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The Eagle Huntress: The True Story of the Girl Who Soared Beyond Expectations
by Aisholpan NurgaivThe subject of the award-winning documentary The Eagle Huntress tells the true story of how she became the first girl to compete in -- and win -- one of Mongolia's most prestigious competitions.In this compelling memoir, teenaged eagle hunter Aisholpan Nurgaiv tells her own story for the first time, speaking directly with award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Liz Welch (I Will Always Write Back), who traveled to Mongolia for this book. Nurgaiv's story and fresh, sincere voice are not only inspiring but truly magnificent: with the support of her father, she captured and trained her own golden eagle and won the Ölgii eagle festival. She was the only girl to compete in the festival.Filled with stunning photographs, The Eagle Huntress is a striking tale of determination -- of a girl who defied expectations and achieved what others declared impossible. Aisholpan Nurgaiv's story is both unique and universally relatable: a memoir of survival, empowerment, and the positive impact of one person's triumph.
The Eagles Encyclopedia: Champions Edition
by Ray DidingerRay Didinger, like every die-hard Eagles fan, has been waiting since the 1960 NFL Title for the Birds to win the Super Bowl. In this "Champions Edition" of The Eagles Encyclopedia, beloved Eagles commentator Didinger celebrates his team and their remarkable, against-all-odds season that ended at Super Bowl LII, where they claimed victory over the Patriots in Minnesota. Didinger updates his best-selling book The Eagles Encyclopedia with the departure of Coach Chip Kelly and the dawn of the Doug Pederson era. He provides a new chapter on the 2017-18 season and postseason. And he includes dozens of new player, coach, and front-office profiles as well as Hall of Fame updates on 2018 inductees Brian Dawkins and Terrell Owens. But wait, there's more! An all-new 16-page color insert highlights key moments on the road to the Super Bowl Iconic photos old and new, from Concrete Charlie Bednarik's tackle of Frank Gifford to Nick Foles and the Philly Special More than 100 new photos from the recent season as well as from earlier periods in the Eagles' storied history The Eagles Encyclopedia: Champions Edition is more than a keepsake of a championship season. It is a book about a city and a team and the emotion that binds them.
The Eagles of Heart Mountain: A True Story of Football, Incarceration, and Resistance in World War II America
by Bradford PearsonThe impeccably researched, deeply moving, never-before-told tale about a World War II incarceration camp in Wyoming and its extraordinary high school football team—for fans of The Boys in the Boat and The Storm on Our Shores. In the spring of 1942, the United States government forced 120,000 Japanese Americans from their homes in California, Oregon, Washington, and Arizona and sent them to incarceration camps across the West. Nearly 14,000 of them landed on the outskirts of Cody, Wyoming, at the base of Heart Mountain. Behind barbed wire fences, they faced racism, cruelty, and frozen winters. Trying to recreate comforts from home, many established Buddhist temples and sumo wrestling pits. Kabuki performances drew hundreds of spectators—yet there was little hope. That is, until the fall of 1943, when the camp&’s high school football team, the Eagles, started its first season and finished it undefeated, crushing the competition from nearby, predominantly white high schools. Amid all this excitement, American politics continued to disrupt their lives as the federal government drafted men from the camps for the front lines—including some of the Eagles. As the team&’s second season kicked off, the young men faced a choice to either join the Army or resist the draft. Teammates were divided, and some were jailed for their decisions. The Eagles of Heart Mountain honors the resilience of extraordinary heroes and the power of sports in a sweeping and inspirational portrait of one of the darkest moments in American history.
The Early Development of Football: Contemporary Debates (Routledge Research in Sports History)
by Graham CurryThis fascinating collection brings together leading football historians and sociologists from the UK, Germany, the USA and Australia to offer fresh perspectives on the early development of football (soccer), not only illuminating our understanding of the early history of the world’s most popular sport, but also the importance of sport in our broader social and cultural history. The book presents new evidence and fresh perspectives which will inform the robust debate that has been raging about the origins and early development of football. It addresses key issues at the centre of this debate, including the influence of former English public schoolboys, the development of football subcultures outside of prestige educational institutions, and the intersection and divergence of the various football codes around the world. The Early Development of Football is an important resource for anyone working in the history of football or sports in general, football studies or the sociology of sport. It is also a useful read for those interested in sport management and the development of sports organisations and rules.
