Teams Books

Everyone may agree that creating a sense of responsibility in employees and managers is a benefit to an organization. But what is meant by responsibility? And just how can you go about creating a sense of responsibility within a company? These are the questions the authors of this book have tried to answer.

To begin with, it is more important for employees to be responsible for results than for them to be responsible for activities. Employees may, in fact, be able to prove that they performed several activities, without actually achieving the desired result or goal. A good manager, say the authors, must make employees understand that their responsibility lies in achieving the goal behind the work, and not just the work itself. Responsibility has two dimensions. You are responsible to somebody, and you are responsible for something. Employees must be responsible to the customer and the organization. They must also be responsible for results, not just activities or tasks.

Motivating workers to be responsible to the company and for results must proceed from four necessary conditions:
1. The company must be an organization that workers are ready to commit themselves to.
2. Employees must understand what results they are expected to produce.
3. Employees must have a proper reward and recognition system.
4. Employees must have the skills and knowledge necessary to create the results.

The authors focus a bright light on the vital role and enduring quality of personal responsiblity in the work place. Imagine if each of us really did take responsibility for customer satisfaction, getting the right results, and problem solving! We could really make our workplaces stages for personal satisfaction, even joy. This is the future the authors believe in and they've provided a strong tool set in the book to help us get there.

In The Empire Strikes Back, Luke Skywalker reluctantly agrees to "try" to salvage his spaceship. The Yoda replies, "Do or do not. There is no try." The authors of this book agree with the Yoda. They suggest that responsible managers insist on achieving results. While chairman and CEO of Pier 1 Imports, Clark Johnson observed that he always encouraged effort but only rewarded performance. Johnson may not have read this book but he certainly agrees with the key points its authors make.

In Chapter 1, they revisit and redefine the concept of responsibility. In subsequent chapters, they discuss a leader's responsibility to the customer, to the organization, and to everyone within the organization. They view the responsible manager as a problem solver and, in Chapter 5, provide a problem-solving approach "that works." They then shift their attention to "Getting the Right Answer" and "Getting the Right Result." For the authors, judgment is the foundation of responsibility. They also assert, in Chapter 9, that there is "a rationale for teams that work" and then explain what that rationale is...also, what it requires of everyone involved. In Chapters 10 and 11, they answer two key questions: How to design an effective team? and How to maximize productivity among the members of a team? In the final chapter, the authors explain what is needed to keep responsible change alive.

According to the authors, "most change efforts fail because of an inadequate understanding of what produces value in the business or of how human beings change." They then offer eight specific reasons why change efforts fail:

1. We like to feel good. [change threatens comfort levels]

2. No top leadership support [if "they" don't care, why should anyone else?]

3. Change efforts do not address the whole system [a fragmented approach tends to focus on symptoms rather than on causes]

4. We hide failure [success is reassuring...failure could involve blame and guilt]

5. Misunderstanding of what has changed [See #3]

6. Too few understand the rationale for change efforts [ie those who are expected to support change initiatives are not told how and why their support is so essential]

7. Neglect of transition [failure to understand that change is an incremental process, not a quantum leap from "here" to "there"]

8. There is no structure for change [within the organization, there are no policies and procedures to resolve the conflict between "what is done now" and "doing better"]

Hence the importance of having a sense of responsibility to help solve problems shared by everyone, of having patience during the inevitably slow process of organizational change, and of having self-discipline throughout that challenging process. The authors correctly point out that (1) "everyone must be willing to carry his or her share of the load", (2) "Sustainable efforts take two to three years but result in dramatically more healthy and more exciting organizations", and (3) "The discipline of change refers to the regularity with which change is pursued as well as emerging skills that are developed through devotion to change." A responsible leader understands all this, conducts herself or himself accordingly, and requires everyone else to do so also. Working together, they identify problems and then solve them. "There is no try...." and excuses are unacceptable.

One final point: Recent research suggests that by 2025 at the latest (but probably much sooner), organizational rewards will be completely based on performance. To varying degrees, responsible leaders have been supporting that policy for decades.

