This is a book for professional football fans who love the history and evolution of the game, and the X's and O's that keep coaches up until the wee hours of the morning.
Author Tim Layden, Senior Writer at Sports Illustrated, has laid out a reasonably well organized set of chapters that goes into the innovations in football strategy that have made the game what it is today.
He starts out back in days of Pop Warner and the Single Wing formation. Back in the rough and tumble days when football was about big men smashing into each other and running the ball, Pop Warner came up with a formation that maximized deception and utilized the full talents of three running backs (with the quarterback essentially handling ball and either handing off or running). He then walks through all the variations of this basic attack in both college and professional football that defined the game for decades.
As we get into the modern era there is an excellent chapter on the late Don "Air" Coryell and his passing attack that really is the progenitor of many of the pass happy offenses in today's NFL. Of course Coryell's strategy was attacking deep with his platoon of great receivers and Hall of Fame Quarterback Dan Fouts. Coryell's offense was the origin of some utterly failed and passé schemes like the run and shoot offense. But it's also the foundation for very successful offenses such as Sam Wyche's no huddle offense that took the Cincinnati Bengals to the Super Bowl, the K-Gun Offense with Jim Kelly and the Buffalo Bills riding their pass oriented offense to four consecutive trips to the big dance, and The Greatest Show on Turf highlighting the offense of Mike Martz and quarterback Kurt Warner, culminating in a Super Bowl win.
Bill Walsh's "West Coast Offense" featuring the short passing game and receivers that can run after the catch is, of course, the other great offensive scheme that dominates the NFL's passing schemes today. Layden has a very nice chapter on how Walsh's scheme evolved and its importance in today's NFL.
Thankfully, Layden doesn't forget the defense. From the zone blitz, the cover two (made famous by Tony Dungy and Monte Kiffin in Tampa Bay), and Buddy Ryan's 46 defense that focuses on attacking the quarterback, to the late Jim Johnson's Double A Gap blitz, he lays it all out with clear prose. He tells how and why the schemes came about, and gives us a glimpse into the personalities of the coaches who created them.
There are several excellent aspects to this book. First the author describes the X's and O's and why various formations or schemes evolved the way they did in a prose that is easily understandable to the avid football fan. He also places each scheme within the context of the history and rules of the game that made the formations or schemes more than passing fads but foundations that can be seen in today's game. And finally, he allows the personalities of some of the great football minds to come forth in the book, so it's not just dry chalk talk.
The only drawback to the book is it does not fully explain how changes in the rules are really what have made offensive football today more about the pass than the run by limiting what defenses are allowed to do to stop it. While rule changes are mentioned, and certainly rule changes often spur innovation in the game, these changes are not given enough "credit" for how the game has evolved.
Despite these drawbacks this is a great football book for football fans. It is not a book for the very casual fan, but it clearly is not intended to be. It's impossible to go into all the chapters in one review, suffice it to say there is much more here for the football fan to absorb.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
A Book about the US Senate Devoid of Substance
This is an embarrassingly bad book on the U.S. Senate. It is devoid of real substance, lacks depth, and is utterly uninformative. I'm not even sure why any publisher would waste the paper and ink to print it.
Here the author follows several newly elected Senate members after the 2006 midterm elections where the voters repudiated the policies of George Bush and the Iraq War and the Democrats wrested control of the Senate from Republicans. The book does a rather poor job of really delving into his subjects and their personalities, with the exception of Jim Webb (D-VA) and Jon Tester (D-Montana). But even there the author interjects himself into the stories too much, to the detriment of the book and the reader.
The basic premise of the book is that nothing much gets done in the Senate, at least not quickly. Progress is measured over several years. And he shows the frustration of the high powered freshman entering the Senate and their inability to impact policy quickly. While the book gives a nod to the nation's Founding Fathers and the Constitution of the United States of America, where the Senate is supposed to be an august body that cools the passion of the people, he paints the Senate as dysfunctional because of its arcane rules and the power of the minority to block legislation. Of course, he also notes that extreme partisanship is also part of the problem. Nothing gets done. The problem is the author goes into no depth about the history of the Senate and why it really works the way it does. Nor does the book discuss the pros and cons of how the Senate is supposed to work, how it really works, and any diagnosis of what might make it work better.
