Teams Books

1. Self-managing organizations are dynamic and capable of continuous organizational learning. The basic principles of self-managing organizations are as follows a. employees have all knowledge, information, and skills to make all decisions that concern them b. Control and coordination authority is located as close to the people actually in contact with the work process or customers. C. Authority is based on expertise and competence d. management and leadership is shared functions widely distributed across levels and departments e. access to information and feedback is instantaneous and transparent. F. Support systems are congruent and synergistic g. the role of management is redesigned to focus on value creation for customers, shareholders, and employees.

2. In complex adaptive system there exists a redundancy function. Redundancy function has a variety increasing effect on the organism's potential for responding adaptively to environmental demands. Complex adaptive systems are capable of a high degree of cooperative behavior, where self-managing groups of agents can produce higher-order behaviors that no single agent could accomplish on its own.

3. Self-managing organizations have a superior competitive advantage because they build redundancy by extending the skills and functions of their people and by relocating responsibility for control and coordination of work to the level at which the work is actually performed.

4. Why does TQM almost always fail? TQM fails because: a. long drawn out projects lose energy, momentum, and relevance in a fast-changing business environment b. the rehashing of competitor ideas versus creating capabilities that can't be copied easily, practices that are embedded within, and growth out of the uniqueness of the company culture. C. Senior management often think they are exempt from the transformational focus and divert change to middle and lower levels of the organization d. many consulting firms specialize in reengineering focus on implementing new technology or redesigning the work process.

5. When employees are engaged in creating a vision or mission, the statements are much broader to why they are doing their work than any leader would give them.

6. Participation transforms a bureaucratic organization into an empowered workforce aligned for high performance. The cardinal rule of the participative design method is that no designs are ever imposed. Organizational change and transformation is smoother and changes are sustained because employees are truly architects of the design process.

"We soon realized that many companies which adopted such methods were caught in the middle between two competing organizational paradigms: the bureaucratic and democratic. In our analysis, these methods failed to transform the DNA, or fundamental design principle, that informs how organizations are structured and managed...When we understood that these two diamectrically opposed traditions for designing and managing organizations were competng for dominance, it became clear to us why managrs and employees were often being bombarded by mixed messages and a confusing mishmash of structures, management styles, and techniques. The bureaucratic and democratic design principles are based on different logics; each constitutes a distinct class with a specific genetic order...When these logics are mixed together in efforts to shore up the failings of bureaucracy, empowerment and reengineering efforts often fizzle because the basic tenets of a traditional hierarchy have not been uprooted...This book describes the principles and methods for designing the self-managing organization. We show how companies in any industry can change and evolve to become fully self-managing organizations"(from the Preface).

In this context, Ronald E. Purser and Steven Cabana, in Chapter 8, outline fundamental choices of two competing organizational design paradigms as following:

I- Bureaucratic Structure: Coordination and control of work tasks is done by supervisor.

1. Mind Set...*People have specialized skills and are easily replaced. *The work (technical system) is designed first. The people (social system) must adopt and fit in. *Workers are cogs in the machine of the enterprise, a commodity. *Total specialization of everything. *Within a complex organization, simple jobs are created. *Tthe building block of the organization is one person- one task. *Competitive structures, processes and reward systems are the best way to produce high performance.

2. People Act As If...*The environment our enterprise exists in is stable and unchanging. *There is little to learn at work; success comes from reacting resourcefully to problems. *Procedures are sufficient to guide behavior. Change interferes with productivity and can often be postponed. *Responsibility, and blame can be shifted to others; we are separate and therefore I can win at your expense. *We don't need to coordinate work closely with other functions. Their problems are their problems. *Unspoken assumptions need not to be explored. Simple solutions to problems are adequate.

II- Democratic Structure: Coordination and control of work is done by those doing the work.

1. Mind Set...*People possess many skill sets and can do many jobs/functions. *The needs of the work (technical system) are balanced with the needs of the doers of the work (social system). *People are learners. Machines and information systems can extend the skill set of employees to many functions. *As little as possible is specified, leaving the rest to the skill and discreation of the workers. *Complex jobs are created within a simple organizational structure. *The building block of organization is the self-managed work team. *Cooperative structures and reward systems are the best way to produce high performance.

2. People Act As If...*The environment our enterprise exists in is constantly changing. *Skepticism and doubt are valuable and enable continuous learning. *Outcomes are best reached with flexibility built into the approach. *I am fully responsible for any work I agree to perform. *Every task is part of some larger whole. I can't win at your expense. *Everyone's ideas are taken seriously. Cooperation is essential for our mutual survival. *Making our assumptions explicit and exploring them is worth the temporary discomfort.

Hence, in order to transform an entire enterprise to self-management, they discuss these choices within the context of Participative Design method. And they argue that "Dmocratic business organizations won't solve all the world's problems, but they will be places where people can find meaning in their work. Work becomes meaningful when people have attained real membership status, when work is restored to its rightful place, which adds value to both the customer and to the worker, and when people are shapers and creators of the organization's future."

Highly recommended.

This book contains a number practical nuggets for executives and middle managers who are seeking to move from a command and control management style to a style that systematically enlists the participation of employees at every level of the organization. Purser and Cabana provide insightful analyses of how some of the world's most successful organizations have initiated efforts toward higher employee participation that have resulted in superior organizational performance.

