5 comments about Angry White Pyjamas: A Scrawny Oxford Poet Takes Lessons From The Tokyo Riot Police.

1. Eye-opening. What the Japanese police practice seems more like Aikijutsu. The author and his gaijin classmates really deserve kudos for having stuck it out for the entire course.



2. This is a valuable book. Most books written about Martial Arts study are technique-centric, myth inspired anecdotes (usually third-hand legends) or philosophical contemplations of a self-styled modern-day samurai.
   
   Sprinkled throughout with the characteristically dry British humour, Twigger takes us on a very transparent personal account of his experience in Japan, as a young man in search of identity, masculinity, and adventure. It is then no surprise to learn he finds himself alongside others with similar aspirations, except, he finds the courage to join a 1-year gruelling course in elite Yoshinkan Aikido training. His ambition is rewarded, and as students, we can find re-assurance in the reality chronicled in this story.
   
   Twiggers personal accounts of his survival through an acceptance of: pain overcome by endurance, fear overcome by conditioning and fixation overcome by principle and finally, mastery attained by practice are all valid observations. It is good to see that someone has finally shown a degree of personal honesty in spelling this out. Most often, the candor on frustration, personal misgivings about effectiveness, anger etc. are not reflected by those who practice or aspire to master Aikido, their ego won't allow for this. Aikido, is not an art you can learn casually or quickly, most lessons come by way of painful failure and routine torture.
   
   This account of training most closely matches what I have learned of pre-war (WW2) training with the founder. One personal gripe that I have is related to the author's second-hand accounts related to the founder Morihei Ueshiba. If he finds speculation on marital fidelities and practices to increase sexual ki amusing, he should keep this to himself as it is shameful to insult someone in this manner, publicly and without basis. I respect that this is a memoir, and no doubt an artifact meant to amuse himself and others, however this added nothing to the story for me.
   
   I find the authors irreverance towards Japanese culture unique as well. In some ways I am glad he wasn't simply sipping the same Kool-Aid found in Japanophile dojo's. I think this adds to the authenticity.
   
   Last, I'm glad that the author spared us the non-sensical psuedo religious/mystical rants that many unfortunately spout about Aikido. Do your homework. The great masters of Aikido were flawed human beings, many of not most of them loved to fight and learned this art not in search of enlightenment, but because they needed to learn how to handle multiple attackers.



3. This book is hands down the best autobiographical material available on training in Asian martial arts. I love martial arts as both practice and history. I train in shotokan karate and am widely read in a variety of martial arts and in general Japanese history. I believe in honoring hierarchy and preserving tradition. But the, frankly, willful ignorance of the critical reviews here I have no respect for. Twigger's book is not only outstanding as literature, it is exceptionally non-judgemental. People who confuse personal observations and opinions as some kind of objective slander have simply fallen into the cult-like group-think displayed by so many western practitioners of Asian martial arts. It's pathetic, really.
   
   I guarantee you that if you are desperate for a work that combines real martial arts with real literature, this is the best and perhaps only book available to you.



4. This book gives me inspiration to continue practicing Aikido.
   The one of the best line in the book that I have read is:
   "The Japanese were more light hearted. For them aikido was a lifetime occupation; if you were too intense you wouldn't last it out".
   Aikido is a different martial arts. You think you knew something then suddenly you will realize that you haven't learn that much.
   And you still suck at it.
   Every time that this happens, I grab this book and just re-read it again.
   I have already read the book at least 5 times. And every time
   it gives me an energy to continue practicing this art of PEACE.



5. I've lived in Japan for 4 years now and sprained my knee in the dojo Robert writes about...if that's some badge of expertise. He gets a lot right in this book ... and maybe that's the problem. Just like the movie "Lost in Translation", he shares his unique views of a complicated nation. At one point, he even seems to admit the difficulty outsiders have when looking at Japan. Yet, that didn't seem to slow up his stereotyping.
   
   He denounces Japanese food, an amusing thing from a Brit. I've seen little evidence of English competency in cooking, yet the world seems enamoured with Japanese food.
   
