Athletics Books

I found the book very interesting and factual of how good prospective high school athletes can be ground up like chopped beef. The USA top division I coaches have a bad repretation for running and competing the good prospective Olympic athlete in the ground from European coaches. The book was exciting when the races were described and very dissappointing when the results of the biggest and last races of the year were not there because there were thirty-three pages missing in the book and of course at the dmost interesting part. Very dissappointing. WMW

at the end of the book i actually disliked Webb. it was a story about someone who was not patient enough and thougt of himself as above everyone, i actually think him running such great times as a highschooler hurt him,he did not give the coach at michigan a fair chance and found ways to make everything a drama. the part i did enjoy though was reading about the other people from michigan and the fact that chris lear is such a great writer and really connects with the reader.

In a space of several months in 2001, Alan Webb ran the fastest indoor mile by a U.S. high school athlete and then set a national high school record for the magical distance, breaking a mark that reigned supreme for 36 years by the legendary Jim Ryun.

Author Chris Lear takes the reader on the rocky journey Webb runs while carrying his fantastic prep record to the college ranks and beyond. In particular interest is how Webb deals with coaching legend Ron Warhurst at the University of Michigan.

The pressure on Webb from outside the confines of the college campus are chronicled without editorial comment from Lear. It is my feeling Webb comes across as a boorish teenage tennis player or figure skater that must have things his/her way and coaches last about as long as a pair of training shoes for an ultra-marathoner.

Webb's "team" that was around him when rewrote the prep record book seemingly derailed Warhurst's efforts before his star runner went on his first workout as a Wolverine. One must wonder if they had the best interest of Webb in mind or if dollar signs were circling that track.

There was the lure of professional money from shoe companies and race promoters who were certainly salivating at the chance to have the great American star wear its logo or compete on the domestic/international stage.

But the blame for being swayed by so many voices clearly falls on Webb. And if this tug-of-war would have been in a bigger profile collegiate sport, it would have been as big a national story as - for example - Maurice Clarett's public battles with the Ohio State brass and coaches from a few years ago.

Sometimes the biggest search for a young world-class athlete is for those who will provide good advice over what can be profitable today. For every Tiger Woods or John McEnroe - who used brief collegiate careers as a springboard to professional success - there are hundreds like Webb that want it all now, but end up with fleeting glimpses of brilliance.

Alan Webb in this story strikes me as more a baby than a runner who has ran under 4 minutes in the mile. He whines about being hurt and not getting trained right. Warhurst is one of the greatest american distance coaches, if you can't run under him don't run at all. Nate seemed more likeable and more of a team player than Webb did in this book. Being for Illionis I love how Webb lost to Don Sage in 1500 meter final. Towards the end of the book, you knew he was going to quit michigan, now granted Webb has become very big in the sport but for a while he struggled after leaving Michigan and going back to his old coach. Good Book, if you like Webb, you might change your view of him, Nate is awesome, so is Tim Broe

Chris Lear has done it again! Following an exellent debut with "Running With the Buffaloes" he comes back with "Sub 4:00" -- a great account of Alan Webb's first and only season at the University of Michigan.

Lear is the only guy out there writing about the collegiate running scene as most books in the running section at your bookstore revolve around training logs or how to run your first 10K. It's about time someone took a different path and I'm glad Lear has done so.

Webb's tumultuous season at UM is well-depicted. The tough workouts, the injuries, and most importantly, the hot and cold relationship Webb has with his collegiate coach. Webb is pulled in a couple of different directions, whether to turn pro and go back and train under his high school coach, where he had great success; or stay at UM where he has friends and training partners. After awhile one can tell where Webb is going to end up.

What makes Lear's books so good is he gets right into the action. Just like his first book, he has intimate access to the team, it's workouts, meetings, and private moments. He's with Webb in the residence halls, on solitary and team workouts, at the meets, and even on the road in his car. Lear isn't an outside observer, he's right there. Also, the main supporting character, Brannen, gets his fair share of coverage.

This isn't just a book for runners, but anyone interested in athletics, particularly college athletics and how the system works and how coaches are under pressure to win -- yes, even so-called minor sport track and field coaches.

I highly recommend this excellent book and hope Lear has more coming down the road.

This book has recipes that are long and use products that I don't have access to in my rural town. I like short simple recipes that offer a bang for the buck with products I can obtain locally and spices that are common to my kitchen. This is more time consuming and complicated than I like. Too gourmet for me.

I was skeptical getting a cookbook like this. I thought it might just be a silly book trading off the Carmichael/Lance duopolistic cycling brand. My skepticism turned to enthusiasm when I read the accompanying text and tried a few of the recipes. They are tasty, easy to make, different, and healthy. And there is enough variety to make this a cookbook I think I will explore for a while.