The focus here is on the end results, the outcomes of management action. The authors present a systematic, thoughtful, practical and step by step method of achieving better results by becoming more effective as problem solvers and its told in story format with interesting and captivating vignettes. Includes several chapters on team building, the elements of team effectivness, and teams that work.

This is one of the most entertaining and useful books about leadership and management I've ever read. I highly recommend it to anyone in any position of responsibility. Both the concepts and the techniques are invaluable.

This is a fun and easy read for any fan of the women's game, centered around the pivotal 1996 Olympic gold medal-winning team, which in many ways marked a turning point in establishing the foundation upon which the modern game is built.

But not only does this book offer a wonderful historical perspective, and some great stories and inside anecdotes on many top players past and present, it also provides insight into the mind of one of the college game's top coaches.

Even for those close to Stanford basketball, Tara Vanderveer is a very private inividual. That's why I found this book especially helpful in providing a better understanding of her personal history, philosophy toward the game, how she feels it should be played, and how that all filters down to the teams she puts on the floor today.

Because Tara is often softspoken in public and not one to actively seek the limelight or TV cameras like some of the other big names in her profession, there may be a tendency by some to think she is more of a hands-off coach. And despite the occasional glare from the sideline, a calm and quiet presence. Nothing could be further from the truth. This book does a good job of uncovering the intensity that boils deep inside and her unbending desire to win.

This is a really inspirational book for those who care about womens' basketball. I had a really hard time putting it down. You feel as if you are part of the U.S. Olympic Team, and were there to witness the trials and tribulations of their road to Gold. Great book for those who play basketball or enjoy it. (Especially if you're female!!) I think I will start reading the book from the beginning again tomorrow. It also meant more to me then maybe someone else because I have been to Tara's Camps and been able to interact with Jennifer Azzi and Katy Steding, and other players as well. It is totally my favorite book ever!

I confess that I have been a fan of Tara Vanderveer for nearly 10 years. I think I understand that basketball is a very major part of her life. She likes Bob Knight, sheesh. This book was a very easy read even though you already know how it will end. When you finish the book you might feel like you want to see if the players saw everything the same way. Well, this is her point of view.

I thoroughly enjoyed this in-depth view of Tara's work with the Women's National (Olympic) team of 1996. The team was a masterpiece, and being able to see it thru the eyes of its coach was really something special. It gave me great insight into Tara and her drive and dedication to the sport and to the team. A great book!!

Tara Vanderveer is the author of the inspiring autobiography Shooting form the Outside.  In this autobiography, Tara Vanderveer discusses the challenges and obstacles that she must overcome into to reach her goal of winning the gold medal.  The autobiography discusses the hardships, conflicts, and problems that the team faces throughout the year and shows how teamwork can overcome anything.
This novel is pretty much an overview of the Women's Basketball team throughout their Olympic season.  The novel starts out with Tara Vanderveer talking about her child hood days and how she developed a love for the game.  She talks about how she use to be a mascot for the school, used to write down every new play she heard in a notebook, and how she went and watched the men's basketball team to learn any new play on offense or defense she could pick up.  The story then proceeds to Coach Vanderveer discussing her thoughts and concerns for the year that lay ahead of the eleven woman that have been selected as the national team.  She talks about her past failures like the 1994 World Games that have pushed her and motivated her to win the gold medal.  She promised that the embarrassment and disgrace that she felt from the World Games will never happen again.  One can easily feel the strong determination and motivation that Coach Vanderveer feels, and how she uses this as an ally and works the team harder than they have ever been worked before. 
This book was undoubtedly worth reading from my point of view.  This book taught me information about Title IX that I had previously never even heard about.  The book showed me the true struggle that a woman must face and has taught me a sense of respect for woman who have succeeded in the past. 
One issue the book brings up is that woman are not given enough opportunity to succeed in life.  A woman's determination and motivation can easily be destroyed or brought down by the cruelness and unfairness of discrimination towards woman.  Therefore, since woman can do all jobs just as productively as men, the book suggests that woman should be given fair and equal treatment and equal opportunities to men. 
In conclusion, Shooting from the Outside is an excellent book that teachers lessons and values that should be known and followed by all of society.  The story teachers discrimination is pointless and by not allowing woman to perform to their full capacity we are truly ruining our own opportunities to further succeed in life.

