Sports Books

This is a great book! im a keeper myself and it works for me. The pictures and disriptions are great too. ***** 5stars
GREAT VALUE!!
:)

I have over 100 soccer books including goalkeeping books by Wilson, Shilton, Luxbacher, Waiters,Machink and the videos of Machnik, Hoek and Dicicco. Lincoln Philips's book was worth the money and more for several reasons. He has the wisdom of years of playing experience at the the national team level as well as college coaching and USSF Staff coaching duties. He has an excellent discussion on the art of stopping penalty kicks and develops a list of visual cues goalkeepers can use to predict where kicks will go. He examines techniques for prevailing in 1v1 breakaways I had not previously encountered. Finally he has an excellent section on defending restarts which is particularly valuable to the goalie in light of the high percentage of goals which result from poor defensive communication and organization at these times.

I have reviewed many goalkeeping books and own four. This book is by far the best. It is well organized and explains the details of soccer's most difficult position in an approachable manner. It is obvious that Lincoln knows his stuff. If you read it in his book you can be sure of it, which is not the case in some other books I've read. Can't go wrong with this one.

I knew nothing of goalkeeping before purchasing this book. This book is easy to read and understand, well organized, and full of easy-to-follow visuals. I purchased it to understand our goalkeeper's job and loaned it to him to read. He played keeper for years, and even he learned from it and INSTANTLY improved. An injury prevents him from playing this season. With this book as my only coach and practicing what was in it, we (myself and my defense) earned a shutout in just my second game as keeper. Lincoln Phillips provides coaching in every aspect of goalkeeping and tells you exactly what you need to know. I recommend this book for beginning keepers, experienced keepers, coaches, and anyone else interested in the position and its importance. BUY THIS!

Lincoln Phillips is one of the outstanding teachers of the game today. He brings a warm and open presence to the subject, revealing the secrets to playing the position with a common sense approach that is guaranteed to bring success. This is a must-have addition to any coaches or players library.

Howard and Ali were pals...you can feel their love for each other in this book. We miss both of these players...

Where else but in American sports can an old, white, Jewish veteran befriend a young Black Muslim draft dodger? They may not have been friends who loved each other, but it was convenient for both of them. If you can't take advantage of a friend, then he's not. They had things in common. Both were driven. Both had over inflated egos. They were the greatest. If you don't believe it just ask them. Well, Howard Cosell is dead & Ali doesn't talk any more. Their early life & struggles are covered well so that you understand where they came from. Cosell was a World War II vet. He earned a law degree then decided he wanted to do sports on television. He was brash, obnoxious & smart. His relationship with Ali & Monday Night Football made him a nationally recognized sports journalist. Ali, originally Cassuius Clay had a fairly normal upbringing. Then he won Golden Gloves Championship & Olympic gold metal in 1960, that propelled him into his pro career. Before he was finished he had became & is the most recognizable man on earth. He was the world Heavyweight Champion, that most singular of all championships, three times.
Ali was despised for his faith, his refusal to serve in the military & of course his race. Eventually, he overcame all these obstacles. The U.S. government pursued him, denying his draft deferment status. As a result he was also denied the right to box for several of what would have been his most productive years. He lost millions of $$$ & was stripped of his championship. Eventually, he was aquitted. Cosell covered him all along his journey. The author, Dave Kindred spends quite a bit of time on Ali's three fights with Joe Fraizer & rightly so. Ali's life has become an inspiration to kids on all continents but especially the impoverished millions in Africa. He was persecuted by his own government & cheated by the leaders of the Black Muslim faith that managed him. He apparently is now a quiet soul bearing no malice to anyone. Cosell on the other hand became embittered after his MNF gig. He wanted to be taken seriously as more than a sports announcer. When he wasn't he didn't take it well. Poor health eventually claimed him. A good sports book for all us fans of a certain age that remember Cosell & Ali in their prime.

