No comments about I Remember Al McGuire: Personal Memories and Testimonials To College Basketball's Wittiest Winning Coach and Commentator, As Told By the People Who Knew Him.

4 comments about I Remember Jim Valvano: Personal Reflections and Anecdotes About College Basketball's Most Exuberant Final Four Coach, As Told by the People and play (I Remember).

1. This book written by Jim' brother, Bob Valvano of ESPN, shows a very positive and very accurate look into the life of one of, if not, the best personality in college basketball history. We all miss Jimmy V very much and this book makes all the memories of Jimmy V so very special.



2. This book written by Mike Towle shows a very positive and very accurate look into the life of one of, if not, the best personality in college basketball history. We all miss Jimmy V very much and this book makes all the memories of Jimmy V so very special.



3. I was deeply disapointed by this book. I expected an uplifting, inspiring story, but instead it was the story of disfunctional relationships. The worst part was, the author did not seem to realize that his life and his families lives were disfunctional.



4. I am a big Jimmy V fan from over twenty years ago when he was one of the greatest personalities in college basketball. It was nice to read about his everyday relationships with those who were so lucky to have known him.

5 comments about Shooting from the Outside.

1. 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!!



2. 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.



3. 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!



4. 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.



5. 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.

5 comments about Chick: His Unpublished Memoirs and the Memories of Those Who Loved Him.

1. For 3,338 consecutive games Chick Hern was the voice of the L.A. Lakers. He became as famous as the best of their players. As the voice of the lakers, he essentially was the lakers to millions of fans. He brought the team, the coaches, and the rest of the organization to the millions of fans. He lived Lakers basketball, and it showed in the way he talked.

   This book presents Chick in two ways: One is the writing about Chick, his life, his stories of the team, people, and life in general. Second is the CD included with the book that gives some of his greatest calles, along with narration by Al Michaels. Normally the voice of a sports broadcaster is a transient thing. You hear what he said, or maybe you miss it, and it's gone forever. Here are some of the best of his work, recorded forever.




2. 
   As a lifelong Laker fan, I've felt like I've known Chick for most of my life. He was like the eccentric uncle that explained things to you when he visited, and in Chick's case, what he explained was basketball.
   
   If you're not a Laker fan, this book probably won't be as meaningful to you, but it's filled with entertaining stories and poignant nuggets about broadcasting, basketball, and life in general. Some of the material I'd read about before, but a lot of it was new to me. It gets quite emotional at times; it's not strictly about basketball or play-by-play announcing, although he looms very large in both fields.
   
   The book is mostly a compilation of other people recalling their memories of Chick, with some first-hand quotes from him as well. It doesn't really have a narrative, so it's a nice book to pick up and read from occasionally. I think the structure of it really suits the subject well. Chick was great at describing basketball and relating to people, so to a large extent the book is basketball people talking about him.
   
   If you're a Laker fan, it's a great read. If you're into sportscasting or basketball, there's something for you too.



3. This book really brought Chick Hearn back to life for me...I LOVED IT! It contained so many facinating memories from Chick and those close to him. Also, the accompanying CD with excerpts of Chick's calls from many games cleverly strung together...his Chickisms....was an added treat. For anyone who followed Chick during his career I highly recommend this book!
   
   Dianne O.
   La Canada, CA



4. I grew up watching/listening/simulcasting to EVERY GAME for the Lakers from 1981 through about 2003 or so (still try to catch them on tv, but no longer live in the L.A. area). It seems that since he passed away, the Lakers were suddenly cursed. But this book brings back the Memoirs of one of my favorite idols. Chick was the best announcer, period. He was so good that even people who were simply not into the game, or even disgusted by sports in general, would get into it and watch because of his sharp apt to connect to the viewers/listeners with ease and comfort. I've seen this myself firsthand more than a plenty of times. His ability to bring the game to you in a simple and enjoyable fashion was priceless. My mom even loved the guy. So Laker fans, Angelinos, basketball and sports fans -- buy this book!



5. What a wonderful book about a man who loved basketball and the Lakers. Chick Hearn was a very gifted announcer. The way he would describe the game would seem to put you court-side along with the other 17,505 at the fabulous Forum! I started listening to Chick during the 70's and into the 80's. Living in Arizona I had to try and find the L.A. station when possible. When one of the local stations started carrying the games in the 80's, I was estatic. The book does a nice job starting from his youth into his last days. Reading about the last few months of his life just broke your heart for the man----and I didn't know him!! That should tell you how the fans could relate to Chick. The Los Angeles area had two other announcers that were also great in my book---Dick Enberg doing Ram games and Vin Scully doing Dodgers games. The Los Angeles area was blessed with many great teams and announcers, but none will be able to replace Chick Hearn.

