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Lower League Football in Crisis: Issues of Organisation and Legitimacy in England and Germany (Football Research in an Enlarged Europe)
by Daniel ZiescheWhile the field of football studies has produced an abundance of literature on professional, top-league football, there is little research output to do with the non-top level football. This book explores the relationship between the top and lower leagues, laying open the drastic schisms that exist between the different levels. The study links the developments at the top level of English and German football in the past 30 years to transformational processes in lower league football. Illustrating how the hegemonic status of top football weighs hard on the spheres below, it depicts how it also serves as a blueprint for lower league football clubs’ strategies in coping with a threefold dilemma of institutional legitimacy that shows itself in economic, cultural and social dimensions. Taking the different club structures in both national contexts as a starting point, it portrays both the efficacy of institutional frameworks and how these can be challenged from below. This research will be of interest to students and scholars across football studies, sports studies, the sociology of sport, and organisation studies.
Lows, Highs and Balti Pies: Manchester City Ruined My Diet
by Steve MingleLows, Highs and Balti Pies comprises vivid, colourful and highly individual recollections of City's most memorable games over the past 37 years. One hundred matches are featured, starting with a 5-2 drubbing of Sheffield United in 1967 and ending with the 4-1 triumph in the first derby at the cursed City of Manchester Stadium. Not all of the games in between provided quite as much pleasure. The book contains affectionate portraits of the City greats down the years, together with forthright appraisals on the rich assortment of blundering buffoons which the club has seen fit to inflict upon its famously loyal supporters. However, even when describing the club's darkest moments and the individuals responsible for them, humour is never far away - be it biting, dry, self-deprecating or just plain daft. This approach capture perfectly the essence of what it is to be a City fan. The book also embraces diverse elements of popular culture over the period. Musical reference points abound, whilst the likes of Sid Waddell, Curly Watts, Ian Hislop, Tony the Tiger and Cyanide Sid Cooper all somehow find themselves featuring in the story. And how the hell did Albert Pierrepoint get in there? All long-term followers of football causes will be well familiar with the emotional peaks and troughs described so strikingly in this book. Most, like the author, will have experienced more troughs than peaks. But it's the range of imaginative, often scarcely credible, ways in which City have brought both highs and lows into the lives of their fans which truly sets them apart. It's a remarkable story, vibrantly and entertainingly told.
Lu (Track #4)
by Jason ReynoldsLa última vuelta de la serie Atletismo del autor Jason Reynolds, finalista del National Book Award y autor best seller del New York Times, ¡ahora disponible en español!Fantasma. Lu. Patina. Sunny. Cuatro jóvenes de familias completamente diferentes, con personalidades que se vuelven explosivas al chocar. Pero son también cuatro jóvenes de secundaria que fueron escogidos para un equipo de élite de atletismo… un equipo que los podría ayudar a clasificar para las Olimpiadas Juveniles. Todos tienen mucho que perder, pero también tienen mucho que demostrar, no solo a sus compañeros sino a sí mismos. Lu es el prototípico atleta bonitillo con tenis a la moda, gafas de sol, etc. Es el tipo de chamaco al que idolatras o al que quieres DARLE UN PUÑETAZO. Corre la carrera más popular, los 400 metros, y tiene un talento descomunal. Participa en el atletismo desde pequeño; sus padres lo metieron en deportes para ayudarlo a ganar confianza en sí mismo porque es albino. Pero su plan produjo un efecto indeseado. El niño ganó tanta confianza que se ha vuelto más chulo que un ocho y un pavo real, y por eso es el chamaco que nunca ha tenido amigos de verdad. Ninguno. Además, su padre, que también comparte la afición de su hijo por ser fanfarrón, se ha visto envuelto en algún tipo de actividad ilegal. Pero los novatos del equipo (Fantasma, Patina y Sunny) no aguantan su pavoneo, pero tampoco lo evitan como lo hacen todos los demás. Le llaman la atención por sus tonterías, pero lo incluyen en las payasadas. ¿Serán los primeros chamacos en romper su coraza de autoconfianza y ver en él algo más que la capa de pavo real que oculta su falta de color?