I have to say this is a good book. The book's chapters are seperated into the Foundation period, Preperation period, specialization period, and transition period. Now at first i found this wierd and annoying because most cookbooks are seperated into breads, soups, appitizers, dinners, snacks, and desserts. After getting used to the book I understood why and appreciate it. Most peoples sport has a "off time" and "peak time" and it gives recipes depending on what period of your sport you are in, which is nice. It also uses icons to tell you what this recipe is actually doing for example. A picture of a match that means it is a firestarter, which means is easy to digest and has ready to use energy which is great hours before a workout. Another example a picture of blocks means it is building blocks which means it is very high in protien. The book explains all of this plus has 6 other Icons. So I feel it spells everything out for the athlete.

Now these recipes are not simple simple. If you need stuff that simple you need to find a 15 min cookbook or a college student cookbook. However these recipes are simple not having complicating instructions. Some of them can take time anywhere from 15 to 90 minutes. But any healthy food will take longer. Just as minute white rice takes 10 minute... but a brown rice takes 60 min to cook. However the brown rice is better for you.
MOst of the hour recipes have alot of not active time or simmering time so you could always excersize in your kitchen while the food is cooking.

I am a vegetarian ( vegan)and these recipes are very easily comverted by switching the fish to tofu or sietan or temeph or even any premade vegetarian protien like tofurkey or boca burgers.

In short i find this book a very good buy for the athlete. If you find these recipes too complited I think it would be best if you stepped away from the stove and gave this book to your girlfriend/ wife.

Sorry, but those who find these difficult in prep/ingredient finding scale are not much experienced as chef. These are at best, medium in difficulty of technique, steps, gredient finding, etc. I find them minimal, but exceptional in taste, uniqueness, and best of all, performace and/or weight loss/maintenance.

With repute of clientle of these two authors, recipe collection is nice variety: Cumin-Roasted Pork Loin with Rosemary Polenta and Creamy Leeks;Sweet Potato and Garlic Soup; Spicy Three-Egg Arizona Scramble;Chicken Tortilla Soup; Quick Muesli with Apples and Dates; Fresh Pear and Pecan Salad.

Great nutrition and training charts and advice as well. Color photos nice.

Wasn't a fan of this book. I found that the caloric intake and the levels of fat were much too high for someone who is a casual athlete. If I'm Lance Armstrong and am training for hours every day, this diet makes sense. But as it is, I am a recreational triathlete who tries to keep her diet near 1500 calories to maintain my weight. More, I gain. Less, I bonk on workouts.

Secondly, I have to disagree with the people who found the recipes as being "too difficult". If anything, I was turned off by the lack of interesting recipes and the simplistic nature of the detail. Maybe some people need a lot of help in the kitchen. However, I don't like cookbooks that could be filled with more recipes instead filled with asinine directions such as "Take a noodle out of the water. Set it on a plate. Let it cool. Taste it. This is how you can tell if the pasta is done." You really can't dumb down the tough task of boiling water, throwing in pasta, and draining it, but Carmichael managed to. I really disliked this to the point where I just sort of glanced over recipes and prepared the ingredients listed in my own way.

I found this to be an inspiring story and one that dispelled a lot of myths about martial arts.

It is very easy to read and to associate with the main character, "Joey". Everyone has feelings of low self esteem some time in their life. This story shows how one very shy boy, along with the help of caring family and friends, overcomes his self doubt and finds it within himself to achieve his goal. He becomes a confident and self assured young man through the lessons he learned from Tae Kwon Do.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone in the same situation, or anyone curious about learning more about martial arts and the positive effects it can have on your life.

I first met Rory Kyle in 1976 at Valparaiso University and since I have not met a more disciplined or compassionate person. Rory as a young man was extremely confident and sure of himself. He left school, entered a prestigious accounting firm and had a stellar career there. A few years later he left to devote himself to his discipline. Tae Kwon Do.

Rory has the ability to master anything that he focuses on, his latest effort in writing this book is no exception. Bringing to the market a fictional story (perhaps loosely related to his personnel experiences?) is no exception. Rory brings to these pages the anxiety of parents who want their child to be happier, the confusion of childhood, as well as the pleasure of finding something to which you belong, and in time become part of.

Reading this book as a novel is a mistake, this is more of a life reference as to how to approach challenges and in turn conquer. If you are a parent with concerns your child that may be a bit awkward or shy, and you need a place to turn, this book will help you direct your childs energies, whether towards Tae Kwon Do or other programs, and become part of something.

I found Tae Kwon Do Man to be inspiring and very challenging, especially for young and old having low self esteem or just not much self confidence. Master Rory writes an easy to understand story of how the mind and body work together to develop a whole person. Master Rory shows that Joey's parents, instructor, best friend and girlfriend are all part of his life long maturation process. As a retired teacher and coach, I can think of several students that would have benefited from reading about Joey's life experiences. I have never taken Tae Kwon Do, but see its merits and benefits from this book. I highly recommend this book to adolescents and parents alike.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from Master Kyle. Anyone young or not so young could benefit from this work concerning self esteem and confidence. I found it very inspirational.