This is an easy to read book that blends practical theory with best practices. This book will satisfy the interests of bottom-line focused executives, human resource professionals, and academics who are looking for actual implementations of sound theory about self-managing organizations.

The book introduces a set of organizing principles that are valid across a variety of industries. These principles are introduced in the context of case studies of distinctly different companies such as Motorola, Microsoft, and Charles Schwab. The authors shed light on age-old management dilemmas such as, "How can I give people more autonomy, but still ensure that we have order and productivity in the organization?" and "How can I accelerate people's learning that I know will be critical to our future, but still have them accomplish their business tasks that need to be finished today?" The authors present solid self-management principles that I have seen work in small and large-sized firms, and for industries as diverse as professional services and hi tech manufacturing. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in improving organizational performance by creating opportunities for higher employee participation.

-- Tom Devane (tdevane@iex.net)

If you are struggling with questions related to your business strategy, how work is designed, and the way your organization ought to be managed - READ THIS BOOK. "The Self Managing Organization" (by Ronald E. Purser and Steven Cabana) explains why we have been on a merry-go-round of quick fixes and false promises, and what to do about it. The concepts and real applications in this book move everyone back to ground zero. By the time you finish reading, your thinking will have changed about what it takes to produce effective change, and how self-organization can be facilitated.

It will take a while to read the book. Take the time. The first half analyzes the key management methods of the recent past and dissects what went wrong. You'll understand the principles which facilitate organizational learning, put in place a team-based system of shared responsibility, and re-energize the workforce and management at all levels of the business. You'll also understand why we continue to make costly mistakes when we go about changing organizations and what it takes to be successful right now.

In the second half of the book, Purser and Cabana describe the "how" of moving from today's inadequate practices, to a lean, non-bureaucratic, and powerful future. You'll learn how to develop an urgency for change, get the right people involved, develop common, tangible goals and accelerate their implementation. One benefit of the approaches described is a results-oriented future built from a shared understanding of the business environment. Another is an energized leadership with a shared vision, and a workforce whose local knowledge is translated into effective work designs. Swift deployment throughout the organization occurs.

You might see alignment of the practical concepts in "The Self Managing Organization" with those of John P. Kotter. The alignment is, in fact, perfect with Kotter's Eight-Stage Process of Creating Major Change, as written in his "Leading Change" book. Kotter beautifully frames the steps that EVERY successful organization goes through when making fundamental change. What Purser and Cabana do is describe HOW to rapidly and effectively move your organization through those major changes. There are only two books on my recommended list. "The Self Managing Organization" pushed Kotter's book out of the number one slot. If you need permanent, pervasive change in your business, don't miss it!

Rob McClusky, Baldrige Manager, Picker International, Cleveland, Ohio

The reviews here are from the earlier part of this decade, or the late' 90s, when the Raiders were heading upward under Al Davis, Bruce Allen, and Jon Gruden. So, it was easy at that time to pass this book off as good fun.

But now that the Raiders are coming off of a 19-61 record over the past 5 years, this book takes on a whole new life, and lacks only an update focusing on what happened between Al Davis and Jon Gruden, and the landslide this franchise has been on ever since.

This book is an excellent dissection of Al Davis and the stunts he pulls throughout his life and with the NFL. His battles with Pete Rozelle and the league are not much smaller than battles in a World War. From coaching at the Citadel to moving his Raiders from Oakland to Los Angeles. It goes through Al's boyhood life and his struggles to the top of the game with the Raiders. This is an excellent book, not only for Raiders fans but any fan of sports.

Well-researched, well-written, and fun to read, this book reveals the "Genius" in all his wretched squalor and details the steps he took to get where he is. Great sport!

If your looking to learn more on this football legend, then get a copy of this. Great research on a man obessed with being the best in pro football. Gives you the ups and down in his life.

This book is a great read. It is very well written. The writing is so clear and crisp the pages almost turn themselves. The book is also jam packed with action. This is one of those books where you feel like you get to know the people. I wanted the book to keep going after I read the last page. I was glad the author included an epilogue which followed up on he and his commrades. I hope Dan Mills continues to write. He is a born writer.

It never ceases to amaze me the respect that Americans have for we British.
Dan Mills account of his platoon actions in Iraq,2004, is a perfect example of why this is so.
If you re into this subject.....just buy the book.

I haven't blown through a book more quickly in years. It's non-stop action from start to finish and gives a fascinating look into life on the front lines in Iraq. Definitely gives a new appreciation for what those soldiers have to endure for our freedom. Highly recommended!

Most of the Iraq war stories have been dominated by American soldiers or Marines and it's refreshing to read Allied war stories for a change.

Big Ben: 27-4 as a starter (2004-2005 seasons)---only losses (3 of which were injury-related): Patriots, 2004 AFC Championship game (if Plax holds on to sure TD pass, we are only down 7 with about 7+ minutes to go in that game; Ben did some good things and was battling thumb and toe injuries) and also in 2005 (if Randle El doesn't get `cute' and lateral that pass to Ward, we probably win; again, Ben did some good things), as well as the Bengals in 2005 (Ben has beaten Carson Palmer's Bengals 3 times: twice in 2004 and big-time in the AFC Wild-Card game in 2005; Ben had 3 TD passes in this lone defeat and was battling a thumb injury) and Indy in 2005 (as we know, he got revenge in the AFC Divisional Playoff game; Ben threw a TD pass to Ward in this Monday night defeat and was coming off an injury-induced layoff).