David Kindred has written what amounts to a duel biography of the controversial odd couple that is Muhammad Ali and Howard Cosell. The author tells us that Ali elected to not join the military because the Muslim Nation told him not to. To cross them was to literary toy with his life. The assassination of Malcolm X being used as an example. While not necessarily agreeing with Ali's decision Cosell supported Ali stating that taking his heavyweight championship away from him without any semblance of due process was completely wrong. There appears to be evidence that Cosell may have already been experiencing dementia when he came out with his second book entitled I Never Played the Game. Aware of the criticism in his book of his cronies in the TV booth for Monday Night Football Cosell was asked before publication whether he wanted to include these strong opinions. Since he always prided himself on telling it "like it is" he felt it would be hypocrisy of him not to do so now. Cosell was a devoted family man while Ali ventured into nocturnal delights. It was hard for sports fans to be neutral in regard to either of these men, but boxing was the ingredient that brought these two men together first in mutural respect and then in friendship. Incidentally, page 247 has a hilarious anecdote of Howard using his colorful vocabulary in breaking up fisticuffs involving teens in Kansas City. Whether you are a fan of either man or the part they played in sports you will find this to be an extremely enjoyable book to read.

Dave Kindred has done lovers of sports and history a favor with Sound and Fury.

Using two cultural giants - Mohammad Ali and Howard Cosell - he has produced a fresh and readable social history of the latter half of the Twentieth Century. Let me be clear. I love Ali. Kindred refers to him as the most influential sports figure of the last century. In my mind, he understates the case; Ali is the most influential person of the last century.

Cosell, on the other hand, may have hesitated to tell you he was. He was not. Trained as a lawyer and gifted with the ability to articulate complexity, he brought a thinking man's view to radio and television sports journalism.

Individually, they were interesting. Together, they were hypnotizing. They produced controversy, drama and comedy almost every time they appeared together.

Dave Kindred tells the story of this alliance from a unique perspective. As a newspaper and magazine sports columnist with nearly 40 years experience, he covered Ali's early fight days as a reporter for the Louisville Courier-Journal before moving on to the The Atlanta Journal- Courier and The Washington Post. He draws upon his experiences to re-create the Ali-Cosell story in ways I have never seen attempted.

The result is a fascinating portrait of two outsized figures - their heroics and their demons. Drawing on personal observations, fresh reporting and interviews, Kindred writes a page-turning treatment of two lives that together changed sports, television and I would argue, the world, forever.

Sound and Fury (14 hours, 11 cds, unabridged, Blackstone Audio) is a duel biography of Howard Cosell and Mohammed Ali.

Sport writer Dave Kindred knew both men, he has written a bio that transcends his knowledge of both men. His text is an honest, no hold barred , warts and all biography. When a third person (like Kindred) writes a biography, he tends to put his personal touches with his own bias, this book is NOT that.The book showed an unlikely partnership created by media hype.

In the audio narrative hands of Dick Hill, this audio project seems more like a docudrama in its scope. Hill's narrative voice takes on verbal personas of Cosell and Ali, without mocking them. His talent has grown from the days at Brilliance Audio.

Sound and Fury is an amazing production . . . you won't forget it audio, long after you heard it

Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD

SOX AND THE CITY IS WRITTEN BY RICHARD ROEPER WHO IS ALSO A MOVIE CRITIC ALONG WITH ROGER EBERT IN CHICAGO AND THEY HAVE A SYNDICATED TV SHOW. I REALLY LOVED THIS BOOK. I AM NOT A SOX FAN BUT AN INDIANS FAN AND I KNOW MANY MANY SEASONS HAVE PASSED SINCE A WORLD SERIES VICTORY. ROPER BRINGS BACK MUCH NOSTALGIA FROM BASEBALL IN THE 1960'S TO PRESENT DAY. I REALLY ENJOYED THE SEGMENTS ABOUT THE 1967 TEAM AND DICK ALLEN. I ESPECIALLY RECOMMEND THIS FOR ALL SOX FANS AND EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT, THIS IS AN EXCELLENT READ FOR ALL BASEBALL FANS. HE DOES A GREAT JOB DESCRIBING IN DETAIL HOW THE 2005 SEASON WENT WITH SOME GREAT BEHIND THE SCENES STORIES. I THINK THE ONE MAIN THING I ENJOYED MOST WAS HIS EXPERIENCES FOLLOWING THE SOX AS A CHILD WHEN WE ARE YOUNG AND NAIVE AND HOPE IS ETERNAL. A MUST READ.

