the best sports book ever written
934313
the best sports book ever written. love this book. a must read for any lover of sports, the business side of sports. halberstam excellent writer ad historian.
4899972
Truly a masterpiece of sports writing - Simmons blends his incredibly amusing prose with meticulous research and well-drawn conclusions for a tour de force of sports writing. Having seen many of the games he cites, it made me realize how badly I missed the boat while watching it for the 1st time. Pick it up, give it as a gift - just make sure you read it and pass it on to fellow NBA fans.
3883442
This is the best book about sports that I have read in a long, long time.  Saverino hit a grand slam with this.  His intriquing style makes the whole thing work.

Rick
4674764
I had read Will Leitch on his blog, [...] and was very impressed (it's worth noting that there's a ton of new material here, and an unfamiliarity with deadspin in no way inhibits your reading of this book). "God Save The Fan" impressed me ten times more. It is not just fantastic, but singular in sports books.

Leitch is an insightful oberver of sports, of the relationship between sports and fans--and between sports and society in general. He's a great wit too. He also lives and dies with his teams, as much as any fan. His narration of that emotional rollercoaster ride is wonderful. He is such a good reporter (and his army of tipsters are so good) that there is plenty of the inside dope fans love, and no shortage of original reporting. meanwhile his staunch aversion to the lockerroom and the access afforded sportwriters of his stature (and below) gives him a detachment and objectivity that is fresh and winning. And he is so bright that the analysis, of issues like doping, seems definitive.

My fear upon finishing the book is that Leitch's abundance of skills will lead him to writing about something instead of sports. Say it ain't so, Will. I would happily drink up another dozen volumes chronicling his continuing relationship with his teams and sports.
2350592
Shergul Arshad truly is the luckiest sports fan alive. This book on his top 40 sporting adventures is a lot of fun to read, particularly if you are into sports.  As a fairly hardcore Red Sox fan, reading his adventures at the 2004 & 2007 World Series really brought me back to those amazing years in Sox history, and it made me want to get out to as many big sporting events as possible.  40X40 is a must read for everyone who loves sports.
3781158
I first picked up this little gem nearly 25 years ago.  I remember seeing it at Waldenbooks and not having enough money to buy it.  After saving up, I managed to purchase not only one of the most entertaining sports books ever, but also one of the most humorous.  McDonough is a fine storyteller and this may be the only book on officiating in the old AFL.  Compared to other books by NFL officials (Tunney,Markbreit), this one is the most readable and enjoyable.
858684
What can I say about Loose Balls that has not already been said??...Probably nothing...There is a reason why Sports Illustrated ranked this book Number 13 on the Top 100 Sports Books of alltime and why it is still in print 18 years after first coming out....That reason is it's a great book that is the definitive history of the ABA and at the same time has you literally laughing out loud at times...I had more laughs reading this book than I do at most movies....Most people in other reviews have noted the principals like Fly Williams...Marvin "Bad News" Barnes....John Brisker..Pat Boone.. Julius Erving..etc..etc so I won't rehash or spoil the tales but they are memorable because they are true....Pluto's genius in putting this book together was that he let the principals tell their stories and he just put them on paper in an orderly format and let the story tell itself...No need to do anything else...I was pretty young during the ABA Days so I only remembered a little about it,but after reading this book I felt like I was there for all 9 years of the ABA....I can't recommend a book any more than I do this one...Buy this book...you will not be able to put it down once you start and I guarantee you will get a ton of laughs
2871842
I received this book in 1976 and was delighted with it's content, easiness to read, motivational pages, and most importantly how the author had successfully captured the game of basketball, his memories, your memories, and placed them on the printed pages in a wonderful fashion. This iS NOT A BASKETBALL SKILLS BOOK. This is a BOOK ABOUT BASKETBALL AS LIFE.

I must point out, one particular section of the book (I think it's called BASKETBALL IS) is written in such a unique format, that when the reader begins to read this page, he / she will immediately connect with the ACT OF PLAYING IN A REAL GAME OF BASKETBALL. Never read anything that captured this as well and I highly recommend this section, and the entire book, for ANYONE who has played the game, or who is playing the game, of Basketball. I've kept my copy for 39 years!
2796242
By compiling five years worth of past articles written for ESPN's Page Two, Bill Simmons manages to write, re-write, comment upon, criticize, and yes-even argue with his infamous Sports Guy musings while telling the story of how the Red Sox finally won the World Series.  This is no lazy rehash of old columns. His ingenious use of footnotes (there are at least 2 million or so per page) adds layers of "back story" to the plot.  If you are a dedicated Sports Guy reader, you can skip re-reading all those columns again and go straight to the footnotes for his skewed hindsight and hilarious ramblings on serial killers, mullet haircuts, Hoover Dam ,and of course, the Yankees.  If you've never read Simmons before, this book is a perfect introduction to the Sports Guy.