Ben's FIRST NFL game: 2004 Pre-season at Ford Field vs. the Lions...last game of 2005 season: 2/5/06 at FORD FIELD, SUPER BOWL XL VICTORY!!!


So Ben didn't play a superb game in Super Bowl XL and there was some controversy...

--Super Bowl IX, 1/12/75: Steelers win 16-6 over the Vikings---Future Hall-of-Famer Terry Bradshaw is only 9 for 14 for 96 yards...BEN WAS 9 FOR 21 FOR 123 YARDS...Bradshaw threw a lone TD...BEN RAN FOR A LONE TD... Future Hall-of-Famer Fran Tarkenton's numbers were putrid: 11 for 26 for 102 yards, 3 interceptions, NO TD's! We were only winning 2-0 going into the third quarter (on a safety); a boring game. The Steelers wore their white shirts and Terry had a beard (the other 3 Super Bowls: black-and-gold shirts, Terry clean shaven)...WE WORE OUR WHITE SHIRTS IN XL AND BEN HAD A BEARD...the game turned on a VERY controversial "fumble-that-wasn't" by the Steelers Larry Brown: the Steelers left the field dejected, the Vikings were in prime territory...then the officials ruled Brown was down before the ball came loose (no way!!!!!)...and the rest is history;

--Super Bowl X, 1/18/76: Steelers win 21-17 over the Cowboys---Future Hall-of-Famer Roger Staubach almost pulled out another miracle comeback...Swann's great falling-to-the-ground acrobatic catch led to no points (!);

--Super Bowl XIII, 1/21/79: Steelers win 35-31 over the Cowboys---the Cowboys' Jackie Smith drops a SURE TD pass that would have tied the game AND our go-ahead TD was aided by a very controversial tripping penalty that cost Dallas 33 yards: Lynn Swann fell over Benny Barnes's ankles and, as Bradshaw has admitted, it shouldn't have been a flag...we were ahead 35-17 at one point...Staubach almost brought them back (35-31);

--GAME BEFORE SUPERBOWL XIV: AFC Championship game vs. the Oilers, 1/6/80: Steelers win 27-13---late in the third quarter, officials ruled that Oilers receiver Mike Renfro did not have possession of what appeared to be a game-tying TD (WRONG!!!! He was in bounds; bad, bad call)...and the rest is history...

---Super Bowl XIV, 1/20/80: Steelers win 31-19 over the Rams---Bradshaw threw 3 INTERCEPTIONS and we were losing for most of the game...until Lambert saved our butts by intercepting QB Vince Ferragamo's pass...and the rest is history
(Steelers in the 1970's: regular season---99-44-1; playoffs: 14-4)

NON-STEELER SUPER BOWL "LUCK"---
Super Bowl XXV, 1/27/91: Giants defeat Bills BECAUSE SCOTT NORWOOD BARELY MISSES A RELATIVELY EASY FIELD GOAL, one of the biggest blown plays ever!;
All 3 of the Patriots victories were by exactly 3 points...and the Eagles really blew it with poor clock management (sound familiar?)!;
Super Bowl XXXIV, 1/30/00: Rams defeat Titans, 23-16--- The Rams' Mike Jones tackled Kevin Dyson at the 1-yard line as time expired. Dyson would have tied the game; Super Bowl V, 1/17/71: Colts beat Cowboys, 16-13, via a field goal... Dallas' Chuck Howley, who picked off two passes, became the first defensive player and the first player from a losing team to be named MVP.



The Steelers have been in the Super Bowl in the 1970's. 1980's, 1990's, and in the new millennium (2000's)---
IX (1975), X (1976), XIII (1979), XIV (played in 1980), XXX (played in 1996), XL (2006)

Big Ben---ONLY QB to ever go to Championship game his first two years; youngest to win the Super Bowl (Steelers: first 6th seed to go/ win; only team to beat #1, #2, and #3 seeds on the road and win; three-way tie for most Super Bowl victories: 5, along with Dallas and San Francisco; tied for second with most Super Bowl appearances: 6, along with Denver [who have `only' won 2])...comparison to other Hall-of-Fame and/or outstanding QBs---
Jim Kelly: 0 for 4; never won a Super Bowl;
Fran Tarkenton: 0 for 4; never won a Super Bowl;
Dan Marino: 0 for 1; never won a Super Bowl;
Kenny Anderson: 0 for 1; never won a Super Bowl
Len Dawson: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Johnny Unitas: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Joe Theismann: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Brett Favre: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Kurt Warner: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Ken Stabler: won one Super Bowl
Joe Namath: won one Super Bowl;
Phil Simms: won one Super Bowl;
Steve Young: won one Super Bowl;
Also: John Elway: after FIFTEEN YEARS IN THE LEAGUE, won two...after losing 3 very badly!

