Comeback: The Fall and Rise of Geelong by James Button

As an American Aussie Rules fan, it has been impossible for me to find books on the game.  This look at the more recent history of the Geelong Football Club is a godsend.  I loved reading about the downs and then up that the club and the town went through over the years.  It is well researched and has many first hand accounts from people involved with the club.  As a Collingwood fan, this book made me look at the Geelong club in a different light.  Not enough to convince me to change allegiances, for as I say, the only thing worse than changing your club is cheating on your wife, and it's not that much worse.

Five stars

The Last Innocents: The Los Angeles Dodgers of the 1960's
by Michael Leahy

Marc Robinson's review

Sep 21, 2016  ·  edit

An excellent look at the Dodgers of the 60's and the things going on around them. From Koufax to Wills to Parker, it is an intriguing look at the team and the times. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to baseball fans and history buffs alike.

Mourinho

José Mourinho: The Art of Winning
by Andrew Kirby

Marc Robinson's review

Sep 21, 2016  ·  edit

An excellent study of one of the world's most iconic managers. Love him of hate him (which I believe the majority do), Mourinho is a fascinating character. It will be interesting to see where he leads Man U and the wolves are already out after three successive losses. The author delves into both sides of Mourinho's complex character. A great read.

It's Been a Pleasure Doing Business With You.

Last night was really hard for me.  I had to say goodbye to something that was a huge part of my life for the past twenty years.  When I am down I can always count on something from them to lift my spirits.  After 28 years together, the Tragically Hip played what will most likely be their final concert. Kudos go to CBC for broadcasting the show live around the world.
The worst part for me was both before and after the show.  I was pretty sure that I would lose it when the boys came out, but the coverage showed them pre-show backstage.  I didn't make it past that scene.  The water works started early.  After the show, I found it hard to go to sleep.  I realized that this was it.  No more waiting for a new Hip album.  No more seeing Gordie gyrating around the stage.
The show itself was simply spectacular.  They were onstage for more than three hours and there wasn't a dull moment in the whole show.  From Gordie dancing like no one was watching, Johnny providing the beat, Paul and Gord backing vocals and Bobby driving, the boys went out on top.
I have been a huge fan since a friend of mine gave me a copy of Night and Day.  I saw them live five times, once on the Trouble at the Henhouse tour, three times on the Phantom Power tour and once on the In Violet Light tour.  Unfortunately I didn't see them after 2000.  I had numerous opportunies but I always said that I would catch them next time.  Well next time never came and that is what bothers me most.
I will always remember two very personal things about the band.  I was able to speak to Gordie after a show in Columbus.  During Fireworks he sang "you were loosening my grip on Gerald Ford" rather than Bobby Orr.  I asked him why and he said, "I meant to use it in Grand Rapids, but I forgot." Another time  after a show in Cincinnati, I was able to have a hockey card signed by the entire band. It was the same card referenced in Fifty Mission Cap.  Gordie even wrote "no one know's it's in"  It is a very treasured possession.  
So I will have to be glad that I was at least able to see the final show of a band who's music and lyric have been a large part of me for two decades.  Gordie you are loved by many and will be missed immensely. Thank you for all that you guys have done for an entire country and especially for me.
HIP!!! HIP!!!  HIP!!! HIP!!!HIP!!!

Death of a Gentleman

I just watched an utterly fascinating documentary on the sport of cricket. The Death of a Gentleman. I know, here I go again to prattle on about cricket.  However, I have found a true passion for the sport. I watch it as much as I can and am always looking to get my hands on any literature on the sport.
The doc follows two cricket fans on their quest to see if their true love of test, ie five day long, cricket is to see the sport disappear entirely.  What they are lead to is the corruption on a sport by those looking to advance it.  The film makes the NFL view on concussions look like child's play,  Cricket is facing a tough road ahead and looks to be controlled by three countries, led by India and their BCCI. It was  a well done documentary that I recommend for anyone to watch, be they a sports fan or not.

5000-1

The end of the EPL season is close at hand.  We are a a little more than a month away from declaring a winner of the 2015-16 EPL title.  From the great names of the past we have Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Leicester...wait, what???  The Foxes are the feel good sports story this year.  A year ago at this time they were fighting to stay in the Premier League, entering this season they were a 5000-1 shot to win the title.  Now their only challenger is Spurs who sit seven points behind with six to play.  The Foxes have already qualified for the Champions League to be along side teams like Bayern Munich, Barcelona and PSG.  Every week I have heard the pundits in England waiting for Leicester to tumble, but like the Little Engine That Could they sit on the precipice of their first EPL title. Their highest finish in the top flight was in 1928-28 when they finished second.  Hell, they were just promoted from the Championship in 2014.  Now they are the talk of the soccer world and just go to show that the little man still has a fighting chance.

