Teams Books

Great book well written arrived on time in new condition

I bought the book for my boyfriend, he is a Penn State alum. So far he has really enjoyed the book. It was a great purchase.

There has perhaps never been a college football coach more associated with a single university than Joe Paterno is with Penn State. Of course, it only makes sense since JoePa has been coaching at the University for over 50 years including 40 years as the team's head coach. "What it Means to be a Nittany Lion" is a player's and coach's retrospective on playing and coaching at the school. It traces Penn State's rich history of national championships and All-American players, decade-by-decade, sharing fond recollections and stories by some of their greatest players ever.

As a Michigan fan, I have always had tremendous respect for Paterno and Penn State. They do things the right way with class and integrity, just like Michigan. You never hear about scandals there like you do at so many other universities where winning is placed above everything else. Each decade presents some of its most notable players such as Rosey Grier, sharing their stories in their own words. Grier, perhaps best known as a member of the Los Angeles Rams "Fearsome Foursome" actually went to Penn State to compete in Track and Field and was an All-American Shot-putter in 1954.

It was in the 190's when Penn State started to develop its reputation as Linebacker U with players like Jack Ham, Greg Buttle, and Matt Millen but they also produced great offensive talent such as RB Lydell Mitchell. While we all see the loveable, affable, old gentlemen, it's quite evident in reading these players stories that playing for Paterno was no picnic. Former receiver O.J. McDuffie even relates going home in tears once as a freshman because the coaches had been so tough on him. McDuffie persevered and became only the second Penn State receiver to earn first team All-American status in 1992.

I especially enjoyed reading all the players talking about how they were recruited and ended up at Penn State. So many of them talk about the values and integrity that Paterno had and how academics were stressed as much, if not more than athletics. One of the most uplifting stories is that of Adam Taliaferro. Taliaferro, a defensive back, broke a vertebrae in his neck making a tackle in 2000. Doctors gave him slim chance of ever walking again, yet a year later, Adam was cheered by over a 100,000 fans as he jogged onto the field.

Whether you are a Penn State fan or not, after reading this book, you will definitely know what it means to be a Nittany Lion.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

This is great book on Penn State's greatest players. Each player tells a story of what means to be a Nittany Lion. I love this book! It is for die-hard Nittany Lions fans or any college football fans! We Are...Penn State!

I bought this book for my father who is a huge wings fan. It details in order historically the careers of key players and coaches and was the perfect father's day gift.

My daughter started into hockey while going to Northern Michigan University. She then got hooked on the Wings. I was hoping that Art's book would introduce her to the culture of the Red Wings. She loves it. Thanks Art, miss you on the radio and hope you land on your feet soon.
Mike from St Clair

I mulled over this book for a long time thinking it was some fanboy "history" lesson, but I broke down and bought it anyway. I was so thrilled after I started reading it to see that it was all from the players' words! I loved reading about the guys from the 40s all the way to now. It is a inspirational book and it makes me proud to be a fan even though I was not born into hockey. No I was not a recent convert or riding their tails when they won, I started with the in the 80's (yes when they were not at their all time best). Anyway, the only thing about the book I was disappointed with is it did not have Gordie Howe's words (even though he wrote his own book, he could have something in it), Larionov, Federov, Vernon, and many others who did not contribute. Of course, it could have been the authors choice to not include them so I hope there will be a volume two!!! Still, this is a fabulous book to have if you really are a fan of the Red Wings and a fan of hockey.

What a great read! As the youngest daughter growing up in Detroit, I grew up in a family that loved professional hockey and college football . . . I watched from the fringes. Hockey did intrigue me, but I never really got hooked into the sport. As I went through the bookstore recently I spotted this book on the Redwings. I saw that it was individual stories and I thought that might be a great way to get a taste for what I may have missed, since my family goes on and on about the Wings. So glad I made the purchase. What a wonderful read. A few stories each night before bed, what a great way to retire. Each one is insightful and I was really drawn in. Guess what, I think I'm hooked . . . I will now be attending some live games. Go wings!!!

The book was everything I expected and more. It is great to know that I can count on my purchase to be what I anticipated.

This book is for anybody who loves football. It doesn't matter if you're not an University of Alabama fan. You'll still love this book. You can't stop reading it just because you think it's "boring". You'll love it by the time you're done. Reason being it doesn't just talk about football it talks about the people playing the football.Trust me you'll love this book.

The title of the book, "What It Means To Be Crimson Tide"...says it all. The book describes in true, "Crimson" the "Bama Tradition", of what it means to be a player on the University of Alabama Football team. Each chapter describes in detail a former great player, and what it meant to him to play football at Alabama. The book is never old; read it this year, then pick it up next year and it is still a great book to read. If you recognize names such as Starr, Jordan, Namath, Stabler, Newsome and Gilmer, then you will love this book.
Kirk McNair (editor of Bama Magazine) knows Alabama Football and understands "What It Means To Be Crimson Tide". Every true Crimson Tide fan should have this book in their library.