BEST run in sports history (as confirmed by a Congressional resolution!): won 8 in a row---
Bears (who had an 8-game winning streak), Vikings on the road (who had a 6 game winning streak...and Cowher NEVER won in a dome stadium before!), Browns on the road, and Detroit on 1/1/06 (where, unbeknownst to us at the time, we were headed for 2/5/06!); Bengals on the road (#3 seed, previously beat us), Colts on the road (#1 seed, league's best record, heavily favored, dome stadium, previously beat us; the Fumble, the Tackle, and the Miss), Broncos on the road (#2 seed, favored, 10-0 at home)...and the #1 NFC seeded Seahawks "on the road" in another dome, Detroit's Ford Field (where Big Ben started his NFL career vs. the Lions in the 2004 pre-season!!!)

YOU HAVE TO GET THE TWO-DVD SET "STEELERS: THE COMPLETE HISTORY" (2005; NFL Films), 1933-2004 (too bad they didn't wait a year haha!)---the main feature is 2 hours and 20 minutes long and covers 1933 up to and including Beg Ben's 2004 season; incredible. All the `lean years' (1930's-1960's; 1980's) are covered, NOT just the "glory seasons"---Kordell, Brister, Malone, Stoudt, Hanratty, etc. etc. etc. The bonus feautures are awesome, ESPECIALLY the 45-minute Jerome Bettis special-VERY IRONIC!! You will see Tommy Maddox with the Bus when they were both Rams in 1995...excellent miked-on-the-field comments, often funny, by Bus, Ward, and Cowher...Jan. 2005 AFC lowlights, Hines Ward crying, Jerome's reaction, and the tantalizing hint that Super Bowl XL wil be played in Jerome's hometown of Detroit...which makes what they did in 2005/2006 VERY story book! Also: the Bill Cowher, Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier, Myron Cope, Dick Hoak, and Bill Saul segments/ specials are very entertaining, as is the Super Bowl XIII feature..get this...as well as the SUPER BOWL XL DVD---2005 season highlights included, as well as the 2006 playoffs!

Okay, now if you don't know much about Pittsburgh, but if you like football, this book will enlighten you. Whether you are a remaining native Burger or were born here and left, keeping your allegiance to the city(such as I), this book will open all your senses and you will recall the glory of walking duntown in a seemingly not too distant past where the Stillers were the lifeblood of the city. These were the days when the "legendary" performers were writing their part of history. If you want to read about mostly plays and scores, this may not be for you. If you have ties with either or both the city and the team, this may be the best thing out there. Do not miss it.

I must preface this review by saying that I am not a Steelers fan or even a football fan. Never the less I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was given to me by a Pittsburgh based friend who thought I would appreciate the writing and ( as a Cubs fan ) the 'lovable losers' quality of the early Steelers. My friend was right.
This is indeed a terrific underdog story. With a founder/owner straight out of Damon Runyon and a record of only eight winning seasons between 1933 and 1971 this team was the doormat of the NFL. Then with Franco Harris's Immaculate Reception in 1972 everything turned around. The Steelers became the dominant pro football team for the rest of the '70s with eight future Hall of Famers and nine visits to the playoffs.
The writers assembled to tell this compelling story are first rate. This book is required reading for Steelers fans, but I would recommend this book to all football fans or fans of good writing.

I was thirteen years old on December 23, 1972 when, on a small black-and-white television in our half-finished basement, my buddy and I watched Jack Tatum viciously pop Frenchy Fuqua on a play that should have ended the game and season for the Pittsburgh Steelers. What happened moments later and still burns in memory is just one of the many stories wonderfully captured in THE STEELERS READER, a must-read for any thinking sports fan with or without connections to the city and people of Pittsburgh. Although this collection covers the 70-year history of the team, for me it's the great Steelers teams of the 1970s which are most vividly brought to life from a series of cultural, historical -- even geographical -- perspectives. This collection includes some great sports writing from Frank Deford, Roy Blount, Jr., and others, but best of all there are the characters and the folklore: the Terrible Towel, Three Rivers Stadium, Gerela's Gorilla's, Terry Bradshaw, Art Rooney, Mean Joe Greene, Ernie "Fats" Holmes, Chuck Knoll, Rocky Bleir, and Franco's Italian Army. If only my local sports section were this well written and fun to read!

The further adventures of Santini and his band, setting out to prevent problems with both band and incompetent superhumans. One interesting point is that he becomes more and more reliant on superhuman help himself, with a shapeshifter, for one, and even one of his own team, Jukko, is revealed to also be posthuman. It does not end there.

This isn't the typical comic book from when I was a kid. Stories that are actually interesting to grown-ups! The idea behind Stormwatch is that "normal" humans have developed a team to kill rogue super-powered beings that use their powers for evil. Stormwatch is the team of humans that hunt the baddies.

A good idea, that's been well executed.

Collecting Stormwatch: Team Achilles issues #7-#11 along with a bonus story.
This title is one of the best out there. A combination of all out action and strong characterization makes Stormwatch stand out from the rest of the herd. Highlights include issue #8 titled "The Winter War" and issue #10 titled "Run". They are polar opposites with "The Winter War" as a frightening cautionary tale of history repeating itself while "Run" is a laugh out loud parody of the JLA and the Avengers.

This volume does not contain a single story arc but is rather a compilation of stand alone stories, each focusing on a specific team member. Each story is interesting but the one that stands out is the one centered on Jukko's. Despite being a member that's tasked to hunt down rogue "post-humans", he himself has some superhuman traits. Micah Wright has intriguingly teased the readers that Jukko can have a stand alone comic of his own, since we see him doing bits of crime fighting in a big city like New York. The only complaint with this compilation, unlike Volume 1, is it ended with a cliffhanger, a blatant sales ploy so readers will be forced to buy Volume 3. Well, I'm not complaining about buying another Team Achilles compilation but they should do it real SOON!