Tae Kwon Do Man on Building Self Confidence by Master Rory Kyle is a book I found to be very inspiring, especially for those having a problem with low self esteem - a situation that seems to affect countless numbers of children, as well as many adults, in today's world. It tells how an individual can overcome the feeling of low self worth and completely turn his or her life around through participation in a well structured martial arts program and under an instuctor whose main focus is to instill in each student the "I can" type of mentality and approach to life. Under the guidance and tutelage of his instructor, affectionately know as Tae Kwon Do Man, Joey Bergman transformed from a shy, introverted twelve year old into a confident, athletic young man ready to take on life's challenges as an adult. Such a program, as illustrated so effectively in this book, should allow people to realize there is a solution to improving one's self confidence which parents, for their children, and adults, for either themselves or others that they know, up until now they may not have considered. I highly recommend that this book be shared and read by both children and adults of all ages.

I AM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO READING THIS BOOK, MY STORY IS ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THE AUTHORS, I WAS 7 WHEN I HOPPED ON THE A'S BAND WAGON. I HAVE DESPARATELY BEEN LOOKING FOR ONE OF THE ORANGE BASEBALLS THAT WAS ONE OF FINLEY'S "QUIRKY" INNOVATIONS. AUTOGRAPHED BY FINLEY EVEN BETTER. IF YOU KNOW WHERE I MIGHT FIND ONE OF THESE BASEBALLS PLEASE EMAIL ME AT wiifus@myauctionwatch.com. I WILL SUBMIT A REVIEW IN A WEEK OR SO AFTER I READ THE BOOK.

This book had some extremely interesting information and background about a very colorful organization. The problem was that it was a little heavy on details about mid season games, and a bit light on player quotes, descriptive pictures, and statistics. I would of really enjoyed seeing more pictures of the players and situations describes. It would of been nice to glance at player and team statistics to support points the writer was making. There were quotes from some of the players but many of the key players were notably quiet. The writer did demonstrate a passion for the franchise that made the reading interesting. The writer was a young child, as I was, when the A's were winning these championships, it just appeared there was a lack of information for portions of the book.

The background and explanation of the internal A's battles, Charlie Finleys personality, and the destruction caused by free agency were all very captivating. In part due to my interest in the A's of the 70's, I could not put this book down. I read the book feverishly but it had my wanting more.

I am as big of a baseball history buff as they come. This was a great book as it gave you an inside look at the mindset and business dealings of a tyrant owner and his slaveship that was the 1970s' Oakland A's. While Markusen does a good job in explaining details, player reactions, quest to the WS etc; I feel this book comes up short in the aspect of objectivity. Mr. Markusen explains in the beginning of the book that he grew up rooting for the A's. As you read, it feels like his love of the team clouds the objectivity a book like this should be written. It is written in a way that paints the team, owner and operation in a much too positive light. I felt his account was written from a standpoint that some "haphazard" fans have of thier teams, that they block out the negative and accept only the positive. (Ala Monte Moore). Instances such as Vida Blue's holdout, the 1972 ALCS fight between Rollie Fingers and Blue Moon Odom, Ray Fosse's 1970 shoulder injury, Charlie and Shirley Finley's divorce etc. were portrayed in a respect that it feels as if the author doesn't want to accept that these things occured within his beloved team. Loving a particular team is great. Its part of sports. But a true sports fan accepts the bitter with the sweet. (Ask any Yankees fan). However, I dont feel that this is entirely the case in this book. From a historical perspective, its a good book. Beautifully written - to a point. I can sum this book up best as if it were a player, who just hit a deep drive into centerfield. Just when you think it might be an inside-the-park homerun, the batter gets thrown out at home plate by a magificent throw. It comes up short.

I was very disappointed that Charlie Finley never received any votes for Time's Man of the Century...it is the same type of snub that the A's have had to endure many times, such as when Mitchell Page had to share the 1977 AL Rookie of the Year award with Eddie Murray....Charlie was a master deal maker, as witnessed by his trade of his manager, Chuck Tanner, for Manny Sanguillen and the Mitch when he was at AAA Hawaii...Mr. Markusen's book tells the true story that baseball didn't want to know -- Mr. Finley could build and manage a signficant enterprise better than all of the rest of the league combined...Many scoffed at his decision to let players like Rudi, Tenace, Bando and Reggie Jackson go, but Charlier knew his minor leagues were stocked with players like Henderson, Murphy and Armas, not to mention Picciolo, Newman and John Henry Johnson....there is a reason why Oakland has been to 6 world series in the last 30 years, or 20% of all world series played -- Charlie O....this book is a must read for anyone who ever dreams of running an entrepreneurial fortune 500 enterprise, like Charlie's cousin Bill Gates.....sincerely, Miguel Dilone

Growing up in New England it's only natural that I was a huge A's fan during the 70's. The green, gold and white of a team from the bay area was all I talked about, so when this book was chosen for review, I naturally grabbed at the chance and I am glad that I did.

The book shows how on the field the power of Reggie, the speed of Campy, men like Hunter, Blue, Odom and Holtzman along with Rudi, Bando and the whole host of others produced the most dominate team of that decade.

