a wonderfull book. But,there is still a lack of understanding of the Indian culture,and what took place in the Indian School System during the early years of the last century, the Indian were not citizens of the United States and held on legal status. Dad did what he was told to do and suffered for his lack of knowledge and having no legal support.
   
   As a family, we still want his name fully cleared and his full honors returned. Then the day would come when he can be put to rest.

5 comments about Planet of the Umps: A Baseball Life from Behind the Plate.

1. Classic baseball autobiography by an umpire who served 13 years in the minors before a 23-year major league run that ended abruptly with the 2002 umpire lockout/strike/resignations that ended badly for some, including Kaiser.
   
   Funny, fast-moving and full of stories, within the genre this is a classic. Kaiser was a high-school graduate (barely--as he said "I didn't know the meaning of the word intimidation. Of course, I didn't know the meaning of a lot of other words either.") joining a friend on a lark when he went to umpire school in 1963. After his second time through the school, and dismissal from several very low minor league jobs, he finally made a career of it, and loved it the whole way through to the bitter end.
   
   Kaiser is honest about his bitterness of how his career ended, but maintains his humor and sense of scale throughout the book, just as he has maintained his integrity since the strike.



2. I found this to be a very dull book, very surprising because the subject matter is inherently interesting. Umpires must have all sorts of great stories, right?
   
   Very early in the book, Kaiser portrays himself as a big ignorant lunk, who stumbled into umpiring and finding his calling.
   
   Other reviewers have talked about his whining over being fired, absolutely right. He is also quite a hypocrite, trashing ballplayers and managers left and right, then using autographed baseballs to duck traffic tickets. He brags openly about making the rules, despite what management says. And while he makes a point about positioning, he neglects to point out the arrogance and stubbornness of many umpires were a detriment to the game.
   
   Lousy book.



3. I enjoyed this book very much. Many funny and insightful stories. You really get a feel for what the life of an umpire is like...the good, the bad, and the ugly.



4. I was given this book to read while I was sick in bed. I love baseball, but I probably would not have picked up this book on my own. I was not, however, at all disappointed. Ken Kaiser's book made for a wonderful read. He (or his co-author) correctly understood that this type of autobiography is only of interest as it pertains to the world of baseball, so there is very little about Kaiser's personal life away from the job.

   Kaiser's anecdotes are often funny and very revealing of the umpire's job. He dispels many ideas of how an umpire makes certain calls. Much of these myths are voiced by sportscasters/writers who like to sound as if they know the inside scoop of the game including the mind of the umps.

   I knew of Kaiser's name when he umpired, but I was mostly neutral about him, unlike my positive thoughts about the delightful Ron Luciano, or the less happy thoughts of someone like Rich Garcia. His stories also make clear that what some believe as the self importance of the current umpires is nothing new to the game, but their working conditions have certainly improved.

   The book ends sadly, though, with Kaiser an apparent victim of the Richie Phillips led union. Don't get me wrong, Kaiser is a big fellow and capable of making up his own mind, but the former union's advise was equaled in absurdity by the former air traffic controllers union. The result was predictable and the game is not better off. Kaiser deserves much credit for providing a well articulated defense of the umpire's job, his tributes to Ron Luciano, the Ripkens and his blasts at Earl Weaver, sports journalists, and the baseball hierarchy.




5. The best parts of this book are the stories about what it was like to be a minor league and major league umpire. The worst parts, from my perspective, are in Kaiser's biased views about the umpires' labor problems and the quality of umpiring in the majors. Kaiser goes on at length about how every umpire has his own strike zone, and complains about the attempts to standardize it. While it's true that calling balls and strikes is very difficult and that absolute standardization is probably impossible, it's also true that several umpires' strike zones had gotten completely ridiculous (Eric Gregg would regularly call strikes on pitches several inches outside, for example).

   Kaiser says he trusted union head Richie Phillips too much when he agreed to resign along with most other major league umps. The problem wasn't just one of trust - it was one of arrogance. The umpires thought they were bigger than the game, that a mass resignation would force the owners to come crawling. They also failed to consider whom they were dealing with. Sandy Alderson accepted the mass resignation. This is the one time in labor history that a union broke itself. Major League Baseball owners have historically been poor labor negotiators, but they finally ran into a group of people who were worse. Kaiser doesn't face up to any of this, in my opinion. He admits it was a mistake to sign his resignation letter, but apart from that he seems to see himself as a victim.