Even more annoying is the author is extremely political and much of the writing is a not so subtle attack on George Bush, the Iraq War, and the Republicans. Which is all fine, but it detracts from telling the reader anything new about the Senate that isn't in the newspaper and news programs on a daily basis.
For anyone wanting to learn anything new about the Senate, look elsewhere.
Here the author follows several newly elected Senate members after the 2006 midterm elections where the voters repudiated the policies of George Bush and the Iraq War and the Democrats wrested control of the Senate from Republicans. The book does a rather poor job of really delving into his subjects and their personalities, with the exception of Jim Webb (D-VA) and Jon Tester (D-Montana). But even there the author interjects himself into the stories too much, to the detriment of the book and the reader.
The basic premise of the book is that nothing much gets done in the Senate, at least not quickly. Progress is measured over several years. And he shows the frustration of the high powered freshman entering the Senate and their inability to impact policy quickly. While the book gives a nod to the nation's Founding Fathers and the Constitution of the United States of America, where the Senate is supposed to be an august body that cools the passion of the people, he paints the Senate as dysfunctional because of its arcane rules and the power of the minority to block legislation. Of course, he also notes that extreme partisanship is also part of the problem. Nothing gets done. The problem is the author goes into no depth about the history of the Senate and why it really works the way it does. Nor does the book discuss the pros and cons of how the Senate is supposed to work, how it really works, and any diagnosis of what might make it work better.
Even more annoying is the author is extremely political and much of the writing is a not so subtle attack on George Bush, the Iraq War, and the Republicans. Which is all fine, but it detracts from telling the reader anything new about the Senate that isn't in the newspaper and news programs on a daily basis.
For anyone wanting to learn anything new about the Senate, look elsewhere.
Ironweed by William Kennedy: A Worthy Pulitzer Winner
Ironweed is a Pulitzer Prize winning novel focusing on the down and out Francis Phelan, a homeless bum living day to day on booze and whatever cash he can make on odd jobs. The novel is set in Albany, New York during the depression, from which Francis hails, and he spends part of his time trying to avoid his family and old haunts. Francis was once a professional baseball player with talent, but is now simply a homeless wreck. He lives is deep guilt over accidently dropping and killing his infant son, Gerald, as well has other violent and deadly acts he perpetrated. Eventually Francis makes contact with his family which provides some balm for his fractured conscience. The opening scene, where Phelan is working a day job as a gravedigger where he visits his dead child's grave sets the tone and emotion of the entire novel and all his actions, good and bad, have a deep meaning in understanding Phelan and his plight.
This is a fairly short novel at just over 200 pages but it is a very deep and intricate portrait of man who has thrown his life away through bad choices and a violent temper. Given the brevity of the novel and the way all events hang together in one kaleidoscope of a somewhat fractured psyche, it's really best to read the book in on sitting.
This is a fairly short novel at just over 200 pages but it is a very deep and intricate portrait of man who has thrown his life away through bad choices and a violent temper. Given the brevity of the novel and the way all events hang together in one kaleidoscope of a somewhat fractured psyche, it's really best to read the book in on sitting.
Bret Hart's Biography of His Career in Professional Wrestling
Bret Hart's account of his career in professional wrestling is not only an outstanding autobiography of an icon in the sport, but also of the history of pro wrestling period.
Bret Hart grew up in a wrestling family. His father, Stu Hart, was a pioneer in the sport, promoting wrestling matches in Canada through the late 1940's through most of the rest of his life. Up to the 1990's wrestling was largely controlled by regional promoters who respected each other's territories and shared wrestling talent for main events. As Bret tells of his growing up and early years in the sport wrestling for his father, you learn it really was a complete carnival like atmosphere. From regular size true tough men and wrestling pioneers like Lou Thesz, to behemoths like Andre the Giant, to midgets and women wrestling, it was all quite a circus.