This is a good introduction to the New York Jets. I consider myself a big fan of the Jets and I really enjoyed the book. It's not loaded with to much information and statistics that would bore someone who is not a die-hard football fan. Easy reading with some interesting information on some of the Jets biggest names, new and old. Also talks about fans, owners,the AFC and NFL.

This is the best sports book to come out ever. Usually I find these books boring, or uninteresting, but this book is completely different. It was a great book, and once i started reading i couldnt put it down. I suggest this book to everyone, even if you usually dont like sports books. This book is different, and amazing.

This is the best sports book of the year! I Hope he writes another one.

i have been a jets fan for many years now, and this is the best jets book to ever come out! Everyone go read it now!

An absolute must have for EVERY Jets fan, and a great read for any football fan. This book is not your typical home-team love fest; Mr. Lange regales the reader with stories of triumph and of tribulation with equal aplomb. Book is loaded with facts, stats, and history. Highly Recommended!

My 5 yr old loves reading to us and she's even taken the first one to school for show and tell to read to the kids. The books are numbered and each ascending number is slightly more difficult to read. She's already learned the first few and is working her way through them. These are perfect for the pre-k and K ages.

My son (6 yrs) loved these and read each one multiple times within the first week. Great for encouraging phonics readers!

I purchased this set for my 5 year old Kindergartener after earlier this year a teacher had recommended the website... www.starfall.com. Fairly easy phonics set. WE LOVE THEM. Maddy can read the books on her own, and she doesn't lose interest or become discouraged because they are a fairly quick read. We have also found that she is now reading at a quicker pace. The pictures are very cute just like the website... which my daughters adore! Wonderful companion to go along with the website.

If your child is struggling or a beginning reader, than you should definately give this set a try at the wonderful price that it currently is.

My five year old preschooler has desperately been wanting to learn to read. She kept asking for the Hooked on Phonics set, but I had read some negative reviews on it. After reading so many positive responses here on Amazon, I decided to give this set a try. She LOVES it and has been speeding through the books. The only downside is that there are no instructions to help you teach your child, but really, what's to know? Just let them read & help them sound it all out. I'm really pleased with my purchase and my daughter is proud to be able to say, "I can read on my own!"

These books are really cute, short and sweet. The pictures really draw in the child. The animal characters are doing various things that most small children love to do (cooking in the kitchen, racing cars, making messes, playing at the beach, enjoying family, etc.). My son (who just turned 5) LOVES them.

When we first sat down to read them, I thought they were cute and really focused on letter sounds AND kept the attention of my son. But what REALLY sold me and made me (and my son fall in love with them) was the STARFALL.com website. ALL of the books are ONLINE with animation and sound. The child can even modify the story. It is too cute! My son has his own laptop and loves to go to the website and READ and LISTEN to the books, where they focus on sounding out the words. In addition to the books, there are a million other FUN learning activities ... calendar, writing a letter. It's an absolutely fabulous FUN learning website, all for free! This website has helped with learning and reinforcing what he has already learned in school.

So, if you want to see (and read) the books BEFORE you buy, they are all on STARFALL.com.

As a manager responsible for approximately $100 million in spend, I found that this book was able to effectively break down the complex topic of strategic supply management into manageable chunks. I find this book to be useful for the entry level supply chain professional as well as for the practicing purchasing professional. This book not only discusses today's best practices but it also lays out what needs to be done in order to prepare for tomorrow. I will be using the valuable information provided to improve our practices with regard to managing our supply base. It was well worth the read, and it will continue to be a ready reference for me going forward.