   He knows two SGI folks in in his apartment complex - that relegates a very high-profile, worldwide organization (one with obvious flaws and great assets)to cult status. He never seems to get to the point of Yoshinkan Aikido - or did I miss it in his negativity. Yoshikan teaches the basics of Aikido better than anyone else. Whether you stay with them or not, you can learn so much from these folks.
   
   After reading the book, I'm lost at why someone with so much disdain for Japan was here. If Robert had lived in better circumstances, I'm sure his views of Japan would have been more positive. But, if Japan was half as screwed up as he claims, why be here?
   
   Again, there is merit in the book. Anyone considering practicing martial arts in Japan should read it first. Just remember - it's not a bible but an opinion. And, lesson number two, try to have another way to get by other than teaching English.
   
   Bryant

5 comments about Faith in the Game: Lessons on Football, Work, and Life.

1. Faith in the Game by Tom Osborne covers the coaching career of Tom Osborne. He does this with the perspective of a Christian, which I enjoyed. But, I found that the middle of the book became somewhat dry and repetitive when discussing the legal troubles of the players. But I thought the overall message of the book was good. In comparison to other books about coaching and mentoring such as "Season of Life" I found Faith in the Game to be average.



2. I bought this book because I wanted to find out more about how Dr. Osborne managed to win 3 National Championships in a four year period.

   What surprised me was the incredible business value of the book, especially chapter 5 on Goal Setting. His process for setting and acheiving goals is simple, easy to implement and it works!
   I keep buying it and sending it to managers and business executives I work with, it is a great foundation for anyone serious about growing their ability to be more productive and to acheive more.

   Great book!




3. Tom Osborne is one of the most successful college football coaches in history. His book is a wonderful treatise on how coaches and people can improve their lives and chances of success by simply preaching and practicing the basic values of our society. This book is a breath of fresh air in an increasingly fragmented and confused society.

   It is noteworthy that Tom Osborne's success is particularly remarkable because he never had the advantages of recruiting from a deep talent pool in Nebraska, and many of his players came from high school programs where 8 man football was common. Osborne overcame these obstacles with basic hard work, religious faith, and teamwork.

   This is a great book for any coach, manager, or parent. Highly recommmended. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because the book is relatively short, and I would've loved to read on for several more chapters.




4. The premise of Faith In the Game is simple: It's a conservative primer for life.

   Now, whether you agree with everything within or not is your call, but Osborne successfully states his cases while interweaving stories of his own football team over the years. His transition from society to football is pretty effortless, quite frankly, and the book serves as a nice, non-confrontational entry into conservative living and philosophy. For all those people out there who are fed up with the liberal world -- and I am not one of them, mind you -- I'd suggest this book a thousand times over before I'd let them within 20 miles of Ann Coulter's rants.

   Unlike Coulter and other conservative zealots, Osborne starts at the ground level of living -- for the coach, it's character -- and builds from there. In other words, the book is more a plan than an argument. And plans are generally quite a bit more persuasive.

   Osborne always worked in the here and now, so this is not much of a grand memoir. He's still into trying to turn it all around. Frankly, I think some of these societal problems are beyond his grasp -- Osborne is too kind and sympathetic to consider our society as anything more than a collection of misguided folks, it seems -- but you won't find a lot of sports coaches who have actually considered these issues the way Osborne has.

   Faith in the Game is the work of a thoughtful man.




5. This is a neat book. It is fascinating, it has scores of information about how the Huskers built their program, and it is written in exactly the right amount of detail, including the technical details.

   If you are a coach in any sport, if you are a Husker fan, or if you are a Tom Osborne fan, this book is a good read. It is also an excellent gift. It is one of the five best sports books I have read in the last few years. You can't miss with Faith in the Game.

5 comments about Branch Rickey: Baseball's Ferocious Gentleman.

1. An excellent biography of Branch Rickey and his accomplishments during the first 65 years of the 20th century.
   It is a fascinating story of his life,life in America,a history of baseball and the social mores of the era.
   Fascinating reporting on the recruitment and emergence of Jackie Robinson.



2. Lee Lowenfish has written a fabulously researched book that is an entry point into the history of baseball since the start of the 20th century. Yes, I knew that Branch Rickey ran the Dodgers and hired Jackie Robinson, breaking the color barrier in major league baseball. I didn't know, however, that he started his career in St. Louis and as I read this easy to like book, I began sending copies to people I thought would be interested.
   