He tells of those early days in Canada and his friendships with Davey Boy Smith, Tom Billington known as the Dynamite Kid, and Jim the Anvil Neidhart, while traveling around in cars or vans full of wrestlers from one small town to another performing matches. As will be detailed throughout the book, drugs and steroids destroyed the lives of Billington and Davey Boy Smith, and nearly did the same for Neidhart.
The regional system, by many accounts, worked out well for both wrestlers and promoters in an industry where many could make money. But then came Vince McMahon, Jr. and his drive to monopolize the sport and destroy the regional system built up over the years by the sport's icons. McMahon was basically successful in his effort.
Hart went on to star in McMahon's World Wresting Federation (WWF), now called World Wresting Entertainment (WWE) and held its championship belt on multiple occasions.
What is utterly fascinating about the entire industry is the rampant personalities and politics that go on behind the scenes to determine how matches will be promoted and how they will end, which is critical to build up a clash and audience, and to build up a career. And it is that desire to stay strong and be a viable superstar that leads to be biggest challenge in determining how matches are going end. No star wants to be beaten and pinned unless it's to build up for a big clash. And that desire not to be placed on the losing end of matches causes the most conflict in the sport.
Hart is brutally honest about the rampant use of steroids and illicit drugs in the sport. Most attribute the early deaths of many wrestlers like the tragic Von Erich brothers, Chris Benoit, and Davey Boy Smith, to name only a few, to abuse of steroids and drugs. Further, while the matches might be decided ahead of time, the physical toll constantly wresting takes on the body is also evident in the debilitating injuries or deterioration many wrestler's suffer late in their career or after they retire. It is clear from Hart's account of the wresting business that promoter's like McMahon see their wrestler as disposable commodities and treat them as such. There's always another young buck to come along and replace today's stars. The life of a wrestler is both glamorous but physically and mentally debilitating.
Vince McMahon comes off looking like a total cretin in Hart's account of all the lies and false promises and dirty machinations behind the scenes. Late in Hart's career when he decided to leave the WWF for a rival promotion he was set to fight Shawn Michaels for Hart's championship belt. He and McMahon agreed that in a match with Shawn Michaels in Montreal that the fight would end in interference from outside the ring and huge brawl with no real outcome to the match and then Hart would lose later to Michaels for the championship belt before he left. Instead, a secret plot concocted by McMahon lead to chaos and the infamous Montreal Screwjob. Hart let Michaels put him in a submission hold during the match, which he was supposed to reverse, but McMahon came out and had the bell rung to end the match and declared Michaels the winner, even though Hart did not submit. Hart did not want to lose in front of his fans in Montreal and McMahon betrayed him. Leading up to all this was what can only be described as hatred and even jealously between Shawn Michaels and Hart. Their animosity toward each other stirred the cauldron even more.
Bret Hart went on to Ted Turner's promotion the World Championship Wresting but was not very successful there. Other accounts, including Hart's, talks about what a disjointed soap opera the promotion was with internal politics among legends of the sport like Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan calling most of the shots.
Along the way in Hart's journey through life we meet many personalities of the wresting world and what it was like to be star wrestler traveling the world. Part of this memoir also includes memories of Bret Hart's younger brother, Owen Hart, who died in a tragic ring accident in May 1999.
In 2002, Hart suffered a stroke that kept him out of action and rehabilitating for quite some time. Sadly, Hart, at nearly 53, is even wrestling again. As he said in his book, it's hard to give up the sport.
Overall this is a surprisingly well-written and organized autobiography and history of the sport and highly recommended.
Bret Hart grew up in a wrestling family. His father, Stu Hart, was a pioneer in the sport, promoting wrestling matches in Canada through the late 1940's through most of the rest of his life. Up to the 1990's wrestling was largely controlled by regional promoters who respected each other's territories and shared wrestling talent for main events. As Bret tells of his growing up and early years in the sport wrestling for his father, you learn it really was a complete carnival like atmosphere. From regular size true tough men and wrestling pioneers like Lou Thesz, to behemoths like Andre the Giant, to midgets and women wrestling, it was all quite a circus.
