In Jiu-Jitsu University, Ribeiro shares with the public for the first time his revolutionary system of grappling, mapping out more than 200 techniques that carry you from white to black belt. Illuminating common jiu-jitsu errors and then illustrating practical remedies, this book is a must for all who train in jiu-jitsu. Not your run-of-the-mill technique book, Jiu-Jitsu University is a detailed training manual that will ultimately change the way jiu-jitsu is taught around the globe.

    Illustrations from oil paintings by the author.

    He was destined to be one of those rare "high-character " superstars. But in 2001, working his way from the minors to the majors, all of the plans for Josh went off the rails in a moment of weakness. What followed was a 4-year nightmare of drugs and alcohol, estrangement from friends and family, and his eventual suspension from baseball. BEYOND BELIEF details the events that led up to the derailment. Josh explains how a young man destined for fame and wealth could allow his life to be taken over by drugs and alcohol. But it is also the memoir of a spiritual journey that breaks through pain and heartbreak and leads to the rebirth of his major-league career.Josh Hamilton makes no excuses and places no blame on anyone other than himself. He takes responsibility for his poor decisions and believes his story can help millions who battle the same demons. "I have been given a platform to tell my story" he says. "I pray every night I am a good messenger."

    The NBA of the moment is a league of hugely charismatic celebrities, crackling aesthetic intrigue, sociopolitical undercurrents, and raw humanity: every Kobe Bryant pump-fake or LeBron James dunk holds within it a Shaq-size load of meaning. The Macro-Phenomenal NBA Almanac is a one-of-a-kind guide to this tumultuous and exciting league. In a series of brilliantly illustrated chapters—from Master Builders like Tim Duncan to Destiny’s Kids like Amare Stoudemire to Lost Souls like Lamar Odom—the almanac breaks down the styles of the NBA’s most colorful characters, showing what each one reveals through his play and conduct, both on the court and off. Filled with some of the smartest, funniest sportswriting known to fankind, this book will cast an entirely new light on one of our favorite games.

    His dealings with the glare of the media as well as his controversial role in the 2006 World Cup Rooney incident are covered here, as well as his role in inspiring United to the Premiership title and his PFA Player of the Year and PFA Young Player of the Year double honor. Love him or hate him, this is the story of a player who always provokes a reaction.

    By drawing on the recollections of everyone from players and managers to fans and backroom staff, enough new material as been unearthed to interest fans and casual supporters.

    Along the way, author Jonathan Wilson, an erudite and detailed writer who never loses a sense of the grand narrative sweep, takes a look at the lives of the great players and thinkers who shaped the game, and discovers why the English in particular have proved themselves so “unwilling to grapple with the abstract.” This is a modern classic of soccer writing that followers of the game will dip into again and again.

    In 1980, however, the sport was resuscitated by a riveting series of bouts involving an improbably dissimilar quartet: Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran. The 'Four Kings of the Ring' would fight one another nine times throughout the decade and win sixteen world titles between them. Like Ali and Frazier, Dempsey and Tunney, Robinson and LaMotta, these four boxers brought out the best in each other, producing unprecedented multi-million-dollar gates along the way. Each of the nine bouts between the four men was memorable in its own way and at least two of them - Leonard-Hearns I in 1981 and Hagler-Hearns in 1985 - are commonly included on any list of the greatest fights of all time. The controversial outcome of another - the 1987 Leonard-Hagler fight - remains the subject of heated debates amongst fans to this day. Leonard, Hagler, Hearns and Duran didn't set out to save boxing from itself in the post-Ali era, but somehow they managed to do so. In Four Kings, award-winning journalist George Kimball documents the remarkable effect they had on the sport and argues that we will never see their likes again.

    First he earned his freedom and then he won the presidency in the nation's first free election in 1994. But he knew that South Africa was still dangerously divided by almost fifty years of apartheid. If he couldn't unite his country in a visceral, emotional way--and fast--it would collapse into chaos. He would need all the charisma and strategic acumen he had honed during half a century of activism, and he'd need a cause all South Africans could share. Mandela picked one of the more farfetched causes imaginable--the national rugby team, the Springboks, who would host the sport's World Cup in 1995.Against the giants of the sport, the Springboks' chances of victory were remote. But their chances of capturing the hearts of most South Africans seemed remoter still, as they had long been the embodiment of white supremacist rule. During apartheid, the all-white Springboks and their fans had belted out racist fight songs, and blacks would come to Springbok matches to cheer for whatever team was playing against them. Yet Mandela believed that the Springboks could embody--and engage--the new South Africa. And the Springboks themselves embraced the scheme. Soon South African TV would carry images of the team singing "Nkosi Sikelele Afrika," the longtime anthem of black resistance to apartheid.As their surprising string of victories lengthened, their home-field advantage grew exponentially. South Africans of every color and political stripe found themselves falling for the team. When the Springboks took to the field for the championship match against New Zealand's heavily favored squad, Mandela sat in his presidential box wearing a Springbok jersey while sixty-two-thousand fans, mostly white, chanted "Nelson! Nelson!" Millions more gathered around their TV sets, whether in dusty black townships or leafy white suburbs, to urge their team toward victory. The Springboks won a nail-biter that day, defying the oddsmakers and capping Mandela's miraculous ten-year-long effort to bring forty-three million South Africans together in an enduring bond.John Carlin, a former South Africa bureau chief for the London Independent, offers a singular portrait of the greatest statesman of our time in action, blending the volatile cocktail of race, sport, and politics to intoxicating effect. He draws on extensive interviews with Mandela, Desmond Tutu, and dozens of other South Africans caught up in Mandela's momentous campaign, and the Springboks' unlikely triumph. As he makes stirringly clear, their championship transcended the mere thrill of victory to erase ancient hatreds and make a nation whole.

    It's where his father once played professionally, before injuries relegated him to watching games on TV instead of playing them. And it's where Hutch himself has always played and starred. Until now. The arrival of Darryl 'D-Will' Williams, the top shortstop prospect from Florida since A-Rod, means Hutch is displaced, in more ways than one. Second base feels like second fiddle, and when he sees his father giving fielding tips to D-Will (the same father who can't be bothered to show up to watch his son play) Hutch feels betrayed. With the summer league championship on the line, just how far is Hutch willing to bend to be a good teammate? Mike Lupica returns to the big field for the first time since his #1 New York Times bestseller Heat and delivers a feel-good home run, showing how love of the game is a language fathers and sons speak from the heart.

    From their first ever FA Cup win in 1965 to the Champions League defeat in Athens in 2007, this overview takes on the extraordinary stories behind the 48 trophies Liverpool has won. Highlighting the memorable nights that propelled the club to five European Cups, three UEFA Cups, 12 titles, and countless domestic cup triumphs, this account also discusses their bitter failures, the tragic disasters in Sheffield and Brussels, and the barren years of the late 60s and the 90s.

    To his millions of fans around the world, it is the way he plays the game – rather than simply the sum of his achievements – that marks him out as one of the best-loved cricketers of his generation. He is both a swashbuckling batsman and record-breaking wicketkeeper, yet perhaps his true impact has come from the manner in which he plays his cricket – with an integrity and sense of values that many thought had departed the game forever. True Colours is his autobiography, and like the man himself it's incomparable. With unflinching honesty, intelligence, compassion and humour, Adam takes you into the world of cricket that few outside of the Australian team have ever seen. From his early struggles to establish himself, through to the giant achievements of the Australian test and one-day sides, True Colours offers an extraordinary window on Adam, on cricket's major stars and on the game itself.

    But now, someone's attacking them - and it isn't someone they know. Who is out to stop their paintballing fun? It's going to take all their skills and teamwork to stop the sinister invasion.

