Teams Books

This is not a typical boring history book. It is a fun history book. Wex wrote a collection of mini-biographies of the men who made the Steelers. But he did not limit the book to just Steeler stars from the past, he also included players that were lesser known. The stories are told by the players themselves. Growing up in the 70s, I would study the Steeler all-time leaders lists and read names like Lynn Chandnois and Roy Jefferson, but I had no clue who they were. Now I have a feel for who those players were and their place in building the best organization in the NFL. I don't want to tell the stories here, but I will say I learned Mean Joe Greene earned his nickname both on and off the field. Was Roy Jefferson Terrell Owens before Terrell Owens was born? I asked myself that question while reading about Roy Jefferson.

A couple things I learned were I was wrong when I thought the Steelers stunk before their 70s dynasty and a common link between players was their love and respect for Art Rooney.

Men of Steel is easy to read but hard to put down.

Jim Wexell ("Wex" is he known around sports discussions in The Burgh) has produced another great book about the Pittsburgh Steelers.

There are many things to enjoy from this books such as a behind-the-scenes lok at NFL players, the unknown stories associated with players that have never been told before, and also the nostalgia aspect of the book.

Most of the 35 players documented in the book I have watched play football with the Pittsburgh, but there are some that I never had the pleasure to watch. Jim Wexell introduces these players to you and then gives you some information that tells you about the person behind the player.

Alot of books about the Steelers will use third-hand accounts or have stories that any Steelers fan would already know. Wexell seperates himself and his book from books like that, because he uses first hand accounts and brings fresh new stories to the reader.

I don't know why I expected anything different from Wexell, because his first book that I also purchased, "Tales From Behind The Steel Curtain" was also an excellent read.

I really enjoyed the chapter about Frank Lewis and how he did not fit into the Steelers scheme of things during the Steelers dynasty years, but he was a very good NFL wide receiver. And then to learn how he he left the team...I will let you read for yourself.

My only hope now is that Jim Wexell continues to publich books like these. If you are true and die-hard Steelers fan, get this book and other Steelers books that Jim Wexell has written.

Men of Steel, is a tremendous collection of Steeler history. The book takes you through the lives of 35 former players. Interesting, funny, and informative this book held my attention start to finish. I laughed reading the Chapter on Tunch Ilkin and Craig Wolfley, and I now know what prompted the NFL to have oxygen available at every football game. Throughout this book you see the support and influence the Rooney family has had in the former players lives. I read of a connection to a necktie and a playoff game from the mid 70's. I learned how the coaches used a snow fence to motivate rookies. The Kevin Greene chapter mentions how he brought Big Macs and fries late at night for crazed fans camping out for a chance to get playoff tickets. I was one of those campers and was in awe of the free food from a player.

Jim Wexell put together an amazing book of Steeler profiles. I appreciate the extensive research that must have gone into this work. A must read for any football fan.

this guide gives you a great insight into the latest pokemon card expansion-team rocket.it gives you tips on how to build decks. it also shows you twelve decks that you can make using the team rocket expansion. wether you are interested in collecting the cards or just battling with them this is the guide for you.

Has all the things you learn about being a Pokemon Master!

This book features everything you could possibly want to know about Team Rocket Pokemon cards. It features everything from the top 10 Team Rocket cards to amazing decks you can build using Team Rocket cards to a complete encyclopedia of everything about every Team Rocket card! This book is a must-read for all collectors and players.

This book help me to solve several problems in my company. I recommend.
Fabio Camara

There are a lot of books on Microsoft's Studio Team System that are written from the standpoint of the developer involved with a team development project. These books seem to be lacking the first forty pages or so. That is, they don't explain just what it is that you are trying to do, how to set up a development team, how to administer the Team System software.

It turns out that there's a lot more than forty pages in this book, but it covers exactly those points. The book is specifically aimed at project managers, administrators, and IT professionals who are charged with implementing a project.

Part one of the book covers planning and implementation of the Team System software and of the project itself. This of course includes working with security and the foundation for server backup and recovery.

The second and third parts of the book is the creation of the project itself and the customization of the Team Software system to fit your particular project.

The last section includes management of the project from initial steps through completing the project and performing a postmortem as preparation for the next one.

Team Foundation Server (TFS) is a new Microsoft product designed to help development teams better manage the software development cycle. It is a huge product, just installing and configuring it is a big task because you need to deal with Windows SharePoint Services, SQL Server 2005, SQL Server Reporting Services, a data warehouse, a build server, a proxy server and of course, TFS itself. Where do you start? How do you plan such a large deployment inside your company? How the decisions that you take right now will affect you in the future?