Kirk McNair not only knows about Alabama football. He can write about it too. In this book he shows how a good interviewer engages his subject, draws the best from him, and finds the angle that will captivate the reader. Then he uses his considerable writing skills to tell the story so that both the players and the readers will be pleased with the outcome. This book is a must for Crimson Tide fans. But it is also an opportunity for would-be sports writers to learn the craft from a master. Yes - he is my brother. I am proud to be his sister.

This book takes you back through the good, bad and ugly days of Dallas Cowboy football. But its not really so much about football, its about the "after football" life of some of our favorite players of the past. Its hard to remember the names of most of the current players, but many of us long-time fans love to remember the good old days.
The author has provided a very informative and intriguing look at dozens of Dallas Cowboy players, some of them in the Ring of Honor, some of them more obscure. But each player has an interesting story to tell and the book is a very easy and enjoyable read. Not your typical sports book! I recommend it for both men and women readers.

We bought this for my brother for Christmas, but I have to admit several of the biographies were read before it was wrapped. My brother is a die hard cowboy fan. He loved reading the short biographies of where some of the OLD DAYS and NEW players are now. The only thing I wish is that there had been a short biography for TOM LANDRY because to me he is the HEART of the Cowboys.

This has to be the best biological collection of any sports team ever! My father, my brother, my friend, my mother and I - we all thoroughly enjoyed this book. My family often corresponds by way of sharing book reviews and this one quickly made it through the family. My father loved reliving all of his favorite players, my brother read it and loves debating with my father, my friend is just so happy that he can now understand the comparisons given during the telecasts of games today, but my mother and I had the most fun trying to quiz each other. Honestly, a great read for the sports enthusiasts and those crazy few in my family who want to discuss sports in anthropological terms.

This book was an awesome read. Many interesting short stories about lots of MY childhood heroes. The book took me back in time and also let me catch up on what has happened to so many of the players I grew up with. The successes and failures, the happy stories and the sad. Stories from Hollywood Henderson, Mike Clark, Harvey Martin, Ralph Neely, Roger Staubach, and many more. It is a MUST read for any fan of the Dallas Cowboys!!

This is a great book about BYU football. One of the best things is that it was published after the 1996 season, so it includes highlights from one of the greatest seasons in school history. In 1996, BYU became the first school ever to win 14 games in a season. This book is a must for any BYU football fan.

This is a great book filled with history and photos. It is well presented and makes a nice display book. It praises the program for the great things it has done, but also comments on mistakes that have been made. It does tend to focus a little too much on the "Cotton Bowl" season. The only other drawbacks are too many black and white photos, too many "crowd celebration" shots and not enough "behind the scenes" type shots including the locker rooms, team meetings, weight room etc. Overall though, this is a great book and worth the price.

This book is a must for the true blue Cougar football fanatic! Filled with photos, stats, and stories, the history of BYU football is chronicled from its beginnings to the present. And at a great price!

This book was renamed to "Wild Blue Yonder" before printing, and the correct authors are Dick Harmon and Steve Cameron. It's a beautiful coffee-table-style book, filled with photos, stories, statistics, history - all the stuff a dedicated fan will love. Well worth the price

Great book-all sports fans who appreciate the little guys and memories from this era, should read this book! The story that should have been the movie!

Great book. I was a personnel friend of the coach of Miller City and that made the the book more meaningful. The whole story was not known by me until completing the book.
The book was well done and very enjoyable reading.
Anyone interested in Ohio High School basketball should read this book.
Emerson Brown

This book was fantastic! How this team came together to win the state championship is amazing! Roy Meyer sounds like he is some kind of player!

I own this book and really enjoyed it. This is a great book about the underdog becoming the winner. But don't be fooled, this is not just for sports fans. This ia a human interest story you will enjoy. Anyone who grew up in a small rural town will connect with this story. This is a must buy for parents who want to encourage their children about achievement, for sports fans who enjoy tournaments, and for all of us "small town" folks who remember having to do chores before homework.

This book is a "must have" for all managers: young and old, mature and just beginning.

For new managers, the book contains essential guidelines for establishing a vision, communicating the mission, and securing buy-in of your team members. It will help the new manager communicate effectively and establish confidence with the team.

For the mature manager (read "aged" manager), this book augments your "home-grown" techniques with many new ideas. I found the book re-inforced my "home-grown" style and augmented it with new ideas.