The Early Years Movement Handbook: A Principles-Based Approach to Supporting Young Children’s Physical Development, Health and Wellbeing
by Lala MannersA Principles-Based Approach to Supporting Young Children’s Physical Development, Health and Wellbeing
The Early Years of the FA Cup: How the British Army Helped Establish the World's First Football Tournament
by James W. BancroftThe 150th anniversary of the first FA Cup competition, the earliest knockout tournament in the history of football, will be celebrated during the 2021-2022 season. The first set of matches was played on 11 November 1871, with the Engineers reaching the final played at Kennington Oval on 16 March 1872. During the first decade of the competition three teams associated with the military, Royal Engineers, 1st Surrey Rifles and 105th Regiment, were involved in 74 matches. They won more than half of them and scored 154 goals. The Army also produced one of the most respected administrators in the history of football, in the form of Major Francis Marindin, who was involved in the founding of the FA Cup, played in two finals, and refereed a further nine. Military men and units provided a number of ‘firsts’ in the early years of football. The Royal Engineers played in the first ever FA Cup final; Lieutenant James Prinsep of the Essex Regiment was the youngest footballer to appear in an FA Cup final until 2004, although he remains the youngest to complete a full match; Lieutenant William Maynard of the 1st Surrey Rifles played for England in the first ever official international match against Scotland; Captain William Kenyon-Slaney of the Grenadier Guards scored the first ever goal in an official international match, while playing for England; and Lieutenant Henry Renny-Tailyour of the Royal Engineers scored the first ever goal for Scotland in the same match. At a time when there has been talk of a financially-motivated breakaway European Super League, James gives the reader the opportunity to look back at a time when football was played for the game itself. Using his vast knowledge concerning Victorian football and military history, The Early Years of the FA Cup explores the fascinating history of the Army’s involvement in the early years of the world’s most popular sport. With detailed descriptions of the finals and other matches involving the military teams during football’s heyday, this book, for the first time, then follows the men as they went on campaigns to build roads and bridges in hostile territory, provide maps for commanders in famous conflicts such as The Zulu War, Afghanistan, the Sudan, and the Boer Wars, and saw active service on the Western Front during the First World War. In some cases they never returned. Often great footballers are referred to as ‘heroes’ – in the case of the men who played for the Army teams in the early FA Cup competitions, such an epithet is genuinely true.
The Eastern Stars
by Mark KurlanskyThe intriguing, inspiring history of one small, impoverished area in the Dominican Republic that has produced a staggering number of Major League Baseball talent, from an award-winning, bestselling author.
The Easy Camp Cookbook: 100 Recipes For Your Car Camping and Backcountry Adventures
by Amelia MayerAfter a long day on the trail or while sitting around a roaring fire, food just tastes better than it does at home. Sized perfectly for limited packing space, this all-inclusive camping cookbook will expand your wilderness culinary chops. The Easy Camp Cookbook is a compilation of family favorites that are (mostly) healthy, will fuel your adventures, and are simple to make—no more settling for plain ol' hot dogs and tasteless freeze-dried foods! Organized into two sections: car camping and backcountry camping, this camping cookbook features delicious, easy-to-make recipes. Many recipes can be prepped at home so you can spend more time relaxing and enjoying camping—it even includes vegetarian options! Take the guesswork out of keeping everyone fed with this insightful camping cookbook. Inside this camping cookbook, you'll find: Prep ahead—Many of the recipes utilize at-home prep to make meals that much easier (and cleaner!) at the campsite. Be prepared—Get camping advice, including an at-home prepping guide, camping checklist, safety tips, and more. Light read—The packable size of this handy guide makes it ideal for your next camping trip. This comprehensive camping cookbook will have you eating like a king on the trail!