Lu: Ghost; Patina; Sunny; Lu (Track #4)
by Jason ReynoldsLu must learn to leave his ego on the sidelines if he wants to finally connect with others in the climax to the New York Times bestselling and award-winning Track series from Jason Reynolds. <P><P> Lu was born to be cocaptain of the Defenders. Well, actually, he was born albino, but that’s got nothing to do with being a track star. <P><P> Lu has swagger, plus the talent to back it up, and with all that—not to mention the gold chains and diamond earrings—no one’s gonna outshine him. Lu knows he can lead Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and the team to victory at the championships, but it might not be as easy as it seems. <P><P>Suddenly, there are hurdles in Lu’s way—literally and not-so-literally—and Lu needs to figure out, fast, what winning the gold really means. Expect the unexpected in this final event in Jason Reynold’s award-winning and bestselling Track series.
Lucas: A Cold Fury Hockey Novel (Carolina Cold Fury Hockey #8)
by Sawyer BennettThe Carolina Cold Fury hockey team is stacked with hotshots. But when a new player joins their ranks, he learns that even superstars can’t go it alone when it comes to love. Lucas Fournier is only serious about one thing: hockey. The league’s fun-loving charmer, Luc is always up for a good prank or a great lay, and he has no intention of settling down. But being traded to the Carolina Cold Fury—and to play alongside his big brother, Max—is no joke. With another title in sight, the last thing Luc wants is to let his new teammates down. To succeed, Luc will need to keep his head in the game and the most . . . er, demanding member of his anatomy in check. But when temptation hits, Luc hits back harder. Museum curator Stephanie Frazier has always put business before pleasure, which just about explains her nonexistent sex life. But when Stephanie meets Luc at a champagne-fueled gala, she finds herself flirting like crazy—and going home with the uninhibited athlete. For one night, she learns what passion is all about. She just never counted on the little surprise Luc leaves behind. And that’s when things really start to get . . . interesting.The Carolina Cold Fury series from New York Times bestselling author Sawyer Bennett can be read together or separately: ALEX GARRETT ZACK RYKER HAWKE MAX ROMAN LUCAS VAN The Love Hurts series features sexy standalone novels: SEX IN THE STICKS JILTED And the Sugar Bowl series is one treat you’ll want to read in order: SUGAR DADDY SUGAR RUSH SUGAR FREE “One of the best voices in contemporary romance.”—New York Times bestselling author Lauren Layne Includes an excerpt from another Loveswept title.
Luces en el mar (Serie Elena Sirena #Volumen 4)
by Ona CarbonellLLega el cuarto volumen de la saga de Ona Carbonell, ¡sumérgete en su mundo! Elena tiene muy claro su objetivo: ¡competir y llegar a lo más alto como nadadora de sincronizada! Y lo más sorprendente de todo es que... ¡puede convertirse en sirena! Pero últimamente está un poco preocupada: en casa hay tensión porque no puede ser sincera con su padre, no termina de encajar con su nueva compañera de dúo y además parece que su amiga Eva quiere seguir su propio camino, sin las E-girls... Todo está del revés y tener a Lucas lejos lo hace aún más difícil. ¿Podrá hacer que todo vuelva a la normalidad?
Lucha Libre: The Man in the Silver Mask
by Xavier GarzaXavier Garza brings another action-packed bilingual picture book about traditional Mexican wrestling--lucha libre! Xavier Garza presenta otro libro ilustrado lleno de acción sobre un deporte tradicional de Mexico: ¡la lucha libre!Young Carlitos attends a lucha libre match in Mexico City for the first time with his Papá Lupe, but his Tío Vicente is nowhere to be found, though he's supposed to join. At ringside, Carlitos sees the greatest luchador of all time--the Man in the Silver Mask. His eyes look familiar, and he even flashes Carlitos a mysterious smile... The young boy is mesmerized as The Man in the Silver Mask is pitted against the terrible rudos, the bad guys of lucha libre. Can Carlitos's newest hero defeat the fearsome masked villains? Acclaimed author and lifelong lucha libre fanatic Xavier Garza introduces children to the thrilling world of this beloved Mexican sport: favorite heroes and much-feared villains, dressed in dazzling and outrageous costumes, strut and prance across the mat and bounce against the ropes, daring anyone to take them to the floor! In an afterword, Garza provides helpful context, discussing the history and cultural significance of lucha libre. Carlitos asiste su primer pelea de lucha libre en la Ciudad de México con su Papá Lupe, pero no aparece su Tío Vicente, que debería acompañarlos. En el ringside, Carlitos ve al más grandioso luchador en la historia de lucha libre, El Hombre de la Máscara de Plata. Sus ojos le parecen familiares, y hasta le sonríe misteriosamente a Carlitos... El niño está hipnotizado cuando El Hombre de la Máscara de Plata se enfrenta a los rudos, los malos de la lucha libre. ¿Podra el nuevo héroe de Carlitos vencer a los terroríficos villanos? El galardonado autor, y fanatico de lucha libre de por vida, Xavier Garza le presenta a lectores pequeños el mundo emocionante del adorado deporte mexicano. En Lucha libre, los jóvenes fanáticos verán este mundo fascinante ven a la vida: héroes favoritos y villanos muy temidos, vestidos con trajes deslumbrantes e indignantes, pavoneándose y brincando sobre el tapete y rebotando contra las cuerdas, ¡desafiando a cualquiera a llevarlos al piso! En una útil nota de autor, Garza provee contexto para el cuento, platicando un poco sobre la historia y significado cultural de la lucha libre.