For those of you who grew up in New York City in the late 1940's and throughout the 1950's, "Summer in the City" will transport you back in time to a place when Baseball was indeed the City Game, and New York City was the home office for that great national pastime. For those of you born after that long-gone era, like myself, this book will serve as an excellent primer on the New York Yankees, the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants, their famous and not-so-famous players and the legendary ballparks they called home. The photos, which comprise the bulk of the book, are more than mere "in-action" photographs of the players. They are for the most part off-beat takes on the action beyond the game, such as a young New Yorker, attempting to gain entry to the ballpark without paying for a ticket, being chased by a member of the New York City Police Department and a Brooklyn Dodgers game at Ebbets Field being "fogged out". These are just a few of the gems you will see in this book. The pictures of the crowds at Yankee Stadium, the Polo Grounds and Ebbetts Field will also give you a window into what baseball was like in the golden era of baseball in New York City. The fans for the most part are dressed in what today we would call business attire, although the expressions on their faces, save for the antiquated hairstyles are timeless. If you are one of those avid baseball fans who still believe that baseball was played in black and white back in the day, well this book is for you. This book serves as a great conversation piece, a wonderful coffee table book, and if you are a teacher, a great introduction to what baseball was like for the grandparents of today's youngest generation. I highly recommend "Summer in the City"!

There have been numerous books written on New York baseball, but, at least for me, it is the photographs that make this a unique baseball book. I have vivid memories of the World Series of the 1950's, and all except 1959 involved at least one of the teams in New York City. The New York Yankees and Brooklyn Dodgers series were classics, and will always be remembered. I enjoyed the descriptive writing of New York Daily News writer Dick Young. When Duke Snider made a wide turn at 3rd base in coming home, Young wrote, "Duke, who is a poor base-runner for a man of his superior speed, took the scenic route home...He was out by some 20 feet." Many of the photos brought back the names of players and umpires of my youth. The photographs illustrate how small the dugouts were in that era. Fans are predominantly dressed in suit coats, ties, and fedoras. Also of interest are photos of fans leaving the park via the playing field, and photographers near home plate photographing the action. Photographs of Ebbets Field and the Polo Grounds show views from above the playing field in addition to close ups of the center field area of the Polo Grounds and the center and right field areas of Ebbets Field with the advertising on the wall are also of interest. I am a fan of the Detroit Tigers, but I will always have precious memories of those historic New York teams in addition to the arenas they played in. The text is nice, but it is the photos that make this book unique.

You don't just have to be a fan of New York baseball to enjoy this wonderful photo-filled book showcasing the great Big Apple teams of the late 1940's to the late 1950's. This wonderful book containing superb photographs from the baseball archives of the New York Daily News, is like a mirror through time. The large photos, (dont you just hate small photos in large books), showcase the players, (stars or not), stadiums, but above all action surrounding the great New York teams of 1947-1957 with a small but no less interesting text explaining each one. The most enjoyable thing about the book for me were the full-page sized photos showing all the action in ballparks, some unfortunately no longer with us (Ebberts Field and the Polo Grounds) and the pre-renovated Yankee Stadium. The nuances of these parks with their crazy outfield angles and advertising boards gives us an appreciation of what it was like to play or watch baseball in them back then. The shots of the fans who populated these parks also tells a story, of rabid fan allegience and spirited optimism. Any baseball fan will love this book as part of their collection. There is a brief text opening the selection of photos for each year that may be short but this book let's the photos do the describing. A fabulous book!

The seminal book about the Golden Age of Baseball in New York. A must have for any baseball fan. The photograph selection by Claus Guglberger is sublime. I eagerly anticipate another release containing the photographs selected by this gifted photographer.

I am a Baltimore Ravens fan but still a Baltimore Colts lover. I just finished reading my grandfather's copy of this and it was the best Baltimore Colts book and possibly the best book that I have ever read. The interviews are great and some entertaining. Every time I had extra time, I read some of this. So, if you are a passionate fan of Baltimore sports, GET THIS BOOK!

The Baltimore Colts are not really gone, not as long as we remember them. And more than twenty years after their last game in 1983, they live on thanks to Steve Sabol of NFL Films, broadcasters like Don Criqui, Dick Enberg, Mike Patrick, and Pat Summeral, authors like Tom Callahan, Frank Deford and William Gildea, Super Bowl III conspiracy blogs on the internet, and the fans who rub Johnny U's bronze toe for luck before Ravens games and still hate the New York Jets.

The Colts were the original America's Team. When Unitas passed in 2002, veteran sportswriters Mickey Herskowitz and John McClain were as moved here in Houston as anyone in Baltimore. In 2004, NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue ordered his staff to read Michael Maccambridge's America's Game: The Epic Story of How Pro Football Captured a Nation, which naturally featured Johnny U on the cover.