He tells of those early days in Canada and his friendships with Davey Boy Smith, Tom Billington known as the Dynamite Kid, and Jim the Anvil Neidhart, while traveling around in cars or vans full of wrestlers from one small town to another performing matches. As will be detailed throughout the book, drugs and steroids destroyed the lives of Billington and Davey Boy Smith, and nearly did the same for Neidhart.
The regional system, by many accounts, worked out well for both wrestlers and promoters in an industry where many could make money. But then came Vince McMahon, Jr. and his drive to monopolize the sport and destroy the regional system built up over the years by the sport's icons. McMahon was basically successful in his effort.
Hart went on to star in McMahon's World Wresting Federation (WWF), now called World Wresting Entertainment (WWE) and held its championship belt on multiple occasions.
What is utterly fascinating about the entire industry is the rampant personalities and politics that go on behind the scenes to determine how matches will be promoted and how they will end, which is critical to build up a clash and audience, and to build up a career. And it is that desire to stay strong and be a viable superstar that leads to be biggest challenge in determining how matches are going end. No star wants to be beaten and pinned unless it's to build up for a big clash. And that desire not to be placed on the losing end of matches causes the most conflict in the sport.
Hart is brutally honest about the rampant use of steroids and illicit drugs in the sport. Most attribute the early deaths of many wrestlers like the tragic Von Erich brothers, Chris Benoit, and Davey Boy Smith, to name only a few, to abuse of steroids and drugs. Further, while the matches might be decided ahead of time, the physical toll constantly wresting takes on the body is also evident in the debilitating injuries or deterioration many wrestler's suffer late in their career or after they retire. It is clear from Hart's account of the wresting business that promoter's like McMahon see their wrestler as disposable commodities and treat them as such. There's always another young buck to come along and replace today's stars. The life of a wrestler is both glamorous but physically and mentally debilitating.
Vince McMahon comes off looking like a total cretin in Hart's account of all the lies and false promises and dirty machinations behind the scenes. Late in Hart's career when he decided to leave the WWF for a rival promotion he was set to fight Shawn Michaels for Hart's championship belt. He and McMahon agreed that in a match with Shawn Michaels in Montreal that the fight would end in interference from outside the ring and huge brawl with no real outcome to the match and then Hart would lose later to Michaels for the championship belt before he left. Instead, a secret plot concocted by McMahon lead to chaos and the infamous Montreal Screwjob. Hart let Michaels put him in a submission hold during the match, which he was supposed to reverse, but McMahon came out and had the bell rung to end the match and declared Michaels the winner, even though Hart did not submit. Hart did not want to lose in front of his fans in Montreal and McMahon betrayed him. Leading up to all this was what can only be described as hatred and even jealously between Shawn Michaels and Hart. Their animosity toward each other stirred the cauldron even more.
Bret Hart went on to Ted Turner's promotion the World Championship Wresting but was not very successful there. Other accounts, including Hart's, talks about what a disjointed soap opera the promotion was with internal politics among legends of the sport like Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan calling most of the shots.
Along the way in Hart's journey through life we meet many personalities of the wresting world and what it was like to be star wrestler traveling the world. Part of this memoir also includes memories of Bret Hart's younger brother, Owen Hart, who died in a tragic ring accident in May 1999.
In 2002, Hart suffered a stroke that kept him out of action and rehabilitating for quite some time. Sadly, Hart, at nearly 53, is even wrestling again. As he said in his book, it's hard to give up the sport.
Overall this is a surprisingly well-written and organized autobiography and history of the sport and highly recommended.
Jaywalker Rocks!
Joseph Teller has created one of the most unique and entertaining characters in fiction with defense attorney, rule bender, and decorum stretcher, Harrison J. Walker, know to all as just Jaywalker. For Jaywalker, a case is not just a case but a life and death struggle for his client and he pulls out all the stops to get his clients found "not guilty."