    The eighth-grade season is here, and the boys have come together as a team. Now key starters, Tiki and Ronde are ready for a great season, and with hard work and determination, maybe they will even go all the way to the State Championship! But when Coach Spangler announces that he has been asked to move up to the high school team, and Mr. Wheeler, the science teacher, is tapped for the head coaching job, the season seems over before it begins. Sure, Coach Wheeler played college football until he was benched by an injury, but it just isn't the same. Tiki wants to give Coach Wheeler a chance, yet the team's loyalties are divided. What does a science teacher know about the game of football? Can the team work together, get behind their new coach, and play smart? Inspired by the childhood of NFL superstars Tiki and Ronde Barber, Go Long! is a story of teamwork, perseverance, and what it takes to be a champion.

    Now an international icon and the heart of his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers, he is widely known as one of the greatest basketball players ever to step onto the court. Discover LeBron James's incredible story in this in-depth biography of one of basketball's brightest stars. The book takes readers on the court through suspenseful accounts of pivotal games, paints a picture of LeBron's on- and off-court triumphs and challenges, and includes bonus stats, career highlights, and photographs.

    Vivian Stringer is the dream—a coalminer’s daughter who believed when her Poppa told her there was no obstacle she could not surmount. And she lives that dream, teaching others to rise up to meet challenges, turning underdogs into champions again and again—on and off the court. This is the quintessential American story, of a woman and of a family pulling together against the odds. Standing Tall offers an important message of hope to so many.” —John Chaney, Hall of Fame college basketball coachAt a time when heroes are too rare, C. Vivian Stringer sets a shining example. She has time and again shown character, fortitude, and heart, both on and off the hardwood, and in the face of unbearable loss. In Standing Tall, she shares her remarkable life story, inspiring us to find this fortitude within ourselves. “Work hard, and don’t look for excuses,” Stringer’s parents told her, “and you can achieve anything.” But her faith and perseverance would be tested many times. A gifted athlete, she had to fight for a place on an all-white cheerleading squad in the sixties. In 1981, just as her coaching career was taking off, her fourteen-month-old daughter, Nina, was stricken with spinal meningitis. Nina would never walk or talk again. Still grieving, Stringer brought a small, poor, historically black college to the national championships—a triumph hailed as “Hoosiers with an all-female cast.” In 1991, her husband, Bill—her staunchest supporter, the father of her children, and the love of her life—fell dead of a sudden heart attack, but that same year, she led yet another young team to the Final Four. Through these dark times and others—including her bout with cancer, shared here for the first time—Stringer has carried her burdens with grace. Given her history, it was no surprise that she led her team to respond to Don Imus’s slurs with dignity and courage. Standing Tall is a story of quiet strength in the face of punishing odds. Above all, it is an extraordinary love story—love for the game, for the players she has coached, for her close-knit family, and for the husband she lost far too soon. It will resonate long after the last page.From the Hardcover edition.

    Written in Matt Christopher's easy-to-read style and complete with incredible photos and Michael Jordan's key stats, this comprehensive biography will entertain and educate.

    The uncensored exploits of Michael Irvin, Deion Sanders, Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, and the rest of the ’Boys on and off the football field, Boys Will Be Boys makes for riveting, shocking, often wildly hilarious reading.

    Dr. Bob Rotella, author of the bestselling book Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect, brings together his skills and years of experience as a golf psychologist to give readers the insight they need to improve their game—before they ever step up to the tee.The 15th Club is the tool that golf stars like Tiger Woods use to block out negative thoughts, doubt, and fear. It is what allows champions to perform at their peak both in practice and during the game. Golfers who lack it find the game elusive and frustrating. Confident golfers play the game as they have always sensed they could play it. Now, one of the most renowned golf writers offers up the foolproof methods that will allow golfers at any skill level to give their game that extra boost. Dr. Rotella provides tips and techniques for how to learn from better golfers, overcome fear in pressure situations, and keep a clear mind, no matter what. He tells golfers that inner arrogance is not a negative trait, but instead is something that can improve performance on and off the course. In order to perform at peak levels and achieve your goals, you must believe that you can win. Positive thinking is an incredibly powerful tool, and it can change the way a player approaches the game. Knowing how to focus on the challenge at hand and understanding your own talent are crucial parts of becoming a confident golfer. Dr. Rotella provides a detailed plan that anyone can use to build the self-image of a winner. He offers a one-year schedule in diary and calendar form that will incorporate the daily mental routines that he assigns to players on the PGA Tour. This is how the pros learn to ignore negative influences, focus on productive advice, and take pride in their abilities. Your 15th Club will tell golfers of all abilities how to develop the confidence they need to maximize their physical gifts and defeat the Tigers of their world, whether that world is the PGA Tour or the third flight of the club championship.

    Instead of working with the team, Malik is just showing off. Anton has to fix the problem fast, before the quarterback ruins everything!"

    How is he supposed to help his team win when he keeps striking out?

    Didier Drogba is renowned for his heading ability, sharp shooting and sheer strength. He has played for his native Ivory Coast and for clubs in France, China and Turkey, but it is as a Chelsea striker that he is best known. His feats with Chelsea have made him a cult hero among supporters. In Didier Drogba's honest and revealing autobiography he will talk about life as an immigrant in Paris, the importance of his education and how finding success later than most professional footballers has kept him grounded. In 2012 Didier was voted Chelsea's greatest ever player. He talks from a privileged behind-the-scenes position about tactics and how he felt mentally and physically as well as anecdotes from the dressing room. Didier provides unique insight into important and controversial matches from the first trophy he won with them in 2005 to the Premier League title a decade later; as well as what persuaded him to stay when he was at his lowest ebb. Away from football Drogba has been widely applauded for his involvement in trying to broker peace in the Ivorian civil war - he is a UN Goodwill Ambassador and does a huge amount of work with the Didier Drogba Foundation - "Time "magazine named him one of the world's 100 most influential people. Go behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge and find out about life on and off the field for this humble Chelsea hero.

    Baseball Prospectus 2008 continues that tradition, bringing together the top young baseball writers and analysts in the business to provide a definitive look at the season to come. Featuring groundbreaking essays on the performance of each of the thirty teams and an in-depth look at every major league player and all the top prospects, Baseball Prospectus 2008 offers the cutting-edge analysis that has inspired nearly every major league team to seek the advice of current or former Prospectus writers. Also included are projections of player stats for next year, as determined by the groundbreaking PECOTA system, which Sports Illustrated has called “perhaps the game’s most accurate projection model.” The most authoritative and entertaining book of its kind, Baseball Prospectus 2008 is as essential to the baseball-watching experience as hot dogs and cold beer.

    At times funny, often poignant, and occasionally melancholy, Open Ice is one man's witness to fifty years of the game he loves. Reflections on hockey, its great personalities and arenas, and twenty-five years of dedication to his own backyard rink are woven into family memories and other fond remembrances. From the death of Rocket Richard, to skating on the Rideau Canal, memories of being in all Original Six arenas, and more, Open Ice is a reflective and fond look at hockey for people to whom the sport is more than just a game. Selected reviews of Home Ice: The literary hot chocolate that will warm your heart.-- The New York Times While Home Ice may be a book about hockey and the charm of backyard rinks, it is more than that, too. It is a book about relationships--between fathers and sons, husbands and wives--and how the game can bridge the gaps that commonly occur between generations in a family... It's a treasure and one that readers will be happy they searched out. Possibly the best hockey book since Ken Dryden's The Game, -- The Globe & Mail

    This monster encyclopedia covers it all, from steroids, to growth hormone, insulin, and just about every imaginable agent in-between. With over 800 medical citations, ANABOLICS cuts right to the science. You'll learn everything there is to know about this controversial subject, from one of the most trusted experts in the field.A few reasons why William Llewellyn's ANABOLICS remains the #1 Bestselling Anabolic Reference Guide worldwide: - Nearly 200 Pharmaceutical Compounds reviewed. - Graphs and Diagrams help visually explain the different properties of the performance drugs. - Extensive Side Effects discussion, with detailed explanations of the risks of anabolics, as well as effective prevention and harm reduction strategies. - Informative Steroid Cycling and Stacking sections help take the guesswork out of cycle construction. Maximize your benefits; minimize your costs and side effects. - More Counterfeits exposed than ever before! Includes a new chapter on Advanced Detection Techniques! - Dig into the science behind anabolics, with Steroid and Muscle Biochemistry sections that won't find in University textbooks. ANABOLICS is trusted because it is the most accurate and relevant guide. Whether you are interested in using these substances, or simply want to research them - this is the must have book on anabolics.