But if the national legacy of the team is inarguable, the best book about it, Sundays at 2:00 with the Baltimore Colts, is a local work of oral history. Rather than expound on the big picture, authors Vince Bagli and Norman L. Macht simply ask notable individuals to remember life before, during, and after they were Colts. The scope and span of the book are impressive: thirty people agreed to be interviewed, among them nine members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame such as Unitas and coaches Weeb Ewbank and Don Shula. Other participants include NFL MVPs Earl Morral and Bert Jones, and fan favorites from the 1958-1959 NFL champions, Super Bowls III and V, and the 1975-1977 AFC East division champions. The result is a flood of memories and emotions, from both the Colts and the reader who holds them dear.

Yes, the big games are here, from the sudden-death 1958 championship over the Giants to the Super Bowl III upset loss to the Jets, as are heroes like Gino Marchetti and villains like Robert Irsay. Historians will enjoy the roster of every coach, player, and draft pick, but the real gem is the All-Time Results of every game in team history. Looking for memories among this wealth of information will keep you busy, and happy, for years.

Still, the book covers far more than football. The reader will find stories about the Second World War from Art Donovan, racial segregation from John Mackey, Lenny Moore, and Jim Parker, and labor unions from Mike Curtis. Who could ask for anything more?

For fans who loved the Colts, the best part of the book may be the relationships between the players, both good and bad. Here and there someone will call out a teammate, but anyone looking for bitter denunciations or hysterical rants will be disappointed save for a few about Irsay. Apart from him, the Colts Family is no myth.

Of course it might have been interesting to hear from Bubba Smith, who once accused his teammates of throwing Super Bowl III. Other strong personalities are missing, like Hall of Famer Ted Hendricks. Moreover, the book includes just one member of the last-ever Colts team, Nesby Glasgow.

But this is no problem: just bring on volume 2.

Sometimes very sad ... but more often, quite hilarious.

Each chapter profiles a different ex-Colt and prompts that player or coach for his recollections of & reflections on playing for what is perhaps the greatest franchise in the history of the NFL.

This is of "Hall of Fame" caliber, cover-to-cover.

If it wasn't for a dude named Vince Lombardi many of these former Baltimore stars would have had their hands full of rings -- as in Championship.

Targeted toward the old Baltimore Colt fans with some interesting interviews with players like Bert Jones, John Unitas, Art Donovan and more. Whether you are or were a big football fan some of the interviews conducted are very interesting. Well researched with some photographs and inside stories. An enjoyable read!

I am in the middle of Ch. 5 of the 8th edition book and have found it
very intriguing, so much so that I have made small tags to serve as a
quick reference guide of the interesting concepts. He does a great job on dealing with the MBTI personalities, traits of a leader, types of questions to ask during a meeting, how to prepare for a meeting, and many handy and useful concepts. The concepts shared I've read about in
different readings, but they haven't been combined together like this.

This book is a combination of psychology and sociology for the
organization and a must read for those who want an indepth analysis.

This book arrived on a timely manner and in real good condition. It was exactly what they said it would be in their description. Wouldn't mind doing business with them again in the future!

These reviews just blow me away and impress me so much since I have Stu as a professor this semeseter (winter 2004) at Eastern Michigan University.
All i can say is that he is already my favorite professor EVER at this school, and he is not just talk, he definately lives what hey says and he is a great person.
I truely reccomend the listed book for use as a class room text, a refference and a leisure reading selection.

Stewart L. Tubbs is arguably the center of the Organizational Management Universe. His keen insight into how small groups interact is a complete compendium of the essence of how small groups behave in the work environment. To Human Resource Managers, this is a foundational reference manual. This text contains the facts behind each of our common experiences as members of the business community. This text confirms our good hunches and refutes our bad habits. This text will show you who in your organization is in need of some direction and who is on the ball with the latest techniques of inspiring the best in your people. I highly recommend this book as a college textbook and as a resource for good, meaningful, solid business practice. Well done Dr. Tubbs!

The author has a fast paced style in which he covers topics quickly and includes events and observations not strictly limited to the 79 Steelers. Not much depth on most subjects, however the Steelers poor drafting after the 74 bonanza is covered well (the 79 first round pick, Greg Hawthorne, had to resort to wearing pantyhose to avoid leg injuries later in his career w/Patriots, Wexell didn't metnion this). I like his writing style, covering so many players and topics make this a great book to reread in a couple of years.
Offensive lineman Steve Courson died when a tree fell on him in Nov 2005, his struggles with steriods-caused heart failure is mentioned here.
Chuck Noll's poor overall handling of Bradshaw is briefly mentioned, has been speculated they might have squeezed out one more Super Bowl win if Noll had been more responsive to the clinically depressed Bradshaw (his depression discussed in book). During the last half of the 80s Bradshaw said if he had been treated better he would not have retired after 83. Was surprised Lambert and others smoked.
Homeless, punch-drunk from football-related injuries to the head and dead from heart attack in his early 50s, Mike Webster,the workaholic center, barely mentioned. Defensive lineman Steve Furness also dead from a heart attack in his early 50s after being fired (and blacklisted?) by current Steeler Head Coach Cowher back in 94.
Even casual football fans, esp. in their 50s, will delight in this needed book.