This text should be required reading for every supply chain professional. It covers every important topic and trend in supply management and does so with a unique blend of theoretical analysis, industrial survey results and real-life examples. I was particularly impressed with the sections on supplier selection, managing supplier performance and the use of information technology to optimize and support supply objectives. From this text, I learned not only how to take a big picture, strategic look at the problem of supply management but what tools and techniques are available to help day-to-day execution of that strategy. You can quickly see from this text just how complicated supply management is and that a high level of interaction exists between many different functional organizations. Taking a short-term, isolated approach to this topic and ignoring the trends and advice offered in this text will make it very difficult to achieve long-term success.

I was very pleased with the writing style used by the author. It did not read like a textbook with listing of fact after fact. Instead, the author made the subject matter enjoyable to read and included some personal observations that stressed the practical aspects of the material. I would highly recommend this text to anyone who works in supply chain management.

This book is an excellent read for supply chain professionals and those wanting to understand the tools and practices of world-class supply management. Thoroughly researched, Trent provides the foundations and processes of supply management and supports these with real-world examples demonstrating how organizations have transformed their supply chains. The book is a quick read and the summary points at the end of each chapter are also a great reference for those in a hurry. Supply management organizations looking for sustainable competitive advantage will find this guide invaluable.

This book is a complete guide to supply management for any purchasing professional or student. It effectively addresses all the pressures supply professionals face today and provides actionable solutions. The book provides a holistic view of supply management but also gives specific tools and identifies additional resources for more in-depth research. Specifically, I found the tools for supplier identification and selection and the tips for crashing the timeline for supplier identification and selection very useful. While this book is executable by more senior supply professionals, lower level supply professionals can benefit by it also. If you have been too busy to follow what others are doing, this book will give you the heads up on new trends that work. It's a fast, well organized and interesting read you can breeze through during the weekend so when you go back to work on Monday you can begin transforming your organization to a lean and mean supply management machine.

Strategic Supply Management provides a step by step guide to creating a world-class supply chain. By focusing upstream on the power of procurement, readers can learn to establish a solid integrated foundation upon which to build their corporate value proposition. Trent uses timely examples of real-world companies and supplies straight-forward assessment templates that, once completed, provide a comprehensive plan to develop a sustainable and highly effective supply chain. Injected with an occasional dash of humor, this book is a well-organized, efficiently-detailed must-read for anyone wanting to transform their twentieth century procurement function into the strategic supply chain required to compete successfully in today's world.

Overall a good book on the subject of teamwork and full of good content. I was told this title was an "activity" book which it is not. If you're looking for a book full of team exercises and games, this is not a match. Aside for that, the authors do a fairly good job.

Exceptional book on team building. Easy to read and covers a number of great points. It puts the information covered into a clear perspective most people can understand. Most notably there is a section that identifies "issues" that can prevent groups from functioning as a team. I was able to relate to these issues and have applied many of the principles covered in my own work.

Tired of deciding what Teamwork book to get? This is one was given to me by a friend and offers excellent ideas on how to improve your team. It covers more than just the basic topic of "teamwork." It gets detailed on team member responsibility, leadership teams, who teams serve, and teamwork processes. Color, pictures, and some short examples and stories make it fun to read. Definately worth your time. Maxwell's Law's of Teamwork is another one that I've recently read and would recommend if you're looking for multiple books.

The Team Approach is an excellent read and provides tools and skills to accomplish team requirements. Just because a team exists doesn't mean it gets good results. The book dicusses how capitalize on teamwork and how to use conflicts, diferences, and egos that can often arise in teams to your advantage. There are great real life anecdotes from a number of management consultants. These anecdotes help link the skills and priciples discussed in the book. A high quality read!

A great book for all individuals working in a team environment. It is full of real world examples that most people can relate to. Chapter 10 is dedicated to Senior Leadership Teams which many books don't address.
I also recommend Dr. Stowell's bookWin-Win Partnerships: Be on the Leading Edge with Synergistic Coaching

A Notre Dame grad, I picked up this book expecting it to be a glowing tribute to various parts of our football fanbase, hoping it would at least contain a few good stories that I hadn't heard at pep rallies, tailgates, or over dining hall trays. Instead, I was thrilled to find a series of topics that Scott has clearly researched on a level that those at ESPN and SI have never reached.