Roeper writes very well for a journalist (ha-ha), and this book was both funny and captured the essence of being a White Sox fan. He takes you through his personal experience of being fan from his childhood in the 1960s to attending the World Series in 2005. The book would be a fun read even if you were not a White Sox fan as Roeper includes a lot of jokes about pop culture such as movies and music, and many of the stories of being a fan are universal regardless of the team.

Fantastic recap of decades of Sox lore! This book was a quick and interesting read, containing trivia, stats, and facts all interwoven with personal anecdotes and memories. Terrific for new or old fans - a must have for all who know and love the Sox!

Thank goodness the White Sox have southside Chicago native Richard Roeper as a fan! The Cubs and other more popular MLB teams have a much longer roster of both author/fans (e.g. Stephen King and the Red Sox) and A-list celebrity/fans (of which the White Sox have none - sorry Jerry Springer, you're B-list). But the White Sox, with their long, interesting history and their amazing 2005 World Series run, needed someone to step up to the plate and deliver what the fan base needs: a book documenting what it means to be a White Sox fan in the four decades up to 2005. Roeper delivers a solid home run, albeit not a grand slam.

Roeper deftly interweaves three main storylines in "Sox and the City": the highlights of the past 40 years of Sox history; Roeper's own personal experiences as a fan attending more than 1000 Sox games; and the highlights of the 2005 season and World Series run. Along the way Roeper provides a personal, often humorous view of the main topics in Sox history: the different Sox teams that have been assembled over the years; what it means to be a Sox fan in what will always (unless the demographics of Chicago change radically) be a Cubs town, including especially the Sox/Cubs rivalry among the fans (which, because of geography is more passionate - at least on the Sox side - than any other intercity major league rivalry); Harry Caray's move from the Sox to the Cubs; Bill Veeck's attempts to generate excitement (and bring in paying fans) on the southside; Disco Demolition Night; the move from Comiskey to the Cell; and much more.

There is so much White Sox history that it is impossible to capture it all in a single volume, but Roeper hits all the highlights. His prose is very accessible, humorous, and direct. "Sox and the City" is likely to become the definitive guide to what it means to be a White Sox fan in the present day.

Why only four stars? Roeper's done an admirable job in all areas of the book except two: explaining precisely what made the 2005 team different than all other White Sox teams, and capturing the excitement and impact of the Sox's 2005 World Series victory on the city of Chicago. Perhaps the latter is an impossible task to translate into words - you had to be there.

All literate White Sox fans should read this book.

"Sox and the City" is a great read for any baseball lover, but particularly White Sox fans. They say that as a baseball fan you are wedded to one team for life, and live and die with them each season. Or to paraphrase one of those east coast baseball fans, baseball is not life or death, but the [White] Sox are!

"Sox and the City" will most interest Chicagosns, of course. But all baseball fans might enjoy it. After all, being a White Sox fan in a city with more than one team, and an ancient generational rivalry (I won't name that OTHER team) is an experience few living baseball fans still know. the annual highs and lows (and finally triumph) that made the suffering all worth it. Only perhaps New Yorkers share the experience (and even the New York Mets are stand-ins for the old Yankees-Dodgers-Giants rivalry).

If you love baseball, pick this one up!

I liked this book, although I think I liked the secondary story of Taylor's sister Eve and baseball player Sloan better than the main story. This author has done this before and I wish each story had their own book. I would have loved a separate book of Eve and Sloan's story. As usual this author has great dialogue and the book just zips along and before you know it you've read the whole thing. Also, I prefer it when the hero/heroine have never met and meet for the first time in the book. In this book the heroine left the hero at the altar. It still works but I think these type of books lose something when the 2 people already have a past. I love that moment in a book when the couple first meet. All in all this was a good read and I look forward to more books by Kate Angell. Love those baseball players!!

This is my first book by Ms. Angell. It was a fun, breezy bit of fluff. And if you take it at that - it's wonderful. It's a great book when you don't want anything too deep.

However, the reasons for only 3 stars are: it was totally predicatable (as are all romaces, I suppose, but this really had no surprises.) Some of the baseball stuff was silly (5 Cy Youngs and I forget how many golden gloves for Brek -come on!) And, last but not least, the cutesy names. Sorry, but this drives me nuts. A pitcher named Stryker???

