3 comments about All Things Being Equal: The Autobiography of Lenny Moore.

1. Residing in Reading, PA my entire life, I was anxious to read this book. What a disappointment! Lenny Moore portays himself as a victim throughout the book. However, it is clear that he was an underachiever from the start. If you want to read a "poor me" I'm a victim of racism book, this would be the book for you. If you want to read about sports or about something inspirational, forget this piece of garbage.



2. I was never a huge Colt or Lenny Moore fan just because I dont follow the team or it's past. However, Lenny did an excellent Job of discussing the risks of not completing College, discussing the disparity between Black and white athletes after their game playing days are over, and how he dealt with it. He is not the first to discuss the subtile rift in locker rooms between black and white football players in the 50's and 60's. However, this is the first book I read that talked about what the white players felt about how the black players were treated. Great book that flows smoothly without getting into the sex, drugs, and other excesses of pro football players.



3. THIS IS THE STORY OF LENNY MOORE FORMER BALTIMORE COLT GREAT. THE MAJORITY OF THIS BOOK COVERS HIS CAREER WITH COLTS. INCLUDED ARE SOME STORIES ABOUT HIS JOHNNY U, WEEB, AND MANY MORE. SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS WERE THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF BIG DADDY AND LENNY'S THOUGHTS AND RELATIONSHIP WITH DON SHULA. LENNY ALSO COVERS HIS LIFE AFTER THE COLTS AND THE PREDJUDICE AGAINST BLACKS THAT WAS EVEN WORSE BACK IN THE 1950'S AND 60'S. LENNY HAS ENDURED ALOT OF PAIN IN HIS PRIVATE LIFE (DEATH OF 2 WIFES AND ONE OF HIS CHILDREN). BUT HE CONTINUES TO BE A CLASS ACT. I RECOMMEND THIS FOR ALL COLT FANS WHO SAW LENNY PLAY.

1 comments about Hail Mary - The Drew Pearson Story.

1. THis book read surprisingly quickly. There were really no dull moments, except the chapters that dealt with specific football games. Thankfully, that was few. A lot of questions were left unanswered, but I especially enjoyed his take and opinion of other Cowboys.

5 comments about Remember This Titan: Lessons Learned from a Celebrated Coach's Journey As Told to Steve Sullivan.

1. In a world saturated with stories overcoming life challenges, Remember This Titan delivers a message unlike any I have read.
   Steve Sullivan's ability to capture the essence of Coach Bill Yoast while weaving in an out of the life narrative is remarkable. He has cleverly captured in words, the essence of a man who made it his life's commitment to make a difference and inspire. Sullivan has beautifully portrayed with drama, insight and humor, the life of a man whose unwavering commitment to others enabled them to prosper- all became better, some became great. Many went on to positively impact on other's lives and for this, Sullivan's book is a brilliant reminder that the `Domino Effect' can be a powerful force.
   Although Coach Bill Yoast is in the twilight of his journey, Remember This Titan and the wisdom it delivers is a legacy that will live forever.



2. A friend sent me the book as gift. She said it would change my life. She was right. It took me on a glorious trip. In a world filled with deceit, fear, anger and lost people Remember This Titan shows how one man can make a differance. Remember This Titan is a story that delivers integrity and courage in abundance. Coach Bill Yoast is now my hero. Remember This Titan is triumph and should be required reading for anyone looking to navigate life with a sense of purpose. Five Stars is not enough.



