1 comments about A Hero Perished: The Diary and Selected Letters of Nile Kinnick.

1. Nile C. Kinnick played halfback at the University of Iowa and won the Heisman Trophy in 1939. He was also senior class president, a brilliant economics student, and later, a WWII Navy pilot. Paul Baender has compiled Kinnick's diary and selected letters in the life of this extraordinary man.
   
   The first half of the book contains letters of Kinnick from his college days onward up through his Navy service. Baender does his best to provide explanations and historical context either before or after each letter. The book's second half contains Kinnick's diary, followed by Baender's explanations at the end. My only complaint is that Baender would have provided some sort of conclusive end to the book.
   
   It is fascinating to read such wonderful prose from Kinnick's letters and diary. College life and the game of football has certainly changed since 1939, but Kinnick's hopes, dreams and struggles are the same as we feel today. He was not perfect, but I find it remarkable that Kinnick, a country boy from Iowa born long ago, recognized racial inequality in his domestic travels.
   
   Nile Clark Kinnick was killed in on a flight training mission during WWII, one of thousands of U.S. casualties. The act of reading this compilation of Kinnick's writings has helped me see the personal courage, honor, and integrity with which thousands of veterans have served, and has helped illustrate the weight of the struggle in which we were engaged. If you want to read about a great man, pick up this book.

No comments about The Book of Deacon: The Wit and Wisdom of Deacon Jones.

5 comments about Final Confessions of NFL Assassin Jack Tatum.

1. "Final Confessions" is actually two books: "They Call Me Assassin" (1979) and "They Still Call Me Assassin" (1996), which discuss the football career of Jack Tatum, a former Oakland Raider defensive back who was one of the hardest-hitters in the history of the NFL.

   Tatum was criticized sharply in the press for his hard hits, which often injured or knocked out opposing players. The criticism turned into an uproar on August 12, 1978, after an exhibition game between the Raiders and New England Patriots, in which Tatum made a vicious (but clean) tackle of Darryl Stingley that permanently paralyzed Stingley. That coupled with Tatum's unfortunate tendency to fire off his mouth, the "bad boy" image of the Raiders, and Raider Owner Al Davis' own conflict with Pete Rozelle and the NFL led to Tatum being characterized as an outlaw.

   In his defense, Tatum responds, (1) professional football is a vicious and brutal game, (2) I was paid to hit people hard, and (3) I generally played up to but within the limits of the rules. He has a point. Half of the second book is simply a rehash (often verbatim) of the first book. The other half is taken up with stories about Tatum. Jack Tatum may have an interesting story to tell, but you won't learn it reading this book. Only the oldest die-hard Raider fans will find anything of interest in it.




2. Brutally honest, shockingly factual, this book is the best ever written on the REAL world of professional sports.

   "Final Confessions of NFL Assassin Jack Tatum" is an exact reprint of Jack's previous two books, "They Call Me Assassin" and "They Still Call Me Assassin - Here We Go Again". It also contains additional opinions and conclusions that Jack reached on a variety of subjects.

   This compilation of events in the life of an NFL superstar reveals an athletically gifted, well educated, courageous and practical man who was raised to believe that truth, no matter how painful or revealing is more important than maintaining a phony status quo.

   In this book, Jack has finally put to rest the whole issue of his insensitivity towards Darryl Stingley. He has taken a lot of undeserved heat for something completely out of his control. He indicates that he tried to visit and talk to Stingley more than once and was refused an audience. In spite of these unfortunate refusals, he has written words of praise for the man.

   Honesty is not a behavior pattern for a reckless "loud mouth", it is the trait of a thinking man with values. This book is a celebration of honesty.

   Just as time has transformed the public perception of Muhammad Ali from the "Louisville Lip" to one of the world's most beloved sports figures, this book proves that Jack Tatum deserves to be acknowledged as one of the greatest legends in sports history.

   Jack Tatum deserves to be in the NFL Hall Of Fame because of his phenomenal play on the field and his courageously honest words off the field and in print.

   If you want unvarnished truth about "pre through post" life in the NFL, This Is It!!




3. Buy "They Call Me Assassin" rather than spend your money on this release. It is simply too dry a read; especially when compared to his first book.



4. Aside from Tatum's whining about every game the Raiders lost, and his incessant bad-mouthing of the Pittsburgh Steelers of the 70's, I actually enjoyed Tatum's first book, "They Call Me Assassin". Tatum's second book, "They Still Call Me Assassin", was almost an exact reprint of the first book, except it included a few more of Tatum's self-serving rants that would interest no one outside of Tatum's immediate family. Now, in this third installment, we are given exact reprints of both books. Amazingly, the reprinted portions of "They Call me Assassin" that were in "They Still Call Me Assassin" are left in "Final Confessions", so much of the reprinted material in "Final Confessions" appears twice in the book! The actual `new' material takes up a whole 12 pages in the 348 page fiasco. Don't waste your money now, simply wait until the fourth Tatum book appears on the market, "I Still Have Final Confessions", and has the exact reprints of volumes 1-3.