   I think the book is worth reading, as long as one takes some of Kaiser's views with a grain of salt.

No comments about A Bloody Canvas - The Mike McTigue Story.

5 comments about Cracked Sidewalks and French Pastry: The Wit and Wisdom of Al McGuire.

1. I purchased this book on Al McGuire as a gift for my father's 71st birthday. As a former basketball coach, he had been a strong admirerer of one of the most unique individuals in sports. Both me and my father highly recommend this for lovers of college basketball, especially for those who tend to march to the beat of a different drummer. I'm sure that even though Al McGuire is no longer with us he will be remembered whenever some young person is making the sign of the cross on his/her forehead before shooting a critical freethrow with his immortal statement that the "Nuns are Working the Beads."
   Sergio S. Guerrero Jr.
   El Paso, Texas



2. This is a strange coffee table-type book. Author Kertscher apparently did not know Al McGuire personally, and this book is the product of a posthumous project of collecting McGuire-related photographs and quotes. Yet despite the lack of direct personal connection, the book does a good job of communicating the odd combination of street-level wisdom, humanity, and whimsy that made McGuire such an intriguing and compelling character to a generation of basketball fans and non-basketball fans alike.



3. Al McGuire has been truly captured through this book. The photos and quotes truly capture the man, the charachter, and the coach that was AL. Anyone who grew up around the legend, understood what he meant to the game, but I don't believe anyone has a true grasp until they have turned the pages of this book.



4. Tom Kertscher has done an excellent job in introducing me to Al McGuire. I've never followed college basketball so I wasn't familiar with coach McGuire. However after reading the book I can see why so many people thought so highly of him. I very much enjoyed getting to know the coach from his many quotes and photos over the course of his career. He's one of those colorful figures in life that adds that missing ingredient making the ordinary, something rich and flavorful.



5. I don't know basketball, and I'm sure that my elevator doesn't go to the top, but I know a wonderful remembrance when I see one. Kertscher illustrates the humanity of McGuire - humorous and touching. The phrases from the glossary have become a shared language between myself and my son.

No comments about Rise and Walk: The Trial and Triumph of Dennis Byrd.

1 comments about On the Ice with... Mario Lemieux.

1. I would recommend this book because it made you want to turn the page because the way he used the words in the book. This book showed me that Mario was a devoted person and how much he cared about people. The book inspired me to never give up on anything that you enjoy doing. When you hear about people caring so much it makes you want to be like them.

5 comments about Sting: The Moment of Truth.

1. I would deffinately recommend this book as well asthe DVD it was awesome!!



2. Steve Borden was at the ultimate crossroads of his life.
   
   As the character, Sting, he achieved iconic status in professional wrestling, one of a few performers who could tear the roof off of any arena in the world with his persona and signature finishing moves for victory.
   
   But Sting couldn't assist Steve Borden on that day in August 1998, the ring makeup was off and it wasn't about the promoters & fans, it was about family. Addicted to prescription drugs and years of living a fast-lane lifestyle of a pop star, Steve Borden was on the verge of losing his wife and two young children.
   
   It was his moment of truth.
   
   The reader takes the journey with Steve Borden as he puts his ego aside and confronts the demons that are damaging not only his soul, but destroying the ones who love him the most.
   
   This is a side of Steve Borden that you may not know about before picking up the book; it's how he got on his knees, raised his arms and looked up to the sky to accept the ultimate guidance in the main event of life.



3. This book is a great and helpful book for christians who have fallen off their path. Sting is one of my favorite wrestlers. I am very proud to say that because he is a christian. I cant wait for the movie to come out. I do believe that the book was short and sweet but I wanted it to be longer.



4. STING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MY FAVORITE OF ALL TIME FINALLY WRITES ONE OF THE GREATEST WRESTLING BOOKS EVER. IF YOU LIKE STING BUY THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!



5. OK, so maybe it DOESN'T deserve 4 stars, but it is one of the rare books that move you and that make you feel touched.
   
   Just like Castaneda's Journey to Ixtlan book, it contains life story of a man who felt reformed by, in Borden's book, some Higher Good and faith in something UNmundane.