3. This is a great motivational and uplifting story. A must read for teens and parents alike!!



4. Remember This Titan, is a wonderful accounting of Bill Yoast's life, ups and downs, the expected and the unexpected. It is the story of a man who LIVED decency long before it was fashionable. The success of the team, both on the field and in their interpersonal relationships, was nurtured by the presence of this fine teacher, leader and coach. In a time when schools go out of their way to emphasize that character counts, this is a fine, enjoyable book to share with the children/students in your life. There are so many valuable lessons, from Mary's impact on Coach Yoast to the profound influence of Raymond Tetfeller on Yoast's young life. This book is beautifully written. It flows with astonishing honesty from humor to heart-wrenching pain. Sullivan has an obvious knowledge, understanding and respect for Coach Yoast. As if all of the above isn't enough, there are action plans and lists of invaluable facts in the back. Remember This Titan is a great read which has had a lasting impact on me. p.s. I had a student at the end of the year say, "Hey, Ms. Stewart are YOU reading a football book, cool!" Enjoy.



5. "Remember This Titan" is an excellent story of an American hero. In a time when personal glory is mainstream, Bill Yoast was not only an inspiration to a community but to the nation as well. Absorbing every word of a simply beautiful story of a no-nonsense man, I learned that, "In navigating life, the best lessons are learned when the riding gets rough". Not only do I believe in the philosophy of life according to Coach Yoast but our entire youth organization and metro area are looking forward to having Mr. Sullivan and Coach Yoast motivate our young men for our 2006 football season. I look forward to meeting Coach Bill Yoast and Steve Sullivan in August, (www.greenmountainfootball.org) and showing them that the TITAN theory exists in Colorado. Steve Sullivan along with Bill Yoast are truly the cornerstone of INSPIRATION.

4 comments about Wellington: The Maras, the Giants, and the City of New York.

1. As a lifelong Giant fan, I was really looking forward to reading this book on their long-time owner, Wellington Mara. Although many aspects of the volume were interesting, I ultimately came away from the book feeling disappointed.
   
   The author crams in a lot of facts (dates, names, etc.), but at the expense of readability. Toward the end, he takes up several pages listing each of Wellington and Ann Mara's children, mentioning where they went to school, what they do for a living, their spouse's names (along with their school and occupations), the dates and locations of their marriages, and even who the officiant was that performed the ceremony. I didn't find this information pertinent to the book. It almost felt as if the author needed to add this "extra" material to meet his word count.
   
   For me, the most enjoyable parts of the volume were Devito's discussion of Timothy J Mara (Wellington's father), the early days of the Giants, and the formation of the league. The first third of the book pretty much deals exclusively with Timothy J Mara and his exploits. Therefore, the title of this book is misleading.
   
   There were numerous typographical errors throughout the book - to the point that I found it distracting. For example, on page 251, Devito refers to John Mara's wife, Denise Walker. In the following paragraph, her last name is listed as "Walter." Any decent copyeditor should have caught those kinds of mistakes.
   
   I felt as if the author glossed over a lot of potentially interesting topics. Granted, it is hard to condense nearly 100 years of history into a 300-page volume. However, it was really unnecessary to repeat (several times) the exchange between Wellington and Frank Gifford about how they felt like "father" and "son" to one another.
   
   I struggled with the author's writing style. At times, it felt as if he was jumping all over the place, with no real sense of direction. It seemed as if he was going for a chronological history of the Giants, but because he would go back and forth, the text was hard to follow sometimes.
   
   I really wanted to like this volume. I really did. I feel as if this book could have been so much more, but the bad editing and writing style really hindered it.



2. This book tells the history of one of the classiest men in the history of not only the NFL, but all of sports. Even those of you who are not Giants fans could appreciate Wellington's contributions to the NFL after reading this book. It's so much more than just a Giants history lesson (as so many books before it unfortunately are).
   
   Only glaring issue was the score for Superbowl XXI was wrong -- ouch!
   
   Overall this is absolute must read for Giants fans of all ages. "Wellington" reminded me why I live and die with this team.



3. This book appeals to the NY Football Giants fan and the die hard NFL fan who wants to learn about the early days of the League. Mr. Mara was a man who put League before team, something not seen these days in the league. Mr. Mara was a man who was there for his players, not only in a professional relationship but as mentor and father figure. Mr. Mara is sorely missed, but we can see his name "The Duke" stamped on today's game ball. To see why, and lots of other great stories, read this book.