Luciana Aymar
by Luis CalvanoEl periodista especializado Luis Calvano recorre en Corazón de Leona lavida y los logros deportivos de Lucha Aymar. Flaca, alta, linda y talentosa: un combo irresistible. Son atributos de Luciana Aymar, la mejor jugadora de hockey sobre césped de todos los tiempos según el consenso #insólitamente unánime# del ambiente del deporte. Y según las estadísticas. En 2009, la rosarina fue votada por sexta vez en su carrera como top player del año; ningún otro jugador, hombre o mujer, había sido premiado más de tres veces. Un recorrido por sus primeros clubes, la selección, el nacimiento mítico de Las Leonas en Sydney, el Mundial, las medallas. Pero también está la otra cara de la campeona: la infancia en Fisherton, sus viajes por el mundo, las villas olímpicas por dentro, sus amores, el acercamiento gradual a los mundos de la moda y de la televisión. "Lucha transmite felicidad, amor, pasión y humildad: eso es lo que debe mantener. Porque el esfuerzo más grande en su vida fue lograr trascender a la mejor jugadora del mundo y convertirse en un ejemplo." Cachito Vigil "Nunca imaginé que iba a tener la oportunidad de expresar mis vivencias y dejarlas plasmadas para siempre en un libro. Hoy me encuentro ante esa chance de contar las alegrías y las tristezas, las ganas que tengo de disfrutar la vida aunque haya momentos desagradables. ¿Y qué? En definitiva, esos momentos son los que nos dan la certeza de que estamos vivos." Luciana Aymar
Luck: A Novel (The Eventing Series)
by Natalie Keller ReinertIn Natalie Keller Reinert’s utterly immersive and propulsive eight-book Eventing Series, we follow Jules and her friends through the joys and losses of competitive eventing as they climb to the top of their sport—and into one another’s lives and hearts. Jules and Pete have hit rock bottom. They are living in the middle of nowhere in a tiny horse trailer, dependent on nearby farms for training facilities. Despite all that, Jules has never been happier. She has her horses and her boyfriend and her loyal beagle, and, for perhaps the first time ever, she feels free. But Pete, who is still reeling from the loss of the beautiful farm he was supposed to inherit, struggles to adapt to their new life. And when word of their circumstances gets out, the owners Jules and Pete depend on begin to question whether they can trust them. Desperate to shore up their reputation, Jules starts teaching and is surprised that she enjoys it. As she begins to imagine a different kind of life, Pete schemes to get back to the top of the equestrian scene. When he resorts to questionable tactics to secure a new horse, Jules realizes how lost he is. Jules has never considered herself to be lucky, but maybe she’s had it wrong all along. Can she convince Pete that the only luck they need is their horses and each other?
Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig
by Jonathan EigThe definitive account of the life and tragic death of baseball legend Lou Gehrig.Lou Gehrig was a baseball legend—the Iron Horse, the stoic New York Yankee who was the greatest first baseman in history, a man whose consecutive-games streak was ended by a horrible disease that now bears his name. But as this definitive new biography makes clear, Gehrig’s life was more complicated—and, perhaps, even more heroic—than anyone really knew. Drawing on new interviews and more than two hundred pages of previously unpublished letters to and from Gehrig, Luckiest Man gives us an intimate portrait of the man who became an American hero: his life as a shy and awkward youth growing up in New York City, his unlikely friendship with Babe Ruth (a friendship that allegedly ended over rumors that Ruth had had an affair with Gehrig’s wife), and his stellar career with the Yankees, where his consecutive-games streak stood for more than half a century. What was not previously known, however, is that symptoms of Gehrig’s affliction began appearing in 1938, earlier than is commonly acknowledged. Later, aware that he was dying, Gehrig exhibited a perseverance that was truly inspiring; he lived the last two years of his short life with the same grace and dignity with which he gave his now-famous “luckiest man” speech. Meticulously researched and elegantly written, Jonathan Eig’s Luckiest Man shows us one of the greatest baseball players of all time as we’ve never seen him before.
Lucky
by Wes TookeLouis isn't very good at playing baseball, but he knows and loves the game more than anybody. He loves the purity of the sport, the sound of the crack of a bat, and the smell of freshly cut grass in the stadium. And more than anything, he loves the New York Yankees. So when he becomes a bat boy for the team during the summer of 1961, it is a dream come true. Lucky gives readers baseline box seats to one of the most memorable seasons in sports history, and as Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris compete in their legendary home-run race, Louis learns that the heroes he looks up to can teach him life lessons that will change him forever.
Lucky Bastard: My Life, My Dad, and the Things I'm Not Allowed to Say on TV
by Joe BuckThe announcer of this century's most-watched, historic, Chicago Cubs-winning World Series reveals why he is one lucky bastard.Sports fans see Joe Buck everywhere: broadcasting one of the biggest games in the NFL every week, calling the World Series every year, announcing the Super Bowl every three years. They know his father, Jack Buck, is a broadcasting legend and that he was beloved in his adopted hometown of St. Louis.Yet they have no idea who Joe really is. Or how he got here. They don't know how he almost blew his career. They haven't read his funniest and most embarrassing stories or heard about his interactions with the biggest sports stars of this era. They don't know how hard he can laugh at himself--or that he thinks some of his critics have a point. And they don't know what it was really like to grow up in his father's shadow. Joe and Jack were best friends, but it wasn't that simple. Jack, the voice of the St. Louis Cardinals for almost fifty years, helped Joe get his broadcasting start at eighteen. But Joe had to prove himself, first as a minor league radio announcer and then on local TV, national TV with ESPN, and then finally on FOX. He now has a successful, Emmy-winning career, but only after a lot of dues-paying, learning, and pretty damn entertaining mistakes that are recounted in this book.In Lucky Bastard, Joe takes the reader into the broadcast booth and into his childhood home. Hilarious and occasionally heartbreaking, this is a book that any sports fan will love.From the Hardcover edition.
Lucky Bastard: My Life, My Dad, and the Things I'm Not Allowed to Say on TV
by Joe BuckIn this New York Times bestselling memoir, the announcer of the biggest sporting events in the country—including the 2017 Super Bowl and this century's most-watched, historic, Chicago Cubs–winning World Series—reveals why he is one lucky bastard.Sports fans see Joe Buck everywhere: broadcasting one of the biggest games in the NFL every week, calling the World Series every year, announcing the Super Bowl every three years. They know his father, Jack Buck, is a broadcasting legend and that he was beloved in his adopted hometown of St. Louis. Yet they have no idea who Joe really is. Or how he got here. They don’t know how he almost blew his career. They haven’t read his funniest and most embarrassing stories or heard about his interactions with the biggest sports stars of this era. They don’t know how hard he can laugh at himself—or that he thinks some of his critics have a point. And they don’t know what it was really like to grow up in his father’s shadow. Joe and Jack were best friends, but it wasn’t that simple. Jack, the voice of the St. Louis Cardinals for almost fifty years, helped Joe get his broadcasting start at eighteen. But Joe had to prove himself, first as a minor league radio announcer and then on local TV, national TV with ESPN, and then finally on FOX. He now has a successful, Emmy-winning career, but only after a lot of dues-paying, learning, and pretty damn entertaining mistakes that are recounted in this book. In his memoir, Joe takes us through his life on and off the field. He shares the lessons he learned from his father, the errors he made along the way, and the personal mountain he climbed and conquered, all of which have truly made him a Lucky Bastard.