To keep with the baseball theme, this story is a homerun (as are Squeeze Play and Curveball). The character are fun and there interactions will make you laugh out loud.

Brek Stryker is having the year of his life. He is in position to break all of his father's pitching records, and he is engaged to marry the mayor of the town. Not only is he engaged, but his fiancée is nothing like his last one (Taylor) and he thinks that this is just what he needs.

Taylor is stunned when her sister Eve lets her know Brek is getting married. She has always thought she would be able to talk with him about why she left him at the alter all those years ago. Now she might not get the chance. So she actually bangs up her knee while skiing and comes back to Richmond to make amends. The problem is that instead of making amends, she ends up making things worse. She realizes she is still in love with Brek who wants nothing to do with her. Additionally, Brek's relief pitcher (Sloan) seems to be hitting on her when he really is attracted to her sister Eve. Will Sloan and Eve get together? Or will he live up to his love`em and leave`em reputation.

Suddenly things don't seem to be as good in Brek's life as in the past. He is still drawn to Taylor, his fiancée is trying to keep a distance that he doesn't like, and there is a rumor that his batting nemesis might be traded to his team. When Taylor ends up in the hospital from her knee injury, he decides that he will be the friend she needs to get better. Will the rest of his life straighten out? Will they acknowledge the flames that are still between them?

Taylor and Brek were the main characters of Strike Zone, but I almost liked the secondary story between Eve and Sloan better. But then again, that is like choosing between chocolate and oh, chocolate, as all four characters are written so well that it was easy to become involved in their lives. Strike Zone is the latest in the Boys of Summer series and Ms. Angell just might convert me to baseball after all. I enjoy reading about the lives and times of characters we have met in the past and their interactions with the new ones. I also want to point out that you do not need to read the series in order, though if you start with Strike Zone, you will find yourself hunting for the others. I have to say that if there is any complaint I have with Strike Zone, it is that I will have to wait another year to read the next in the series. It is with great pleasure that I am Joyfully Recommending Strike Zone.

Tanya
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Strike Zone by Kate Angell is another winner in her Richmond Rogues series.

Thrill seeker Taylor Hannah has come back to Richmond after finding out that her ex-fiancé Rogues star pitcher Brek Stryker is engaged to another woman. Three years ago Taylor left Brek standing at the altar and she has not stopped thinking about how she has wronged him ever since. Taylor had just gone through a major tragedy right before the I do's and she ran away instead of facing it head on. She has come back to Richmond to find some closure with Brek. What she found was that this man still is in her system.

Brek Stryker can not believe his eyes, Taylor Hannah is back in town. She tore his heart out and ripped it to shreds when she left him. Now she is home and messing with the quiet orderly life he has strived to maintain. The woman he is set to marry is quiet, unassuming just what he needs after adventurous Taylor. But in his heart of hearts he knows that Taylor is really the woman who owns him body and soul.

Brek and Taylor come to an understanding about co-existing in Richmond. Even though they are still attracted to each other they ignore it. Then Brek finds out the truth about the woman he was supposed to marry and once he is a free man all bets are off.

Brek and Taylor will worm their way into your heart. Everyone has been scared of life one time or another and these two have had their fair share of heartbreak. Their sexual banter and allure leaps off every encounter that they have. The secondary romance between Taylor's sister Eve and the relief pitcher Sloan is an extra special treat in this wonderful book.

I have immensely enjoyed every book in this series. This series is one every romance reader needs to get their hands on. I am waiting patiently for the next slugger to get his story.

I was a summer camp counselor for seven summers, and this guide was fantastic for those years. It is a staple reference at our camp for other counselors to read. A true reference from a distinguished psychologist and counselor given to other counselors. Thanks

This is a really helpful book for preparing for summer camp. Here's a tip I got from a friend: if you buy it through acabookstore.org (ACA = American Camping Association) then it comes with a DVD-CD set. My son, who's pretty anxious about going to camp, watched the DVD and that really helped turn his anxiety into excitement. The book and DVD give great tips on preparing (packing, etc.) for camp, but also gives great insight on how to approach the camp experience. Together they answered a lot of questions I didn't even know to ask. It's one of those things you can't afford not to get.