There are, of course, interviews with alumns (subway and graduated) and their reactions throughout Notre Dame's long history. But these provide some buffer and outsiders' perspective to chapters that delve deep into the University's financials, or pieces together administrative politics from interviews with Holy Cross priests and press script transcripts. Most memorable were the sections detailing Notre Dame's history in ways I had never once heard or read of in my four years. Detailing the fans at ND-Army games in Yankee stadium, Rockne's avoidance of playing other Catholic schools, and pre-Hesburgh administrations are just three quick examples of some of my favorite stuff. Where and how Scott dug this up will surely be a question many "know-it-all" fans and Observer sports columnist should be asking.

Most interesting (to me) was Scott's investigation into the uber-popular fansites like NDNation that so many fans belong to. He neither condemns it nor condones it; the book gives a fair, unhysterical overview of the process, text, and reaction to the internet-fueled "Call For Change" movement but also gives a lot of Monk's view of this growing mobocracy and their inability to ever be fully satiated. Most of the topics are dealt in this similar light: I walked away feeling there are shades of gray about online fandom, academe aspiration, subway alumni, and collegiate football.

Scott's ability to create a richer, detailed story stands out in a genre that seems to be content playing up all the same tried stories at a superficial level to the fans to sell copies on game day. (see: Return to Glory) The book is appropriately long, but ends right when you feel you've had about enough Notre Dame for awhile. His prose is thoughtful, investigative fair mixed with interview quotes that do not shy away from the profane and the profound.

This book is highly recommended for anyone who wants an understanding of the Notre Dame football fan experience from the perspective of a recent alum.
If you have not attended a game in South Bend, this book will make you feel as if you have never missed one.
The pull of the place to folks who have never attended a class at any University is attempted to be put in words....It is a must read for a College Football fanatic.

First, I have to admit for clarity that Scott's book includes about 1 page about my brother and I. I also signed the C4C (if you don't know what that means, read the book). So I guess that makes me biased.

Following the 2003 season, I didn't think I would face a worse situation than what unfolded in 2004. Bad losses to good teams, even worse losses to bad teams and the eventual misfirings on trying to land the "savior" coach at ND. In a phrase, it was a CF.

Now, through the writings of Scott, I relived that season but through the eyes of others who maybe lived and died a bit more with the game of ND football than I. Going in I thought the book was going to be a more factual account of what happened in 2004. But Scott does more than tell the facts - he tells the story behind the facts. Through meeting subway alums and their history and the role that the Internet played in bringing change to ND football, this book tells a good story.

If you are not a ND fan, you might find this book limited in its contents. However, if you suffered through the past 10 years of ND football, then you must read this book. You will have a renewed passion for Our Lady.

While Notre Dame haters will probably not care for this book, both fans of ND and those interested in college football in general will find it both fascinating and entertaining. By presenting stories of fans from around the country, as well as the historical conext of Notre Dame football, Mr Eden does a wonderful job of explaining how Notre Dame, warts and all, came to occupy a unique spot in college football: A small catholic university in the midwest with unparalleled football success and a truly national fan base.

"Touchdown Jesus" began as a small article describing the relationship between faith and fandom at Notre Dame, but evolved into a tour de force that introduces various Notre Dame enthusiasts from different backgrounds during a turbulent period for the University. These interested parties, many of whom author Scott Eden met tailgating prior to Irish football games, include university administrators, students, alumni, local residents, Internet posters, and "subway alumni," fans who did not attend the University but pledge die-hard allegiance to the University. To many of these fans, the direction of Notre Dame at the beginning of the 2004 football season was a cause for concern. The three pillars on which Irish enthusiasts take pride in--strong academics, nationally competitive football, and Catholic identity--were thought to be in crisis amidst alleged de-emphasis of football and aspirations to achieve similarity with elite, secular universities. The stories of the fans during this time are told through extensive research and personal interviews while detailing the events leading to the unexpected retirement of University President Father Edward Malloy and the firing of head football coach Tyrone Willingham.