The Easy Part of Impossible
by Sarah TompAfter an injury forces Ria off the diving team, an unexpected friendship with Cotton, a guy on the autism spectrum, helps her come to terms with the abusive relationship she’s been in with her former coach.Ria Williams was an elite diver on track for the Olympics. As someone who struggled in school, largely due to her ADHD, diving was the one place Ria could shine.But while her parents were focused on the trophies, no one noticed how Coach Benny’s strict rules and punishments controlled every aspect of Ria’s life. The harder he was on her, the sharper her focus. The bigger the bruise, the better the dive.Until a freak accident at a meet changes everything. Just like that, Ria is handed back her life, free of Benny. To fill her now empty and aimless days, Ria rekindles a friendship with Cotton, a guy she used to know back in elementary school. With Cotton, she’s able to open up about what Benny would do to her, and through Cotton’s eyes, Ria is able to see it for what it was: abuse.Then Benny returns, offering Ria a second chance with a life-changing diving opportunity. But it’s not hers alone—Benny’s coaching comes with it. The thought of being back under his control seems impossible to bear, but so does walking away. How do you separate the impossible from possible when the one thing you love is so tangled up in the thing you fear most?
The Echoing Green: The Untold Story of Bobby Thomson, Ralph Branca and the Shot Heard Round the World
by Joshua PragerAt 3:58 p. m. on October 3, 1951, Bobby Thomson hit a home run off Ralph Branca. The ball sailed over the left field wall and into history. The Giants won the pennant. That moment--the Shot Heard Round the World--reverberated from the West Wing of the White House to the Sing Sing death house to the Polo Grounds clubhouse, where hitter and pitcher forever turned into hero and goat. It was also in that centerfield block of concrete that, after the home run, a Giant coach tucked away a Wollensak telescope. The Echoing Greenplaces that revelation at the heart of a larger story, re-creating in extravagant detail and illuminating as never before the impact of both a moment and a long-guarded secret on the lives of Bobby Thomson and Ralph Branca.
The Eclectic 18: turbo articles, riveting reviews, inspiring life insights from unique books, movies, broadcasts, and race events critiqued in Radioactive Drag Racing News
by Phillip Gary SmithWhat’s it like to be a maniac on a mission? From the worlds of performance engineering, product development, drag racing, auto racing and human creativity, go beyond with THE ECLECTIC 18. Learn tipping points key to the success of The Justice Brothers oil empire uncovered only here. Realize lessons from Funny Car NHRA pioneer John Force’s rise to racing supremacy and how his success - and failures - may improve your life. Discover the “Top Ten Tommy Teachings,” shocking ways to survive absolute terminal cancer from one driven competitor. Absorb how a car known as Big Noise II dominated a man’s life and a tragedy. What about “My First Car” of yours; how does it stack up against Hugh Hefner’s, Steve McQueen’s, and many others you will know? Just try to be as big and creative in your thinking as “TV Tommy Ivo, Drag Racing’s Master Showman.” Take to heart a real maniac on a mission: “Mickey Thompson, the Fast Life and Tragic Death of a Racing Legend.” Use these readings for their lessons in life, then apply them. Joyfully “Dance the Western Swing,” “Light the Dark,” plus recognize what happens when one doubles down in Vegas with nitro chips. Understand the spectacle resulting “When 10000 Horsepower Goes Wrong.” With THE ECLECTIC 18 you, too, may just be one of “The New Kids on the Winner’s Block” of life. Find deeper meanings and helpful insights on striving to succeed and becoming relevant that also entertains. “THE ECLECTIC 18 traded the safety of emotional equilibrium for their compulsion to unabashedly collide with life’s vicissitudes with unrelenting verve.” Jeff Kildahl, Ph.D., Creator and President, The Wholistic Edge®
The Economic Impact of Sports Facilities, Franchises, and Events: Contributions in Honor of Robert Baade (Sports Economics, Management and Policy #23)
by Victor A. Matheson Robert BaumannThis edited volume discusses the economic impact of sports facilities, franchises, and events on local economies. Written in honor of Robert Baade upon his retirement, the book provides a state-of-the-art of current research on the economic impact of sports, and recognizes the seminal contributions that Dr. Baade has made to this topic.The analysis of the economic impact of spectator sports is a vital public policy topic as $75 billion has been spent on stadium construction since 1990 in the US alone, with nearly $35 billion of this coming from taxpayer subsidies. True public cost of sports franchises is much higher than this as this figure excludes facilities outside the Big 5 domestic leagues (like NASCAR track, NCAA facilities, minor league baseball, and the Canadian Football Leagues), public subsidies for major events like the Super Bowl or Olympic Games, and excludes sports subsidies outside of direct stadium construction subsidies.Including contributions from many of the most notable researchers studying the economic impact of sports, topics include impacts of stadiums and franchises on local economies, labor markets, and tax collections, the effect of sports franchises on property values, and changes in the public and academic discourse on sports subsidies over time. This volume will be of interest to researchers and students of sports economics, management, public policy, and public finance.