Off the field, you'll read about the troubles in the clubhouse with the fights and of course the antics of the owner, Charlie O. The book gives you the first in-depth look at what these men went through to become the powerhouse they were.

Read about a team that won 5 straight division titles, 3 American League pennants and 3 straight World Series. The Oakland A's, the mustache gang, Charlie's Not So Angels, are but a few of the nicknames they earned. A great read and an excellent book!

This book may not suit a beginner or first timer triathlete...but after saying that...there are wonderful bits and pieces that would be helpful. But reading it from beginning to end would be too detailed for those just wanting to get to the finish line (I recommend "triathlon 101").

I picked up so many details about VO2, anaerobic and aerobic conditioning. It is rare to find a book that can explain the process and why we should train with different methods.

The only area lacking is the workout section. I can not figure out how to design my own w.o. The workouts are not geared to sprints, olympic or ironman's...so should we all be doing the 3+ hour workouts regardless of what distance we are trying to accomplish? It is very unclear what is the optimum time and or distance. However, the intesity level for each w.o. is clearly explained.

I would recommend this book and maybe in the future Dave will come out with a new edition that clears up some of the confusion between pages 102-130.

When I first decided to start training for the Half-Ironman, I browsed through Amazon and ordered about 10 different books. This is absolutely one of my favorites.

Dave Scott has won 6 Ironman World Championships since winning one of the earliest Ironmans in 1980. Yet surprisingly, he is quite gracious about his wins.

"Triathlon Training" has individual chapters on swimming, cycling, and running techniques uniquely suited for the triathlete. It offers a year-round training program and workout schedules for 3, 4, 5, and 6-day training weeks with the most effective intensity, speed, and duration for each workout.

It covers nutrition and specific tips to get ready mentally for the race, preparing for transitions, and pacing yourself throughout the race.

Frankly, my goal is simply to finish the race. Regardless of my time, Dave Scott's techniques have already helped to prepare me for Hawaii. His attitude and motivation helps prepare you for Life 101 as well.

In much of this book, there is a very strong emphasis on exactly what worked for Dave Scott. This wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, and in some cases isn't, but I find it more helpful to hear the coach's perspective as opposed to the athelete's perspective. The reason why this is important is because a coach will very often know the difficulties that wide ranges of people face during triathlon training while the athelete really only has to deal with his own challenges. The other thing to note is that the information is a little dated.

It did cover a lot of territory though... There are also some good gems that I found as well as an underlying emphasis: 'your training should as accurately as possible reflect your race'.

(My rating should be 3.5)

Dave Scott beside doing triathlon best, can also write one heck of a book. This book covers all bases that any level of triathletes need. By buying this book, you buy Dave Scott's knowledge and also be motivated for a long time. I followed his advice and had done 3 triathlons this yr and itching for more.

Dave Scott's Triathlon Training is pretty old. However, it has a great deal of information that is as useful today as it was when it was written. This book covers all aspects of triathlon training: diet, weights, intensity, and of course running swimming and cycling. There is a huge amount of data in the book and on occasion it gets pretty technical. Also, my friend complained that the book does not really have any workouts designed. I like it better than books with workouts though, because it gives the triathlete at any level the tools needed to design a custom workout.

This is my favorite fitness book and will continue to dominate my endurance training program for the future. If you have any interest in the physiology and mechanics of triathlon then this is a great book.

I like the way the author set up the book with a clear introduction of the anatomy and mechanics of stretching. In addition, the use of charts for "sport specific" stretching guidelines is extremely useful. Illustration are clear and easy to understand.

I am a certified personal trainer, athlete, medical massage practitioner and I teach anatomy/physiology, so I review this book with some authority.

The opening chapters explain quite nicely the scientific rationale for, and benefits of, stretching for those who prefer to have a technical basis for what they do. You'll find great variety here and many unique stretches I've not seen in similar books.

To address some of the negative reviews:
Nowhere does the author recommend performing dangerous stretches or techniques beyond the abilities of the reader. Some advanced stretches are presented for informational purposes but with the caveat that these are for VERY specific applications and should be attempted ONLY if you do not have contraindicated conditions. To quote the book: "There is generally no such thing as an unsafe stretch or exercise: only an unsafe way of executing any movement for a specific individual at a specific time". In other words, everyone is different and the reader should use good judgment in their choices. Some people will take very "safe" stretches and get injured by using sloppy form or not training within their abilities while others can perform "dangerous" stretches very safely by proceeding slowly, deliberately and realistically training within their own physical limitations.

Some reviewers purport that 2 or 3 stretches are all that you need and the author is fooling you with many "goofy" stretches. Ridiculous! Can a carpenter build a house with only a hammer and level? NO! If two good stretches were all you needed for each muscle, then the book would simply be entitled, "Two Stretches That Work For Every Person and Sport". Personally, I like that the author has provided a huge amount of variety. That way, I can try any number of the 311 stretches taught and find the 3 or 4 that work best for me for each muscle group. As my needs change, then I can go back to the book and try something different. I would rather have too much information than not enough. If some readers are annoyed by the variety there are plenty of very basic, boring stretch books out there to fill their needs. Also, if you read and understand the opening chapters, you'll know how to adapt any of the stretches to active, dynamic, PNF or vice versa. The book will not limit your advancement as some reviewers mistakenly believe.