Big Ben: 27-4 as a starter (2004-2005 seasons)---only losses (3 of which were injury-related): Patriots, 2004 AFC Championship game (if Plax holds on to sure TD pass, we are only down 7 with about 7+ minutes to go in that game; Ben did some good things and was battling thumb and toe injuries) and also in 2005 (if Randle El doesn't get `cute' and lateral that pass to Ward, we probably win; again, Ben did some good things), as well as the Bengals in 2005 (Ben has beaten Carson Palmer's Bengals 3 times: twice in 2004 and big-time in the AFC Wild-Card game in 2005; Ben had 3 TD passes in this lone defeat and was battling a thumb injury) and Indy in 2005 (as we know, he got revenge in the AFC Divisional Playoff game; Ben threw a TD pass to Ward in this Monday night defeat and was coming off an injury-induced layoff).

Ben's FIRST NFL game: 2004 Pre-season at Ford Field vs. the Lions...last game of 2005 season: 2/5/06 at FORD FIELD, SUPER BOWL XL VICTORY!!!


So Ben didn't play a superb game in Super Bowl XL and there was some controversy...

--Super Bowl IX, 1/12/75: Steelers win 16-6 over the Vikings---Future Hall-of-Famer Terry Bradshaw is only 9 for 14 for 96 yards...BEN WAS 9 FOR 21 FOR 123 YARDS...Bradshaw threw a lone TD...BEN RAN FOR A LONE TD... Future Hall-of-Famer Fran Tarkenton's numbers were putrid: 11 for 26 for 102 yards, 3 interceptions, NO TD's! We were only winning 2-0 going into the third quarter (on a safety); a boring game. The Steelers wore their white shirts and Terry had a beard (the other 3 Super Bowls: black-and-gold shirts, Terry clean shaven)...WE WORE OUR WHITE SHIRTS IN XL AND BEN HAD A BEARD...the game turned on a VERY controversial "fumble-that-wasn't" by the Steelers Larry Brown: the Steelers left the field dejected, the Vikings were in prime territory...then the officials ruled Brown was down before the ball came loose (no way!!!!!)...and the rest is history;

--Super Bowl X, 1/18/76: Steelers win 21-17 over the Cowboys---Future Hall-of-Famer Roger Staubach almost pulled out another miracle comeback...Swann's great falling-to-the-ground acrobatic catch led to no points (!);

--Super Bowl XIII, 1/21/79: Steelers win 35-31 over the Cowboys---the Cowboys' Jackie Smith drops a SURE TD pass that would have tied the game AND our go-ahead TD was aided by a very controversial tripping penalty that cost Dallas 33 yards: Lynn Swann fell over Benny Barnes's ankles and, as Bradshaw has admitted, it shouldn't have been a flag...we were ahead 35-17 at one point...Staubach almost brought them back (35-31);

--GAME BEFORE SUPERBOWL XIV: AFC Championship game vs. the Oilers, 1/6/80: Steelers win 27-13---late in the third quarter, officials ruled that Oilers receiver Mike Renfro did not have possession of what appeared to be a game-tying TD (WRONG!!!! He was in bounds; bad, bad call)...and the rest is history...

---Super Bowl XIV, 1/20/80: Steelers win 31-19 over the Rams---Bradshaw threw 3 INTERCEPTIONS and we were losing for most of the game...until Lambert saved our butts by intercepting QB Vince Ferragamo's pass...and the rest is history
(Steelers in the 1970's: regular season---99-44-1; playoffs: 14-4)

NON-STEELER SUPER BOWL "LUCK"---
Super Bowl XXV, 1/27/91: Giants defeat Bills BECAUSE SCOTT NORWOOD BARELY MISSES A RELATIVELY EASY FIELD GOAL, one of the biggest blown plays ever!;
All 3 of the Patriots victories were by exactly 3 points...and the Eagles really blew it with poor clock management (sound familiar?)!;
Super Bowl XXXIV, 1/30/00: Rams defeat Titans, 23-16--- The Rams' Mike Jones tackled Kevin Dyson at the 1-yard line as time expired. Dyson would have tied the game; Super Bowl V, 1/17/71: Colts beat Cowboys, 16-13, via a field goal... Dallas' Chuck Howley, who picked off two passes, became the first defensive player and the first player from a losing team to be named MVP.



The Steelers have been in the Super Bowl in the 1970's. 1980's, 1990's, and in the new millennium (2000's)---
IX (1975), X (1976), XIII (1979), XIV (played in 1980), XXX (played in 1996), XL (2006)

Big Ben---ONLY QB to ever go to Championship game his first two years; youngest to win the Super Bowl (Steelers: first 6th seed to go/ win; only team to beat #1, #2, and #3 seeds on the road and win; three-way tie for most Super Bowl victories: 5, along with Dallas and San Francisco; tied for second with most Super Bowl appearances: 6, along with Denver [who have `only' won 2])...comparison to other Hall-of-Fame and/or outstanding QBs---
Jim Kelly: 0 for 4; never won a Super Bowl;
Fran Tarkenton: 0 for 4; never won a Super Bowl;
Dan Marino: 0 for 1; never won a Super Bowl;
Kenny Anderson: 0 for 1; never won a Super Bowl
Len Dawson: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Johnny Unitas: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Joe Theismann: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Brett Favre: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Kurt Warner: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Ken Stabler: won one Super Bowl
Joe Namath: won one Super Bowl;
Phil Simms: won one Super Bowl;
Steve Young: won one Super Bowl;
Also: John Elway: after FIFTEEN YEARS IN THE LEAGUE, won two...after losing 3 very badly!