4. The title is a bit deceiving as it's more a year by year history of the Giants than a biography of Wellington Mara. Of course, Mara was intricately involved in the history of the Giants, so there is a lot about him in here. However, most subjects are covered very broadstroke as the Giants have a long history - covering the whole span was a pretty big job in itself. There's also some interesting content in the begining on Mara's father, Tim, the Giants' founder.
   
   Overall, it's not a bad read and recommended for anyone who wants to know about the history of the Giants.
   
   PS There's a handful of proof reading errors. They don't detract from the book, but they are unusual to see.

No comments about From Selma to the Super Bowl The Story of a Boy from the Bottoms.

1 comments about The Jimmy Streater Story: The Saga of an All-American.

1. This book portrays with stark reality the rise and fall of a champion. I played against Jimmy Streater in 1975 in one of the greatest high school football games ever in our state. The book chronicles the history of the Streater Family in Sylva, N.C. from slave days to the birth of Jimmy's immediate family. From there it focuses on the accomplishments of Jimmy and his siblings with the main focus being on Jimmy Streater and his rise to national recognition as the quarterback for the University of Tennessee. The most enlightening portion of the book begins when Jimmy departs UT and is forced to reckon with the harsh realities that life deals he and his family. He faces tragedy when his brother is paralyzed in an auto crash, his own battle with diabetes, depression, and addiction to cocaine. Along the way, this once great athlete loses himself in addiction which costs him his marriage, his left arm, his self-esteem, and on several occasions, almost his life. Ultimately, the book teaches us that there is always hope. This book is a "must read" for coaches at every level, for parents of adolescents, and anyone else who values the triumphs of the human spirit.

2 comments about Bart Starr: When Leadership Mattered.

1. THIS IS A NICE BOOK ABOUT FORMER PACKER QUARTER BACK BART STARR. THE AUTHOR DOES A NICE JOB GIVING US A LOOK AT THE PERSON AND PLAYER. HE ALSO TELLS OF THE SEASONS THAT STARR COACHED THE PACKERS WHICH I KNOW VERY LITTLE OF. I ALSO ENJOYED THE DETAILED ACCOUNT OF EACH SEASON AND ALL THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES. THE NEGATIVE I HAVE IS THAT IT SPENT TOO MUCH TIME ON VINCE LOMBARDI. IT ALMOST COULD HAVE BEEN 2 BIOGRAPHIES IN ONE WITH ALL THE PAGES DEDICATED TO LOMBARDI. BUT ALL IN ALL IN ENJOYED THIS BOOK AND RECOMMEND IT FOR ALL FOOTBALL FANS.



2. Those interested in reading about former Green Bay Packers' quarterback Bart Starr for the first time will find this to be an interesting biography. However, if you have read previous books on the Packers such as Jerry Kramer's "Instant Replay" and David Maraniss's definitive biography on Vince Lombardi entitled "When Pride Still Mattered", you will not find anything new here. Author David Claerbaut relies heavily on Maraniss's book on Lombardi in addition to having a similar title "When Leadership Mattered." Claerbaut does delve into Starr's nine years as the coach of the Packers in addition to Starr's son, Brett, who suffered from drug addiction. As far as Starr's years as a player for the Packers is concerned what this book has to offer can be found in several other books on the team. However, if you have not read a previous book on Bart Starr or the Packers of the 1960's then you will enjoy this book.

5 comments about David Kopay Story.