I highly recommend this book. It's clear, concise and presents many options, from basic to advanced, for you to build a good stretching program.

Although this book may have some good overall general stretches in it it does not cover all the methods of stretching, or any routines for the athlete to build apon. Although passive stretching is good for your flexability maintanence if you dont incorperate isometric and combining it (PNF), you will never achieve the greatest rang of flexability as a top athlete. I have been studying the martial arts for 19 years now and I am always looking for good material for stretching to recomend to my students of friends. I can say I would never recomend this book to another living soul involved in any demanding sport.

I was very pleased with this book. As I read the other reviews, there unhappiness with the book comes from the fact that it is not for every day people. I am very pleased with that fact and the title does imply that it is for people involved in sports. I am a mother of a 7 year old gymnast and I have been very challenged to find a book on stretching that will enhance her flexibility at an advanced stage. I am working with her coaches to ensure safety and develop a schedule that will make her a better gymnast. I was very pleased with the variety of stretches, pictures and descriptions for the stretches.

I'm a former couch potato who started doing Tae Bo and cardio kickboxing almost two years ago. I recently added yoga to my routine for flexibility, and pilates for strength and control, but found that I needed more. In particular, I wanted greater flexibility in my adductor muscles so that I could kick higher and with increased control. I found that I was also having some knee problems. So I checked out every book that my local library had on stretching and flexibility; out of the dozen or so books I looked at, I liked three of them, including "Sport Stretch," well enough that I purchased my own copies.

"Sport Stretch" begins with a discussion of flexibility, then launches into descriptions of 311 different stretches. Most of these consist of a single illustration with a few bulleted instructions. The stretches themselves are arranged into chapters based on muscle groups, including feet and ankles, lower legs, hamstrings, adductors, quadriceps, hips and gluteals, lower torso, upper back, neck, pectorals, shoulders, and arms and wrists.

Additionally, the author includes an index at the beginning of the book that singles out stretches that are helpful for specific sports. One- to three-page sections are dedicated to each of the following: archery; baseball, softball, and cricket; basketball; bowling; cross-country skiing; cycling and triathlon; dance; diving; figure skating; football; golf; gymnastics; hiking and backpacking; ice hockey; in-line skating; jogging; lacrosse; martial arts; race walking; rowing, kayacking, and canoeing; sailing and windsurfing; skiing; soccer; squash; swimming; table tennis; tennis, racquetball, and handball; track and field; volleyball; water skiing; weight lifting; and wrestling.

As a BEGINNER, I found most of the stretches helpful. There were some standard moves that I was already familiar with from my high school gym classes, as well as some more challenging exercises I learned in yoga. However, a number of the stretches were completely new to me. I'm especially happy with the adductor section, as it's exactly what I needed to help with my roundhouse kicks! Note the emphasis on "beginner," though - because I'm such a novice, I really can't say whether more advanced athletes will find "Sports Stretch" useful or not.

As much as I like the book, I do have a few complaints. Most of the stretches, with few exceptions, only have a single illustration. Given the minimalist instructions, many of the moves could have used at least one extra picture. Also, once I eased into certain stretches, I found it difficult to gracefully get OUT of them. It seems to me as though the author should have included "exit strategies" for some of a stretches, particularly the more advanced ones! Finally, a few stretches come with the following caveat: "This exercise may be too advanced or dangerous for even some elite athletes." Now, I would think that "elite" or even "professional" athletes have trainers, and wouldn't need to rely on a book for stretching advice - so I really don't see why the author included these seemingly dangerous stretches. Unless he's asking for a lawsuit! ;)

Otherwise, a great buy, at least for beginner-to-moderate athletes.

- Kelly Garbato

This is an excellent book for backs who need more speed, like me. There are many, many ways to improve speed. All of which are helpful. Any athlete needs to read this book, it will take them to the next level of performance.

The book does have some good drills which can be helpful. Unfortunately, the text based descriptions of those drills are hard to understand, and only a few pictures are provided to support those poorly-written sentences. It's obvious that different authors wrote different portions. For example, in the early portion, we are told that an athlete who wants to gain a pound of muscle only needs around an extra five grams of protein per day, since 70% of muscle weight is water. Later on, when the Advocare (TM) system is being promoted, the number goes to the more standard .8 grams of protein per pound of lean body weight.

It covers plyometrics drills, increasing stride length, increasing stride frequency, and other essential areas. However, as others have noted, it does not give any information about how to really integrate this into the training program. As well, some of the tables are just plain confusing.

Bottom line, read through it, (and this is going to be some dry reading), copy some of the drills down, and then read other books which cover a more integrative training approach towards periodization and hitting peak cycles.

This book tells you many ways to improve your speed....What plyometrics you should do.....and soooo many ways to imrove yourself..ways which YOU wouldn't have thought of!