The Economics and Finance of Professional Team Sports
by Rob Wilson Daniel PlumleyThis book takes an in-depth look at the economics and finance of professional team sports, with a strong focus on applied analysis and performance measurement, to enable students, researchers, and practitioners to develop their professional knowledge of contemporary sport business. It examines the key themes that define professional team sports today, including the unique features of the team sport market place, the operation of leagues, competitive balance, salary caps, draft systems, income from broadcasting rights, the role of agents, and governance and financial regulation. It analyses the functional aspects of sport finance including where the money flows in and out, how to measure performance holistically, and how to interpret the financial performance of professional sport teams. It also covers emerging and disruptive forces that may shape the market in the future. It includes real- world cases and data in every chapter, including sports from football to Formula 1 and the NFL to the NBA, covering both established and emerging markets around the world. No other book offers such an up-to-date and practical guide to the most important sector of international sport business. This book is essential reading for courses in sport finance and economics, sport business, sport media and marketing, international business, or the economics of service and entertainment industries, and invaluable reading for any sport business professional looking to improve their professional skills. Daniel Plumley is Principal Lecturer in Sport Finance in the Department of Finance, Accounting and Business Systems in the Sheffield Business School at Sheffield Hallam University, UK. His research interests include performance measurement in professional team sports, the economics and finance of professional team sports, and competitive balance in professional team sports. Rob Wilson is Head of Department in Sheffield Business School’s Department of Finance, Accounting and Business Systems, and member of the Social and Economic Research Institute at Sheffield Hallam University, UK specialising in the finance and economics of the sport business industry.
The Economics of Football
by Stephen Dobson John GoddardThe second edition of this popular book presents a detailed economic analysis of professional football at club level, with new material included to reflect the development of the economics of professional football over the past ten years. Using a combination of economic reasoning and statistical and econometric analysis, the authors build upon the successes and strengths of the first edition to guide readers through the economic complexities and peculiarities of English club football. It uses a wide range of international comparisons to help emphasize both the broader relevance as well as the unique characteristics of the English experience. Topics covered include some of the most hotly debated issues currently surrounding professional football, including player salaries, the effects of management on team performance, betting on football, racial discrimination and the performance of football referees. This edition also features new chapters on the economics of international football, including the World Cup.
The Economics of MotoGP: Costs, Financing and the Competitive Balance of a Raising Motorsport
by María del Sánchez-Carreira Paulo Reis Mourão Anthony MacedoThis book provides insight into the economics of MotoGP and critically analyses the huge amounts of money, employees, racers, directors, and investors involved in the sport. It outlines the costs of MotoGP and the financing of both the teams and the competition itself, highlighting the importance of advertising and broadcasting within the sport&’s economic model. Through applying ideas of supply and demand and equilibrium value to MotoGP, an understanding of how certain teams and racers perform better than others is outlined, alongside a look at the competitive nature of the sport and what is needed to survive within it. Broader issues, including the political economy of MotoGP, technological innovation, and the ecological footprint of motorsport, are also discussed. This book offers a unique perspective on the operations of MotoGP and how the sport has grown over recent years to have an audience of dozens of millions of viewers per race. It will be relevant to students and researchers interested in sports economics and general readers interested in MotoGP.
The Economics of Professional Road Cycling
by Daam Van Reeth Daniel Joseph LarsonOver the past decade, a growing body of academic literature on the economics of road cycling has been amassed. This book is the first volume to bring together a majority of the academic research and knowledge on the economics and management of professional road cycling. Each chapter treats a particular economic aspect of the sport, from organizational structure to marketing, labor, game theory, and competitive balance. By discussing the existing research and complementing it with the newest concepts, ideas and data on professional road cycling, this book sets an agenda for further academic research while providing insights for all stakeholders in cycling: governments, cycling's governing bodies, team managers, race organizers, sponsors, media. Furthermore, the unique characteristics of the sport of cycling explored within this text inform broader management and industrial organization research, as they extend analyses of team labor, broadcast revenue generation, and sponsorship financing models. This book is equally of interest to academic researchers, students studying sports economics, and policy makers, such as race organizers, team managers, and sponsors.