1. This book was a real revalation to me. To read a firsthand account of a gay man's journey, back in the late 1970s, was truly a rare, and positive experience. This was the era when gays were fiinally getting positive public recognition (at least on TV and in the press) other than being labeled "not normal," mentally ill, or other negative call-words. These were the days of gay marches, people "coming out" publicly, and the dawn of a new and positive age for homosexuality. Reading this book was a very
   mind-blowing experience. To read, and understand, David Kopay's struggle and coming to terms with his own sexual identity, "coming out" to his parents and family, and the discrimination he experienced in searching for a job in the sports field, truly shows the social climate of the times; and also might show others that the human experience is similar to most people.
   Perhaps "straight" people, right-wing Republicans and religious fantaics of the Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell types might gain some insight into the human condition by reading this, and similar, books. Too much time is spent on negativity and extolling people's differences by some groups and people; when there is still homophobia and gay-bashing still going on -- as shown by the sad episode of Matthew Shepherd, not too many years ago.
   This book is a must-read for any gay man, also friends and family members of gay persons. The book may just show people that there isn't much difference between people, whatever their race, sexual preferences, or even religious beliefs. Even though I read this book almost twnety years ago, it's message is still strong, and I highly reccomend this book to anyone who has a gay family member, a gay friend, or if you are a gay person reading this.



2. You don't need to be a gay man or a football fan to connect with this emotional and enlightening page-turner. Bravo to David Kopay and Perre Deane Young!!!!!!



3. This book is of a true hero, David Kopay. What a story of courage and inspiration. If you want to be inspired, read this book. One of the best!!



4. This is David Kopay's account of growing up gay back when there were very few books or support groups to turn to, which makes it stand even taller. He describes his experience as a college and professional football player as well as being in a fraternity. I find him candid, readable and likeable. He never asked for any special favours, just the right to live his life his way and do what he knew how to do.

   I'm proud that David is a fellow Husky; his name adds honour to the reputation of the University of Washington, both as a hard-nosed athlete who hit like a freight train and as a man of courage. Just about anyone could benefit from reading his book.




5. Before Dan Woog's "Jocks," before "The Front Runner," before the whole genre, David Kopay rocked the homophobic world of sports by coming out and telling his story. An amazing personal journey and a great historic account, this is a must-have for your gay library. Not as sexy as you'd think, instead it's a harrowing and touching tale of the first pro football player - the first jock of the 20th century - to come out big time. We all owe this man a lot, but beyond that, this is a compelling story.

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.

5 comments about Golden Boy.

1. Vince Lombardi, blah, blah, blah, Notre Dame, Bart Starr, Frank Sinatra, blah, blah, blah, Green Bay Packers, blah, blah, blah...
   
   As a writer, Hornung fumbles any attempt to develop a character, probably thinks he doesn't have to since we already know all of the characters. Take those big names out of the book and you'd lose the one star that I gave it.
   
   This, from a Green Bay Packer fan for 40 years...



2. Growing up as the only girl with three older, sports loving brothers, I was very familiar with the on field triumphs of Paul Hornung. I actually grew to love football in the late 50's and early 60's, and was young and romantic enough to develop crushes on my favorite players. Of course, the blonde Adonis of Notre Dame was high on my list of heroes. Right before a long flight to a training session in Houston, I was delighted to find Paul Hornung's memoir of his days as football's handsomest and most eligible bachelor and it turned out to be the perfect book for the trip for this book was the next best thing to having Mr. Hornung as my seat mate. Talk about joie de vivre! His tales of exploits on and off the field are amazing and very entertaining, but the picture that emerges of this unique character is one of a charming, exciting and complex soul. So many people speak of his ability to light up a room with his good looks, charisma and good humor, and despite all his years in the limelight he is refreshingly free of arrogance. At the very end of the book there is a quote from Hornung's close friend and former team mate Ron Kramer that expresses quite well my own impression of the Golden Boy, "People always thought of him as a playboy because women loved him. That's true, they did. But his friends loved him, and their wives and kids, too, as well as anybody else who was lucky enough to meet him. He's charming and generous and just a beautiful guy to know." One warning to nine to fivers: be prepared to feel that your own life is so very prosaic by comparison! Live long and prosper, Paul Hornung, for there will never be another like you!