Many authors have put forth books about Notre Dame, yet Scott Eden has produced a book that occupies a unique and important place in the Irish canon. A Notre Dame alumnus himself, Eden shares the passion for Notre Dame with the fans he describes, yet approaches the events with a detached, journalistic perspective. For the Notre Dame faithful, this book will serve as the definitive novel of this era, one that breaks ground in describing the events that occurred and the forces behind them. For others, Eden presents a piece that transcends a historical narrative by delving into the psychology behind devoted fandom. The result is a book that will be compelling for any audience.

I found this book fasinating and helpful to see how in the 21st Century, that companies and individuals can have a presence in most countries in the world through technologies. Alan www.dublinmaildrop.com

I must take strong exception to James Garvin DC Something-or-other's review. He obviously lacks a sense of imagination and must suffer from concrete thinking. Those who subsequently reviewed this book (which I have been seeking under its original title since my copy was stolen in 1994) see beyond the historical contrivance to allow comparison of current dispersed management problems with those faced by other managers and leaders.

The author has gone on to a successful career guided by the same concepts. This is a book recommended by other management leaders and enlightened readers.

First of all, I enjoy "instructional fiction" as conveyed in business quick-reads like "Virtual Leadership." This type of business novel is fun to read! Also, this contemporary business text covers an important topic in the age of virtual organizations and e-businesses -- how to establish and manage virtual teams. Enjoy!

This is a wonderful book that lays out effective tools, techniques, and strategies for working with geographically diverse teams. This book is so appropriate for our virutal organization that my entire management team will have copies soon!

We loved this book so much that we have all our team members read it AND we give it away as sales gifts to potential clients.

This book was so helpful and easy to read. It was unique because of the fabulous story it told (with a really cool twist of an ending) ... a how-to storybook for today's virtual world.

I couldn't put it down, read it in one sitting and have benefitted from it every day since. It really helped me straighten out my virtual leadership nightmare. Thanks so very much!

THIS BOOK COVERS 50 YANKEES MANY OF WHOM WERE NOT SO GREAT. AMONG THEM ARE TOM TRESH, MIKE HEGAN, BOBBY MERCER AND HORACE CLARK. IT GIVES EACH PERSON 4 PAGES OF COVERAGE AND HAS A PICTURE OF EACH IN THE PIN STRIPES. MOST PHOTOS WERE TAKEN AT OLD COMISKEY PARK. IT TELLS US A LITTLE ABOUT THEIR CAREER AS A YANKEE AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING NOW. A GREAT TRIP DOWN NOSTALGIA LANE. IF YOU ARE A LONG TIME YANKEE FAN THIS IS A GREAT READ FOR YOU. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Wow, there they are, all of those men whose names have slipped from my memory over the years. From Stan Bahnsen to George Zeber. From Jay Johnstone to Dooley Womack. They are the lesser lights of baseball, the non-legends who played for the Yankees but who are a part of Yankees' history. This is great stuff! Allen picked 50 former players, tells us what they're doing now and then recounts some wonderful stories about their playing days and their sometimes small parts in Yankees' lore. These are the kinds of stories that you won't read in a newspaper or press release, and even though I'm not a Yankees fan, I enjoyed reading them. Allen has a wonderful knack for telling interesting baseball stories and he shows the human side of these journeymen players and how they loved the game. If you like going behind the box scores, you'll love this book.

True Yankees never really leave. This book proves it. Ball players who played for many other teams still consider their time with the Yankees (however brief) the highlight of their careers. Only one bitter player in the bunch (Hal Reniff).
Maury Allen is a walking sports encyclopedia, and this is a great book. An easy read, and chock filled with Yankees information. I loved it. Maury should write "Part 2".