This book really covers what you need to know before you send your child to sleepaway camp. The part that was most helpful to me was the research the authors have done on homesickness. Before I got this book I was guessing about how to handle my daughter's homesickness, and I came up with one or two of their recommendations. But after I read this book I felt I understood how to handle this with my daughter and also what the camp and counselors can do to help. There's a great list of all the things you can do. And everything the authors said rings true with my experience.

It's well written, easy to follow, and has parts written just for kids to read. There's even a section to tell kids how to get the most out of camp - from general guidelines on how to treat others to good advice on how to deal with living with lots of kids in a small space.

Every parent, camper, counselor and camp director should read this book! Parents will have a more relaxing time while their kids are away, campers will know better what to expect and how to have the most fun, counselors will know better what to do, and camp directors will have fewer problems with kids AND parents.

The best thing about this book was that it was so helpful to both me and my daughter when it came time to start preparing for her first stay at summer camp. We relied on the suggested internet search engines in the book to find the camps and used the section on co-ed vs. single-sex camps to come to a conclusion that my daughter and I(!) were comfortable with. I've already spread the word about this book to all the parents I know that are thinking about sending their kids off to camp. Every parent will feel better once they've read the homesickness section.

I bought Chris Thurber's book on Friday, and watched him on NBC's Today Show this morning (June 9, 2003). Seeing him in person confirms what I thought: he is a camping expert with a wealth of helpful information for parents and kids alike. I feel so much better sending my son to camp knowing that Chris and Jon's research has helped us prepare in a way that will maximize the fun and minimize the homesickness at camp. Buying this book is a small investment in a positive experience whose benefits, I am sure, will last a lifetime. (I found the perfect camp for my son by visiting the American Camping Association's web page: acacamps.org.)

it covers every aspect of swimming in great depth, such as hydrodynamics, stroke techniques, nutrition, weight training, starts and turns and much more.

high recommended for all fitness and competitive swimmers.

I've readed a lot of books about swimming and I must declare that this one is probably the best.
It analise every aspect of this sport and supported by an impressionant bibliography it can separate facts from suppositions and errors.
This book has helped me to understand the deepest aspect of training and swim propulsion in the four strokes, and it can be well used in addiction with other manuals.
I'm emotionally waiting for Maglischo next work.

This is the best swimming book I have ever read. Everything a swimmer or coach needs: training principles, swimming technique, and mental aspects of the sport. It covers everything even how you should split your race. Lots of drills for every stroke.

This book has served me well as a coach for many years, and I have given it as a gift to several coaches and top swimmers. Whether or not you care to get lost in the endless debate over Bernoulli versus Newton, this book has much more to offer. I trained under Ernie Maglischo and this book has served as the marvelous manifestation of his patient and persistent work on deck. I recommend it without reservation.

I'm primarily a rower, so I can't speak about the swimming-specific sections of this book. But I can rave about the more generally applicable sections. I've used this book for several years to design training programs for various rowing events, from 500 meters (about 1.5-2 minutes) to 2,000 meters (about 7-8 minutes) to head races (20 minutes and longer). Maglischo's explanations of how to balance the levels of effort in a training program for sprint or endurance events is tremendously helpful, as are the explanations of how to periodize training programs and create daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly programs.

The only tiny criticism I have of this book is that I would find it slightly more useful if the swimming distances included approximate times for the events. That way, it would make transferring the principles to comparable events in different sports more straightforward.

I recommend this book to any coach or athlete of any racing sport. You'll find not only physiological issues addressed, but also issues concerning pacing and race strategy -- a must for anyone desiring an internal focus during racing.

This is a wonderful book but it is most suited for serious practitioners who already know the CORRECT Yang 103 empty hand form. This book will truly motivate you to become a better Tai Chi Player.

If it is your intention to figure out what Yang Luchan could put into practice, you know that all we have are hints. A written hint here. An oral hint there. A rediscovery from this person. An oral tradition from that person. In other words, you know how hard it is to stay on the path. Well, here is a book that is chock full of hints, a veritable roadmap of them. If taijiquan is for you a "martial" art, why don't you own this book?

Here's a statement issued by the Yang family (Yeung is Cantonese for
Yang

-----
Yeung Family's Tai Chi Chuan

The Yeung family's style of Tai Chi Chuan is unique to the Yeung
family.