I'm a defensive back (6'2, 205) who has been trying to take it to the next level and find a team. I don't have the luxury of trainers and fancy equipment. All I have is all I get. This book helps me get more than I know I have.

I never knew why all that stuff was important until I read this book. Now when I work out, I know what's happening to me and what I need to do in order to make it happen more. They even get down to the mental aspect of training as well as breathing techniques. The exercises they illustrate are definitely speed and agility powerhouses! Believe me I know!

This book proves that sprinting isn't just running, but a complex science and it has "Dumbed It Down" for all who read. They say that sprinters are born not made, well this book proves that sprinters are born on the track as well and not just in the womb. The scouts are going to love me come May 13th in Atlanta. Thanks for the insights fellas!!

This book is mostly a kitchen sink approach to speed training methods and is a sure fire perscription for overtraining. And as previous reviews have pointed out, the book does not provide an overall logic that helps the athlete or coach properly integrate the training elements. The book does not properly explain how the components of its sytem interact with each other and how they should be balanced against each other when determining the needs of a given individual athlete. In addition, many of the techniques, most notably overspeed training, are highly dubious and most likely counter productive. For those interested in proven speed training methods, I highly recommend Training for Speed by Charlie Francis, which is light years ahead of SportSpeed. Also be on the lookout for Charlie's new training manual which should be released by the end of 2002 and will make every other book on speed training obsolete.

First of all, I should say that I am from Oklahoma and a HUGE Sooner fan. This book is probably the most poorly written book I have ever read. I have to say I was extremely disappointed. There are factual errors, misspellings, and actual typos. It made me wonder if anyone even edited this book.

Because it was written so poorly, it made me question other things about the book. Are some of the accusations he makes against the OU program accurate? Who knows. I know for a fact that some of the game stories and anecdotes that he tells are not true.

Basically, it was an interesting read because of my love for Sooner football. However, I wouldn't really recommend it based on the horrible writing, misspelling, and totally inaccurate stories.

I wish every football fan would read this book, but I am willing to bet that a majority of it's readership is full of people like me. Oklahomans who are fans and supporters of our Sooners. I have to admit, I doubt many Texas fans are going to rush out and buy this book, hell, they probably wouldn't read it if there was a free copy in the john, but they might use it for something else.

So right off the bat, I have to expose my bias on this book. How could I not love it? So it doesn't mean much for me to say things like, "Everybody will love this book, it speaks to all college football fans."

While this book does not hold universal appeal for all people, here is why I think it should. It has an underlying message that is positive and inspiring. A message that can be used by anyone, anywhere, and at anytime.

Being born and raised in Oklahoma, I of course became very familiar with the place and the people that live there. From an early age I began to realize that Oklahoma wasn't all that popular of a place. Even most of the kids I grew up with didn't have many good things to say about Oklahoma. They always wanted to be someplace else, and this always bothered me a great deal. In fact, that is one of the biggest problems my home state faces. Oklahoma isn't great enough to hold onto it's own people. I live in Southern California, which might as well be Hell to many OU fans after what the Trojans did to OU in the Orange Bowl. So even I became one of the traitors, in a way. I will always call Oklahoma home, I just live in Hermosa Beach. I'm an Okie, and proud of it.

I knew we didn't have any pro sports teams, no major cities that get mentioned in the same breath as "New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco, St. Louis, etc." Whenever the big news stations covered the weather, they never gave the weather in Oklahoma, we just kinda got looked over. After all, we are just the funny shaped flat state out in the middle of the country.

I very quickly realized that the only time my state popped up on national radar was when the University of Oklahoma's football team was involved. Of course, this became a source of pride for me and countless others. Oklahoma has no place comparing itself to other states in many ways, whether it be pro sports, big business, vacation hotspots, or just simply being a "popular" place to live and work. But when it comes to college football, we stand as proud as anyone, and we know that we deserve the right to do so.

What I didn't know as a kid, was that this was the plan all along. Years before I was born, the big wigs at OU and others around the state of Oklahoma wanted to use the University's football program as a source of pride for the state, and this was especially true when my home state was devastated by the depression and the great dust bowl.

The Sooners of Oklahoma at one time, won 47 straight football games, and this cemented their legacy as one of the all time greatest college football programs. The mission was truly accomplished, Oklahoma was on the map and everybody knew it.

This book covers a lot of ground in the history of OU football, all of it is exciting and interesting. I would think that anyone who is attracted to stories of victory, and overcoming great odds to succeed above all others, would love this book. It's not just about sports in my opinion. The reasons that Bud Wilkinson and his Sooner teams were so successful was because they displayed the attributes of champions. These attributes are universal to just about everything, business, family, sports, etc.

I am sure there will be some Negative Nancy's about this book, who can't help but bring up the numerous brushes with the law and the NCAA, that OU has had. All I have to say is, you're probably right, but if you're a fan of any major college football program and some of the not so major ones, then you have to right to criticize. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. That's what is said anyway.