Professional Team Foundation Server is a book that will help smooth out the installation process and help you better understand the beast that is TFS. The target audience is not the average developer; in fact, the book targets a few roles: the lead developer, the IT administrator or the person responsible to install and maintain TFS, the project manager.

Part one covers the TFS installation, how to plan for it and the maintenance so it's IT focused. Part two covers how to create projects and what process template to select so it's project management focused. Part three covers how to extend and customize TFS so it's more developer focused and lastly, part four covers management.

I was very impressed by the quality of the information presented in this book. Two of the authors are Team System MVPs so they know their stuff. You'll find lots of hard to find tips; the kind of tips you would have liked to know before doing the install. It is an invaluable book and it should be mandatory reading for anyone wanting to install, configure, support, extend and manage TFS. It is a great reference book that will help smooth out any TFS installation. High praises of Professional Team Foundation Server.

I have not received the book yet. I would like to think I came across this book by the hand of God. My father passed away this past May. He was a Red Sox fan his whole life, even though he had never seen them win a World Series. I have bought this book for my sons who are Yankee fans. I am going to write them a letter signing it Love Grandpa. So many of my father's friends and families could not believe that a man waits his whole life for his team to win and dies on the year it happens. My youngest son said that pop was in heaven asking God to take the curse off Boston and God seemed to have listened to him. Hoping pop did not ask God to put the curse on his Yankees. In memory of my dad, I hope this book will be a 5 star book to my sons.

George Higgins has done a great job of opening up the world of baseball, as well as tradition, life, and the passion the game holds. I thoroughly enjoyed this book

Not only the best book I've ever read about the Red Sox and what they mean to their fans, but the best book I've read about baseball and the significant place it has in our lives, whether we are aware of it or not. His referral to The Boss as 'King Steinbrenner the Odious' is as fitting a moniker of that man as I've ever heard. Simpy a shame so many of Higgins' books are out of print.

I read a lot of books for research on starting a Race team, this is one of the best books I chose!! This book takes you though the in's and out's and up's and down's of starting Stewart Ford. A lot of books give WAY too much detail, this one is just right, it gives the reader (race fan) just the right amount of content and excitement in the text followed by wonderful color and black and white photos. If you were not a Stewart Ford fan before, this book will at least make you have a little pull for them come race day. If you are interested in how it all started this is a great book, I couldn't put it down, it kept me going from front cover to back... I'll be looking for them this race year!

As fan of the Stewart Grand prix team, this book was the number one book on my christmas list last year. Here, a grand prix team opens it's doors to you, and shows you around. The whole book charts the first year of the Stewart Team in the world of F1. Described to you are the problems, barriers and hinderances in the way of setting up a grand prix team from next to nothing. It also re-accounts the moments of joy and great acheivement the team had in it's first year. "The" book for any supporter of the new guys in F1.

I've been a fan of the wee Scott for many years following his career first as a driver and now as an entrant. One cannot imagine the problems faced by someone wanting to enter the competitive world of Formula One motor racing until you read this book.

A very informative account of the conception, launch and first year of a brand new Grand Prix race team. The book is extremely well written and supplemented by beautiful photography in both b&w and colour.

Now that Stewart Grand Prix has been bought out by Jaguar, this book is a must for any Formula One fan and provides a much valued documentary of this era of Grand Prix history.

Stephanie did a great job with this title Ready Set Engage.

This book is very practical, "engaging" and easy to read and use as a reference for those of us who are always on the run.

This book demonstrates Stephanie's experience in the subject matter and I especially enjoyed the chapter, "If It's to be It Starts with Me."

I'm going to recommend this book to clients and associates and keep a copy handy in my office for future reference.

What a great office gift for those in leadership positions who are trying to engage employees and/or fellow colleagues.

Much success to those who use Stephanie's title.

Sincerely,

Genevia

Author of
Make the Leap: Shift from Corporate Worker to Entrepreneur
Make the Leap: From Mom & Pop to Good Enough to Sell
(both Infinity Publishing)

This is a well written narrative to teach persons signs and cures for disengagement in the workplace and at home. A must read for all who are or want to be leaders in any aspect of professional or personal life.

The concept of engagement is important to understand for managers of any organization. Statistics clearly show that engaged employees and customers have a significant positive impact on bottom line performance. It also makes for a more enjoyable and more enlightened workplace. Oden's narrative of how to engage an organization is easy to relate to and is full of useful tips, guidelines and summaries that can start you on the RSE path.