It was started by Great Master, Yeung Lu Chan, who was born over two
hundred years ago, and has been passed down to family members,
generation after generation to the present day. The lineage under
discussion is that of Mr Yeung Sau Chung, the eldest son of Mr Yeung
Ching Po. Mr Yeung Sau Chung moved to Hong Kong with his family in
1949, and continued to dedicate his life to practicing and teaching Tai Chi Chuan until his death in 1985. Since then his family has devoted
themselves to practicing and teaching Tai Chi Chuan.

Mr Yeung had taught for over fifty years, and his daughter Ms Yeung Ma Lee, taught for over twenty years. Over these seventy years, they both have taught many students. Their method of teaching is personal and individualized. Through this methodology, they have employed various teaching approaches that take into consideration an individual's learning level, capabilities and physique.

It is important to clearly define the different categories of learning
more fully:

Category one is family. Yeung family members are taught the complete
body of knowledge. In the family, the methods and formulas are observed
most strictly, and the teaching methods employed are quite severe.
While all family members learn, not all like teaching and not all take
disciples.

Category two is disciple. Generally, a student is required to spend a
specific amount of time studying with the teacher before being
considered for discipleship. Students are accepted as disciples based
on several criteria. The disciples must have aptitude and possess virtues
such as honesty, kindness and loyalty to the Yeung's family. Once
accepted, they would acquire from the Master skills that lead to a
level of comprehension that far exceeds that of the students so that they can help the Master to spread the Yeung Family's Tai Chi Chuan.

A disciple is allowed to use the Yeung family's name when teaching.
Disciples can choose to take their own disciples. All disciples are
listed in the chart of School of Yeung's style of Tai Chi Chuan but not
in the Yeung's family lineage despite the fact that some people
shamefully promote themselves this way.

Category three is student. With permission from the Yeung's family
students could teach using the Yeung's family name.

The family itself has published books about Tai Chi Chuan. One must
understand that books only serve as a guide; you could only learn the
art well with instructions from the Yeung family. Recently a movie of
Mr Yeung Sau Chung surfaced on the internet (without family permission).
The same principle applies. It may be the best form one has ever seen,
but without the underlying formula, it is impossible to learn from it.

There are a lot of claims by some people saying they are practicing the
"real" Yeung style, or they possess the "forgotten secrets" etc. It is
absolutely important that the followers should exercise the utmost
caution to discern the authenticity of these claims and whether the
martial art is appropriate for their physique, otherwise it is not only
a waste of time and money but also it might cause serious injury. Yeung
style Tai Chi Chuan is both an extraordinary defensive art as well as
an unparalleled health maintenance exercise. The principles and
applications are only as valuable and effective as the source from
which they spring.

Know your source.
-----------------------

Not my words, but the words of the Yeung family. There are a lot of taichi chuan masters teaching terrible and innacurate form. Buyer Beware!

It is a very interesting approach to Tai Chi. It explains the philosophy and the basic. It is good for people that are starting with the study of Tai Chi.

Though "secret transmissions" is somewhat of a misnomer, what the author presents is a collection of early published taiji material--mostly by Yang Cheng Fu, though there is one work
indirectly attributed to Yang Ban Hou.

These early works are not a step-by-step manual, but guides to the practicing student to help gain insight into what they're practicing. What any reader should immediately pick-up, however, is that these guides were written for someone learning how to fight.

Though much of the material is by (and thus, oriented towards) a Yang-stylist, the fundamental principles of taiji remain the same in all styles, so there is enough material that all taiji practitioners can benefit by. In fact, this book was recommended to me by a Chen-style practitioner.

The other part of this book, the author's foreword, gives the colorful (and sometimes conflicting) historical background and accounts of the Yang family, which is in of itself a fascinating read.

This book is definitely recommended for any serious taiji student.

Mike Shanahan shows how people can learn from mistakes, be flexible, and organize a team (business or sports).
Much can be learned from this book and help one form good habits for success.

Straight-forward, crisply articulated and with practically no unnecessary fluff, Mike Shanahan's book, "Think Like a Champion," compellingly argues that the game of life is basically won or lost before the "players" take the field. Shanahan asserts his point of view over sixteen easy-to-digest chapters (each about ten pages or less) on the diffent tenets of becoming the best at what you do.