I suggest you ignore all that stuff and focus on the inspiring message inside, don't let YOUR bias against Oklahoma, or it's University, or it's football team prevent you from enjoying a very fine tale of glory.

Maybe I knew too much of the story before I read it but there was more info about the players and coaches and the women they had than about football. I would have liked to read about the football games they won!!!

A great great football story, but disappointingly written. For starters, Jim Dent misses his audience. Recreated quotes reminisce made-for-grade school stories, yet hollow and stereotypical characters go on big-time drinking binges and grow 'harder than Chinese arithmetic' over the ladies. More disappointing is that one must read between the lines to discover what's most fascinating about 1940s/50s-era football - that the national champion was chosen BEFORE the bowl games (imagine THAT before BCS), that players played on both sides of the ball, that there were no designated field goal kickers, and heaps of other subtleties that have faded away as college football has 'grown.' Perhaps there was a rush to get this out while the 2000 Sooners team was STILL undefeated and national champions. It takes time to make a winner, I guess.

I try to read every college football book that I can get my hands on. I can honestly say that I have read few books written as poorly as this one. I was expecting much more considering the potential story lines involved in this subject. I simply did not enjoy this book because of the way it was written.

This book is a fast read, and I really liked it. I thought he made his points and got his story across very well, and gives some insight as to how the coaching profession works. I recommend it.

Take ajourney with Charles Weis, New Jersey born
and raised guy who happened to go down and talk
to one of the 'Fathers' in the Notre Dame Athletic
office one day back in 1975 about what HE thought
the 'Fightin' Irish' should be doing to inprove
the football team. Fast forward through the years
as Charlie Weis becomes the sports enthusiast who
moves up through the ranks and becomes a first rate
football coach who ends up going back to Notre Dame
after winning FOUR Super Bowls and becomes it's H.
Coach! Great and inspirational reading! As good as
Marv Levy's fine football book, "Where Else Would
You Rather Be?"

The book has several interesting stories. Though CW doesn't mention it, he must have been a pretty smart student to get admitted to ND. I thought he said his dad was of a blue collar profession, so he must have gotten quite a bit of financial aid.

I found his story about how he quit HS coaching to take a grad assistantship at South Carolina interesting, as well as how he was to be offered the head coaching job with the Bills, if the Patroits lost the AFC championship game to the Titans. I also found his early days as coach of the Fighting Irish to be interesting. All in all, it's a story of a hard working guy who always tried to do the right thing and succeeding to get the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

This is a very refreshing story of how an outwardly ordinary person with some extraordinary insight and self-confidence goes from being a regular kid to a top level coach, and how he balances his family life with his professional life. He doesn't dish dirt or tattle, and it isn't all about Notre Dame Football. He acknowledges success and failure without bragging about his system or complaining about setbacks. He doesn't breach the privacy of others to sell his story, so details of who said what and who did what are not there, though he does give plenty of credit where it is due. It's dignified but not stuffy or superior. You just can't help but admire him, and you wish you had a boss with his sense of priorities, directness, and honesty.

It really does hook you, so make sure you have plenty of time when you first open it to read the whole thing. I bought this for my spouse for Christmas. While wrapping it, I took a little peek. Two hours later I finished it. It was just too darn interesting to put down, and I am not a big football fan. Then I kept thinking about it and had to stop myself from quoting it (to keep from spoiling the surprise). When my spouse opened it on Christmas Day; I warned him that it would suck him right in. He laughed and took a peek. Now I have a nice picture him, surrounded by holiday chaos and kids, completely oblivious while reading this book cover-to-cover.

We both agree that this is a really terrific book. Since my spouse is a big Notre Dame fan (two ND degrees and grew up in South Bend), but I am not, I'd say that this book appeals to a wide variety of people.

Coach Weis starts this short autobiography out with a funny story about his student days at Notre Dame and how he had the nerve to complain to the University president about the football team. I would say that this is a rather interesting way for the man who is now in charge of that same football team to start out his book. Right up front Charlie Weis says to us the fans that he understands what it is like to be frustrated and that we Notre Dame fans really matter to him. I like this guy!

I say that this is a short autobiography because there is so much yet to be written in the Charlie Weis story but there is still a lot of information to be found in these pages. I must admit that I had wondered how a guy who hadn't even played college football became the coach of the most storied program in the sport and by reading this book I got my answers. Charlie Weis is one hard working guy. This is not to say that he didn't get some major breaks along the way because he did and he freely acknowledges that he did. Coach Weis is proud of his work ethic and that comes across loud and clear in this book but the man doesn't have a conceited bone in his body. I like this guy!

When Coach Weis was hired at Notre Dame most Irish fans read up on him in a hurry and so we knew the basics of his sparkling pro career but in this book we get a little more of story including some things that I'm sure that he didn't really care to share but he shared them anyway and the book is all the better for it. I really do like this guy!