   I'm 65 (born in 1943) and started listening to New York baseball games in the car with my Dad starting in about 1948. As we drove, we'd hear the Yankees and the Giants and the Dodgers. Did I know that I was listening to history as Jackie Robinson ran the bases?
   
   Many of my friends are 20 years older than I am. I thought that this book would bring back wonderful memories for them and I was right.
   
   Imagine, to date I've sent 18 books as gifts to people from New York, St. Louis, Los Angeles. Everyone has been reading and loving Lowenfish's book.........each for a different reason.
   
   SO BUY THE BOOK ALREADY.



3. If you consider yourself a baseball fan you need to read this book, because Branch Rickey was an integral part of the game's history. The book is 600 pages long, but the reading style flowed easily for me, and held my interest throughout the book. The legal profession's loss was baseball's gain as he devoted practically his entire life to serving the game while serving others at the same time. He spoke his mind and rubbed some people the wrong way, but this conservative Republican knew a wrong when he saw it, and opened up the game of baseball to the Negro race when other owners dared not disrupt the status quo. After a stint at coaching at the University of Michigan where he encountered who he deemed one of his two favorite players, George Sisler, he moved on to St. Louis to cover the lowly Browns where he worked under his favorite superior, Robert Hedges. From there it was to the Cardinals where he placed his stamp on the Redbirds successful teams of the mid-1930s Gashouse Gang, and early 1940's which were under the ownership of Sam Breadon. From there it was on to Brooklyn where he made history by signing Jackie Robinson along with others who would become stars of Roger Kahn's book "The Boys of Summer" during the 1950s. Following the 1950 season he left the Dodgers following a power struggle with "The Big O", Walter O'Malley. The Pittsburgh Pirates came calling, and once again Rickey built a cellar-dwelling franchise into a championship 1960 team with players such as Dick Groat and stealing an unprotected Roberto Clemente from the Dodgers' minor league system. Rickey's last stop was back in St. Louis when Cardinals' owner "Gussie" Busch hired Rickey as a consultant. This proved an unwise move on the part of both Busch and Rickey. Rickey clashed with Redbird general manager "Bing" Devine who was in the process of building a winner in St. Louis. Rickey wanted Stan Musial to retire, certainly an unpopular suggestion where The Man reigned supreme. Rickey died in November of 1965 while making a speech in Columbia, Missouri. I remember listening to it on St. Louis radio station KMOX. This book is filled with legendary baseball characters such as Larry MacPhail, Red Barber, Leo Durocher, "Pepper" Martin (Rickey's other favorite player), Clyde Sukeforth, Rogers Hornsby, Frankie Frisch, Connie Mack, and numerous others. Incidentally, I was disappointed to learn that Mack was the only owner who protested to Rickey personally regarding the signing of Robinson. Mack is quoted, "I used to have respect for Rickey. I don't have any more." Mack added that his Athletics would not play the Dodgers in Florida if Robinson came with them. Don't be intimidated by the length of the book. To adequately cover Rickey's life it needs to be a lengthy book. If you enjoy baseball history this book will be a breeze. Treat yourself! You will also enjoy Rickey's quotations which are still appropriate today.



4. Let me touch on that last first.
   
   Branch Rickey may have used the term "ferocious gentlemen" about various people he appreciated. It certainly was NOT used regularly of others about him, definitely not to the point where it became a moniker.
   
   But, Lowenfish tags Rickey with it, and uses it of him about every 10-15 pages. It's grating, it's off-putting, and does nothing to move the story line forward. Nor does it do anything for me in a good sense of establishing Lowenfish as a special author.
   
   There's a few small errors of fact in the book. Most notably, the 1948 Chicago Tribune headline was "Dewey DEFEATS Truman" and not "Dewey BEATS Truman."
   
   Other than that, while not leaden, the style of the book is not crisp, either.
   
   As far as content, the book could either have been written a bit tighter and be 50 pages shorter, or else have been longer and more jam-packed. Rickey's Brooklyn years and especially his relationship with Walter O'Malley come immediately to mind. What first set them off against one another? Did Rickey have any quotable comments about O'Malley? Ditto for O'Malley about Rickey.
   