5. I wish I could give Tatum a -----***** in honor of Stingley's death today. What a self-centered jerk!!!

1 comments about Always a Badger: The Pat Richter Story.

1. Always a Badger: the Pat Richter story
   
   Biographies of sports figures usually prove a disappointment, even to those who admire of these individuals. Some contain an element of autobiography, where the figure is named as an author together with a well-know sports writer; and for the most part these books are not good. [Exceptions occur when the athlete is articulate, and the writer is well-above average--an unlikely combination. Don Drysdale's (with Bob Verdi) Once a Bum, Always as Dodger is just that.]
   
   Vince Sweeney's Always as Badger: the Pat Richter Story (Trail Books, 2005) is a pleasant reminder that straightforward biographies need not be all bad. Minimally, Hugh V. "Pat" Richter, Jr. has had a two-part adult life: first, as an extraordinary athlete; second, as an imaginative business leader in both private and public sectors. Having known Pat since my teenage years, and watched his work from a distance, I submit that these two features are specially intertwined. One learns much from competitive athletics that serves one's posterity. Sweeney's book establishes this theorem.
   
   I shall not dwell on Richter's athletic skills. These are of the stuff of legends, and well-documented elsewhere. What I can say is that his All-American football years, and his special performance in baseball [to a lesser degree in basketball] at Wisconsin were marked by an uncommon grace. This important disposition seemed to have a significant impact on those with whom he played. Readers will get a sense of this grace in early chapters, and providentially, the notion that it will play a role in Richter's later life.
   
   Richter's post-Madison athletic career was played out with the Washington Redskins. While his NFL records did not approach the fame of his Wisconsin years, the times and personalities prove fascinating. Among the names are these: Otto Graham, Vince Lombardi, Edward Bennett Williams, and Joe DiMaggio. Richter as the leader of the NFL Players Association in the "lockout" of 1970 proves an interesting tale.
   
   Mindful of a need for longer-term employment, Richter had been working on a law degree from the University of Wisconsin in his off-season times. That degree was awarded in 1971. He joins the then privately-held meat packing firm of Oscar Mayer. The 1971-1989 period shows a steady progress for Pat in that firm. One cannot but think that his mentor, P. Goff Beach [Mayer's CEO], had much to do with this; but I know that Goff found Pat one of the best that he had ever attracted to the firm. The reader will find that Richter was a great "reader" of trends in business management, that he understood the long-term consequences of the sale of the Mayer firm, and its subsequent mergers into General Foods and then Kraft.
   
   We have, then, Richter residing in Madison in 1989. If things were not looking up at the Mayer division of Kraft, then southwest of his office, things were looking terrible in the Wisconsin Athletic Department. How bad? Well, large and expanding deficits linked to lousy football performance and over-extended programs; and, most-serious, the economic consequences of Title IX constraints.
   
   This terrible mess at Wisconsin was not unique, but it might have been larger. It would have been good for Sweeney to address this. I have some views on both topics: first, many schools were not sufficiently-led to understand the sea change; second, Wisconsin had many years of very poor leadership both from the top, and at the Director's position. In this time period I would mark up but one institution, the University of Michigan, for excellence in management of its athletic program, where the incomparable Don Canham read the tea leaves, balanced the budget, and produced regular championships in all sports. [The rules of the review provide that I cannot reveal further elements of the Richter-Canham story, but this is another reason to read the book.]
   
   Who would have taken the Wisconsin Athletic Director's position? Well, only a risk taker like Richter. And that is why this book needs reading. You will see the corporate skills [strategic management planning, asset management, and careful selection of human capital] rolled out in a not-for-profit, but large scale enterprise. People to be found, prices to be set, costs to be understood, facilities to be constructed: these are the themes of Richter's leadership. There are the constant tensions between the academic leadership of the University, and those of the state's political leaders. There are, frankly-reported some "hick-ups" along the way. The outcome, in retrospect, looks to be a perfect plan. If Richter had required a book that said that this severally-dimensioned success was his first vision, I might have fallen for it. That Sweeney has got the "fullness" of the starts and stops, is to be celebrated. Economists talk regularly about "learning by doing". In this case we have the chance to see that learning & the doing done pronto.
   
   I am not above offering some criticism of this book's construction. The index is lousy, something that should not happen in this day of electronic composition. A glaring case in point is Pat's wife, Renee, who fails to get named and page-linked. Further, this book needed a better proof-reader.
   