Viva Habana

It was interesting watching the ESPN coverage from Havana on Tuesday.  It was the clearest picture I have seen of Estadio Latinoamericano.  After having spent the last few years pulling in the Cuban TV feed of games, it was nice to see the true ballpark. Leaving the politics aside, I felt it was an important step in the relations between the two countries. I could see, however, the affect the defections have had on the Cuban National team.  They are a younger team and didn't seem to have the same game experience as the other teams have had.  It was important for the Cubans to get that ninth inning run and threaten in the inning.  Hopefully more games will be played there by Major League teams.  It was a good start and maybe could lead to bigger and better things between the two countries. 

Against the grain

A friend asked me recently why I like cricket, or as he called it "watching someone's picnic," so much.  I was not really able to answer the question at the time.  I just chalked it down to being a sport similar to baseball.  Just recently it struck me that the reason I like cricket, as well as Aussie Rules Football, soccer, rugby, Japanese baseball, etc, is that I don't like to follow what is popular or hip.  This goes back to my days right after high school when everyone else was listening to AC/DC, Van Halen, Journey, etc., someone gave me a copy of The Jam's "Sound Affects."  From the first listen I was hooked.  From there it was on to other bands like XTC, Joy Division, New Order, and many, many more.  Then I started listening to the tail end of the hardcore era.  I caught bands like X, the Minutemen, and Suicidal Tendencies while in college in Pittsburgh. 
Since then I have always found pleasure in the obscure.  Well at least obscure in my circles, which are not very wide.  I still enjoy listening to the latest sounds out of college radio, such as Courtney Barnett, Titus Andronicus, Parquet Courts, etc.  My taste in sports are very similar.  How many people do you know actually root for specific teams in English, German and Italian football, Japanese baseball and Aussie Rules football.  For me it just follows that if you are interested in something enough then you must give it all that you have.  So while most are getting upset by their busted brackets, I am getting increasingly frustrated watching my Newcastle United fumble their way to relegation.  While others are projecting the first four rounds of the NFL Draft, I am pulling for the West Indies to win the World T20 Cup.
So when my friend asks me why I would spend four hours watching part of a Test cricket match, I'll just smile and say, "You wouldn't understand."

Nine Innings for the King

I just finished this gem of a book. It was about a baseball game played at Stamford Bridge in front of King George. The author made the story more interesting by including the coverage from many locals. He also covered the players such as Herb Pennock and Mike McNally, as well as umpire Arlie Latham, the Freshest Man on Earth. The coverage of the game at the time was spotty but the author enlivened it with the point of view of those who were there.
Now it is on to Distant Corners, covering the early attempts at soccer leagues in the U.S.
A great site to get books to read before they come out is Netgalley. It is valuable to someone like me who lives to read and needs to spend more time doing so.

Another New Year

Welcome to another New Year.  My promise this year is to update this blog with much more regularity. Along with improving my typing skills, it just may help to keep me sane.

-It was a great start to the new year for a couple of my teams.  Michigan came up up with a huge bowl victory over Florida.  It may be that Florida's offense was, well offensive, but Michigan threw up 41 points on their vaunted defense.  The Canadiens had a big win in the Winter Classic over the Bruins.  After a torrid start, the Habs have come back down to earth.  Of course all of the injuries, including missing Carey Price for much of the season, have not helped.

-We are 43 days away from Pitchers and Catchers. That is one day that cannot come soon enough.  Mother Nature has been very helpful in that our weather has been more fall like than brutal so far.  I have a feeling that we will soon be paying for that.

-The Steelers provided some drama as they clinched a playoff spot on the final day of the season.  They now get to face the Bengals, who haven't won a playoff game since they beat the Houston Oilers in 1990.  With Dalton out, hopefully that streak continues.

-The Clodbusters schedule is out and for the first time since it started in 1992, we will not be attending the Ohio Cup.  Nothing new is on tap other than the new team in Fairfield.  Well not really a new team, the Norwood Highlanders have relocated and have become the Black Bottom Nine.

-Happy New Year to all.

Nuff Ced.