   In other words, this book isn't bad as a Rickey bio -- if you can get past Lowenfish's writing tics. But, there's surely a more compelling -- and better written -- book available.



5. While every major league team is required to retire Jackie Robinson's #42, the Lords of Baseball might also consider having every team display a pair of rimless glasses, an unlit cigar and a bow tie in memory of Branch Rickey. Until that happens, Lee Lowenfish's book stands as an excellent and precise memorial.
   
   Robinson's contribution to baseball and American history is undeniable, but he was acting, to some extent, in his best self-interest. Rickey's self-interest, as normally defined, however, would have been to continue to bar the door to African American participation in the big leagues, while denying the door was even shut. This was the path of his fellow baseball decision-makers, for decades.
   
   Rickey defined his self-interest in broader, even spiritual terms. He was several kinds of paradox: a muscular Christian, a country gentleman who lived and worked in the biggest cities, a tee-totaler who constantly supported and even loved rascals like Leo Durocher, Dizzy Dean and Pepper Martin.
   
   Mr. Lowenfish, in addition to being a fine baseball maven and historian, is also a professorial-grade expert on American History. He combines these areas of expertise smoothly, giving depth and meaning to the various events and decisions in Rickey's life. He weaves details from inside baseball and culture into a deeply textured whole.
   
   He also does not see the world in terms of cardboard heroes and villains, a particularly rare and useful point of view when it comes to this story, which has so much genuine and well documented heroism. Lowenfish reports on Happy Chandler, Lee Mac Phail, Ben Chapman, even that original baseball Satan, Walter O'Malley, by treating them as real people with complex motives, instead of mere evil-doers put in the world specifically for Robinson and Rickey to overcome.
   
   Give Robinson, who walked through the door, all the credit in the world. But also credit he who opened the door. Lee Lowenfish does so in the way that Rickey himself would have most admired: by showing the human beings behind the myths.

5 comments about True Speed: My Racing Life.

1. Its Christmas 2007 and I am a big Tony Stewart fan. I received this book from family and wasnt all that thrilled since it only goes up to 2002 and to be honest I know absolutely nothing about dirt racing, sprint cars, midget cars, USAC, IRL, or Kart racing.
   Well I do now.
   I started glancing through the book and got hooked. Its written by Tony (with another writer Mark Bourcier ) so its in his own words. Its Tonys thoughts and memories. It gave me a huge insight into a racer I thought I already knew a lot about. I really enjoyed reading it, from his start as a child up to his NASCAR career. It has a lot of comments from a lot of people he has met in his life as a racer and a regular guy. If you are a Tony fan or a racing fan, this is really a good read. I doubt if hes this open now but he is just as honest and he hasnt changed his feelings.He discusses his honesty and troubles and fans and lots and lots of racing. I knew he was good but after reading this I came away more impressed than ever. I plan on checking through Amazon for more. more. more.



2. I loved this book. It was very entertaining. It really held my attention. As a matter of fact it only took me a week to read it all. That is pretty good for me and always a sign of a good book. I highly recommend it. It had some pretty funny stuff in it.



3. this book is a great tool for those wanting to know just how someone as talented as Tony Stewart got where he is. Its a book on racing and stays out of being too personal.



4. Well, I would think it would be a great book, however, I have been waiting for more than two (2) months for Amazon to sent it to me. I hope those of you who order it have months to wait for it to be shipped to you. Good luck and happy racing!



5. That's a question that race fans have either heard or wondered a good deal over the past few years. To anyone who's followed the sport of NASCAR for a few months two things become obvious: Tony has an unbelievable amount of talent and he seems to attract trouble. Some are his doing and some is not.
   
   In "True Speed" you'll get a lot of background information on Tony the person and Tony the racer straight from himself. There are certain things in life that motivate us all. Tony explains his desire to succeed and attempts (successfully if you ask me) to explain what motivates him. If you've ever wondered why Tony acts the way he does, read this book and find out.

5 comments about Brody: The Triumph and Tragedy of Wrestling's Rebel.