   Two sets of readers will get the most value from this book: those who appreciate the complexity of modern athletic program management, and those who anticipate participating in today's collegiate athletics. With luck, some for the latter will go on--like Pat Richter--to leadership in the arena that the former appreciate.

No comments about Johnny Unitas: The Best There Ever Was.

1 comments about Ray Eliot: The Spirit and Legend of Mr. Illini.

1. I cannot think of wanting to do anything more than watching a University of Illinois f-ball game at Memorial Stadium. Ever since I was young I have never missed a game if it were possible for me to go. My Junior year in high school I picked up this book on Ray Eliot. The book instantly caught my attention because I love the illini and the forward was written by Ray Nitchzke (former u of i and packer great). In Nitchzke's message he said how Ray Eliot was very compassionate, caring and inspirational. He talked about how he believed Ray was the most inspirational coach he had experienced (this coming from the man who was coached by the great Vince Lombardi). I now play college football and I can truthfully say I wish I too could be inspired by Coach Eliot. This book does that and I constantly look to it for guidance. I believe this is the best book I have ever read (despite the Bible). It teaches its readers about more important aspects in football: sportsmanship, desire, courage, love, etc. These values that Ray Eliot instilled in his players were more important than championships. In his 18 years, Eliot's Illini teams won three big ten titles and two Rose Bowls. They also upset the #1 team in america 3 years in a row at one time in the early 1940s. I'll leave this review with a quote from the first page of his book. --"The boy is more important than the game."-- --Ray Eliot--

1 comments about I Remember Paul "Bear" Bryant: Personal Memories of College Footballs Most Legendary Coach As Told by the People Who Knew Him Best.

1. Paul "Bear" Bryant was a football coach rightly beloved by fans of the Alabama Crimson Tide, for his team won six national championships, thirteen Southeastern Conference titles, and twenty-four consecutive appearances in bowl games from 1959 through 1982. Those who knew him best continue to love him, and Al Browning's I Remember Paul "Bear" Bryant is heartfelt testimony to that love. Dozens of his friends and acquaintances, from former football players to childhood friends to family to opponents on the field reminisce in their own words the man they knew. I Remember Paul "Bear" Bryant tells of a master of reverse psychology; a steely disciplinarian; and a truly kind human being beneath the tough-as-nails exterior. Paul Bryant has moved on from this life, but he will not be forgotten. Recommended for anyone who would wish a glimpse into the life of one of the greatest football coaches who ever lived.

No comments about One For The Gipper, George Gipp, Knute Rockne and Notre Dame,3rd Edition.

1 comments about Heart of a Mule: The Dick Schafrath Stories.

1. Heart of a Mule: The Dick Schafrath Stories is the autobiography covering seventy years of a truly remarkable man's life. Dick Schafrath tells of his childhood on an Ohio farm with no plumbing, plowing behind a pair of mules; winning national football championships; serving four terms in the Ohio senate; being the first person to ever canoe across Lake Erie; returning to Ohio State to finish his undergraduate degree after fifty years had passed; and much more. Told in a friendly, conversational tone, these varied stories are sure to delight and inspire, as they convey a rich life marked by rising to challenges. Highly recommended.

3 comments about Ernie Davis : The Elmira Express, the Story of a Heisman Trophy Winner.

1. This isn't the greatest book, but a very good and emotional read about a guy that a lot of people should strive to be. Hopefully the movie coming out next year will capture the true heart of Ernie Davis.



2. The Elmira Express (on which the movie, The Express, is based) may not be the most literary piece of work ever written, but it the real story of Ernie Davis' legacy. The movie may make for good "family viewing", but this book explains the TRUE story of just how brave, unselfish and caring this young man was, right up until his death. The book explains the indepth accounts of not only Ernie Davis' plight, but also of those who coached him, loved him, and experienced his untimely death. If you have a teen-ager, please try to get him (or her) to read this book. It may just change your child's view of the world. Well... OK...Just maybe.



3. The Elmira Express
   
   I love the Twin Tiers in the autumn. The days are still warm; the nights cool, giving birth to vibrant fall colors. The hills seem almost alive, and the threat of colder weather is a promise on the wind. Fall in the Twin Tiers ushers in a revered tradition. When it's autumn in America, it's time for football. Across the land, in big cities and small towns, in large stadiums and rural high schools--the sights, sounds, and colors of the game are all around us. The common thread is the game, and the athletes that practice and play it with heart and determination to the very best of their abilities.
   
   Few players have shown more heart or determination than Ernie Davis. Davis was born on Dec. 14, 1939, in New Salem, Pa. His parents separated shortly after his birth, and his father was soon killed in an accident. He grew up in poverty in Uniontown, a coal-mining town 50 miles south of Pittsburgh, where caring grandparents raised him.
   