The Economics of Professional Road Cycling (Sports Economics, Management and Policy #19)
by Daam Van ReethThis volume brings together current academic research and knowledge on the economics and management of professional road cycling. Each chapter treats a particular economic aspect of the sport, from organizational structure to marketing, finance, media coverage, labor, strategic behavior, and competitive balance. By discussing the existing research and complementing it with the newest concepts, ideas and data on professional road cycling, this book sets an agenda for further academic research while providing insights for all stakeholders in cycling: governments, cycling's governing bodies, team managers, race organizers, sponsors, media. Furthermore, the unique characteristics of the sport of cycling explored within this text inform broader management and industrial organization research, as they extend analyses of team labor, broadcast revenue generation, and sponsorship financing models. Revised and updated for the second edition, this volume includes new chapters on women’s professional road cycling, the economic impact of hosting major cycling events, and the willingness to pay for professional road cycling events. This book is equally of interest to academic researchers, students studying sports economics, and policy makers, such as race organizers, team managers, and sponsors.
The Economics of Sport and Recreation: An Economic Analysis
by Peter Taylor Chris GrattonThe Economics of Sport and Recreation provides a much needed and up-to-date analysis of sport's contribution to the global economy. This new edition covers all aspects of the economics of sport and recreation but gives prominence to the staggering rise of the commercial sector over the last decade. Special attention is paid to the economics of the sports goods industry, the economics of sports sponsorship, the economics of major sports events, the economics of professional team sports, and the economic relationship between sport and broadcasting.In the first edition of this book published in 1985, the emphasis was on the government and voluntary sectors as the lead sectors in the sports market. As we enter the next millennium, it is the commercial sector that is the lead sector in the sports market and this is reflected in the content and structure of the new book.Aimed specifically at students engaged in the study of sport and its interaction with the economy, this book will be an invaluable resource.
The Economics of Sports
by Victor A. Matheson Michael A. Leeds Peter von AllmenThe sports industry provides a seemingly endless set of examples from every area of microeconomics, giving students the opportunity to study economics in a context that holds their interest. Thoroughly updated to reflect the current landscape, The Economics of Sports introduces core economic concepts and theories and applies them to US and international sports. Divided into five parts, the book focuses on three major areas of the economics of sports: industrial organization, public economics, and labor economics. Updates for this seventh edition include: • An entirely new chapter on sports gambling and a fully revised section on intercollegiate sports; • Updated material on social justice in sports and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the industry; • More coverage of international sports, e-sports, and new biographical sketches. This well-presented and accessible text is supported by easy-to-follow pedagogical features, such as end-of-chapter summaries and questions, and a companion website, which offers useful resources for students and instructors. It is the perfect textbook for intermediate and advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in sports economics.
The Economics of Sports
by Michael Leeds Peter Von Allmen Victor A. MathesonFor undergraduate courses in sports economics, this book introduces core economic concepts developed through examples from the sports industry. The sports industry provides a seemingly endless set of examples from every area of microeconomics, giving students the opportunity to study economics in a context that holds their interest. The Economics of Sports explores economic concepts and theory of industrial organization, public finance, and labor economics in the context of applications and examples from American and international sports.
The Economics of Sports (The\addison-wesley Series In Economics)
by Peter Von Allmen Victor A. Matheson Michael A. LeedsThe sports industry provides a seemingly endless set of examples from every area of microeconomics, giving students the opportunity to study economics in a context that holds their interest. Thoroughly updated to reflect the current sports landscape, The Economics of Sports introduces core economic concepts and theories and applies them to American and international sports. Updates for this sixth edition include: More coverage of international sports, including European football; A revised chapter on competitive balance, reflecting new techniques; A brand-new chapter on mega-events such as the Olympics and World Cup; New material on umpire bias; A completely redesigned chapter on amateur competition that focuses exclusively on intercollegiate sports. This chapter is also now modular, enabling instructors who wish to intersperse it with the other chapters to do so with greater ease. This accessible text is supported by a companion website which includes resources for students and instructors. It is the perfect text for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses on sports economics.