In Overkill Jaywalker is defending a young kid, Jeremy Estrada, who had been terrorized by a punk gang of kids throughout the summer. After getting up enough nerve to ask a beautiful girl out, and whom he falls in love with, the taunting and threats from the gang go over the top. Eventually, after taking his girlfriend out to a carnival, Jeremy gets into a fistfight with one of the gang members. The way Jeremy tells it, the punk pulls a gun on him as he is winning the fight. In the ensuing struggle the gun goes off and grazes the guy. But there's a catch. Jeremy has wrested the gun away from the young tough and by all accounts chased him down and put a bullet between his eyes at point blank range while he is laying on the ground, beaten. Jeremy says it is self-defense. The State of New York says its murder. And Jaywalk sets out for that all important "not guilty" verdict as Jeremy refuses to plea bargain.
This is one of Teller's best novels to date as Jaywalker, using his unique and unconventional methods, walks us through the trial and his strategies to sway the jury to the case his way. It is a legal thriller that is entertaining from the opening page to the last page and one that Jaywalker fans and fans of legal thrillers should thoroughly enjoy.
In Overkill Jaywalker is defending a young kid, Jeremy Estrada, who had been terrorized by a punk gang of kids throughout the summer. After getting up enough nerve to ask a beautiful girl out, and whom he falls in love with, the taunting and threats from the gang go over the top. Eventually, after taking his girlfriend out to a carnival, Jeremy gets into a fistfight with one of the gang members. The way Jeremy tells it, the punk pulls a gun on him as he is winning the fight. In the ensuing struggle the gun goes off and grazes the guy. But there's a catch. Jeremy has wrested the gun away from the young tough and by all accounts chased him down and put a bullet between his eyes at point blank range while he is laying on the ground, beaten. Jeremy says it is self-defense. The State of New York says its murder. And Jaywalk sets out for that all important "not guilty" verdict as Jeremy refuses to plea bargain.
This is one of Teller's best novels to date as Jaywalker, using his unique and unconventional methods, walks us through the trial and his strategies to sway the jury to the case his way. It is a legal thriller that is entertaining from the opening page to the last page and one that Jaywalker fans and fans of legal thrillers should thoroughly enjoy.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Excellent Family Saga
Bill Warrington is an aging curmudgeon who has estranged his three children over the years, especially after losing his beloved wife to cancer when the kids were young. She was the ballast that kept the darker sides of Bill’s personality in check, and without that he drifted into alcoholism and as his children became adults they mostly abandoned him, with the exception of his daughter Marcy. The children also mostly abandoned each other and have very emotionally distant relationships with each other.
Marcy has her own foibles to deal with as she struggles to raise her headstrong 15 year old daughter April as a single mother. April feels oppressed by her mother’s overbearing control over her life and the two are in constant battle. April finds a kind of solace in her aging grandfather who is losing his memory and is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s that appears to quickly progress during the novel.
Nick, the middle child, recently lost his wife as well. While of the three children he is the most emotionally steady, he is also a bit naïve as he struggles to overcome his grief and move on with this life. Mike, the oldest, is the most despicable character of the three. He is a serial philanderer and user of women, despite having a successful career and a beautiful wife and children.
In an attempt to bring his three children together, Bill sets off with April on a road trip from Ohio to California. As April and her grandfather travel across the west we see April confronted with very adult, and sometimes dangerous situations that she must cope with on her own because of the declining mentally abilities of her grandfather. As the strange bond between the two grows, we see April literally growing up as Bill slips further into mental fogginess and she essentially becomes his caretaker on the road. This relationship is a fascinating juxtaposition of the aging and dying Bill with his coming of age granddaughter.
Meanwhile, Bill has set a plan in place to reunite his children in their search from him and April.
This is a well written and entertaining novel. Throughout the author lets us into the fractured lives of this unusual family. The author does and excellent job with characterization, showing the good and the bad of each family member in ways that builds some empathy from the reader (with the possible exception of Mike). And the story does an excellent job of portraying the single mother and teenage daughter relationship in a way that neither is entirely right or wrong in their grievances against the other.