    S. hockey team’s victory at the 1980 Olympics was a “Miracle on Ice”--a miracle largely brought about by the late Herb Brooks, the legendary coach who forged that invincible team. Famously antagonistic toward the press at Lake Placid, Brooks nonetheless turned to sportswriter John Gilbert after each game, giving his longtime friend and confidant what became the most comprehensive coverage of the ’80 team. This book is Gilbert’s memoir of Brooks. Neither strictly biography or tell-all exposé, Herb Brooks: Born to Coach is the story of an extraordinary man as it emerged in the course of a remarkable friendship.Gilbert, writing for the Minneapolis Tribune, first met Brooks during his coaching days at the University of Minnesota, whose hockey program he resurrected in the 1970’s. The two became fast friends, and here, for the first time, Gilbert relates anecdotes--his own and former players’--that illuminate Brooks’ oftentimes hard-nosed coaching methods, his dramatic successes, and his incomparable character. From Brooks’ beginnings in East St. Paul and his stint with the 1960 gold medal-winning Olympic team (from which he was famously the last player cut), Gilbert goes on to dissect the coach’s tenure with the Gophers (including three national titles) and the Lake Placid story, from the selection process and yearlong barnstorming tour to the Games themselves. Throughout this and later chapters of Brooks’ career--including coaching turns with St. Cloud State University, four NHL teams, and the 2002 U.S. Olympic squad--readers are treated to impossibly colorful quotes, rare photographs from Brooks’ playing and coaching careers, and pertinent sidebar pieces that originally appeared in the Minneapolis Tribune.

    Three of New York Times bestseller Mike Lupica’s wildly popular sports stories gathered together in one box! Baseball and basketball fans will rejoice, for all of their favorite novels are available in one gorgeous package!

    Through the international exposure of the National Basketball Association and its televised games in more than 100 countries, and as a global marketing presence, the star of the Cleveland Cavaliers is rapidly becoming one of the world's most familiar faces. This biography traces the key events in the life of LeBron James during his dizzying rise to fame in high school to his emergence as the first overall pick in the NBA draft as an 18-year-old, to his carrying the underdog Cavaliers to the 2007 NBA Finals.Hyped relentlessly from the time he was a high school sophomore in Ohio, James has lived up to all advance billing and with his charm, smile, and extraordinary basketball skills. James' all-around talent and unselfishness on the court are the trademarks of his play that have made him one of the most feared scorers in the league, but also one of its most versatile rebounders and passers. This biography offers a well-rounded portrait James from the difficulties encountered being raised by a single mother and overcoming poverty, which at times caused the family to move from home to home. Lew Freedman of the Chicago Tribune chronicles the milestones in the life of LeBron James during his dizzying rise to fame. Also highlighted are James' remarkable endorsement deals, particularly his $90 million deal with Nike. The volume is rounded out with a timeline and a bibliography of print and electronic sources to provide suggested readings for students and sports fans alike.

    Soon the Yankees will leave the field, fans will file out and the lights will fade. But the lights will never go out on the Stadium that has proudly worn the moniker "The House That Ruth Built.""Yankee Stadium: The Official Retrospective" recounts the story of this extraordinary American landmark. It captures the creation of a home for the New York Yankees that began in 1923 and was driven by co-owner Jacob Ruppert, who envisioned a ballpark grander than any other conceived at the time. It takes the reader from the field to the dugout, from the press box to the clubhouse, from principal owner George Steinbrenner's office to Monument Park. Every corner of the stadium is revealed.But Yankee Stadium is more than a ballpark. The most iconic moments in history have taken place within its walls: Lou Gehrig's poignant farewell to his team and the fans who would never forget him; epic heavy-weight fights, from Louis versus Schmeling to Ali versus Norton; the 1958 National Football League championship, christened the "Greatest Game Ever Played"; exciting college football games, including the one immortalized by Knute Rockne in which he asked Notre Dame to "win one for the Gipper"; and the unrivaled record-breaking successes of the New York Yankees, from the very first home run hit at the Stadium by Babe Ruth to Alex Rodriguez' 500th.With the unprecedented cooperation of the New York Yankees organization, photographs have been culled from every conceivable source. More than 250 photographs - many never before published - will allow you to walk in the Stadium beside Mantle and Maris, witness the only perfect game in World Series history, and see the Stadium during the stirring 2001 World Series."Yankee Stadium: The Official Retrospective" is more than just photographs. It is also graced with firsthand accounts of what it was like to be there as history unfolded. Some of the contributors include: George Steinbrenner, Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, former Vice President Dan Quayle, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo, Paul McCartney, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, Don Shula, Sugar Ray Leonard, Frank Gifford, Regis Philbin, Joe Torre, Derek Jeter, Don Mattingly, Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez, Yogi Berra, Phil Rizzuto, Reggie Jackson, and Cal Ripken Jr.It has been said that the shaded outfield of Yankee Stadium houses the ghosts of long-gone Yankee greats - at least that's what the players swear they feel as the long days of summer wane into the heated race for the pennant. Or could it be the knowledge that, within those walls, they will always be measured against the titans who came before them? It is the power of the place that led Sports Illustrated to call Yankee Stadium the greatest venue of the twentieth century. And only here, within the pages of "Yankee Stadium: The Official Retrospective," can you feel what they feel.

    Award-winning columnist Michael Rosenberg chronicles the days of campus unrest and civil turmoil during the Vietnam War years as seen through the prism of two legendary college football coaches, Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler.

    With the best words and pictures "SI" has to offer, "The College Football Book" brings to life the game's unparalleled excitement and pageantry, its legendary players, historic teams, and epic rivalries--packaged with the greatest photography and writing available.Time Home Entertainment

    This collection gathers 20 of Smith's stories that showcase the richness of his reporting and the compassion of his craft.

    Illustrated.

    James Montague travelled there for three years, observing the region's cultures and politics through the prism of football and interviewing all the major teams along the way. He soon realised that to understand the game there is to understand its people. For as much as football forms an unlikely common thread between different countries, the sport also reflects what is unique in the national characters of those who play, support and organise it.When Friday Comes is an insightful and humorous account of Montague's journey, during which he gets stoned with the Yemeni FA, harangues Iran's Deputy President at the World Cup, has a gun pulled on him by genocidal Lebanese football fans, encounters a rioting group of fanatical young Jews singing 'I'm West Ham 'til I Die' in mockney English and was made to strip and then dance for the Iraqi national team.This is a compelling travel memoir that will enlighten, surprise and entertain football fans everywhere.

    In 1951, the great featherweight champion Abe Attell was asked if Sugar Ray Robinson was the best of all time, either as a welterweight or middleweight: he named Stanley Ketchel as the greatest welterweight he had ever seen and said that, as for the middleweights, he would take Sam Langford, whom he considered the greatest of them all at that poundage. Remarkably, the man Attell felt was the greatest middleweight fighter in history fought and defeated many of the leading heavyweight contenders of his day. Over time he matured physically and grew into a light heavyweight, then began fighting heavyweights on a regular basis, but he was almost always the much smaller of the two combatants.Founding Ring magazine editor, Nat Fleischer, called Sam one of the hardest punchers of all time, and ranked the little man seventh among his personal all-time favorites. "Sam was endowed with everything. He possessed strength, agility, cleverness, hitting power, a good thinking cap and an abundance of courage. He feared no one. But he had the fatal gift of being too good, and that "is why he often had to give away weight in early days and make agreements with opponents. Many of those who agreed to fight him, especially of his own race,wanted an assurance that he would be merciful or insisted on a bout of not more than six rounds." Other leading sportswriters of that era had even higher opinions of Sam. Hype Igoe, well known boxing writer of the New York Journal proclaimed Sam the greatest fighter, pound for pound, who ever lived. Joe Williams, respected sports columnist of theNew York World Telegram wrote that Langford was probably the best the ring ever saw, and the great Grantland Rice described Sam as "about the best fighting man I have ever watched." At the time of Sam's induction into the Boxing Hall of Fame (October, 1955) he was the only non-champion accorded the honor. Many ring experts considered Sam the greatest pound for pound fighter in the history of boxing. Under different circumstances he might have been a champion at five different weights: lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, light heavyweight,and heavyweight.Blind and penniless at the end of his life, Sam lived quietly in a private nursing home. But when one visitor expressed sympathy for his circumstances, Sam replied, "Don't nobody need to feel sorry for old Sam. I had plenty of good times. I been all over the world. I fought maybe 600 fights, and every one was a pleasure!"

