Bluegrassrivals

What are the top 5 (or more) books you've read from the sports genre? THIS INCLUDES WRESTLING>

1. The Sheik of Baghdad: Tales of Celebrity and Terror from Pro Wrestling's General Adnan - truly an amazing read. I only checked it out of the library because it was a new wrestling book that I had not read. It turned into one of the best stories I have ever read. All of us who can remember WMIII, think of it as the biggest wrestling event of all time. Imagine wrestling in front of 250K-500K people in Iraq, during the peak of Suddams reign. It's a great wrestling read, but it is an incredible journey by a guy who loved his country but did not like what his country turned into. Sheikh of Baghdad is the story of an Iraqi American trying to make a difference in this post–9-11 world by telling his story to provide a small ray of hope for peace in the tumultuous Middle East.

2. Juiced - yeah, as dumb as I have always thought Jose Canseco is, he has turned out to be the most informed journalist on the market for steroids in baseball. I remember the 1st time I read it, I thought this guys is lying through his teethe. I still enjoyed it, because I thought what he was saying was so far out there, it was funny as ****! Then when everything came out, I have read it again, and WOW, this idiot was dead on! Not a bad book at all!

3. Pure Dynamite-The price you pay for Wrestling Stardom. A rags, to riches, to rags story. Was the first book to really tell the inside story of professional wrestling, and all the demons associated with it. Talked openly about others in the business and about how you have to sell your soul to work in it.

4. Iron Horse - Lou Gehrig in his time. Absolute classic. I have always been a Yankee fan, and it's the guys like Gehrig that make you know why. Gehrig would be Albert Pujols today. He was the BEST hitter in the game, but everything else overshadowed his accomplishments at the time. He was quiet and did his business, and did it better than anyone.

5. Play Baseball the Ripken Way. I have been a youth, select and High School baseball coach for 15 years. This simplified book is the best read that I have ever read on the subject of teaching baseball. It is fantastic in it's simplicity and ability to break subjects down into teachable actions. I would recommend this to any youth coach around to learn how to communicate and what to communicate to your athletes. I would recommend this to any HS or college coach in it's ability to find the little things and make them correctable.

Sting's book "Moment of Truth" is really good.

Pistol Pete, heir to a dream.

zaga_fan Wrote:Sting's book "Moment of Truth" is really good.

It could have been great. Way too short and really did not detail or chronicle his career in detail. I love the end of the book, just as I did HBK & Dibiase's, but in order to call Borden's book great would have needed to fill in a LOT of blanks.

Stardust Wrote:1. The Sheik of Baghdad: Tales of Celebrity and Terror from Pro Wrestling's General Adnan - truly an amazing read. I only checked it out of the library because it was a new wrestling book that I had not read. It turned into one of the best stories I have ever read. All of us who can remember WMIII, think of it as the biggest wrestling event of all time. Imagine wrestling in front of 250K-500K people in Iraq, during the peak of Suddams reign. It's a great wrestling read, but it is an incredible journey by a guy who loved his country but did not like what his country turned into. Sheikh of Baghdad is the story of an Iraqi American trying to make a difference in this post–9-11 world by telling his story to provide a small ray of hope for peace in the tumultuous Middle East.

2. Juiced - yeah, as dumb as I have always thought Jose Canseco is, he has turned out to be the most informed journalist on the market for steroids in baseball. I remember the 1st time I read it, I thought this guys is lying through his teethe. I still enjoyed it, because I thought what he was saying was so far out there, it was funny as ****! Then when everything came out, I have read it again, and WOW, this idiot was dead on! Not a bad book at all!

3. Pure Dynamite-The price you pay for Wrestling Stardom. A rags, to riches, to rags story. Was the first book to really tell the inside story of professional wrestling, and all the demons associated with it. Talked openly about others in the business and about how you have to sell your soul to work in it.

4. Iron Horse - Lou Gehrig in his time. Absolute classic. I have always been a Yankee fan, and it's the guys like Gehrig that make you know why. Gehrig would be Albert Pujols today. He was the BEST hitter in the game, but everything else overshadowed his accomplishments at the time. He was quiet and did his business, and did it better than anyone.

5. Play Baseball the Ripken Way. I have been a youth, select and High School baseball coach for 15 years. This simplified book is the best read that I have ever read on the subject of teaching baseball. It is fantastic in it's simplicity and ability to break subjects down into teachable actions. I would recommend this to any youth coach around to learn how to communicate and what to communicate to your athletes. I would recommend this to any HS or college coach in it's ability to find the little things and make them correctable.

I had never heard of this book. I just found it used online for $5 and ordered it. I can't wait to get it.