3. I agree with those who criticize the slipshod manner in which this book was written.
   
   After reading Instant Replay and others about the Packers of the 60s, I was expecting more from Hornung's book. I just get the feeling that here is a man who never a had a rough day in his life and who never questioned himself once.



4. "Golden Boy" delivers on a lot of levels. It communicates how it felt to have the whirlwind career on the football field while enjoying the high-life off the field. Hornung fans will enjoy some of the new tales of the life and times of the "Golden Boy" as he hangs in Vegas, LA and Miami, doing what's right and doin' in his way.
   
   The overall tone of the book is conversational. You can tell Hornung got the beats of these stories down around the bar in countless conversations around the world. The "belly up to the bar" tone of the stories gives a good feeling when reading this book. It's a great read, many times I felt like pouring a scotch to "get in the spirit" of this snappy tome.
   
   A previous reviewer noted that this book fails to give a lot of depth and I think that's true. Paul comes off as a pretty superficial guy at times, based on his own "testimony". I would've like more on his thoughts about both ND & GB, not just a re-reading of the record book with a few anecdotes tossed in. The blurb advertises that the book is the story of Games, Girls, and Gambling, & it seems Billy Reed stayed on those themes. I think they should have shined their beam a little wider and told us the whole story of the man and not focus on the narrow areas that they did.
   
   I'd like to recommend this book to one person in particular... Paul Hornung. There's no doubt in my mind that Paul never glanced at the finished manuscript. Author Billy Reed is a basketball guy from "Louvil" and didn't know enough Packer football to properly edit this thing. It's fulla errors that any Packer fan can spot.
   
   - Viking Cliff "Tongue" Livingston tore up your knee in '62, Paul. There is no Bill Livingston.
   
   - Willie Wood is a HOF free safety, not a cornerback as states in "GB"
   
   - Many have pointed out the error in the score of the first Super Bowl, (35 - 10, not 37 - 10)
   
   Errors like this show some of the sloppiest editing I've ever seen.
   
   On a positive note, Paul is a little shy about his credentials as a non-racist. I've personally spoken to African-American Packers who were stunned by Paul's graciousness and kindness when they came to the Packers. Green Bay was just a little South of the North Pole in the Mid-Sixties. For Blacks coming there it was a distant scary place. Many African-American players recall the first white Packer that approached them and started to make them feel at home was the big star, Paul Hornung. Anyone that reads this book knows Paul ain't too shy to brag. But when he recounts the bad times he had in 2004, he doesn't toot his own horn about being a proponent of civil rights or whatever ya wanna call it. That shows me that Paul is a nice guy, he took his poor treatment without trying to cry about it. Hey, Willie Wood, Herb Adderly, Bob Brown and the rest of the guys, remember when you were a lonely rookie and the big dog took out to dinner and then a night on the town? Well, pay a brother back and tell 'em The Horn ain't no redneck!
   
   There's a lot more to this man that games, girls and gambling. Paul why don't ya write a book about it?, I'd be glad to read it.



5. Truly golden. Not Paul Hornung. He's a bit tarnished. His life is golden. Let's proceed as if this autobiography is not a piece of fiction. He truly had the luck of the Irish from the time he made it to Notre Dame, won the Heisman Trophy in a year that the Irish won only two games to landing on the Packers & being a pet of Vince Lombardi. No doubt about it, he was a great player, Hall of Fame caliber & Lombardi saw that. He was also a notrious bad boy & Vince made allowances for him. Even his most egregious error in judgement, gambling on games got him no more than a slap on the wrist. The year he sat out might have eroded his football skills but not his skill as a "player".
   He continued to make more money outside of football with his good looks & product endorsement, Marlboro cigarettes probably being the most famous. Every body wanted to buy him dinner or drinks or women & he let them. It's all a good story & an entertaining book. That's probably what he wanted so many years after the fact & that what it is.