    Includes timelines, quotes, maps, glossary and websites.

    But when the goalie is injured, Jamie has to step in to play the unfamiliar position. With the state championship at stake, can Jamie help his team skate to victory or are they all on thin ice?

    Celebrating their 85th season in 2008-09, the Bruins are a storied team with a long and rich history, and a fascinating cast of characters. Home to players such as Orr, Esposito, Schmidt, Bucyk, Cheevers, O'Reilly, Bourque and Neely, Boston has captured five Stanley Cups as well as numerous division and conference titles.Featuring four decades of pictures from long-time team photographer Steve Babineau, and accompanying text by NESN broadcaster Rob Simpson, Black and Gold will document much of the rich history of the team, including magic moments from the past, star players and coaches such as Ray Bourque, Cam Neely, Terry O'Reilly, Don Cherry, and Joe Thornton, as well as Bruins goalies, grinders, and the old Boston Garden. This epic collection of photographs and commentary from the last four decades, featuring many never-before-seen shots, will be sure to bring back memories for every Bruins fan who bleeds black and gold.

    Fallen Angel tells the tragic story of the man who became Italy’s symbol of rebirth after the disasters of war, yet died reviled and heartbroken.

    In fact, the coach thinks he's one of the best on the team. But Hurley Johnson, the team's captain, doesn't want Peter to take his spot. He'll stop at nothing to make Peter quit. Will Peter give up?

    There was just one difference: rather than supporting the likes of soccer teams Arsenal or Manchester United, Dave’s team of choice was the ever so slightly less glamorous Bromley Football Club—one of the last genuinely amateur soccer teams left, fighting for survival in the lowest non-league division. This tale chronicles Bromley’s worst ever season. Dave turns up to each match with his soccer cleats in his bag, just in case the team is a player short; the team misses so many goals that in one match, the taunting opposition fans actually lose count of the score. The Bromley Boys is the touching true story about supporting a club through thin and even thinner: proof that the more a team may lose on the field, the more there is to gain on the terraces.

    Uncle John’s spirited take on the game takes you deep into that history to paint a detailed picture of where the game came from and where it may be going. You’ll go behind the scenes at spring training, listen in on pitcher’s mound conferences, and meet the players, coaches, fans, and broadcasters who make this the greatest game in the world! Swing for the fences as you read about…Minor league mishapsThe violent history of umpiringThe true story of Lou Gehrig’s heroic rise and tragic fallThe man who pitched a no-hitter while tripping on LSDThe origins of gloves, baseballs, bats, uniforms, helmets, and moreBaseball’s most famous call and how it was saved for posterityThe best and worst teams of all timeAnimals in the outfieldThe birth of Little LeagueThe Abner Doubleday mythAnd much, much more!

    The detailed scrapbook narrative contains neverbefore- published photographs, artwork and memorabilia drawn from UM s extensive campus archives. Tucked into dozens of sleeves and pockets, fans will find reproductions of old game programs, historic tickets, and numerous postcards and photos. These fascinating replicas include the building permit for Michigan Stadium, a letter from high school recruit Gerald Ford to Harry Kipke, and a souvenir program and scorecard from an 1894 game against Cornell. No Wolverine fan should be without this home archive of Michigan s long and illustrious history. Illustrated; Hardcover; 144 Pages.

    At 29, Marcus Trescothick was widely regarded as one of the batting greats. With more than 5,000 Test runs to his name and a 2005 Ashes hero, some were predicting this gentle West Country cricket nut might even surpass Graham Gooch's record to become England's highest ever Test run scorer. But the next time Trescothick hit the headlines it was for reasons no one but a handful of close friends and colleagues could have foreseen. On Saturday, February 25, 2006, four days before leading England into the first Test against India in place of the injured captain Vaughan, Trescothick was out for 32 in the second innings of the final warm-up match. As he walked from the field he fought to calm the emotional storm that was raging inside him, at least to hide it from prying eyes. In the dressing room he broke down in tears, overwhelmed by a blur of anguish, uncertainty, and sadness he had been keeping at bay for longer than he knew. Within hours England's best batsman was on the next flight home. His departure was kept secret until after close of play when coach Duncan Fletcher told the stunned media his acting captain had quit the tour for personal, family reasons. Until now, the full, extraordinary story of what happened that day and why, of what preceded his breakdown has never been told. He reveals for the first time that he almost flew home from the 2004 tour to South Africa, what caused it,  and what followed—his comeback to the England side and a second crushing breakdown nine months later that left him unable to continue the 2006–2007 Ashes tour down under. Coming Back to Me will replace the myths and rumors with the truth as Trescothick talks with engaging openness and enthusiasm about his rise to the top of international cricket; and describes with equal frankness his tortured descent into private despair.

    Packed with exclusive photos from Shawn's personal albums as well as competition photos that highlight Shawn's gymnastic career, the book brings Shawn's talent and energy to life. Filled with stories and quotes from Shawn, her parents, and other people who are close to her, Shawn Johnson: Olympic Champion: Stories Behind the Smile will delight fans, gymnasts, aspiring gymnasts, and parents. This personal look into Shawn's life is made to inspire readers and showcase why she is recognized beyond her gymnastics accomplishments for her positive attitude, sportsmanship, and winning smile.

    Britain’s most famous fictional soccer star — Roy Race — makes his long-awaited return in this first bumper volume, collecting the very best of Roy’s thrilling escapades!Featuring the best of Roy’s matches and adventures from the ’80s, this incredible collection is a must-have for soccer fans of all ages! Thrill once more to the roar of the crowd, as Roy and his team, Melchester Rovers, face trials and tribulations on and off the pitch, as they face relegation, Roy’s marriage is in trouble, and an assassin strikes!With a foreword by former soccer star turned BBC legend Gary Lineker, these are the tales that endeared Roy of the Rovers to British fans of all ages, and provide the ultimate introduction to the best soccer comic ever created!

    This title sets the context for analysis that examines the obstacles each manager faced and the fortune they had along the way. Which manager did the best job? What situation - and what players - did each inherit?

    This book provides profiles of 101 ballpark attractions, museum exhibits, statues, plaques, gravesites, shrines, bars, restaurants, and pop culture landmarks that reflect the game’s rich history and quirky lore.

    This detailed "scrapbook" contains never-before-published photographs, artwork, and memorabilia drawn from BYU's athletic department and school archives. Tucked into dozens of pockets, fans will find reproductions of old game programs, historic tickets, postcards and photos. These fascinating replicas include an 1897 players list, a 1926 team photo, a 1967 Phil Odle card, a 1974 Knothole card, a 1984 LaVell Edwards coach of the year photo, a 1990 Ty Detmer Heisman Trophy promotional "Ty" and a 2004 Notre Dame game ticket. No Cougar fan should be without this "home archive" of BYU's illustrious football history.