Best of all, we finally get a look at Coach's personal life and we learn about his wonderful wife and his special relationship with his son. We also get a glimpse of his relationship with his special needs daughter who is able to communicate very clearly when she wants her dad to go away and leave her alone. The proceeds from this book go to a foundation he has set up in the name of his daughter Hannah and it was for the love of her that he even agreed to write this book. Did I mention that I like this guy?

This book is not a deep tome on Charlie Weis' coaching philosophy or an insight into the Notre Dame program. That may well come later when he has been at South Bend for a few more years. This is simply the basic story of a man who accepts no excuses from his players or himself and who expects everyone to give their all for the good of the team. This is Charlie Weis 101 and I hope that the graduate level course won't be too long in coming.

Mychael Urban's book takes a different view than Michael Lewis' "Moneyball" does. Urban goes in-depth to show you what goes on in the minds of Tim Hudson, Barry Zito, and Mark Mulder. Hudson, Zito, and Mulder are about as different as three men can be, but all three have one big thing in common: They are all driven to be the best.

Urban's book discusses the trials and tribulations of the Big Three's and the A's 2004 season. It was a unique year for the A's, as they missed the playoffs for the first time since 1999. Urban had earned the trust of the Big Three, therefore all three let their guards down and talked about what makes them all tick. You'll read about Hudson's battle through an injury-plagued season, the always confident Mulder struggle through his first moment of self-doubt, and Zito's various musings.

The book wraps up with the frantic few days during the 2004 off-season in which Hudson and Mulder were traded within two days of each other. This book is both a nice look back at the A's 2004 season and an excellent look at an interesting topic in the Big Three. A's fans will likely hang on to this book and look back in upcoming years on what a fantastic trio Hudson, Mulder, and Zito were.

I was looking forward to this book, as I'm a big fan of the A's system and was intrigued by the possibility of the story of the last season these three spent together. However, author Mychael Urban is kind of all over the place; he says that it's not a "team" profile or the profile of the season, but in fact that's prety much what it is. He tries to write around major aspects of the team's 2004 season -- the failure to find a closer for the first half of the season, injuries to Chavez and others -- but ends up spending quite a bit of time discussing them. The interviews with the 3 pitchers are interesting but not much different than one might find in a daily column or extended SI profile. Not a bad book for fans looking for a closer look at these three players, but the look isn't that much closer and there's not much suprising or unusual. "Moneyball" has much more of a take, and "Three Nights in August" conveys the day-to-day ball activity in a much richer manner.

Aces is a great insight into the minds of three very good pitchers who have different personalities. Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder and Barry Zito are known as the Big Three, three fantastic young pitchers on the Oakland A's staff. This book, by a daily newspaper beat writer, covers the three pitchers through the season. Although its about the A's, and Billy Beane wrote the foreward, its not like the famous book by Michael Lewis, Moneyball, at all. There's little in it about Beane's approach to baseball, except how the Big 3 feel about the A's lack of spending money. They aren't happy about not bringing in free agent talent due to their limited funds. The book goes through the mental aspects of the game, how Mulder and Zito both dealt with failure at different points in the season. Mulder had a great start but faltered in the 2nd half of the season, while Zito had a bad start but pitched well in the latter part of the season. After reading this book, its hard not to root for these three pitchers, even though they pitch for three different teams now. Urban did a great job.

This book was a delight to read as I love to see inside the world of the players, and Urban does it with a breezy and fun style that is worth reading out loud (as I often did to my boyfriend, or whoever was nearby if they knew about baseball). The "big three" in Mulder, Hudson and Zito provide a study in contrasts that illuminates everything from what goes on inside a pitcher's head (or doesn't) while he's on the mound, to the importance of pitching coaches. I found myself wanting to copy out various sentences from the book to make sig quotes out of, sometimes from what the players said, sometimes from Urban's pithy and hip take on modern major league life.

The book's only possible drawback is that I wanted more! There are some great personal moments (that also give insight into baseball), as with Zito using his guitar case as an illustration of Gary Sheffield's 'hitting zone', but I wanted more of them. The book was designed to cover just one season, but honestly I could have used a little bit less of a chronicle of the A's ups and downs in a season that wasn't that memorable and more of the pitchers talking pitching. Perhaps Urban will write another book that will satisfy me on that score later--I would buy it in a second. He's definitely one of the up an coming baseball scribes worth watching.

This book is awesome. It goes deep into the minds of these "Big Three", as pitchers and people. Through early season bullpen woes, to the dogdays of summer, to their slim loss of the division lead in the end of the season. The pitchers minds are dissected, from Zito's quirkiness and tendency to get too deep into his thoughts, to Mulder's calmness, to Hudson's aggressive "bulldog" mentality. This book is for anyone who loves sports, espessialy baseball, and anyone who respects the A's dominant run through the early 2000's. It is masterfully written, and a beautiful recount of, not only the "big three" we have grown to love, but the 2005 season, and the A's playoff hopes. It shows the breakdown off a pitchers mind before his start, and the other 4 days in between, and how these supposed "super humans" are just people. Mychael Urban's quick wit, and smooth style of writing make this memoir much more than just the report on each game's happenings, and make it into something special to share and read.