   At 12, Davis moved to live with his mother and stepfather in Elmira. He went on to become Elmira's favorite son, both as an outstanding athlete and as a respected and well-loved citizen. Ernie's talent bloomed, and the honors came early and often. He led Elmira Free Academy to a 52-game winning streak in basketball and as a Syracuse sophomore helped the Orangemen gain their only national football championship.
   
   As a senior in 1961, he became the first African American athlete to win the Heisman trophy and was the number one pick in the 1962 NFL draft. And then, suddenly, he was gone. He was diagnosed with leukemia the summer before his rookie season. He never played in the NFL, but succumbed to the disease less than a year later. Though Ernie never played a game for the Cleveland Browns, they retired his number 45, worn only in practice.
   Davis was easily recognized as a great athlete, but his high school coach, Marty Harrigan, summed up what many felt for Ernie Davis when he said, "Everyone knew Ernie's athletic greatness, but few realized what a great human he was. His concern for his fellow man, and his affection for children, was sincere."
   
   I think this is what moved me the most when I read The Express, The Ernie Davis Story by Robert C. Gallagher. There are lots of talented professional athletes today, and most of them are more than willing to inform you just how gifted they are, but the media exposure never changed him. "Ernie was the same kid at the end as he was at the start," said Jim Flynn, his high school basketball coach.
   Ernie believed he was fortunate to be so gifted and never took his ability for granted. He worked hard both on the field and in the classroom. "Ernie was always the first one on the practice field and the last to leave." Many athletes, assured of a college scholarship, would have coasted in class, but "Ernie worked hard when it wasn't popular to get good grades. The teachers loved him. He never would excuse himself from work and say he had too many outside activities." Ernie intended to play professional football, but he knew that career expectancy in the NFL was only a few seasons, so he wanted to be prepared for another career when he retired from football. He believed that education would lead to social and economic success.
   
   Syracuse University experienced its greatest football success during Ernie's career. The Orangemen became the national champions and winners of the Cotton Bowl. Four days before the game, Ernie pulled a hamstring while practicing place kicks. It was doubtful right up until game time whether he could play. Before leaving the game in the fourth quarter, he scored two touchdowns, including a then Bowl-record pass play, scored twice on two-point conversions, and intercepted a pass that led to Syracuse's final touchdown.
   
   He was voted the game's Most Valuable Player. Davis was to have received his MVP award at the awards banquet that night. But when bowl officials said that only white players were invited to the dinner and that Davis would have to leave after picking up his trophy, the Syracuse team refused to attend.
   
   It was Ernie's performance against the University of Pittsburgh that same year which inspired the nickname "The Elmira Express." Elmira Star-Gazette sports writer Al Mallette coined the phrase. Penn State coach Joe Paterno had this to say about Ernie Davis: "He's the kind of runner you hate to coach against; you can't instruct a boy to tackle a man if he can't catch him."
   
   It was December 1961 when Ernie won the Heisman trophy. Winning the Heisman is a significant accomplishment regardless of the year or player, but it was a significant racial breakthrough at a time with segregation was just beginning to become a social issue. Today, black players often win the award, and it might be hard for his contemporaries to appreciate his achievement.
   
   When he was in New York to receive the Heisman, Davis was treated with media coverage usually reserved for national heroes. President John Kennedy was in the city at the time and asked to see Ernie, a visit that thrilled him. "Imagine," Davis said, "a president wanting to shake hands with me."
   
   Ernie was the number one pick for the 1962 National Football League draft following his senior year. The Washington Redskins had the initial selection, but soon traded him to the Cleveland Browns, who signed him to a three-year no-cut, no-trade $65,000 contract with a $15,000 signing bonus, a new record for a rookie.
   
   The next summer while training for the upcoming All-Star game, Ernie awoke with swelling in his neck. A trainer sent him to the hospital, and doctors soon discovered the leukemia. At the time, Ernie and the public were told only that he had a "blood disorder". He wasn't told it was leukemia until October, after he had been in and out of the hospital. "Either you fight or you give up," Davis said in remembering how he felt when told the news.
   
   The disease went into remission, and Davis kept planning on pro football. He practiced with the Browns. Coach Paul Brown, heeding the advice of medical people who warned him of the risks, did not play Davis. The next spring, Davis noticed more swelling and entered the hospital again. Two days later, on May 18, he died in his sleep. In Elmira, more than 10,000 citizens passed the Neighborhood House on May 21 where Ernie lay in state. Flags in the city were flown at half-mast. He was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, also the burial place of Mark Twain.
   
   Universal Pictures has finished production on the film adaptation of Davis's life. The movie is slated for release Oct. 10. The book is available now. Stop by your local bookstore or library and check it out. You can catch Kevin tailgating at From My Shelf Books in Wellsboro. Stop by or tackle it online at www.wellsborobookstore.com