Lucky Bounce
by Cait Nary"Lucky Bounce is a funny and charming hockey romance that I couldn&’t put down." - Rachel Reid, USA Today Bestselling author of Time to ShineA single dad pro hockey player falls for his biggest fan—who just happens to be his five-year-old daughter&’s teacher—in this fun, flirty romantic comedy from Cait NaryEzekiel Boehm is no stranger to teaching kids with famous parents. But when the pro hockey player he&’s been thirsting after walks into the Rittenhouse Friends School gym hand in hand with a tiny kindergartener, he figures he must be hallucinating. Spencer McLeod is a lot of things—Zeke&’s favorite winger on the Philadelphia Liberty; a menace on the ice; a mumbling, reluctant but somehow captivating-as-hell postgame interview—but he&’s not a dad. Except he is. Apparently.Zeke can be chill about this. He can.Surprisingly, the more time he spends with Spencer, the easier this becomes. School volunteer events turn into reserved seats at games, turn into…more. And even though Zeke is 100 percent committed to ignoring Spencer&’s blush, to ignoring the way he looks in that one pair of gray sweatpants, he can&’t take his eyes off him.This can never work. Can it?
Lucky Break
by Paul NichollsThe revealing and honest autobiography of Britain's leading National Hunt trainer.Paul Nicholls is the former jockey who began training in 1991. Gradually he built up a reputation as one of the most astute and successful trainers in the business, with a special knack for getting it right on the big occasions. His depth of resources meant that on a unique occasion at Wincanton in January 2006, he became the first trainer ever to have six winners on a card. But it is for his role as the trainer of horses such as See More Business, Kauto Star and Denman, all of them Cheltenham Gold Cup winners, that he is best known.In this revealing and honest memoir, Champion Trainer Nicholls explains how he got to the top of his sport, and provides a fascinating insight into his methods and to the horses, jockeys and owners that have helped him achieve so much. Packed with insider stories that all race fans will love, and a foreword from Sir Alex Ferguson, this is without doubt the essential racing book for 2011.
Lucky Break
by Paul NichollsThe revealing and honest autobiography of Britain's leading National Hunt trainer.Paul Nicholls is the former jockey who began training in 1991. Gradually he built up a reputation as one of the most astute and successful trainers in the business, with a special knack for getting it right on the big occasions. His depth of resources meant that on a unique occasion at Wincanton in January 2006, he became the first trainer ever to have six winners on a card. But it is for his role as the trainer of horses such as See More Business, Kauto Star and Denman, all of them Cheltenham Gold Cup winners, that he is best known.In this revealing and honest memoir, Champion Trainer Nicholls explains how he got to the top of his sport, and provides a fascinating insight into his methods and to the horses, jockeys and owners that have helped him achieve so much. Packed with insider stories that all race fans will love, and a foreword from Sir Alex Ferguson, this is without doubt the essential racing book for 2011.
Lucky Break (Orca Soundings)
by Brooke Carter"Clever, quippy dialogue and enjoyable first-person voice make the sassy, inner-monologuing Lucy a pleasure of a protagonist…A sweet, sincere look at the complexities of female friendship between competitive athletes. This book tackles a lot and scores at every turn." —Booklist Seventeen-year-old Lucy "Lucky" Graves is devoted to her championship rugby team, but her dreams of a scholarship are destroyed when she breaks her ankle during an important game. If it doesn't heal properly, Lucy could be benched for the rest of the year. Goodbye pro career, goodbye college, goodbye future. Without rugby, who is she? Now her anxiety and OCD are getting worse, and a past trauma has resurfaced to haunt her. Lucy needs to stop running from her past to discover what it really means to be a team player.
