The State of Sports Jan. 8th

-Book Reviews


-Chasing Stienbrenner: Pursuing the Pennant in Boston & Toronto
-By- Rob Bradford
Rob Bradford, beat writer for the Lowell-Sun, wrote this book before the spring training of 2004. So we are moving through the 2003 season following both the Red Sox and Blue Jays front offices. It has a lot of stuff on the beginning of the season, and the end of the season outcomes, but nothing really on the middle of the season. You expect for good MLB coverage on the amateur June draft, like the awesome chapter in Moneyball, but it is hardly that. You go in thinking this book is about George Steinbrenner, but it hardly even mentions his name. Bradford paints the portrait of JP Riccardi, Kevin Millar, Brandon Lyon, and other players of the 03' season so well. But the book fell way short of my expectations.

On the bright side, he does make a good point. He mentions the fault of the bullpen by committee that the Sox opened the season with. He mentions of all people, Brandon Lyon, who actually plays an important role in this book. I was hoping for an intricate look inside a front office, and got that. I was looking for him to maybe paint the portrait of Theo and his front office and how they worked together. I was hoping to maybe use that as proof that Theo really maybe is just sitting out and advising the current front office. The only thing I can draw, is that they worked as a team. There really was no drama, and it was like your typical accounting office, down to the fantasy football draft.

I was disappointed, but maybe you wont be. Maybe you will walk away from this book with something else. I will use this book as the low and Moneyball as the high when it comes to books about a francises front office. This book makes you appreciate the small market teams, like Toronto a little more.

-Perfect I'm Not: Boomer on beer, Brawls, Backaches, and Baseball
-By- David Wells
The David Wells autobiography really is as good as advertised. I bought this book in October, and put it on the backburner most of the time to write this blog. However, I should have finished it way sooner than I did. He makes you look at things from the players point of view. He is not your typical player, because hes a guy. Your typical guy. Beer drinking, woman chasing, average joe guy. Thats the point of view you see. Forget, that he is somewhat of a hothead. Hes a normal guy, just like anyone else, and thats the point of view you have to read the book from.

Theres something about David Wells ive liked. Hes consistent. Hes good for 13-15 wins a year. Hes one of the oldest pitchers in baseball, and (hopefully) still going to pitch for the Sox next season. His stories are priceless, on the many pranks he had, and his inside look at inside a major league clubhouse. He just goes season from season to season when he started out in the Blue Jay farm system, and up through the 02' Yankee season. He literally breaks it down, and tells it like it is. I think that is one of the best qualitys of the book.

I can see why Roger Clemens was mad about Wells being half drunk, while pitching a perfect game. Wells literally makes it sound like being drunk "enhanced" his pitches, and it was one of the best things to ever happen to him. I mean, 6-7 pages for quite the story. Wells literally braggs about it. But, that's just Boomer for you. This book is a must read, and im glad I waited for the book to come out in paperback. If only he had waited until he was out of baseball.


-Patriot Reign
-By- Michael Holley
Of all the books ive read, this is probably one of the most soundly written books ive read. Holley wanted to write this after the first superbowl season (over the Rams), but the Pats fell short of everyones expecations. But, the irony is you realize that both Scott Pioli and Belichick make some key moves to help out the ball club. Both go out and win another championship. Holley paints a picture of both men and thier quest to put out the best on the field, without mentioning the cap numbers. You dont even think twice about the money aspect of things, because that's not what this book is about.

This book is about the New England Patriots. This book is about the front office, the world champion coaching staff, and its players. This book is about the ups and downs of football. You get the look on how Belichick tries to find ways to win.

Towards the middle of the book, Holley starts mentioning who they played on a week-by-week basis, and I just love how he does it. It makes you think, "where was I when this happened?" I love that, because thats what makes being a Pats fan so interresting. Holley doesnt even have to say what happened, you just get this reminder. And then you remember. This is one of the keys that makes this book so good.

Holleys many Belichicks anecdotes never seem to run out. The charm of the Patriots, and its players never runs dry in this book. You see a side of Tom Brady that you so totally want to see. One of those players who loves to play when the game is on the line. Thats when he wants to shine, and compete for a title. You see, the struggle of how the Pats in the early 90's were just bad with Parcells, even though he won an AFC championship. Then you see the contrast of how really good Belicheck really is. The comparing and contrasting of two really good coaches is very good.

I highly recommend this book to any football fan, any sports fan, and my dad (who really doesnt care about sports that much). This easy read is for anyone who likes to read about a front office in the "cut-throat" nature of the NFL, and anyone who just likes to read.

-Bridgwater State Coach Joe Farroba, and Bosoxguy both recommended that I get "Education of a Coach, "by Redford, but I will wait until it comes out in paperback.