Wolf Rinke's latest book is a great addition to his collection of well-received books and and personal improvement products. "Winning Management" clearly shows the reader what must be done to excel in management. This is a practical guide to success on the job and can be used easily by any supervisor at any level of an organization. My copy is well-used!

Having seen Dr. Rinke present his strategies for success as a seminar leader and author, and also having heard the outcomes of his plans of action, I know that he can positively and quickly affect your success at work.

Once again Wolf Rinke provides readers with the necessary steps to succeed... this is the second book I have read of his. It is well written, easy to understand and follow... and perhaps most importantly - easy to implement so that gaining the highest performance becomes reality. Wolf Rinke's strategies for success are second to none!

As a mid-level manager for one of the country's premier communication organizations (Motorola), I found Rinke's book invaluable. His approach to teaching and coaching blends with our culture beautifully. It leads you on a practical, common sense journey that can be implemented everyday and easily taught to your team members. "Winning Management" has now become a cornerstone of our philosophies...you can find it on the desk of most managers. Thank You, Wolf!

Women's basketball books occupy a special niche in sportswriting.
Writing about a male players, an author might ask, "How did they make it into the big time?"
Writing about women, authors are forced to ask, "How did they get here at all?" This question adds a new dimension to the stories of women athletes. Players as young as today's collegians have had to overcome stereotypes. Many played on boys' teams -- or tried to.

Gallaudet women have to overcome a double stereotype -- being not only female, but also deaf. There was a time when opposing teams would openly ridicule deaf basketball players. One player was devastated as a high school student when a coach from a Christian academy openly laughed at her speech. She made the team but never forgot the experience.

However, the players want to be taken seriously as athletes. They do not want or need pity or condescension. To Coffey's credit, the book focuses on basketball, not deafness. We learn how players and teams compensate for a silent world. They can hear someone dribbling behind them. Referees are briefed: players can't hear the whistle so they may not stop playing immediately. And players on "hearing" teams need ASL translators who understand basketball terms.

Yet ultimately the story is about the game: coming together as a team and working to win. Like any sports book, there are stories of triumphs as well as tears. We come to care about the players as they, like all college athletes, balance basketball and books.

Perhaps the most difficult story takes place after the book was written. Ronda Jo Miller, an All-American center, cannot reach her goal of playing on a WNBA team. In stories posted on the internet, we can learn that she earned admiration of players and coaches during the tryout camp. She eventually played professionally in Denmark, with a "hearing" team, and has played in Kansas City with an expansion league, the WNBL.

What happens to the other athletes? Playing on a winning team can change lives and I found myself hoping they will continue to feel like winners, long after the season has ended.

Wayne Coffey not only knows sports but he knows how to write tight, action packed chapters. This story moves. Interpersed with backgrounds on the team members, the history of deaf culture, the story tracks the team through an incredible season. I am not an avid basketball fan nor did I have any particular interest in deaf culture, but this book captured my interest from the first page and held it throughout.

A rare find.

Beautifully written that, at turns, is funny, touching, fascinating and absorbing. I read it at a single sitting.
Such wonderful character studies of the players, their families and the world of Gallaudet. If you like basketball, if you like visiting other cultures or if you just like stories that bring people to life, you'll love this book. Highly recommended.

This book is so good I couldnt stop reading it! It's an inspirational story about human nature, what it takes to be the best and something I knew nothing about previously...deaf culture. It's a well written, must read for anyone who has ever worked hard for something...hearing or deaf.

I am a great admirer of Kim Mulkey as both a player at La Tech and as a coach at Baylor! She has been a "winner" where-ever she's been and her book is also a "winner"!

Reading this book was enjoyable because it gave me a deeper insight into what makes Kim Mulkey tick. The background from childhood through coaching was excellent--not too detailed, but just enough info to explain things. Reading Kim's coaching philosophy and current stance at Baylor was interesting. I highly recommend this book.

I've heard Kim Mulkey speak in person as well as seen her in action coaching and this book sounds just like her. She is very forthright and as always, tells it like she sees it. Except for a few repeated or inserted sections that seem to interrupt the flow, the book is a very good read.

Kim Mulkey wrote an interesting auto biography, which helps us know how she became so succesful in her career. It is great reading for any fan of women's basketball and working mothers who in spite of the demands on their time, keep family first.

Has some good and Useful information. I highly recomend this boo

Great guide for beginner coaches because it covers many of the "extra" things that are involved with being a wrestling coach, and provides a thorough review of the basics.

This is a must read for all coaches or coaching hopefuls. It covers everything from the basic development of a program to pre-season, post-season workouts to techniques for advancing your program to the next level. It is a great organizer, making the season easier to handle.

This is one of the best books you can buy in the field. It is a must have for any coach from middle school to high school. The forms and example practices I found especially helpful. Purchase this FIRST, read it, and then come back for the manuals on moves.