1. I just finished reading this book and I totally recommend it to the diehard wrestling fan out there. It goes thru Brody's early years in the sport to how he became the legend that he is. It gives you the prespective from his widow Barbara and you get see Brody outside the ring as a loving father and husband. Its especially heartbreaking to hear his widows take on his brutal murder in Puerto Rico. Pleae read this book to get a great take on this great legend who was hardcore before there was such a thing as hardcore



2. I am a huge fan of Larry Matysik the co-author and Bruiser Brody the wrestler. Larry's previous book Wrestling at The Chase was awesome and this book contained a lot of material from that book. Also the book included way too much material on Barbara Goodish the co-author and widow of Bruiser Brody. I bought it to read about Bruiser Brody. I didn't need an autobiography of his wife.



3. I loved Larry Matysik's Wrestling at the Chase, so was excited when I heard that he was also doing a book on Bruiser Brody. Unfortunately my excitement was misplaced. This book offers little--if anything--new to anyone that has the most basic knowledge of Brody's career. I thought that having Barbara Goodish (Frank's widow) involved as a co-writer would mean a more in-depth look at this colorful, larger than life character. Sadly her contributions are superficial and reveal little. Dave Meltzer's informative and knowledgeable introduction is easily the highlight of the book.



4. Good insight into a very entertaining character. The flow of the book was alittle off as it switched from Matysik to Barbara. One voice intergarting all of the stories might have been better.
   
   I feel Matysik is writing this books as an ego ride for himself. He constantly talked about all the things he did. If he is so important in pro wrestling, why do historians like Dave Meltzer not mention him in the same regard as a Mushnick or Vince Sr.?



5. The legend of Bruiser Brody has finally been documented on paper by the people who knew him by both his personas; First there was Frank Goodish - the gentle giant, caring human being, loyal friend, loving husband, and proud father; And then there was Bruiser Brody - the wild and often controversial wrestler that most of us are familiar with. This combination of distinct characteristics bundled together to create complex and entertaining MAN who was loved by those who knew him personally and admired by fans who knew him professionally - although many greedy promoters knew him as a seven foot tall walking talking headache. Larry Matysik (the voice of St. Louis wrestling, announcer for the famed "Wrestling at the Chase," and author of a wonderful book by the same name) joined forces with Barbara Goodish, the widow of Frank and mother of his only child, Geoff, to boldly present the life and times of Frank "Bruiser" Brody.
   
   With the exception of the big two, WWF and WCW, Bruiser Brody literally worked everywhere on the wrestling planet. He developed one of the most unbalanced reputations in the history of the wrestling industry. Starting out in Texas, then making a name for himself in St. Louis under the guidance of promoter Sam Muchnick, hitting virtually every territory in the country, dominating the wrestling circuit in Japan, and taking advantage of the national exposure by appearing in Verne Gagne's AWA. The road-map of Brody's career literally circled the globe and he did it all with an iron fist and a steadfast commitment to preserving his own character as well as the integrity of the sport. His insistence on getting every penny he earned often left a bad taste in the mouths of unscrupulous promoters, who would inevitably book him again due to one unavoidable principle - Brody could "draw" the fans like no other.
   
   Personally, I have always been very much intrigued by Bruiser Brody. My limited exposure to his matches, and fuzzy low-quality compilation tape left me terribly curious about this mysterious figure that seemingly has the entire wrestling world in the palm of his hand. Very few wrestlers could attract the attention of his audience as well as Bruiser Brody, and perhaps (no I'm pretty sure it is) that's the reason he was able to make so much money in so many territories. Bruiser Brody, sometimes known as "King Kong" Brody (as not to infringe on Dick The Bruiser's notoriety), will go down in history as one of the most all-around fan-friendly professional wrestlers ever - despite what role, heel or face, he was playing.
   
   Thanks to the courage of his widow, Barbara, fans of the legendary Bruiser Brody have been formally introduced to the man behind the wild persona known as Mr. Frank Goodish. This is a book about Frank's early life, football career, pro-wrestling career, his famously firm philosophies, becoming a LEGEND in Japan, and of course the tragic events leading up to his murder in Puerto Rico at the hands of another wrestler who never spent a single day in jail. Also included in this book are touching stories of Goodish meeting his wife while touring New Zealand, and the effect their first child had on his life. Both writers theorize on what the wrestling landscape would be like were it not for Brody's untimely death in 1988.
   