The Economics of Sports Broadcasting
by Chris Gratton Harry Arne SolbergSports now constitute one of the most valuable forms of broadcast entertainment in today’s lucrative international market. This textbook explains the economics underlying the sports broadcasting phenomenon. The specific regulatory culture governing sports broadcasting means that the financial economy of this area has many unique features. The Economics of Sports Broadcasting provides an accessible, detailed introduction to all aspects of economics in this fascinating area. The book contains a wealth of textbook features and has been written and designed to facilitate student learning. It includes: questions of ownership, trade and commodity in sport the historical context for contemporary sports broadcasting the key players – viewers, TV channels, sponsors, clubs, event owners and authorities the regulations governing televised sport the international context for broadcast sport competition and game theory in sports broadcasting sports broadcasting’s changing landscape of ownership and supply channels. This book will be useful for courses in media and broadcasting, economics, sport management and sports development.
The Ecstasy and the Agony
by Damien TiernanIn 1998, a determined Waterford hurling team made their way to their first All-Ireland semi-final in almost forty years, their sights firmly set on the final, which would be their first since 1963.But destiny conspired against them and they lost. Over the next twelve years they would, time and time again, play spell-binding hurling, reach the Semi-Finals seven times, Player of the Year Awards and multiple All-Star honours and come agonisingly close to winning one of the biggest prizes in Irish sport. In The Ecstasy and the Agony, Damien Tiernan goes behind the scenes and takes an unflinchingly honest look at how such a great team can come so close to major triumphs but still walked away without the top honours. In over sixty interviews with key players, backroom staff, selectors and managers including Justin McCarthy, Paul Flynn, Davy Fitzgerald, Dan Shanahan, Eoin Kelly, Stephen Molumphy, Ken McGrath, Gerald McCarthy, and many others - Tiernan examines the controversies that have dogged Waterford hurling in recent years. Who are the leaders? What are the key moments around which victory and defeat revolve? And what, ultimately, are the lessons learned? The Ecstasy and the Agony is the full and honest account of a team who will never stop believing.
The Ecstasy and the Agony
by Damien TiernanIn 1998, a determined Waterford hurling team made their way to their first All-Ireland semi-final in almost forty years, their sights firmly set on the final, which would be their first since 1963.But destiny conspired against them and they lost. Over the next twelve years they would, time and time again, play spell-binding hurling, reach the Semi-Finals seven times, Player of the Year Awards and multiple All-Star honours and come agonisingly close to winning one of the biggest prizes in Irish sport. In The Ecstasy and the Agony, Damien Tiernan goes behind the scenes and takes an unflinchingly honest look at how such a great team can come so close to major triumphs but still walked away without the top honours. In over sixty interviews with key players, backroom staff, selectors and managers including Justin McCarthy, Paul Flynn, Davy Fitzgerald, Dan Shanahan, Eoin Kelly, Stephen Molumphy, Ken McGrath, Gerald McCarthy, and many others - Tiernan examines the controversies that have dogged Waterford hurling in recent years. Who are the leaders? What are the key moments around which victory and defeat revolve? And what, ultimately, are the lessons learned? The Ecstasy and the Agony is the full and honest account of a team who will never stop believing.
The Ecstasy of Defeat: Sports Reporting at Its Finest by the Editors of the Onion
by Editors of The OnionThe Sports Page As You've Never Seen It Before From painfully obvious steroid revelations to sex scandals and superstars who announce trades in over-the-top TV specials, the wide world of sports can often seem too ridiculous for words. In The Ecstasy of Defeat, the editors of The Onion offer the laugh-out-loud funny and long overdue lampoon of sports culture you've been waiting for. Filled with the very best of The Onion's bench-clearing sports coverage, this book includes such classics as: Lip-Reading BCS; Computer Kills Officials Who Want To Shut It Down; Barry Bonds Took Steroids, Reports Everyone Who Has Ever Watched Baseball; Report: Cheap Chinese NBA Players Falling Apart After A Few Seasons; Barbaro's Doctors: "A Horse This Good You Don't Eat All At Once."; Lance Armstrong Wants To Tell Nation Something But Nation Has To Promise Not To Get Mad. No topic escapes the satirical slap of America's Finest News Source, and the book covers not only mainstream sports--such as baseball, basketball, and football--but also lesser sports, sports culture, and special events like the World Cup and the Olympics. Featuring all the players, teams, and sports we love--and love to hate--The Ecstasy of Defeat is a must-read for sports nuts and Onion fans alike.