5 comments about Mindgames: Phil Jackson's Long Strange Journey.

1. The book definitely discusses in detail, Phil Jackson's zen/indian philiosophies and techniues, and his propensity to use such things to create champions.

   Other interesting areas include his background coaching in a turbulent, out of control south American league, where drunken fights in the stands were the norm and bullets weren't restricted to the stands.

   Discussions of his idiosyncracies as a player, and the mentoring he received as a coach, especially when learning/incorporating the triangle offense, are also definitely worth a read.

   The books discussions of his behind-the-scenes experience with management, in team meetings, and on the tour bus reveal him as an expert in "playing politics." Despite its somewhat negative connotation, his "Mind Games" (also the book's title) appear ro have contributed to his tremendous professional success (NBA Championship rings).

   However, his somewhat antagonisitic actions towards team ownership and media have left him with a somewhat questionable reputation. The book discusses this in detail. For example, without provocation, he once kicked a reporter off the team bus, leaving her stranded, and regularly exiled the team's owner from meetings). The book explains the rationale for these actions. Jackson sees "team solidarity" as a crucial aspect of "building the team spirit" and allowing it to grow.

   In addition, the book is fairly current and details his brief, ongoing career with the Lakers, revealing some surprisingly esoteric insights about the team and his role in it.

   His unorthodox, yet wildly successful NBA coaching career make this an interesting and thoughtful read. However, this review ranks the book four stars out of five, simply because the book's meticulously long discussions seasons' worth of quasi-important matches on the hardwood floor becomes a bit redundant and irrelevant(playoff/championship games excluded).

   But if you're a basketball fan, a Lakers' fan, a Bulls' fan, or are simply intrigued by the man and his phenomenally successful, yet wholistically unorthodox approach to life, interpersonal relations, and success, this book comes highly recommended.

   Rob Rumsey




2. This is an excellent read about a different drummer. I'm a Lakers fan, but Bulls fans will like it just as much.



3. I have always been intrigued by the work of the "Zenmaster," which is why I first decided to read this book. I had heard about Jackson's work in mending the rift between Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant and had wondered how he did it when others could not. The first 100 pages of this book delve into the mind of this phenomenal coach, but the rest of the book goes on to name his achievements. Yes, it was interesting to learn a little more about Michael Jordan, Pippen, Grant and Rodman but those guys were not the reason I picked up the book. If I wanted to learn about those players, I would have read "The Jordan Rules." Bottom line, I would rather pick up "Sacred Hoops" or "Maverick", which were actually written by Jackson himself.



4. This is an easy read... But you have to hash through a lot of common knowledge about the Bulls to get any interesting tidbits about Jackson. Sacred Hoops gives you much more perspective into Jackson than this book does. The author teases the reader with an opening story about how Jackson smokes two cigarettes and drinks a beer before he talked to the Bulls after a game... A great bit of informaion, but many true Bulls fans could have picked this up the the local papers or sports talk shows... The author gets most of his inside information from Tex Schram, Johnny Bach, and Skip Schaefer. The majority of the book is a general chronicle of the Bulls 8 year 6 title run offering few insights on Jackson. If you followed the Bulls, read Sacred Hoops, the only 'fresh' information comes from the last two chapters about Jackson's year off and some information about Jackson's first year with the Lakers. It reads quick, but do not expect learn any new in depth information about Jackson.



5. As someone who has read "Sacred Hoops" three times and follows Phil Jackson's coaching career very closely, I was very excited to see this on the shelf at my local bookstore. This was a good book. I breezed through it. I thought it was very well written, and it did have some interesting anecdotes. In my opionion, probably the most interesting part of the book wasn't even about Coach Jackson, but rather about the people who have worked with him. The short biopics of the Chicago Jerrys, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, and others were very interesting to me - and very fair (which is tough these days when you read anything about Krause).

   On the other end of the stick, I would agree that the book did seem a tad superficial as far as Jackson is concerned. It promises to give you insight into one of the most complex figures in contemporary sports, but really does not do that. It only touches superifically on his connection to Buddhism, meditation, and his relationships outside of basketball. Indeed, the end of Jackson's second marriage - certainly one of the more important influences in his life - is entirely covered in one short paragraph of a few sentences.

   All in all, this was a decent book. However, I won't be reading it again.

5 comments about John Starks: My Life.