   "BRODY" is a truly fascinating look at a man that captured the imagination of every person fortunate enough to experience a Bruiser Brody match and/or wrestling interview while Brody was still with us on this earth.
   
   Rating: 9 / 10

1 comments about My Life and the Beautiful Game: The Autobiography of Soccer's Greatest Star.

1. Pele is a soccer legend. Even those who don't know the sport, know Pele. This autobiography is a terrific read. You really feel Pele's enthusiasm for soccer, as the writing is so passionate, that you can't help appreciating one of the world's most popular sports.

2 comments about Wayne Rooney: My Story.

1. I enjoyed this quick trip thru the life of a young soccer talent. Don't expect War and Peace and you won't moan about the plight of literature.



2. I sometimes wonder (and worry) about the amount of praise works like this often attract. Lame in effort and execution, dumb and tedious in its reality, it beggars the question why we're not, as a society, a lot more critical?
   Is it because, as I suspect, and the people who produce this trash know for sure, no-one gives a monkeys?
   This convivial lack of disapproval, twinned with general social lethargy ensures we get what we deserve, and therefore, what we expect/want, with no questions asked.
   Of course this stuff will keep right on coming until we can muster up some sort of resistance to it, and at the moment I would say that's highly unlikely.
   What we need is some quality control in our own lives, and the inclination to back it up.
   It would be a start if we could curb the exposure of some of the people who are supposed to be steering us clear of this stuff. Too busy `appearing' somewhere to be of any use at the business end, too involved to see the damage they're doing, and allowing to be done.
   But far more importantly, as a civilization we must vent every way we can, our abhorrence and intolerance for the debased, the tawdry and the creatively unclean. Sneer and scorn the lame ducks and the half-talents. Bring pressure to bear on those who exist only for profit, and actively encourage, for lucrative financial gain, the deliberate and VERY real `dumbing down' of pretty much anything and everything in our culture.
   This afflicts across the board; the arts, travel, food, particularly sport, where the opportunity to guide our young people by good example is criminally wasted.
   And at it's cold black heart, its nadir, is us as people, in the land of the dead, sucking it all in without retort, without obloquy, and worst of all, without conscience or shame. Arise; Sir Vermin.
   `Wisdom and goodness to the vile seem vile.' Future generations will need some explaining to.

No comments about Sex, Lies and Handlebar Tape: The Remarkable Life of Jacques Anquetil, the First Five-Times Winner of the Tour de France.

5 comments about Game of Shadows: Barry Bonds, BALCO, and the Steroids Scandal that Rocked Professional Sports.

1. Any true fan of baseball will love this book. Not only does it provide factual reporting, but is presented in a way that anyone who picks it up can read it & understand.
   
   It is nowhere near a "long read," it's long, but is written in a way that it will suck you in until you flip that last page. I liked it so much I ordered a copy for my dad!
   
   I am nowhere near a Barry Bonds fan, but this book doesn't 100% focus on Bonds. A great read!!!



2. "Game of Shadows: Barry Bonds, BALCO, and the Steroids Scandal that Rocked Professional Sports" details the story of how performance-enhancing drugs have entered the world of sports. As of this time, the case has not been completely wrapped up, with Barry Bonds still awaiting trial for perjury and tax evasion. The book is really a definitive reference to performance drugs, their composition, their effect in bodies and why they work. As banned drugs in most sports, there has been a constant game of cat-and-mouse between athletes and governing bodies to stay one step ahead of the other, to prevent these drugs from being used. In baseball's case, the only governing body for athletes and owners was greed, so using the drugs was winked at by both. The result of this was the creation of records by people who never would have come close to creating them. Equally incredible was the creation of "mutations" (for lack of a better word) in the bodies of users: Barry Bonds, for example, had his shoe size grow from 10½ to 13, his jersey size increase from 42 to 52, and his head grow two sizes, despite being bald - all in his late 30s, long after the normal body grows anything close to this much. No telling what kind of health risks he will be running in the years to come. This is no doubt, though, that this is a riveting book - despite what may seem to be a boring topic, the authors make it a thorough and interesting book.