Rather than being the typical sports retrospective play-by-play of the 2004 World Series, Simmons manages to tell a very personal and very funny story about becoming and staying a true believer. Sure, sure-we all know the ending of this story-the Sox finally win.  In Simmons' hands, the ending is hardly the point. Rather, it's the five-year ride he takes us on, with stops in Hollywood, Fenway, matrimony, and even fatherhood.  It makes no difference if you love the Sox, hate the Yankees, or even care about sports. Read this book if you enjoy sharp, opinionated, fast moving, and funny writing.
4082791
This book is witty, interesting, informative and all of the things a person would want from a sports book. I give it 5 stars and have recommended it to all my friends!
1363970
This is by far the best source I've encountered for tips on sports betting.  Miller is a real professional sports bettor-- not one of those phonies who promise 90% locks, he understands the real nature of the game and explains it in a simple, straightforward manner perfect for novices and experts alike.
The first section of the book explains some of the basics of sports betting with a good explanation of what it takes to win.  Most of the rest of the book specifically addresses betting on the NFL game and how to beat it, including a valuable money-making betting system.
There are also two chapters in the book dealing with money management, which explain how important this aspect of sports betting is.  The information here dispels a number of myths regarding money management and can be applied to any sport.  Of all of the great lessons in the book, these may be the most eye-opening and what makes you the most money.
If you are serious about learning about sports betting, this book is an unbeatable investment.
3810501
I'll save you time and words (which you'll need to read this monster of a book): this is a masterpiece written by one of the most knowledgeable fans around.

This was clearly a labor of love, as Mr. Simmons goes into detail of how he became a fan, talks about his top moments, players, and teams, re-designs the Hall of Fame, and creates his own "Dream Team".  At the end of the day, even if you may not agree with his take on everyone (Shaq and Wilt fans in particular might be less than pleased), you can appreciate the passion and work that was put into this book.

Buy it, read it, love it!
3745407
I read this book before I read Bryant T. Jordans Saving the Lakers: A Be the General Manager Book and would have said this was the coolest sports book Id ever read had I left this review before I read the other book.

But, if Im being honest, the Lakers one is better. Well, maybe better isn't the right word, because they both are awesome. The Lakers one is longer and has a few more twists and turns and is a little harder to beat and win the title. So, honestly I don't know which one I like better, since neither the Lakers or Celtics are my fave team (Raptors) and they're both awesome.

Honestly, I think people should buy both and read the Celtics one first and if and win they beat that book and win the title, move onto the harder Lakers one.

Anyways, both books are absolutely amazing! I have no idea how the author incorporated all the correct player salaries and salary cap issues and real 2014 NBA Draft players in it, but it is just amazing.

Ive never even heard of another Choose Your Own Ending adult sports book but after reading this I hope a ton more are written as it was the most fun Ive ever had while reading a book. Honestly it was almost like a mix between a book and playing NBA2K14  SO MUCH FUN!

The book is extremely hard to beat though (but again, the Lakers one is even harder). I cant imagine there is anyone, other than maybe Jerry West or someone like that, that could actually win the NBA title on the first read through of this book. I got fired in the first chapter!

I think with this one I got fired maybe 4 or 5 times before I finally won the NBA Title, but man, what a ride!

If you like trading and building a roster on NBA2K and trying to win titles like I do, I think youll love this book. And really, I think just about any NBA fan would love this book. Its funny too, I mean really funny; there are some one-liners and things in that had me rolling around. Its fun to read, addicting and you cant really put it down until you beat it, just like a video game.

So, for me, this book is an A+, a 10/10, 5 stars and all that good stuff!!!!
195866
This book is intelligent, witty, funny, and insightful. I'm a middle aged woman who used to tolerate football on TV while my husband watched it every Weekend. I now have a much deeper appreciation of the sport as well as the men who make it look so easy on TV but struggle daily to keep their jobs and nurse their injuries. Nate Jackson writes in a way that keeps you very entertained wanting to read on, while opening your mind into the world of professional football players. I recommend this book to everyone. My husband is so happy I read it because I appreciate the sport while it's on TV now and feel somewhat able to connect to each player on TV knowing they are human, not the the invincible overpaid thugs they appear to be on the TV screen.
701571
This book is phenomenal.  It's the best book written on the inner workings of baseball front offices since Moneyball. It's almost a sequel to Moneyball in that it illustrates how the use of analytics has evolved since 2003.  Ben Reiter's writing style is excellent and reminiscent of Michael Lewis.
2069938
Words cannot express how excited I was to receive this book. Having followed Bob Wilber for years through the NHRA blogs there was no doubt this book would be fantastic. It's a well written book overflowing with great stories. One minute you'll be laughing, the next shaking your head going yup I've been there. With Bob's rich background in Baseball, Marketing,  NHRA Drag Racing and more there is something for everyone and it is a must have for any sports fan.
4862364
Professor Alamar sets forth a comprehensive, yet easily readable in depth introduction to sports analytics. The book is a perfect mixture of concepts, explanations and stories, which makes the book very enjoyable and addictive (I read it in two days).  This is a sport neutral book (only anecdotes and examples are sport specific), which makes the content applicable to all sports. It is a must read for anyone interested in sports, from a decision maker at a team, all the way to the most casual of fans as it is an understandable introduction to a very complex and increasingly influential facet of sports.