Andrew Long
President and Founder
[...]

Brian Cooper's book, Red Faber, is more than just a biography of a great baseball pitcher. It is filled with insights into the baseball world of Faber's era -- the era of the spitball, Babe Ruth and the infamous "Black Sox" scandal of 1919, among other things. Cooper tells a story that begins in the little town of Cascade, Iowa, weaves its way through a baseball career that saw Faber win 254 games, and peaks when Faber was elected to the Hall of Fame. It is a thoroughly enjoyable book that makes the reader realize that Red Faber was one of those "what if" ballplayers. What if he had not been sidelined for the 1919 World Series? Would the White Sox have won, despite the fix? What if he had not played for such bad ballclubs in the 1920s -- would he have won 300 games? One thing is for certain. This book belongs on every baseball history buff's bookshelf.

This is an excellent book if a person is interested in baseball and how the game was played years ago. The author did a fantastic job of describing a real baseball talent, Red Faber and his life story.
It was a walk down memory lane for me as I grew up in the same neighborhood as his family on the Southwest side of Chicago. I loved going over to his house and seeing the signed baseballs, the trophies and the numerous signed letters he received over the years.
This is a fun read and the book contains some great snapshots!
Mary Jane Cole

I was born in Dubuue where my father was a sports reporter for the Times Journal. In later years he would relate stories, some of which are brought to life again by this story about RED. I also was in Chi town in August 1933 when the Sox and Yankes went 18. I sat through all 18 and often have wished that I could rememder more. I thought it was still light enough for more, but it was called anyway. I am sure that it was a get away day for the yankees and they had to rush to make the train. I also was a batboy for the Guttenberg Gaints in the late 30'3 when they played in Cascade. What great memories from this great story

This book is a young authors journey through those memorable years of his life following the Red Sox through the trials they endured to become champions. It reflects the "never give up!" attitude of die hard sports fans everywhere. A Must have for anyone who has supported there team thorugh good times and bad! This book is the heart of what a "True Fan" really is! I Highly recommend this to anyone who loves Baseball!

This book is amazing, it was funny, informative and touching all in one as it takes you through the rollercoaster ride of being a Boston Red Sox fan. If your a new lover of the Boston Red Sox or a diehard fan I highly recomend it. The author really hit this one out of the park!!!!!!!!

If your in love with the Boston Red Sox and are a part of Sox Nation then this book is ABSOLUTELY for you....Author does a great job describing how your life is changed FOREVER when you Really embrace the Red Sox...You will go on journeys of Sox Past all the way up to the Best Comeback in Sports History, the 2004 World Series.....Great Reading and brings back a lot of memories.....highly recommended......

I was attracted to this book because Allie Reynolds, Vic Raschi, and Ed Lopat were the big three with the Yankees when I was a boy growing up a Tigers' fan in the early 1950s. I was surprised to learn that Raschi's record of 120-50 in eight years with the Yankees was the best won-lost record in Yankees' history to this day. Reynolds both started and relieved during his time with the team. Lopat served as a tutor for Whitey Ford. Their pitching coach during this time was the much respected Jim Turner. The villain in this book is clearly General Manager George Weiss who clearly alienated the players with his reluctance to reward performance, and took shameful advantage of the reserve clause which bound players to the team that owned them. Author Sol Gittleman states it was the big three pitchers who were the true leaders on these teams that featured five consecutive World Championships. Allie Reynolds states the best thing he ever did in baseball was to make the game better for the players through his representing the American League along with Ralph Kiner in the National League in beginning the players' revolution in negotiating with the owners. The Odd Couple in this book is manager Casey Stengel and GM George Weiss. Polar opposites they were together for nearly 30 years with the Yankees and Mets. I did find one minor mistake on page 95 when Alfonso "Chico" Carrasquel was referred to as "Alex". This book does a great job in bringing these Yankees back to life in addition to highlighting the stronghold the owners had over the players in regard to players' salaries. When the players could no longer serve the team at the pittance they received they were promptly dispatched elsewhere. GM Weiss had a chance to sign Willie Mays, but his bigoted attitude prevented that from occurring. There are numerous tidbits of trivia here, also. Hank Bauer was the only one to play on all of Stengel's nine pennant winners. Of the 12 players who played on these five championships, the manager, coaches, and GM, there were no divorces. This book brought back a lot of memories to me of the players who were on the New York Yankees during this time, and added considerable insight into what baseball and playing for the Yankees was like.