3. Bought this for my husband... he loves it. Good read for those into Baseball and baseball history.



4. I am a big baseball fan so i had to read this book and , altough, it is a sad thing to find out how huge is this problem, i am grateful that those who have lied and hide this problem have been prosecuted.This book is a great account of the problems of drugs in sports.So far, everything that the authors have said in this book have been proven true.This book is a no non-sense approach to the story with the authors putting all the cards on the table and not holding back.I think their approach to the subject is fantastic and the fact that they have researched and documented all their information is a testimony to that.Great book!!



5. There is no way to make a positive case for anabolic steroids or HGH in any sport. The story of BALCO and the involvement of one of the biggest names in sports makes for an interesting read Game of Shadows: Barry Bonds, BALCO, and the Steroids Scandal that Rocked Professional Sports albeit one of the darkest sides of professional sports.
   
   Hidden behind a "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" back-drop, the book names people who became contenders by buying into the back street sales of steroids in order to build strength, enhance musculature, elongate careers and cheat their way into the record books with the excuse that they were better than other players but just needed that edge to be best, as though it was their divine right! Gone were the days of Willie Mays, Roger Maris, Hank Aaron and Mickey Mantle, those who made and broke records by sheer talent and will. The days of steroids were now foisted upon an unsuspecting public via Victor Conte, a self-made, self-serving and self-proclaimed nutritionist who became a "cocktail" mixer to the super stars of sports. Throw into that mix the world of Major League Baseball, who, along with its Commissioners, owners, managers, trainers and pumped up stars, turned a deaf ear and a blind eye to all that was happening around them. Together, they've turned a wonderful, healthy and beautiful sport that was America's Favorite Pastime into a debacle of muscle-bound "terminators" whose job it is to hit the long ball and keep people coming to fields and stadiums where they can witness the side-show of freaks which once was, the heart of American sports.

5 comments about Namath: A Biography.

1. Kriegel does a masterful job at covering Namath for the reader. That said, I found the book way too long for the subject matter. Definitely mainline skimming after Namath retires from the Jets. The author really covers Namath's flaws. He appears to have always been an industrial strength drinker with little regard for most of his teammates and others. Not an easy person to like. Consequently, I found myself asking why am I reading all of these words about such a person. The football parts are really good, especially I would think for old line Jets fans. However, other parts are less intriguing. I've noticed that authors who are also journalists tend to think we care as much about all the details as do they. I found Kriegel's book, Pistol, about Pete Maravich is a better read.



2. Namath, through his legal mouthpiece, refused to cooperate with the author of "Namath: A Biography." A terrific researcher and writer, Mark Kriegel didn't need him. Joe left enough bitter friends, teammates, and business partners who were willing to share the lowdown on Broadway Joe. Ain't a pretty picture, but neither is pro football.
   
   This was one of the most talented and courageous players ever to step onto a football field. The author pays due homage to Joe Namath, QB. Plenty of fascinating stuff on Beaver Falls, Alabama, and Jets heroics. His athleticism was a great gift; his grit in making the most of it was unyielding. If you utterly idolized him as #12, leave that as your only memory.
   
   What this book presents is Namath as man in full; which is to say, a user without peer, a smalltown pool hustler who brought that ethos to all that touched his life. There's me, and there are the suckers. When he was finished with you, you learned it this way: your phone calls were not returned. Out. Finis. A buddy for twenty years now dying? A teammate for a dozen years? Sorry. Your services in the lifelong promotion that remains Joe Willie "White Shoes" are no longer required. Perhaps the best example cited by the author of the crassness of Namath the man was when he wanted 60G to attend a charity golf tournament organized by his Jets teammates. Unfortunately that sum would drain the total funds earned by the event. So no Joe. Not that he wanted to go; that was the point of the exhorbitant fee--he didn't need them.
   
   When the primetime hustle that was Broadway Joe finally petered out, Namath decided it was family that mattered. He had always tried to take care of his natural family, which was a broken one. But he had no practice at real life. He waited too long. He soon married a user half his age who hustled him: she left him because she wanted to be a "serious actress" and "find herself," as Kriegel painfully quotes her. This she did by ditching Broadway Joe for her own personal Beverly Hills plastic surgeon. She took the two Namath daughters with her, leaving her husband shellshocked as to how such a thing could happen to The Man Himself. He quickly returned to that which best sustained him through his desultory off-field existence: booze.
   