Lucky Breaks Loose (Lucky Ladd #12)
by Dean HughesJust how lucky is Lucky? His shoes have agreed to trip over anything that sticks up-like grass. And curbs! Maybe someday he'll get over one safely. His father is in a business that checks out disasters, so they travel from place to place in their motor home. Lucky can always make new friends at church and at school, though they're usually the ones you feel sorry for. Then, just as Lucky gets settled in, he has to say good-bye. Lucky often wishes he'd have less luck. Ron Ladd, Lucky's father, insists that no one is luckier. Lucky bounces back from the worst accidents. He comes out pretty good in bad situations too. So when they come to Pascal, Louisiana, after a tornado has hit the town, he brings his brand of luck with him. Then Lucky decides to play football, even though many players are twice his size. The coach, to everyone's surprise, makes Lucky a running back. The question is not how well he'll do, but whether he'll make it through in one piece. Maybe the title Lucky Breaks Loose refers to his getting hit and breaking into little pieces. Then again, maybe it could mean something a little luckier. Read the other 5 books in the Lucky Ladd series including: #1 Lucky's Crash Landing and #3 Lucky's Gold Mine. There is also a humorous series by Dean Hues about a boy named Nutty Nutsell. RL 5.7 Ages 8-12
Lucky Cap
by Mike A. LancasterEven better, he gets to spend the summer traveling with his father and the CEO/designer/head of the company, a cross between Steve Jobs and Lance Armstrong. Working out all Summer, meeting new people, and growing up makes him come back a different kid- more confident and self-assured. But when all the other kids, especially the girls, start paying attention and treating him differently, he ascribes it all to his cool prototype lucky cap. Flirted with, more popular, invited onto the sports teams- it's all thanks to his Lucky Cap. And when it disappears, Enzo stops at nothing to get it back, so he won't lose his new-found status, only to sabotage himself.
Lucky Cap
by Patrick JenningsThe summer before Enzo enters the 6th grade, his dad takes a job with a company cooler than Nike, Timberland, and Marc Ecko. Even better, he gets to spend the summer traveling with his father and the CEO/designer/head of the company, a cross between Steve Jobs and Lance Armstrong. Working out all Summer, meeting new people, and growing up makes him come back a different kid - more confident and self-assured. But when all the other kids, especially the girls, start paying attention and treating him differently, he ascribes it all to his cool prototype lucky cap. Flirted with, more popular, invited onto the sports teams - it's all thanks to his Lucky Cap. And when it disappears, Enzo stops at nothing to get it back, so he won't lose his new-found status, only to sabotage himself.
Lucky Enough (All-Star Sports Stories #22)
by Fred BowenA baseball star&’s luck is tested in this action-packed story—perfect for fans of Mike Lupica and Tim Green—from the author of The Kid Coach.Like many athletes, Trey is superstitious. How could he not be when he just made the Ravens travel baseball team thanks to his lucky charm, a piece of rare sea glass he found on his grandmother&’s beach?This stroke of good fortune reinforces Trey&’s superstitions, and his rituals only become more important to him. Despite some teasing from his teammates, he persists in never stepping on the foul line, obsessively tapping the corners of home plate when he&’s at bat, and always choosing the same lucky bat. And his tactics are working; he&’s doing quite well on the field and in the batter&’s box.Then one day Trey can&’t find his lucky sea glass. His performance begins to slip, and he&’s convinced his future with the Ravens is doomed. Things don&’t start to improve until Trey&’s uncle reminds him of his grandmother&’s favorite saying: &“The harder you work, the luckier you get.&”Can Trey take these words to heart and find his swing again . . . even without his lucky charm?This ebook features an afterword about famous real-life players with their own lucky charms and superstitions.Discussion Guide available &“A former kids&’ baseball coach and the writer of the Washington Post sports column for young readers, Bowen adds an entertaining note on baseball superstitions. . . . The straightforward story will appeal to young players as well as older ones intimidated by longer novels.&” —Booklist
Lucky Every Day: 20 Unforgettable Lessons from a Coach Who Made a Difference
by Chip SilvermanIn the bestselling tradition of Ten Things I Wish I'd Known......and The Right Words at the Right Time comes a collection of inspirational wisdom from beloved lacrosse coach, the late Diane Geppi-Aikens. Loyola College of Maryland Women's Lacrosse Coach Diane Geppi-Aikens would have been a remarkable role model simply as one of the nation's top lacrosse coaches. But this single mother of four battled inoperable brain tumors for eight years. Partially paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair, Geppi-Aikens missed only one game as she coached her #1 ranked team into the semi-finals of the NCAA championships.In spite of the terrible tragedy threatening her life, she managed to get her players to consider her lucky. Now, in the wake of this courageous woman's death comes an incredibly inspirational book. In 20 short chapters, Geppi-Aikens's unique and uplifting teachings live on through the memories of those she inspired most. H In Geppi-Aikens's final season, she and her players made memorable appearances on the Today show, Good Morning America, and CBS Evening News. She was also featured in Sports Illustrated, College Sports TV, and Lacrosse Magazine. H Books offering inspirational advice from high-profile women, such as Maria Shriver's Ten Things I Wish I'd Known.... (Warner, 2000) and Marlo Thomas's The Right Word at the Right Time (Atria, 4/02), are perennial bestsellers. H Diane Geppi-Aikens won the 2003 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Inspiration Award. The Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Association has renamed their Lifetime Achievement Award in her honor. H Chip Silverman is the author of five books, including Diner Guys (Carroll, 1989) and The Block (Scribe, 1994), which served as the basis for Barry Levinson's famous films, including the classic Diner. He is a former lacrosse player and was also Head Coach for Morgan State College and for the University of Baltimore.