What I liked about this book is that while the author culls specific examples from his football career, the "moral of the story" is clearly applicable to ANYONE seeking to become the best in any endeavor. Offering an excellent, enjoyable read to both sports enthusiasts and non enthusiasts alike, the author's writing style is to neither excessively arm-wave nor make unsupported generalizations.

In fact, part of the Shanahan's credibility here is in his willingness to name names when providing examples of people living up to a credo espoused in a given chapter or more dramatically, falling short.

Written with humility, Shanahan's book leaves the reader feeling that there is nothing magical to becoming a huge success -- other than having a plan and putting in the blood, sweat and tears required to make that plan a success. Or as the author concludes, citing legendary coach Vince Lombardi, "Your quality of life is in direct proportion to your commitment to excellence." So true.

Straight-forward, crisply articulated and with practically no unnecessary fluff, Mike Shanahan's book, "Think Like a Champion," compellingly argues that the game of life is basically won or lost before the "players" take the field. Shanahan asserts his point of view over sixteen easy-to-digest chapters (each about ten pages or less) on the diffent tenets of becoming the best at what you do.

What I liked about this book is that while the author culls specific examples from his football career, the "moral of the story" is clearly applicable to ANYONE seeking to become the best in any endeavor. Offering an excellent, enjoyable read to both sports enthusiasts and non enthusiasts alike, the author's writing style is to neither excessively arm-wave nor make unsupported generalizations.

In fact, part of the Shanahan's credibility here is in his willingness to name names when providing examples of people living up to a credo espoused in a given chapter or more dramatically, falling short.

Written with humility, Shanahan's book leaves the reader feeling that there is nothing magical to becoming a huge success -- other than having a plan and putting in the blood, sweat and tears required to make that plan a success. Or as the author concludes, citing legendary coach Vince Lobardi, "Your quality of life is in direct proportion to your commitment to excellence." So true.

A die-hard Broncos fan from the days dying watching those ridiculous striped socks and watching Fran Tripuka get killed, what a job Shanahan did turning it around into two Super Bowls in a row.

Learning of his background and his principles makes me now not only a more avid Bronco fan, but also a Shanahan fan as well. His perseverance from the days of his kidney injury to how he became part of Sooner coaching staff till today is truly one of principles of success through hard work, not gifts or who you know or any of the other myths most people who never get anywhere fall for and are unmotivated. Most of them just don't ever want to work hard at anything, but have it handed to them. Shanahan disproves all that bunk and shows how it came to be. Unbelievable that when given the Raiders head-job, didn't even have the downpayment for a house.

This guy is very endearing to so many of us who never had the backgrounds for those connections, but wanting something bad enough, and always believing it, achieve it one goal at a time.

Great advice, especially appreciate his concern for balance.

Excellent read. Thanks, Mike, from a new fan and admirer.

I have heard this advice before: If you want to be successful
at something, find the most successful person you can in that area, listen to what they say, and try to follow it. Well, its hard to imagine a football coach more sucessful than Mike Shanahan. Here's a guy who started with a dream: to be a head football coach, started as an unpaid volunteer for a college team, and worked his way to be one of the best, most respected, coaches in the NFL (winning 2 consecutive Superbowls) at a young age.

The great thing is, he has written a book that is designed to help people win beyond football, in any area of life. Shanahan breaks it down for you: the way he prepares, some struggles he's had, some ways he motivates people (including the little things that we learn are so critical), very good wisdom concerning life, and a lot more. Also very critical is the fact that this book is very easy to read and understand.

You even get a bonus section in each chapter written by some of the greatest people and minds in football: Paul Tagliabue, Jerry Rice, Bill Walsh, John Elway, Deion Sanders, Steve Young, George Seifert, Joe Montana, Marcus Allen, Al Michaels, and more. They give their own take on the subject being discussed in the chapter, which is not only informative, but like the book itself, filled with wisdom.

The chapters consist of 16 basic areas to focus on to become successful, things like: Preparing (all of life is preparation, and not preparing is preparing to fail), Sacrificing (don't expect to get anything good done without sacrifice, if it was easy, everyone would do it), Learning (without learning, you will be hopelessly stuck where you are), Detailing (the devil is definitely in the details and that's where things often break down). This is just a taste of the wisdom in this book. Highly recommended for people looking to improve themselves.