Meat on The Hoof-Gary Shaw-An inside look at Texas football
Friday Night Lights
Ball Four-Jim Bouton
Joe, You coulda made us proud-Joe Pepitone's story
North Dallas Forty
Semi-tough
Paper Lion

Westside Wrote:I had never heard of this book. I just found it used online for $5 and ordered it. I can't wait to get it.

You will enjoy it.:Thumbs:

Stardust Wrote:It could have been great. Way too short and really did not detail or chronicle his career in detail. I love the end of the book, just as I did HBK & Dibiase's, but in order to call Borden's book great would have needed to fill in a LOT of blanks.

I picked it up on Christianbook.com for 25 cents!!!!!
It was definitely short and summarized a lot, but I enjoyed it for what was there lol

zaga_fan Wrote:I picked it up on Christianbook.com for 25 cents!!!!!
It was definitely short and summarized a lot, but I enjoyed it for what was there lol

Like I said, I'd love to see a 300 page plus book. I'm sure it will come soon enough :biggrin:

Has anyone read any of rick Pitino's books?

Captain Backdoor Wrote:Has anyone read any of rick Pitino's books?

Yes. I've read two of Quicky Ricky Pintino's books: Rebound Rules and Success Is A Choice. I hate say it, but I liked them both better than John Calipari's Bounce Back.

Four Days to Glory (High School wrestling in Iowa)

Friday Night Lights (Texas Football OBV.)

Personal Foul ( NBA ref who bet on games)

Bad as I wanna Be (Dennis Rodman, lol)

Check raising the Devil (Mike Matasow, Poker)

Positively 5th street ( Poker, with the back story of the world series and benny benion)

Ive not read a lot of sports books.

Running Rebel - Jerry Tarkanian is an outstanding book, as well.

When I saw sports book I really was thinking of something else.

nky Wrote:When I saw sports book I really was thinking of something else.

isn't that the same book that worker1, post above you, was talking about?????:biggrin:

Stardust Wrote:isn't that the same book that worker1, post above you, was talking about?????:biggrin:

So Stardust.. You ever read the little sting book that is about 100 pages or so?

IYO, what do you think about that book!?!?!?!


"Stardust gets ready to answer the question but is rudely interrupted by Ballers.."

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THAT BOOK.

I've read the Sting book and thought it was a very good story with a strong, Christian message, which is great. Hopefully, there will be a much longer version at some point. Sting has been around far too long and been way too successful to not have a book detailing all of his career.

worker1 Wrote:I've read the Sting book and thought it was a very good story with a strong, Christian message, which is great. Hopefully, there will be a much longer version at some point. Sting has been around far too long and been way too successful to not have a book detailing all of his career.

He needs to finish his career in the WWE so they can put together a class novel and DVD collection.

Stardust, you heard anything about Tully Blanchard's book? Are they still planning on releasing it?

Westside Wrote:Stardust, you heard anything about Tully Blanchard's book? Are they still planning on releasing it?

The last I heard was that after the intial print and release of a small quantity of paperback books, they went back to writing. It was a short book, I think only 150 pages, and spent much of it talking about his faith in Christ. It was felt that the book could still be able to tell the message that he wanted to tell, just like Shawn Michaels , Hulk Hogans and Ted Dibiase's 2nd books (stories of faith), but it needed more stories of life on the road to make it a seller. Sounds like they are trying to double the pages and add more for the hardcore fans before the release it in an expanded version. I have not heard anything about the project since early in the year.

Stardust Wrote:The last I heard was that after the intial print and release of a small quantity of paperback books, they went back to writing. It was a short book, I think only 150 pages, and spent much of it talking about his faith in Christ. It was felt that the book could still be able to tell the message that he wanted to tell, just like Shawn Michaels , Hulk Hogans and Ted Dibiase's 2nd books (stories of faith), but it needed more stories of life on the road to make it a seller. Sounds like they are trying to double the pages and add more for the hardcore fans before the release it in an expanded version. I have not heard anything about the project since early in the year.

Thanks

In the Land of Giants - an autobiography of Muggsy Bogues
Bleachers - Football fiction book by John Grisham, short book that's definately worth the read

My buddy just recommended Bleachers, guess ill have to check it out.

I just finished Ocho-Cinco. I like Chad, but his book is terrible

Autobiography? Or just his random ramblings?

csabo17 Wrote:My buddy just recommended Bleachers, guess ill have to check it out.

You'll love it, awesome read.

Wuzza Bear Wrote:In the Land of Giants - an autobiography of Muggsy Bogues
Bleachers - Football fiction book by John Grisham, short book that's definately worth the read

Bleachers is the best sports book I have ever read. I have actually read it 2 times and am trying to find the time to read it again.