Overall, this is an excellent novel about a fractured family that Bill has one last chance to make whole.
Marcy has her own foibles to deal with as she struggles to raise her headstrong 15 year old daughter April as a single mother. April feels oppressed by her mother’s overbearing control over her life and the two are in constant battle. April finds a kind of solace in her aging grandfather who is losing his memory and is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s that appears to quickly progress during the novel.
Nick, the middle child, recently lost his wife as well. While of the three children he is the most emotionally steady, he is also a bit naïve as he struggles to overcome his grief and move on with this life. Mike, the oldest, is the most despicable character of the three. He is a serial philanderer and user of women, despite having a successful career and a beautiful wife and children.
In an attempt to bring his three children together, Bill sets off with April on a road trip from Ohio to California. As April and her grandfather travel across the west we see April confronted with very adult, and sometimes dangerous situations that she must cope with on her own because of the declining mentally abilities of her grandfather. As the strange bond between the two grows, we see April literally growing up as Bill slips further into mental fogginess and she essentially becomes his caretaker on the road. This relationship is a fascinating juxtaposition of the aging and dying Bill with his coming of age granddaughter.
Meanwhile, Bill has set a plan in place to reunite his children in their search from him and April.
This is a well written and entertaining novel. Throughout the author lets us into the fractured lives of this unusual family. The author does and excellent job with characterization, showing the good and the bad of each family member in ways that builds some empathy from the reader (with the possible exception of Mike). And the story does an excellent job of portraying the single mother and teenage daughter relationship in a way that neither is entirely right or wrong in their grievances against the other.
Overall, this is an excellent novel about a fractured family that Bill has one last chance to make whole.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
A Good Treatise on Today’s National Football League
Brian Billick was the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens for nine years and his team won Super Bowl XXXV thanks mostly to its great defense. Prior to that he was the offensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings, at the time one of the most prolific offenses in league history.
Having stepped away from the game for a while Billick has written a nice little monograph on today’s game. This is not a biography of Billick or the inside scoop of what it’s like to be a head coach in the National Football League, although a little bit of that is in here. Instead is a topical “conversation” about issues facing the National Football League today.
Billick does a nice job explaining some of the modern day offensive and defensive schemes proliferating around the NFL and gives a nice synopsis of the progression of the now pass oriented game of professional football and how that has changed the modern game. He also briefly discusses the “wildcat” offense where the running back takes the snap directly and can either pass or throw the ball. Billick does not think the “wildcat” offense will be around too long as defenses are likely to catch up with it.
The most concerning part of the book is where Billick discusses the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), the player’s union. If an agreement is not reached there could be a lock out and no football in the near future. Hopefully it will not come to that as professional football has been able to avoid the damaging play stoppage that has plagued other leagues, most notably the National Hockey League, which has yet to recover from its lost season.
There are many other tidbits of football knowledge in this book and it is well worth a read by fans of the National Football League.
Having stepped away from the game for a while Billick has written a nice little monograph on today’s game. This is not a biography of Billick or the inside scoop of what it’s like to be a head coach in the National Football League, although a little bit of that is in here. Instead is a topical “conversation” about issues facing the National Football League today.
Billick does a nice job explaining some of the modern day offensive and defensive schemes proliferating around the NFL and gives a nice synopsis of the progression of the now pass oriented game of professional football and how that has changed the modern game. He also briefly discusses the “wildcat” offense where the running back takes the snap directly and can either pass or throw the ball. Billick does not think the “wildcat” offense will be around too long as defenses are likely to catch up with it.
The most concerning part of the book is where Billick discusses the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), the player’s union. If an agreement is not reached there could be a lock out and no football in the near future. Hopefully it will not come to that as professional football has been able to avoid the damaging play stoppage that has plagued other leagues, most notably the National Hockey League, which has yet to recover from its lost season.
There are many other tidbits of football knowledge in this book and it is well worth a read by fans of the National Football League.
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