   Kriegel throughout makes the point that the Namath con is all part of the Big Con: The Enteraintment and Sports Sell. The original power behind Namath as Broadway Joe was Sonny Werblin, New York TV superagent and hustler extraordinnaire when he became a minority Jets owner. At the time, pro football was bringing up the rear in the American sports pantheon. Its owners still labored under the delusion they were in the football business. Namath-Werblin changed that. It was the perfect marriage in Joe's life. Joe and Sonny, Football and Show Biz.
   
   Namath's latest promotion has been his autobiography, surprisingly titled, "Namath." This was the reason Joe risked an interview late last year with Sixty Minutes, notorious for slapping the self-satisfied smiles off its subjects. No problem: his attorney likely made sure he got what he wanted, a puff-piece where he charmingly skates Oprahesque across the wreckage of his life while walking a Florida beach. Trying to stay booze-free once again, moving on metal knees and arthritic hips, the man's hustle hasn't lost a step. And he may be alone, still devoted to his daughters, but he's certainly not lonely (wink, wink). Broadway Joe lives.
   
   If you want a well-written take on Namath that is as gritty as the man and his world, read the Kriegel book. It's all about Joe William Namath, who remains one of the most extraordinary football players I ever watched. And wish I could pay good U.S. money to go back and watch again in the autumn dust of Shea Stadium, New York.



3. Great book. I feel sad for a man who peaked at 25.
   
   J!E!T!S! Jets Jets Jets



4. Everybody knows Joe Namath (okay, most people have heard of him). Of our knowledge and recollections of Namath, most go back to about 40 years ago, when he was a young quarterback on fragile knees, had a shotgun arm, a team jelling around him that lead to The Guarantee, a Super Bowl win . . . and he was Joe Namath, The Swankiest Dude in NYC, ladies at his beck and call, llama rug, fur coat, bachelor lifestyle, etc. After that, it all kind of fades to memory: years of frustration, a year with the Rams and retirement. Once in a while you'd hear about him, starring in the theater of all places, but the memory goes back to when he was 26 and an American idol.
   
   Kriegel wrote a heck of a book, cutting through the cobwebs of our collective memories to give us a much different portrait of a man than the hype had provided to us: one who cared about family, one who respected the father figures of his life, one who cared deeply and was loyal to his friends - but one who reinvented himself at various times of his life and left his old friends behind. His reinvention of his life led to marriage and a family, where he wanted a stable, loving family around him - but didn't quite achieve that. Now, the reinvention goes on - new relationships, new family relations as his children got older, but the old life he lived has never quite been shaken off.
   
   This book was written without the direct help of Namath or through his lawyer, Jim Walsh. It appears that Namath's policy is that his personal life is nobody's business but his, and I respect that: he's had years in the spotlight and what he chooses to reveal to the world should be just that which he chooses. Walsh, a lawyer who has as his sole business that of Joe Namath, requested a huge sum of money for access to Namath and his story. That I have little respect for. I think that Kriegel's version without the help of Namath and Walsh give us a much better, more honest view of the man than if Namath had cooperated in the writing and editing. The result is a book that sheds a good deal of light on a much more complex man than we thought we knew.



5. Time has a way of marching on. In every sport there are a certain amount of sport stars that made their mark not only in the history of their particular sport but upon society in general. Joe Willie Nemet (his real name)made that and more.
   
   A larger than life character is brought to life in this wonderful read. From his roots in growinup up in a rough and tumble mill town of Beaver Falls to the bright lights of Broadway. Namath had the ability to overcome many demons with a unreal atheltic arm and mind. Today's professional athlete - football, baseball, basketball - should lay down and thank the Namath's of professional sport as the ones who made it possible for them to earn these out of sight salary figures kicked around today. Joe brought not only guts and grit to his game but a dertermination and intellegence to run an offense without all the help of modern coaching input seen in today's game. They just don't make em' like the Namaths', Title's, Unitas's, and Baugh's much anymore.
   
   Rank this one up there with it's realistic approach to how it was. A fun ride.