    Youth sports isn't just orange slices and all-star trophies anymore. It's 14-year-olds who enter high school with a decade of football experience, 9-year-olds competing for national baseball championships, 5-year-old golfers who shoot par, and toddlers made from sperm donated (for a fee) by elite college athletes. It's a year-round "travel team" in every community--and parents who fear that not making the cut in grade school will cost their kid the chance to play in high school. In short, a landscape in which performance often matters more than participation, all the way down to peewee basketball.Much as Fast Food Nation challenged our eating habits and Silent Spring rewired how we think about the environment, Tom Farrey's Game On will forever change the way we look at this desperate culture besotted by the example of Tiger Woods. An Emmy award-winning reporter, Farrey examines the lives of child athletes and the consequences of sorting the strong from the weak at ever earlier ages: fewer active kids, testier sidelines, rising obesity rates, and U.S. national teams that rarely win world titles.He dives into the world of these games that are played by more than 30 million boys and girls, and along the way uncovers some surprising truths. When the very best athletes enter organized play. The best approach to coaching them. And the powerful influence of wealth and genetics. Farrey has written a surprising, alarming, thoughtful, and ultimately empowering book for anyone who wants the best for the newest generation of Americans, as athletes and citizens.

    Between these two events occurs one of the great adventure stories in the history of the sport. Against a backdrop of national turmoil and international crises, Coach Wayne Woodrow Hayes uncharacteristically brings into his lagging program new young coaches and an impressive bunch of extraordinary kids, including the first significant number of African-Americans. There is an irreverent military school lineman who begins the school's lifting program by bringing his own weights, a Brooklyn fullback who can't believe Ohio's open spaces, a running back with New Jersey street-gang cred, and a homegrown quarterback with a bad back and an unassailable talent. All of them labor under the shadow of Hayes, the promethean figure who would leave an indelible legacy as one of the century's great coaches--sly, mercurial, pugnacious, maddeningly contradictory, a larger-than-life figure who carries the football ambitions of an entire state on his beefy shoulders. 1968 is a rich tapestry of scenes and stories throughout an incandescent season, including some of the best football dialogue ever written. In scene after scene, the raw intensity of an unforgettable season pulls the reader along to its breathless climax in Pasadena when the Super Sophs take on one of college's greatest running backs. It's a story that has everything--great drama, achievement, colorful characters, and the complex unfolding of Woody Hayes's multifaceted personality. Near the end of a chaotic decade, the Buckeyesprovide a badly needed feel-good lift to an entire state. And just as Woody predicted, they found themselves a large, inextricably bound family, tied forever by the commonalities of blood--literally theirs--sweat, tears, laughter, and, of course, their near-miraculous season.

    She's thrilled, but not everyone is happy for her. Two of the older girls think Alexis ruined the season for their friend, who didn't make the team. The older girls are out to make Alexis's season terrible. Can she keep up her self-confidence and step up to the net, or will she let the older girls get to her, and lose everything?

    Cyclists and motorcyclists are just discovering the enormous potential of this mountainous region in Asia, from desert to snowline over tarmac or dirt-road, whether for a three-week holiday or a six month epic ride. Kilometre by kilometre guides detail the highest roads in the world, such as the Friendship Highway between Tibet and Nepal, Manali to Leh in India and the Karakoram Highway between Pakistan and China. Hand-drawn maps mark up fuel, food and water en route and city guides will find you a bed and bite to eat whether you’re in Lhasa, Kathmandu, Srinagar or Kasghar. Author Laura Stone has spent three years researching the Himalaya on a bike; this new guide is guaranteed to illuminate, entertain and above all, inspire. Covers the mountainous regions of Pakistan, China, Tibet, India, Nepal, Sikkim and BhutanRoute options - levels of difficulty - road conditions - sample itineraries for 3 weeks / 6 weeks / 2 months / 3 months / 6 monthsPre-trip planning – when to go - choice of bicycle / motorcycle – kit – clothing – maps – health and safety – visas – cultural informationRoute guides – practical information including mechanics and bike shops, how and where to buy or hire a bike in AsiaOver 80 original GPS route maps and elevation profiles

    It is a story of the game itself creating its first modern identity, and into it all is woven the story of a boy whose prowess matched the vibrant passage of a city and a university reaching for their own potential.Finally, it is a love story. In all its odd and mysterious turnings, neither the city nor the university ever forgot the schoolboy. Almost half a century afterward, Chic Harley returned to Columbus and a third of the city lined the downtown streets in the rain to cheer him.Chic Harley is the ghost in the program, a tragic figure who through the life of Ohio Stadium gave as much sustained pleasure to as many people as any athlete of all time.

    Learn how to successfully fish the lakes and streams from an expert. Color fly plates and tying recipes for all the most productive fly patterns. Tackle and technique information that reveals the best ways to hook trout. Information on: backpacking, fishing and hiking checklists, maps and permits, most productive waters. Distribution charts containing names and locations of over 550 rivers and 1,700 lakes and the trout species they contain.

    Includes chapters on being kind, surviving the tough times and finding success.

    The Ohio State Buckeyes have won 7 national football championships, 18 bowl games, and 32 conference championships, and have fielded 7 Heisman Trophy winners and no fewer than 173 All-Americans! Jack Park's Ohio State University Football Vault registers the full glory and fury of this national powerhouse.

    Building on a winning record of accurate predictions, the 2008 annual includes comprehensive coverage of all 32 NFL teams, analysis of off -season personnel changes, and exclusive forecasts for where each team will finish the 2008 season. With statistics for more than 500 skill players along with commentary and KUBIAK projections forecasting their 2008 fantasy football numbers, Pro Football Prospectus is an outstanding and reliable resource for fantasy players, Monday-morning quarterbacks, and die-hard fans everywhere.

    By the time NASCAR roared into the twenty-first century, it had grown into a billion-dollar sports and marketing colossus, its races attended by hundreds of thousands of fans on any given weekend from mid-February through mid-November, watched on television by the second-largest viewing audience in sports, and bankrolled by the marketing largesse of the Fortune 500’s elite.One Helluva Ride, a full-throttle account of the rise and reign of NASCAR nation, is award-winning motorsports reporter Liz Clarke’s chronicle of how stock car racing exploded from regional obsession to national phenomenon. In covering the sport for more than fifteen years, Clarke has developed a strong rapport with NASCAR’s drivers, team owners, and hard-core fans. Through her reporting and analysis, we get to know the public and private sides of NASCAR’s most iconic figures, including seven-time champion Richard Petty, who set the standard for treating fans with respect, and the late Dale Earnhardt, whose brazen, bullying tactics wreaked havoc on the track, but whose heart was as big as Daytona’s infield.The sports world stopped in its tracks the day Earnhardt was killed on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. Some feared that NASCAR’s soul would die with him. But it has raced on, steered by visionary promoters, the all-controlling France family (who founded the sport), and, above all, the next generation of drivers to stir fans’ passions: Dale Earnhardt, Jr., son of the NASCAR legend and now, like his father before him, the circuit’s most popular driver; Jeff Gordon, the beloved but oft-maligned outsider, bred from the cradle to be NASCAR’s winningest modern champion; and Kasey Kahne, a reluctant heartthrob whose confidence derives entirely from an accelerator pedal. Clarke also brings us inside NASCAR’s most triumphant and tragic dynasties: the Pettys, the Earnhardts, and the Allisons–and reveals how faith, family, and a deep-seated love of their sport helps them cope with grief and loss.Clarke shows NASCAR to be at a crossroads. In pursuit of a broader audience, NASCAR has severed its sponsorship ties to Big Tobacco, abandoned racetracks in small markets in favor of speedways near glitzy major cities, and welcomed Japan’s Toyota into a sport traditionally restricted to American-made sedans. As NASCAR races toward mass appeal, some suggest it is leaving its roots behind. To others, it is boldly extending its reach from the Southern workingman to every man, woman, and child in the world. Whether you’re one of the die-hard NASCAR faithful or just a casual follower, nobody brings you closer to the sport and business of big-time stock car racing than Liz Clarke. This book, like the phenomenon it profiles, really is One Helluva Ride.From the Hardcover edition.