In 2001 when my middle daughter was accepted to the University of St Andrews we were elated about the prospect of her studing abroad in a first class institution and she was especially excited about being a classmate of Prince William. Golf was an after thought. I had only begun playing a few years earlier and carried a 14 handicap. I read several books on the history of the town of St Andrews and played the course over a dozen times during the ensuring four years. When a friend metioned that he had read "Tommy's Honor" I was lukewarm but took his advice I ordered the book through Amazon. It was one the best written and compelling books I've ever had the chance to read. The humanity of the characters and the richness of the story line compares well with the best novels. I visited the grave site with mild curosity before but now I am making plans to return to St Andrews to play and to walk in the steps of Old and Young Tom Morris.

Fred Fernatt MA,MS,CPA,CFP

This book is a must for anyone who is interested in the development of golf. The history of the game and the development of professional and amateur play is well documented, along with the history of snobbery and class discrimination as well. Much of the latter has remained in the game, unfortunately.

I recently played a round of golf with a pretentious member of a local private club, who informed me he would never play with anyone wearing blue jeans. Why? I've met lots of unscrupulous golfers in Dockers. I'll not be playing with that jerk again.

I don't know about the rest of you folks, but if this isn't the greatest, most beautiful golf book ever written, then I'd like to know what is.

Just wonderful.

Great Little read. The story of Old Tom and Young Tom is quite facinating. The story of how people in Scotland lived in the late 18th century was very interesting.

"Tommy's Honor" is a great read for the golfer or non-golfing history buff. The research is extraordinary and gives the reader an indepth look at this one slice of the pie of a very specific period in the history of golf and those who shaped the game. The book's insights into the game will be of great interest to the golfer. The narrative---Tommy's story is a great story and a great story told extremely well by the author!-- will be interesting to anyone who enjoys historical biography. This is a serious book yet easy to read. The story is one of triumph, wit and tragedy. A good history book will always generate in the reader's mind parallels to contemporary events. "Tommy's Honor" certainly does. I found that the book underscores the pretension and enforcement of class superiority that exists at most golfing clubs still today.....how club patrons perceive, disregard or denigrate the roles of "subservient" club employees while it is these same professional employees and NOT the patrons who in reality maintain and add to the history and integrity and development of the game; unsung heroes. "Tommy's Honor" is an awesome read. It's one of those books added to my bookcase and not passed on to someone else. It's a keeper!

This book has lots of drills to improve athletic performance. Although I haven't had a chance to try them out yet (I'm currently injured and unable to train), they seem like they would definitely improve your athletic performance.

This is a great book, it covers a wide range of training. I coach little league and have been able to take parts of this book and incorporate them into our conditioning and training at all levels. Have not used the DVD all that much but the book alone is worth it

Exactly what I was looking for.
Some brilliant drills in here.
I was hoping for more speed ladder stuff, but the amount of different stuff in here is great.

It's nicely organized with some good text.

A few descriptions were not so great.

Definitely recommended.

This is a great book and DVD set for plyometrics. Both the book and the DVD start with an "Athlete Fitness Assessment" so you can understand the athlete's performance at the beginning of training. This is lacking in many of the other plyometrics books and DVDs, which begin with instruction right away, without emphasis on assessing the athlete's ability prior to training. The materials are nicely organized into sections for Speed, Agility, Balance, Quickness, and Reaction Time. A "Purpose" is clearly defined for each set of drills, so readers at any level can understand the results which the exercises are intended to achieve. I am using this book to see where I am in my performance, and where I need to go. My only complaint is that the DVD plays the drills one at a time. It would be nice to have a "Play All" option in each section, so that I'm not using my remote every 30 seconds or so. The DVD is easy on the eyes and ears, though. Buy this set first, and save your time and money returning the other books and DVDs! Enjoy!

I thought this book was great for coaching athletes and putting together specific groupings of exercises to work on specific skills. The challenge though was that I bought it for myself and thought it would help me design something to help my triathlon speed. I'm thinking it requires a higher degree of background knowledge than I have at this point.