1. Outside of Patrick Ewing, former CBA veteran John Starks is probably one of the most recognizable figures in New York sports during the 90's. In his book, Starks talks about his humble beginnings--moving from four different college academic programs to making it to the New York Knicks on a technicality (as injured players can't be cut from their teams, John attempted to dunk of Patrick Ewing during the pre-season in 88' and got hurt in the process).
   
   Through his words, Starks shares the will, desire, and tenacity which made him one of the most exciting and controversial players to ever play in the NBA. Starks shares stories that made him the most decorated guard to ever come out of the CBA with accolades such as the winning a spot on the NBA All-Star team and the 6th Man of the year award. He also talks about his horrible game 7 performance in the 1994 NBA finals as well as the trials and tribulations which he and a number of his family members had to go through.
   
   If your a fan of the NBA, this is certainly one ride you wouldn't want to miss! Get your copy today!
   
   If you found this review helpful, kindly vote for it. Thanks!



2. Starks does a good job here detailing his life and whats most rewarding is his confession of his errors and failures on and off the court. That is this book's strong points.
   
   There are good photos here.
   
   John discussing some of the nutty fans who stalked him is a good read and my personal favorite is his story of the first time he drives his mother and grandmother thru Manhattan traffic, weaving in and around the taxis. The description of what was going on with the two women had melaughing.
   
   The weakness of this book is the dvd that is included with it.
   John should have paid someone a little bit more money to produce this thing a little better. And throughout the book, he repeats a lot of the bad stuff that happened to his brothers over and over again. Hos co-writer should have edited that a little bit better.
   
   Hopefully John will coach the Knicks one day. If you're a Knicks fan, then read this book.



3. john starks was my idol growing up. Before he came to the knicks they were very mediocre. As he says in the book his rise coincided with the knicks title contension throughout the 90's. The book was very good and gave great insight into the man before his career. I was shocked when i read that he used to sell drugs and had been in jail. i followed everything about him back in the day and i remember never hearing about his father so it surprised me to hear that he met his father a couple times. anyway i lived and died with starks the dunk was this city's highest high and 2-18 well u do the math. i recommend this book to anyone who loved a good underdog story about a man with a heart as big as the big apple



4. I raced through reading this autobiography of John Starks, mainly for personal reasons. The rise of John Starks as a New York Knick corresponded with a lot of overcoming personal struggles in my own life, and I've always felt a deep connection with his story, his explosiveness as a player and as a person, his perpetual teetering on the edge of self-wreckage, and with his continuing maturity and enormous heart that he always brought to the table. This book is hardly a sophisticated read, so if you're looking for that, go elsewhere. But if you look at John Starks as I do, as a true phenomenon of character and class, as someone who broke through barrier after barrier, tripped over his own bad habits along the way and still always remained deeply resolute in his belief in himself, then you'll love hearing how his voice comes through the writing of Dan Markowitz. Learning about the chaotic and reckless background of John's life reminded me of how gritty and passionate he was as a player, how his unstoppable desire shook the NBA world. But even in a moment like "The Dunk," John always remained a humble, down to earth man, someone undisturbed by the glow of fame, even more human because of the doubt that always followed his brilliant success. I wish he could have won a championship and have his number retired at the Garden, but in a way, even though his "2 for 18" night left fans like me forever hungry, the dramatic ironies that occupy his life story and the peace that he discovers within himself allow me to savor the tales he tells in this book, as I will forever be inspired by one of the most unique and lovable characters in the history of New York sports.



5. John Starks' story is full of inspiration. The man grew up in a rough area of Tulsa, Oklahoma without a fatherly figure. His mother and grandmother instilled some positive attributes. However, John faced many troubles growing up and his brothers had a mixed influence on him.
   
   However, John Starks perservered from a troubled youth stocking shelves in Safeway to an NBA All Star. John overcame many obstacles in the NBA and earned the respect of many of his peers in spite of a few overzealous actions on his part.
   
   What really comes accross in this book(and from listening to John speak in person) is the that Mr. Starks has turned into quite an articulate and intelligent young man. He sets a good example as a USBL coach and certainly would be a good candidate to coach in the NBA. John's strong work ethic will indeed carry him to much further success.
   
   A good read even for Chicago Bull, Miami Heat and Indiana Pacer fans!