    Now someone has finally come out with a book about goalie masks and how they came to look like the one I wear in the NHL today. From the kids who love the colorful mask art of today to those who remember when goalies played without masks, generations of hockey fans will enjoy Saving Face." - Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils goaltender"This book is a great idea. It will benefit goalies to look back to the days before the mask and to understand the reasons for it. And it's worthwhile for kids to see the old masks and see the changes that have been made, and to see how the masks were a part of the Canadian game. It's a very enjoyable real" - Ed Giacomin, Hockey Hall of Fame goalie"The past 50 years have seen the goalie mask evolve from being an object of scorn to being the most individualized and most protective piece of equipment in a goalie's armor. This book does an excellent job of telling that story, in words and visually through great photography!" - Dave Dryden, former NHL goaltender, and pioneering mask designer"Goalie masks have been an intriguing part of hockey for the past half century. This unique book is full of colorful and informative stories and photographs about the mask, its history and the men who have worn them, past and present." - Dick Irvin, Hockey Night in Canada

    And is skateboarding actually a sport? In Stalefish, veteran journalist and former pro skater Sean Mortimer interviews Rodney Mullen, Steve Olson, Tony Hawk, Stacy Peralta, Jamie Thomas, Lance Mountain, Tommy Guerrero, Russ Howell, Mike Vallely, Dave Hackett, Daewon Song, Jim Fitzpatrick, Steve Alba, Kevin Harris, Bob Burnquist and Chris Haslam in search of answers, and to discover what drove them and millions of other disenfranchised youth to obsession with empty pools, sewer ditches, and handrails. This book may not settle the sport versus subculture versus cult debate, but with stories of skate-induced ulcers, skatepark torture, ramp arson, trespassing, the birth of punk, and more, it captures like no other how skateboarding can derail your life in a beautiful way.

    Includes timelines, quotes, maps, glossary and websites.

    With courage, skill, and raw ambition, they not only set a new standard for wave riding, but also succeeded in transforming surfing from a casual lifestyle into a professional sport. Published to coincide with a documentary feature film narrated by Academy Award nominee Edward Norton, Bustin’ Down the Door tells the incredible story of these free ride pioneers. With essays by the surfing legends themselves, along with previously unpublished photographs by award-winning photographers such as Dan Merkel, Bustin’ Down the Door re-creates the genesis of modern surfing from the perspective of the visionaries who turned their unlikely dreams into reality and revolutionized the sport of surfing.

    Louis fan should know. It contains crucial information such as important dates, player nicknames, memorable moments, singular achievements, and signature calls. This guide to all things Cardinals covers the artifact on public display that pays homage to Busch Stadium, the story behind the infamous "kidnapping" of Flint Rhem, and the unforgettable acrobatics of "The Wizard" Ozzie Smith.

    Michael Phelps: The World's Greatest Olympian chronicles the remarkable story of Michael Phelps, who won eight gold medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, as told by the writers, editors, and photographers of USA Today.

    This text recounts the colourful history and lore of rowing, from its beginnings on Britain's historic Thames to its modern global incarnation.

    One Goal is a Blackhawks official commemorative book that chronicles the revitalization of this Original Six franchise under new Chairman Rocky Wirtz and President John McDonough. It features captivating photographs from past and present, details of the Winter Classic at Wrigley Field, profiles of current and former players, including Jonathan Toews and Glenn Hall, and legends Stan Mikita, Bobby Hull, and Tony Esposito’s take on being re-embraced by the organization and their appointments as official Blackhawks ambassadors. From the 300 percent increase in season tickets to the fact that all home games are being televised for the first time in franchise history, Chicago is once again buzzing about hockey and long-suffering fans finally have something to cheer about. One Goal celebrates the new era in Blackhawks history and is a must-have keepsake for fans of all ages.

    Stunning action shots, stories from respected sports writers, and candid off-the-field moments highlight this tribute to an enduring American icon--a man who, more than any other, has played football the way it should be played.

    

    Young soccer players everywhere copy the freestyle skills of heroes like Ronaldo and Beckham.Freestyle hit big after Nike's Joga Bonito ("play beautiful") ad campaign, which featured soccer icons executing amazing freestyle tricks. In rapid succession YouTube uploaded videos of youth doing tricks, and XBox and Playstation 2(R) released freestyle soccer games. Now the sport is recognized with a governing body, there are freestyle shoes, and organized competitions take place worldwide.In Freestyle Soccer Tricks, world-renowned soccer juggler Sean D'Arcy starts with the basics and moves on to impressive kicks, flick-ups, rolls and catches. Fortunately for the inexperienced, many of these tricks can be done without knowing how to juggle the ball. Hundreds of color photos show how each trick is done, with "Common Problem" and "Tip" sidebars providing further instructions.Colorful, portable and designed for its youth market, Freestyle Soccer Tricks meets the increasing demand by participants of this rapidly growing sport.

    Here is the inside story of the Red Wings 2008 run to Stanley Cup glory, featuring hundreds of photos and new commentary from Mitch Albom, Michael Rosenberg, and Drew Sharp.

    Because what happens on that sleepy Midwestern course is the unveiling of a God-given ability to hit a golf ball that few athletes have ever possessed. And as he begins falling in love with the game that at one time had separated him from his father, something far more important begins stirring deep inside Miller's soul, something that offers to change his life - and thousands more - forever.

    From the formative years under Norm Van Brocklin to the Super Bowl squads of Bud Grant, to the ups and downs under Jerry Burns and Dennis Green, Minnesota’s football team has had its share of dramatic triumphs and heart-wrenching defeats. Through it all, the fans have come out in droves to cheer on the Vikes, whether in the cold winter air at Metropolitan Stadium or the hyper-loud surroundings of the Metrodome. Lavishly illustrated and featuring all the key moments, stats, and people behind the stories, Minnesota Vikings: The Complete Illustrated History is the ultimate celebration of an iconic football franchise. It honors the great squads and all the legends and colorful characters who have donned the purple and gold, including Fran Tarkenton, the “Purple People Eaters,” Chuck Foreman, Ahmad Rashad, Randall McDaniel, John Randle, Cris Carter, Anthony Carter, Robert Smith, Randy Moss, and more. Written by one the state’s most revered sports columnists, this is a book that no Vikings fan should be without.

    Among the interviewees are world-renowned scholars, some of the sport's premier trainers, and former amateur and professional world champions. Chapters cover such topics as the ongoing deterioration of boxer's skills, their endurance, the decline in the number of fights and the psychological readiness of championship-caliber boxers. The strengths and weaknesses of today's superstars are analyzed and compared to those of such past greats as Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson, Jack Dempsey and Jake LaMotta.

    This comprehensive book covers everything about soccer, from moves and strategies to teams and organizations to history and lore. Full color.

    Follow the Giants from their early days at Seals Stadium to Candlestick Park to latest decade led by Barry Bonds, from the World Series in 1962 and 1989 (and the earthquake) to the National League Pennant in 2002. Player profiles include 1968 no-hit hurler Gaylord Perry, and high-kicking Juan Marichal; slugger Willie McCovey, National League MVP in 1969, and of course the great Willie Mays, who hit over 600 career homers with the Giants. Other chapters cover stories such as how in 1963 Jesus Alou joined his siblings Felipe and Matty on the roster, giving the team the first all-brother outfield in Major League history. Join some of San Francisco's famous fans, from Peanut's creator Charles Schulz to Danny Glover, Carlos Santana and Robin Williams, in celebration of this golden anniversary. In addition to the often rare and amazing visual history presented in this book, each chapter features reproductions of Giants memorabilia that will provide fans a complete San Francisco Giants scrapbook. And an audio CD of famous play-by-play radio calls, player interviews and more -- collected here for the first time -- makes this book a lasting pleasure.