Lucky Loser: Adventures in Tennis and Comedy
by Michael KostaFrom a host of The Daily Show and stand-up comic, Michael Kosta, comes a wildly funny and insightful memoir about his unlikely journey from professional tennis player (#864 in the world) to professional comedian (there’s no ranking system in comedy but he’s probably . . . top 50?). Before Michael Kosta was performing stand-up comedy specials and hosting The Daily Show, he was a professional tennis “star,” reaching the lofty heights of the #864 ranked men’s singles player in the world. Stop laughing. That’s better than your world ranking. As a tennis pro, Kosta traveled across the globe, competing in such exotic locales as the Netherlands, Tokyo, and even rural Illinois before deciding to put down his racket and pursue a more stable and predictable career: comedy.In a completely unexpected and wild journey through the backwaters of professional tennis, Kosta shows the unlikely ways life on the court prepared him for life in front of a microphone. Like comedy, tennis is brutally competitive, and most people lose at it. Unlike comedy, no one in tennis puts a gun on the table as they count out your earnings in twenty-dollar bills at the end of the night.And then there are the things that have more to do with what happens to you—and what you end up learning—as part of growing up. Topics include: how to properly discard an unwanted European hard-boiled egg, giving CPR to your dead grandpa, cringe-worthy “sex” in the Red Light District, crying so hard in a car that strangers call the cops, and also happy things like what it feels like when your dreams come true. From misadventures in tennis to the humbling setbacks of comedy, Lucky Loser is a heart-filled story of making your own luck, the universal experience of failure, and the many ways in which we all inevitably lose on the way to success.Lucky Loser includes a 16-page photo insert.
Lucky Luis
by Gary SotoAt Little League, Luis is catching fly balls, stealing bases, and hitting like a champ. But there is a problem: he thinks he's getting good luck from the snacks he samples at the supermarket before every game. Then one day his mom goes directly to the field and he has a horrible practice. The day she skips the stop at the store before a game, he strikes out twice. Luckily, Luis's father understands and convinces him that practice and concentration matter much more than any superstition.
Lucky Me: A Memoir of Changing the Odds
by Rich PaulA memoir of will, success, and the luck we make—from the founder and CEO of Klutch Sports Group and one of the most influential figures in the multibillion-dollar sports industry. <p><p> There’s a story about Rich Paul that everyone knows: A twenty-one-year-old kid from Cleveland who sells sports jerseys out of his car meets a high school basketball phenom named LeBron James at an airport—the two become friends and forge a decades-long partnership that reinvents the business of sports. That random meeting might seem like the lucky break that changed Paul’s life. But a moment of good fortune means nothing without the struggle that gets you there. And the truth is, Paul had always been lucky. <p><p> Rich Paul became a gambler at an early age—his fast mind and gift for finding an edge made him a devastating dice roller who could hold his own with grown men, win big, and walk away alive. Shooting dice wasn’t just a pastime; it was a way to earn money for his family as his mother struggled under the weight of drug addiction. He learned the secret science of dice in the same place he found all the lessons of his young life: the corner store his father operated, the center of the neighborhood’s frantic action. Paul’s father had another family but kept his son close working at the store. Paul dreamed of becoming a star athlete, but the streets were where he thrived, building a lucrative enterprise on shaky ground. When he found himself at a dangerous crossroads, he summoned the teachings of his past to create a different future. <p><p> Readers will follow the riveting journey of a young Rich Paul narrated by the Paul of today, who looks back with wit and insight, drawing out the lessons he learned at every stage—about business, people, and the values that lead to success. It’s the inspiring story of the luck that’s all around us, if we know where to look. <p> <b>New York Times Bestseller</b>