Well done, by a fine writer. I love reading about the lesser lights, and what happened to them after their playing days. This book was great for that.

Now that Jim Murray and Leonard Koppett are gone, Maury Allen may be the greatest literary link to our storied sports past. The man is a treasure. He has more first-hand knowledge of great sporting events of the past 50 years than any single writer, and this latest book is just another example of a terrific scribe at work. Bravo!

STEVEN TRAVERS
Author of "Barry Bonds: Baseball's Superman"
STWRITES@aol.com

I've been an NBA fan since I was a kid and I read this for the first time in summer of 2007. As someone who considers himself a knowledgeable NBA fan, I'm embarassed to say it took me so long to read this primer to the modern-day NBA.

Breaks of the Game is as well-written and thoroughly researched as any sports book you'll find. Halberstam presents fact after fact on why the NBA game has been shaped by big money and TV moreso than any player, coach, or team. He does a tremendous job exposing the conflict between the league's big money sponsors and its actual product--a game predominantly being played and dominated by black athletes.

Halberstam's excellence isn't limited to the politics and power struggles taking place in NBA front offices. His reporting on the actual game played between the lines is insightful and intriguing. Many of the complaints about today's NBA game--too much one-on-one play, ballyhooed rookies not paying their dues, primadonnas, lack of fundamentals, etc-- are covered in-depth by Mr. Halberstam. Keep in mind, this was written in 1978-79.

It's a great book that can easily be appreciated by anyone--hoops fan or not. And if you consider yourself an NBA fan, then you need to get on this ASAP. Although I wouldn't pay the prices here on Amazon. $59 for a paperback book? Strange. Like another reviewer said: Check your local library. Good luck and enjoy!

If you're an NBA fan, I guarantee you'll enjoy this book - especially if you're familiar with late 70s teams and players. I think even non-fans might find the business angle and personal stories interesting. The other great thing about it is the quote at the beginning -- about how money, fame, etc are fleeting and "the only thing that endures is character" -- by O.J. Simpson! I wonder how Halberstam feels about including that quote now...

This book delves into the personal lives of the NBA players (at least the NBA players in 1978). Halberstam expresses a great ability to decipher and put on paper the racial tension and often awkward interaction between white and black athletes of that day. He also holds an uncanny ability of clearly stating the emotions and interests of all the players on that Portland Trailblazers team.

This book is really one of the best sports books of all time. Halberstam goes all over the map to show that basketball is "more than a sport." Sure, that's a cliche at this point, but everything is incorporated seamlessly: race, TV, finances, a fickly city, hippies, violence, free agency, college. You can't help but realize that all of the problems in the book still exist today in not just the NBA but all major sports (except for the hippies). What is most amazing about the book is that Halberstam constructed it around what can only be considered a run of the mill team. After reading the book, you get the sense that Halberstam could have written just as good a book had he followed any of the NBA teams.

If you can't get it used, then look at your local library. And if you are a book publisher, put it back in print, if for no other reason than the astounding quote by OJ that opens the book.

David Halberstam takes us here in to the life of a sports franchise, the lives of it's players and of the environment surrounding them in the late seventies world of sport, following the merger of the two basketball league. The exposion of television coverage and of a team in the aftermath of a championship.

Halberstam is more than fair in his depiction of all the personalities involved with and on the periphery of the team. His exhaustive research is in evidence. The players are not shown to be charming charismatic larger than life heroes but human beings with stories of their own, interesting ones at that. Mr. Halberstam successfully conveys how the personalities all combined to make up this team.

The thing about this book is that Mr. Halberstam always presents a new take even on well covered topics. He makes you consider what you may not have considered otherwise.

Interestingly this book covers the team in something of a decline not the championship year. That in itself gives a unique view at the end of this book you have an idea of not only why they won but of the difficulty of repeating as champions, of the tenuous relationships formed between players, the slights, the friendships, the business of sports and those behind.

Vivid and rich with color and power. This book doesn't disappoint. Everyone from the rather unique owner to the 12th man. From preseason to playoff. An excellent read.