    But it is more than a sports story. The nation was still recovering from the Great Depression and on the cusp of the greatest war in the history of mankind. One athlete, in particular, understood the historical significance of the moment. Many people who knew Nile Kinnick sincerely believed he would have been one of our nation's greatest leaders. Unfortunately, the country never had the opportunity to witness what this promising young man may have achieved. The story tells of Kinnick's life from high school to his ill-fated flight near Trinidad during WWII. But it's also a story that touches on the lives of his Iowa Hawkeye teammates. They became known as the "Ironmen" because there were very few players on the 1939 team. After two losing seasons in 1937 and 1938, the University of Iowa hired Dr. Eddie Anderson to coach the football team. He was relentless in his pursuit to have the players in the best physical condition of any team in the nation. Many quit. But those that remained made history.

    It contains crucial information such as important dates, player nicknames, memorable moments, and outstanding achievements by singular players. This guide to all things New York Mets covers Robin Ventura's 1999 Grand-Slam single, the 1969 shoe polish incident, and the history behind the names and numbers on the left-field wall.

    Ini adalah 'sayap'-ku...

    This superb collection of 60s and 70s baseball images commemorates the sport's finest moments via the lens of legendary sports photographer Neil Leifer Featuring over 300 photos, the book is divided into four chapters: The Game; the Heroes-like Roberto Clemente, Mickey Mantle, and pitcher Sandy Koufax; the Rivalry (infamously, between the Yankees and the Boston Red Sox and the Giants and Dodgers); and the World Series championship.

    It tells of the anxieties, the tensions, the hopes and fears of the people of the city during this period. It deals with the tense wartime atmosphere created by the presence of the American soldiers, the shortages especially of food - and of the hope for a better world after the war. Caribbean, History ISBN 978-976-8054-55-7 296 pages, illustrated in black and white, softcover only

    With Michele's expert guidance and instruction, you'll coach your players to:Master the mechanics of footwork for fielding with hustleSwing for the fences and hit the fastest pitchesCatch the ball proactively and throw it quickly and accurately to its targetDefend the infield and outfield with speed and confidenceRun the bases swiftly and strategicallyRefine fast-pitch skills so they can windmill like MicheleAnd much more

    This new, updated edition brings the tale from the tragedy of Munich up to the triumph of Moscow, including the protracted sale to American owners, the rise and rise of FC United of Manchester and finally the double whammy of United's 17th league title and the agony and ecstasy of Russian penalty roulette in Moscow. How can a man love one woman, when he is in love with eleven men? When people get married it is "Till death do us part," yet, for almost 40% of the population, marriage ends in divorce. But, when you fall truly, madly, deeply in love with your football team there is no divorce; you do not stray. Your team is the one constant, consistent, permanent, overwhelming obsession in your life. Rarely has a book been written that so painfully yet humorously conveys the all-consuming red-hot passion, joy and despair felt by the vast majority of football fans. With highs so intense it reduces sex to mere skin rubbing, David Blatt puts wives in their rightful place on the substitutes bench as he takes the reader on a journey through his United-watching adventures, from the Busby Babes via the 1968 European Cup final, relegation, promotion, the wilderness years of the 70s and 80s, a first Championship in 26 years and the glorious 1999 treble, which culminated in the unforgettable Champions League triumph in Barcelona. It is a tale that millions of so-called "ordinary" football fans can relate to. After all, how can kissing girls compete with getting up at 5am for a 400 mile round trip for home games?

    Rick Mears won four Indianapolis 500s between 1979-1991 as well as three CART Indy car championships before retiring at the end of 1992 when he realized that a series of injuries had conspired to reduce his ability to operate at the maximum and to enjoy his sport to the fullest. Mears is one of very few great sportsmen who retired at the height of his career in the immediate aftermath of some of his greatest performances.   Equally, when Rick stepped out of the cockpit he enjoyed a superlative reputation as one of the cleanest, most sportsmanlike race car drivers the world has ever known. “He was very polished,” says Mario Andretti in the book’s Prologue. “He was probably one of the most correct drivers out there to race against. I always had the greatest respect for Rick Mears.”  Rick’s story begins in Kansas in the post-WWII years where his mom and dad, Skip and Bill, were born and raised. Bill was an auto mechanic who loved to race and with his young wife’s complete support Bill became a very successful, weekend short track racer across Kansas and Oklahoma before migrating west to California in 1955 and settling in Bakersfield with his young family. Pretty soon, Skip and Bill’s sons, Roger and Rick, were racing; older brother Roger in stock cars and Rick on motorcycles. Bill supported their passion wholeheartedly, providing the motivation, shop, equipment and know-how to build his boys race cars and in the early seventies the ‘Mears Gang’ –as they became known †seriously made their mark in Southern California sprint buggy and off-road racing. Both of them also tackled Pike’s Peak and won. Roger and Rick had different driving styles and personalities. Roger was an aggressive racer, like his father had been, while Rick was more laid-back, more analytical. Neither of them dreamed of becoming serious, professional racers, but in 1976 Rick got his big break thanks to safety equipment man Bill Simpson who gave Rick his first Indy car ride. Simpson saw the rare talent Rick possessed and got Mears’ Indy car career rolling before handing his contract with Rick over to Roger Penske at no cost in the fall of 1977.   Rick became a Penske driver in 1978 and scored his first win in his third race with the team. He went on to win the 1979 Indy 500 and CART championship and establish an enduring relationship with Penske that lasted through and beyond his retirement from driving at the end of 1992. Ultimately, he won four Indy 500s (equalling the record set by A.J. Foyt and Al Unser), three CART championships and twenty-nine Indy car races, and was admired and respected not only as a superb driver and racer but as a rare gentleman on and off the track.   Meanwhile, brother Roger went on to race Indy cars for a few years before focusing his career on off-road racing where he was an extremely successful owner/driver. And the ‘Mears Gang’ tradition carries on today with Roger’s son Casey racing in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup series with the all-powerful Hendrick Motorsports Team where he’s teamed with Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr.    In ‘Rick Mears • Thanks’, veteran racing writer Gordon Kirby, the U.S. editor of Motor Sport, tells the whole story of Rocket Rick Mears and the Mears Gang’s journey from dirt tracks to superspeedways. And the book also shows us how a sportsman or woman should behave as a professional and as a human being.  Enjoy the read and the ride.

    The Boxing Scene, Hauser s provocative new anthology, contains all of his trademark insights and candor as he peels away layers of hypocrisy to reveal the men who make up the contemporary boxing landscape.Hauser exposes the inner workings of HBO Sports; examines the phenomenon of mixed martial arts as it relates to boxing; and records the amusing encounter between his 81-year-old mother and larger-than-life boxing impresario Don King. The Boxing Scene also updates Hauser s personal and professional thoughts on superstars like Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, and Bernard Hopkins as well as fight promoter Bob Arum, announcer Bob Sheridan and a host of others.The Boxing Scene recreates another year in professional boxing and adds to Hauser s definitive record of the sport.

    They're all here -- the original heroes, the '80s superstars and the future Hall of Famers.Luminaries include:Brett Favre Dan Marino Deacon Jones Dick Butkus Forrest Gregg Fran Tarkenton Jerry Rice Joe Montana Joe Namath Johnny Unitas Lawrence Taylor Peyton Manning Roger Staubach Terry Bradshaw Tom Brady ... and 35 others. Football is followed by more fans than any other sport in the United States. It's also cherished by big businesses, which pay $2.7 million for a 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl.Why is professional football so popular? How did it get that way? Who are the men who carried this storied league to the biggest stage in the United States? Allan Maki assesses the NFL's rise to greatness with three compelling essays on the men, the moments and the circumstances that have created the game that's watched today by hundreds of millions of people worldwide. In addition to the player profiles, 32 franchise profiles chart the league's rise to greatness.Football's Greatest Stars is a superb book for fans, and a compelling history of a great game.

    Ten little questions to prove if you really know everything about the events and championships that have raised the rafters in arenas across the globe and carved a place in the history of WWE for the Superstars who dared to step into the ring.We dare you to step up. Take the challenge. It might not be a Texas Death match, but you never know.