It's curious that the only baseball team to win five straight championships is mostly given the brushoff when discussions of "Great Dynasties" begin. The 1949-53 Yankees are generally considered a series of flukish winners, with no regular position stars in their primes except Yogi Berra and Phil Rizzuto. Oh, and then someone will remember a trio of "pretty good" pitchers named Raschi, Reynolds and Lopat.

Yeah, those were pretty fair country hurlers, all right. In successive Octobers, they shut down the mighty Boys of Summer three straight times, stopped The Little Miracle of Coogan's Bluff in its tracks, and turned the Philadelphia Whiz Kids into Cheeze Whiz. And then went quietly home to their families and waited for the Yanks' General Manager George Weiss to try to chisel them out of every penny in their next contract. Sol Gittleman brings us their story in one of the more gripping baseball books I've read in the past few years.

The "Big Three," as they were called, were the heart of this unparalleled dynasty. Not Dimaggio--he was gone after three years. Not Mantle--he only played a significant role in the last two titles. Not Ford--he was only there for a year and a half. Not Rizzuto--he faded quickly after 1951. And not even Berra, though from 1950 on he could fairly be included in the mix--before that the pitchers told HIM what the next pitch was to be.

Ted Williams called Raschi "the best pitcher alive--there just can't be anyone as good." Unless, he added, it was one of "those other two," by which he meant Reynolds or Lopat.

The Big Three embodied the concept of TEAM. If Allie Reynolds pitched a complete game one day, he might be warming up in the bullpen the next, in case he was needed to save a game. Vic Raschi threw his arm out for the Yankees, led them to five straight titles, and then was unceremoniously dumped for his trouble. And all Eddie Lopat did was to beat the Yanks' archrival Cleveland Indians 80% of the time he took the hill against him. They even tried throwing a black cat in front of him one day, so great was their frustration. By contrast, it was a snowy day in July when the great Warren Spahn even took to the mound against the Braves' main rival, the Brooklyn Dodgers, so thoroughly did they dominate him.

These three magnificent aces were collectively handled not by Casey Stengel, but by the veteran pitching coach Jim Turner. And then when Whitey Ford came into the picture, he was coached by Eddie Lopat himself. With the help of the veterans Hank Bauer and Gene Woodling, they made sure that nobody ever loafed on the field. One word to any potential slacker was sufficient.

I could go on for many more paragraphs about this terrific book, but suffice it to say that if anyone wants to know how a unit that NOT ONCE in five years had a player who led the league in ANY offensive category, and yet could still manage to be the ONLY team to win five straight World Series, this is the book for you. It's the perfect complement to David Halberstam's "Summer of '49". Like that great Yankee dynasty itself, this book is an underrated champion.

This is a wonderful book, and Sports Illustated should take notice. Professor Gittleman is not sports beat reporter, so he avoids their frequent self-importance (Roger Kahn) nor does he do this stuff for a living, so he is not unnecessarily verbose (John Feinstein). He's a college professor with wisdom, understanding, and a love for his subject.
His intuition leads him to the real themes of his story (making Jim Turner, the pitching coach, the central figure) and he understands what details are meaningful (all of his three pitchers spoke a second language in their childhood homes). He gives us as much sociology--without preaching--as we get from Jules Tygel's "Time Out," another excellent baseball book.
If you are old enough to know who these guys are, the book is a must--probably perfect for a holiday or birthday gift. If you just love baseball, nothing does a better job of summing up the early 50s, and I realize many authors--not Gittleman's equal--have tried.
This is a real gem.
Wight Martindale

This was a very intrestling book about the 2nd best coach and the incredible story of the 1991 season. This is a must read book for FSU Fans everywhere. I thourghly enjoyed this book. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves college football.

As a freshman at Florida State in '91, I worked with the football team as a student athletic trainer. I remember Ben Brown, and how he spent almost every minute with the team, nearly becoming a part of it. Take it from someone who was there: Ben Brown got it right. If you want to know what a season at the top of college football's elite feels like, read this book. Even today, reading passages takes me back to memories I will never forget. I just wish Ben could have been with us in '93, when we won the National Championship, so he could have written a happier ending.

I felt this book reached deep down into college football. I was thrilled when names such as Edgar Bennet, Charlie Ward, Amp Lee, and Danny Kanell. I felt the boos of the opossing fans and felt the cheers of ours. Until I read this book, I never realized the preparation it takes to coach a college football team. This was a well planned, well thought, documentation of Florida State Football.