3 comments about Giant Steps.

1. KAREEM TELLS OF HIS LIFE GROWING UP IN NEW YORK IN GREAT DETAIL IN THIS BOOK. BUT I THINK HE SHOULD HAVE TOLD US MORE ABOUT HIS PLAYING DAYS AT UCLA, MILWAUKEE AND LOS ANGELES. THIS HAS A LOT OF GOOD STUFF LIKE HIS FIRST MEETING WITH WILT, HIS TEAMMATES AT UCLA, AND HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH CHERYL PISTANO. I REALLY FOUND HIS BUDDAHISM AND ALL THE PEOPLE INVOLVED TO BE VERY WEIRD AND UNINTERESTING. KAREEM IS AN INTELLIGENT GUY WHO ENJOYS THE MATERIAL AND SPIRITUAL THINGS IN LIFE. HIS PIECE AT THE TIME CHERYL PISTANO, HELPED HIM TO BE MORE OUTGOING AND CORDIAL TO PEOPLE AND HELPED OPEN HIS LIFE MORE. JUST WISHED HE WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE DETAILED ABOUT HIS SEASON TO SEASON CAREER AT UCLA AND THE NBA. A GOOD READ.



2. The only thing bigger than the chip on Mr. Abdul-Jabbar's shoulder in this text is the grand and engaging story he tells. For fans or just the curious observer (as I was), he takes us on an insightful journey into his motivation, his doubts, his difficulties, and his dreams. It sometimes seems that the persona behind the person is revealed more to the reader than to the writer.



3. Giant Steps is an auto-biography of Kareem's first 30-35 years. A lot of people know Kareem as a sullen and bitter man and with good reason. But after reading his perceptions on his own life, you start to get an idea of what shaped Kareem and made him the man he was and how it shaped the man he is today. Raised in NYC, he was always a hoops phenom, always the tallest kid around, and after a few years, he became acutely aware of his blackness. A high school coach spitting a racial slur at him for "motivation" and a bus ride to racially insensitive North Carolina opened Kareem's (at the time his name was Lew Alcindor) eyes to racial inequality. He developed a keen interest in Islam (Kareem mentions the differences between the Islam he believes versus the Nation of Islam that Muhammad Ali believes in--very interesting take on this) and his own race.
   After high school, it was on to sunny California and UCLA to play for John Wooden. The UCLA campus, chock full of white folks and scholars, was a bit different from the jazz joints he'd be hanging out at in Harlem.
   From the US's two greatest cultural epicenters to Milwaukee? From the year-round paradise-like weather of LA to the frigid temps of Wisconsin? From the shelter of John Wooden's hoops program to the spotlight of the NBA and its aggressive media? Life can't change a lot more than that. And Kareem definitely had his difficulties, which he addresses and doesn't attempt to excuse.
   You can feel Kareem's edge throughout the majority of the bio. The unforgiving chip on his shoulder weighs heavy on him, and after reading and understanding what pushed a bit more you can begin to sympathize with his personal struggles.
   Near the bio's end you can literally feel weight sliding off of him. It's slow, it's gradual, and it's not complete, but it's the start of something. The "Giant Steps" title can refer to a lot of things in Kareem's life, New York to LA, LA to Milwaukee, college hoops to pro hoops, Wilt Chamberlain's friend to Wilt's enemy/competitor, but I believe the biggest steps Kareem takes are the steps toward acceptance of himself and others.
   A companion book to Giant Steps is "Kareem". "Kareem" is a bio/diary Jabbar kept during his final season in the NBA. The second book picks up right where "Giant Steps" left off. His remarkable growth after his 35th birthday is clear to the most unobservant reader.
   Kareem and his co-author clearly express his development in rich language. This isn't just for hoops fans. "Giant Steps" is for anyone curious about race relations in America. Anyone curious about what it means to be truly different (7'1" black Muslim/basketball player in America in the 60s-80s--not too many of them around) and be forced to feel those differences every second of your waking life should take a look.
   "Giant Steps" shows an angry, but passionate young man develop into a thoughtful, (somewhat) outgoing adult capable of contributing much of what he's learned to younger generations.

1 comments about The Game Changer: How Hank Luisetti Revolutionized America's Great Indoor Game.