    Here he highlights his favorites with behind-the-scenes anecdotes. For the famous "Blue Dunk" overhead shot of Michael Jordan taken in 1987, Iooss personally painted the parking lot, stationed himself in a cherry picker and waited for the shot. While shadowing "Tiger Woods" from hole to hole in Carlsbad in 2000, the photographer purposefully wore dark glasses the entire day so as to not look in the golfer's eyes. And in 2003, Iooss literally couldn't sleep the night before reuniting Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier for their first photo together in 30 years. In a lyrical display, we witness a creative evolution as Iooss continually discovers new ways and approaches to capture the athletic spirit. Iooss' passion, power and perspective are clearly at play in this artful package.

    In compact, conversational poems that build into a narrative long poem, Night Work: The Sawchuk Poems follows the tragic trajectory of the life and work of Terry Sawchuk, dark driven genius of a goalie who survived twenty tough seasons in an era of inadequate upper-body equipment and no player representation. But no summary touches the searching intensity of Maggs's poems. They range from meditations on ancient/modern heroism to dramatic capsules of actual games, in which the mystery of character meets the mystery of transcendent physical performance. Night Work: The Sawchuk Poems is illustrated with photographs mirroring the text, depicting key moments in the career of Terry Sawchuk, his exploits and his agony."Through his marvelous, moving poetry, Randall Maggs gets closer than any biographer to the heart of the darkest, most troubled figure in the history of the national game. This may be the truest hockey book ever written. It reaches a level untouched by conventional sports literature... His Sawchuk is real."—Stephen BruntRandall Maggs is the author of Timely Departures (poetry, 1994), and co-editor of two anthologies pairing Newfoundland and Canadian poems with those of Ireland. He is artistic director of Newfoundland's March Hare festival of music and literature, and teaches literature at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, Memorial University.

    At the end of last season, Garry sabotaged Michael's chances of becoming the league's top scorer. Now Michael is taking his revenge. He's got plenty of opportunity, too, for the Rockets are taking part in a week-long lacrosse tournament held at an overnight camp. Garry tries to ignore Michael, but the bullying finally gets to him-and what happens next sets off a string of near-disasters that finds Garry in the heart of a firestorm . . . This latest installment in Matt Christopher's bestselling series combines all the lacrosse action and mystery his fans crave.

    Includes timelines, quotes, maps, glossary and websites.

    Yes, even in a league loaded with superior athletic talent, the teaching, tactical maneuvers, and strategies provided by NBA coaches are second to none. And as younger, sometimes less mature and less experienced players from all over the world have entered the league, those coaching skills are more diverse and better honed than ever before.Now NBA Coaches Playbook takes you into the practice sessions and sideline huddles with detailed Xs and Os and more from the game's best at maximizing performance on the court. Let the likes of Phil Jackson, Mike D'Antoni, Avery Johnson, Stan Van Gundy, George Karl, Eddie Jordan, Mike Dunleavy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and many other head and assistant coaches provide you with new insights to benefit your own team and individual players.

    It's the story of two men who never should have met, and when they did, one killed the other. There are walk-on parts for Don King, George Foreman, the FBI and a fallen NFL hero, yet it's the two central characters - sociopathic door-to-door-sales-king-turned-boxing-promoter Rick 'Elvis' Parker and his loyal, naive and ultimately incorruptible fighter Tim Anderson - that make this story extraordinary and unforgettable.It would be impossible to invent a man like Rick Parker, a freakishly fat ginger-haired giant who modelled his personal style on Elvis Presley and wanted to become the next Don King. Don himself told Rick how to do it - find a white man who could become the heavyweight champion of the world. Then Rick met Tim Anderson, a handsome, funny former baseball pro - was he the fighter to take Parker all the way? Rick left a trail of fixed fights and violent mayhem all across the South, but his dream stayed out of reach. By the end of his reign of terror Tim would be broke, poisoned and facing the hardest choice of all. And now Tim is doing life without parole in a state prison, and Rick - well, Rick's dead.By juxtaposing the lives of these two extraordinary men, The Years of the Locust turns a remarkable, riotous true-crime story into a profound examination of chance, choices and remorse - one that's scary, sad and blackly, bleakly funny.

    This book includes sample conditioning plans for younger swimmers, competitive swimmers, masters swimmers and even triathletes.

    Features the development of the game throughout Australia, especially the players, coaches and fans. Includes Mike Sheahan's Top 50 players of all time. Copious photographs: black and white and colour.

    This field guide by Dave Bosanko features detailed information about 75 types of Ohio fish, and the book’s waterproof pages make it perfect for the dock or boat. Identify your catches with the intricately detailed fish illustrations, and verify them using the “Similar Species” comparison features. Then read fascinating facts on spawning behavior, feeding habits and more. Plus, match up your best catches against the state and North American records. With inside information for locating fishing hotspots, this book is essential for every tackle box, beach bag, RV and cabin.

    Founded on December 4, 1909, the team won its first Stanley Cup in 1916. Since then, the Canadiens have won 23 more championships, making them the most successful hockey team in the world. The team has survived two wars, the Great Depression, NHL expansion, and countless other upheavals, thanks largely to the loyalty of fans and an extraordinary cast of players, coaches, owners, and managers. The Montreal Canadiens captures the full glory of this saga. It weaves the personalities, triumphs, heartaches, and hysteria into a compelling narrative with a surprise on every page. It sheds new light on old questions – how the team colours were chosen, how the Canadiens came to be known as the Habitants – and goes behind the scenes of tumultuous recent events still awaiting thorough examination: why Scotty Bowman was passed over as general manager after Sam Pollock resigned; why Pollock’s successor, Irving Grunman, failed; why Serge Savard was dumped as GM so hastily despite his record.Colourful and controversial, The Montreal Canadiens is the history of a team that has been making news for 100 years – and continues to do so with the return of legendary player Bob Gainey as general manager, determined to bring the Stanley Cup back to Montreal.

    Mulkey went on to win two national championships at Louisiana Tech, as well as a gold medal with the 1984 U.S. Women’s Olympic basketball team. She served as an assistant coach on Louisiana Tech’s 1988 national championship, then turned around Baylor University’s women’s basketball program by coaching them to a national championship in a mere five years.In Won’t Back Down, Mulkey reveals the many trials she has overcome, and how her children and her coaching have sustained her in her most difficult moments.

    TEN . AND OUT !" explores more than just the ring battles of a legendary champion.It takes us from a roped-off arena to a far larger battleground, that of life itself. Having fought 112 fights on five continents, the holder of six championship belts and appreciated as a warrior who took on all comers, Emile Griffith captivated the boxing world with his exciting style and a disarming personality. Enshrined in the International Boxing Hall of Fame as a charter inductee, Emile Griffith's place in boxing history as one of the greatest prizefighters ever to climb into a ring is assured. However, Emile Griffith's toughest battle was waged without gloves and it was fought outside the ring. He battled ethereal demons and devils, and, at times, himself. It was an inner conflict, but a battle that he had to wage - a struggle to bring together two lives - both his. Emile Griffith did not choose his career as a prizefighter. It just happened and it all came so naturally that he accepted that this was his world. Nor did he choose his lifestyle, how he lived it or who he lived it with. It, too, came so naturally that he never questioned that this, also, was his world. However, there was always the apprehension that his two worlds were incompatible.

    New content and exciting redesign to feel more like the SI Kids magazine.This exciting sports almanac will tell kids everything they want and need to know about the previous year in sports (Fall '07 through Summer '08). It includes major sports (basketball, baseball, football, hockey); "secondary sports" (golf, tennis, cycling, auto racing); and action sports (BMX, snowboarding, in-line skating).YEAR IN SPORTS 2009 is heavily illustrated with Sports Illustrated's fabulous action photos. It will also feature an all-new 16-page, four-color insert that contains photos of the year's most thrilling moments and memorable athletes.