BEST run in sports history (as confirmed by a Congressional resolution!): won 8 in a row---
Bears (who had an 8-game winning streak), Vikings on the road (who had a 6 game winning streak...and Cowher NEVER won in a dome stadium before!), Browns on the road, and Detroit on 1/1/06 (where, unbeknownst to us at the time, we were headed for 2/5/06!); Bengals on the road (#3 seed, previously beat us), Colts on the road (#1 seed, league's best record, heavily favored, dome stadium, previously beat us; the Fumble, the Tackle, and the Miss), Broncos on the road (#2 seed, favored, 10-0 at home)...and the #1 NFC seeded Seahawks "on the road" in another dome, Detroit's Ford Field (where Big Ben started his NFL career vs. the Lions in the 2004 pre-season!!!)

YOU HAVE TO GET THE TWO-DVD SET "STEELERS: THE COMPLETE HISTORY" (2005; NFL Films), 1933-2004 (too bad they didn't wait a year haha!)---the main feature is 2 hours and 20 minutes long and covers 1933 up to and including Beg Ben's 2004 season; incredible. All the `lean years' (1930's-1960's; 1980's) are covered, NOT just the "glory seasons"---Kordell, Brister, Malone, Stoudt, Hanratty, etc. etc. etc. The bonus feautures are awesome, ESPECIALLY the 45-minute Jerome Bettis special-VERY IRONIC!! You will see Tommy Maddox with the Bus when they were both Rams in 1995...excellent miked-on-the-field comments, often funny, by Bus, Ward, and Cowher...Jan. 2005 AFC lowlights, Hines Ward crying, Jerome's reaction, and the tantalizing hint that Super Bowl XL wil be played in Jerome's hometown of Detroit...which makes what they did in 2005/2006 VERY story book! Also: the Bill Cowher, Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier, Myron Cope, Dick Hoak, and Bill Saul segments/ specials are very entertaining, as is the Super Bowl XIII feature..get this...as well as the SUPER BOWL XL DVD---2005 season highlights included, as well as the 2006 playoffs!

The Steelers made their Curtain call on the NFL in 1979, and Jim Wexell's impressive, fast-moving chronicle of that season recalls the anecdotes (L.C. Greenwood's disdain for weight-lifting among the more interesting) while delivering a healthy amount of background on players you've long since forgotten about. Strengths are the candid interviews with the anonymous faces who ran the hugely successful drafts of the early 70s, explaining how they found guys like Stallworth and missed guys like Montana and Marino. Also, the quick-read vignette format is a big plus. Many players and coaches tell it like it was, but some obviously have been interviewed many times before and offer little here beyond cliched coachspeak. Weekly accounts of the games could be a bit beefier. But because it's such a fast read and contains so much background on long-forgotten role players, it belongs on the coffee table of anyone who lived and died with this team every Sunday in the '70s. Merits a 4.5-star rating, rounding up here.

Tales from the behind the Steel Curtain is a must read for Steelers fans who still bask in the glory of the 1970s as well younger fans who are interested in learning how the dynasty was built. Jim Wexell's book is written in short stories that makes it easy to read and thoroughly traces the 1979 season - the team's fourth Super Bowl title in an amazing six-year stretch - and the years prior. Some nuggets are how some Steelers scouts believed receiver Frank Lewis was better than Lynn Swann and John Stallworth, but was too shy to tell quarterback Terry Bradshaw to throw him the ball. Steelers coach Chuck Noll wanted to draft Stallworth - a small-college no name whom the team's scouts uncovered - in the first round of the 1974 draft, a draft landed the Steelers four Hall of Famers. It also focuses on the many unique personalities of the team's number of colorful characters, including Dwight White, L.C. Greenwood, Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, etc. It's truly a book that will put a smile on the face of any Steelers fan.

The coaching techniques and examples provided in the book are outstanding. By applying these techniques to your everyday activities you will definately see a positive change.

I found the examples and exercises useful. A good and easy read. Should help me get better at giving and receiving feedback in a way that is constuctive and actionable

Placed in the leadership role for a high performance team undertaking a "McKinsey-ish" strategy study I found myself very challenged. Having spotted this book at an airport bookshop I read it on the plane. I put its suggestions into place, starting from the front of the book, and worked my way through the chapters as they were appropriate. I had it on my desk for the entire 4-month study. It bought immediate results for the team, and me by achieving greater cohesion of energy yet releasing greater diversity of thought especially during the inductive phase of the study. During the deductive stages it helped us focus on a team-based outcome without leaving people out of the decision-making process that had to be managed to a schedule. I firmly believe that without this book we would not have achieved the results we did - the pressure was intense and teams have a tendency to blow themselves apart after the final report is in. The team would not have continued to work as a coherent whole on subsequent phases of my study. I would recommend this book to anyone who needs to lead a high performance team. Landsberg's@examples and his obvious experience come through well, and they gave me the courage to try what the book suggests with my team. Well worth the cost.

Max Landsberg succeeds in translating the essentials of coaching into a simple story and a few tables and graphics. It is easy to read, but once you've read it, the actual thinking begins. The somewhat unusual approach Landsberg takes introduces various aspects of coaching (such as receiving and giving feedback, overcoming coaching blocks) as elements of someone's career, providing the reader with instant examples.