1. Pallette has written a smashing, detailed, well written slamdunk of a book about an almost forgotten giant of basketball. The young Italian kid from San Francisco rose to the heights as the finest player of his generation. The book explains in fascinating detail his rise to fame, and includes amazing play by play accounts of many of the games, pieced together from many newspaper accounts at the time. Besides being a brilliant piece of research, it is a fast paced book to read. If you love basketball, you will love this book.

3 comments about Hi Mom, Send Sheep: My Life as the Coyote and After.

1. A fascinating read and a great look at the king of NBA mascots. Whether hanging from the ceiling or making up hilarious bits, Tim truly set the bar for other mascots and athletic entertainers to follow.



2. The reading is quick paced and engaging. One minute you are laughing, the next you are saying "WoW", or "Mmmmm"
   
   This book makes profound thinking easy to read!



3. This was a very quick read, and goes into something of the history of the person behind the Spurs Coyote, Tim Derk. He lived a double life, with a secret identity, for two decades until he suffered a stroke.
   
   As the Coyote, he performed feats of athleticism that were amazing, all the time showing the humor for which he was known. Only a few people knew his true identity until shortly after his stroke on Feb 13, 2004.
   
   The book is a quick read, easily completed in a single night and has several tales of the misadventures of the Coyote, and its actor. It is written very much as if the author was speaking to you, however it is somewhat disjointed jumping around from time to time, inside a chapter.
   
   The seven chapters are relative focused, each one detailing aspects of Tim'sis life. From the inception of the Coyote, to a number of injuries, to his hey-day activities, to the stroke, then to rehab, and finally to recovery, though that is obviously an ongoing issue.
   
   The book is inspiring, showing how much a person can accomplish if he puts his mind to it. Considering that Tim's stroke is central to the book, it still remains a relatively enjoyable read.
   
   I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in mascots, and specifically to anyone who may be facing a tough time. It is also a must for any fan of the Spurs Coyote.

5 comments about She Got Game: My Personal Odyssey.

1. This book is about the story and life of a great know person and athletic. It has its good times and bad times. It tells you what happened in her life till the time she published the book. It tells you from her first time she touched a basketball until she became the leauges MVP. If you want to read a great story about a player and her good times and bad times this is the book you should read. It is for sure the best book I've read about a great person and a life she lived. You should get this book no doubt.



2. Cooper's book has made me relieze that nothing can turninto something. Also Cooper provides a positive role model for anyonewho wants to better themselves and improve their way of life. This is a book that can be enjoyed by all. There was problems growing up, college, overseas (work) love, and death of loved ones. This tells the reader that everyone faces problems at many different stages of life. Also how they could be overcome with the correct outlook. END



3. This autobiography is one of the best, if not the best, that I've read. It's amazing how Cynthia Cooper writes her own story to motivate and make readers have more confidence. She's a real example of a true athlete hero, someone that can be a role model to all. Thanks to her and her success in the WNBA, she's given Women's Basketball a new meaning. Her determination and motivation to become successful is admirable. This book is really an inspiration to those who lack self-esteem and self-confidence. I enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it to anyone because is really interesting and inspirational. I'm proud of Cynthia Cooper because she's a real good representative of Women's basketball and a great example of determination and success. She also proved that with God's help, anything is possible.



4. Cynthia Cooper could be a role model for anyone. She knows how to play the game of life as well as basketball: when to hold, when to fold, and a whole lot more.
   What impressed me most? Signed to play in Italy, Cynthia didn't hang around being homesick. She took the opportunity to learn and grow.
   My favorite scenes:

   (1) New to Italy, she'd never even heard of famous cathedrals that someone asked her about. Later, she could have discussed the architectural history and features -- in Italian.

   (2) She asked Ford to give her a marketing internship -- and she felt right at home with the men. I use this example a lot when I talk to parents who are concerned that their daughters are more interested in sports than school.

   (3) She takes us behind the scenes of the championship Comets.

   Hard to put down, well-written, honest -- the perfect gift for any WNBA fan or any young woman looking to her future, in or out of basketball.




5. Some people may shy away from this book because they think its about basketball. Wrong -- it's about life, about a person who happens to play basketball.
   
   I think every girl should read this book, because it deals with Cooper's issues with self-esteem and confidence, overcoming poverty, and her pursuit of excellence. I also think every mother should read it, because the book shows how effective a role model Cooper's mother was to her. Maybe mothers and daughters should read this book together, and have discussions about it.
   
   This is not an overtly Christian book, but Cooper is a Christian and does not hide her faith. It is not really an evangelistic book, though one can say it is pre-evangelistic.

No comments about My Impossible Dream: The Story of Chuck Randall.

No comments about Dean Smith: A Tribute.