- Table View
- List View
Understanding Sports Culture (Understanding Contemporary Culture series)
by Tony Schirato"In only 138 pages of text he manages a broad sweep across sports history and culture... Schirato brings the eye of a critical fan to his analysis of sport - he treats it seriously as a social practice and as a social institution... [He] achieves his aims by providing a useful, provocative and non-dogmatic text that should be useful to undergraduate and graduate sport studies programmes." - Malcolm MacLean, Sport in History "A particular strength of Understanding Sports Culture is the author's ability to meet the claim for breadth of student readership. The book is clearly structured, flagging from the outset a journey from ancient sporting times and the assumed human need of play to the development of modern and ultimately global and highly commercialized sporting cultures." - John Hughson, European Journal of Cultural Studies ?Understanding Sport Culture traces and analyzes the development of the modern field of sport from its ancient and medieval precursors (the festivals of Greece and Rome, and games such as folk football), through to its inception in the mid-nineteenth century as a set of activities designed to instill character and discipline in students in exclusive British public schools, up to its transformation into a global institution and popular spectacle. The narrative also focuses on and provides a detailed account of the gradual coming together of sport and the media. It explains how this relationship has accentuated sport's status as one of the most important sites in contemporary culture, while simultaneously threatening its existence. As part of the Understanding Contemporary Culture series this book is aimed at a broad range of students from undergraduate to graduate level, who want to know more and be fully informed on sport, its relationship to the media, and its cultural dynamics.
Understanding Sports Massage (2nd edition)
by Patricia J. Benjamin Scott P. LampUnderstanding Sports Massage is ideal for sport professionals and students in training programs. The book explains massage techniques in detail and describes the procedures involved in conducting effective sports massage sessions.
Understanding Strength and Conditioning as Sport Coaching: Bridging the Biophysical, Pedagogical and Sociocultural Foundations of Practice
by Tania Cassidy Phil Handcock Brian Gearity Lisette BurrowsContemporary strength and conditioning coaching is, for the most part, informed by the exercise sciences, with little engagement being made with sociocultural and pedagogical perspectives which have emerged in sports coaching research over the last two decades. In Understanding Strength and Conditioning as Sport Coaching: Bridging the Biophysical, Pedagogical and Sociocultural Foundations of Practice, the authors – whose expertise span strength and conditioning, sports coaching and pedagogy – help students and coaches to integrate perspectives from these disciplines to enhance their strength and conditioning coaching practice. The book encourages readers to add moral, ethical and political considerations to the technical aspects of their coaching practice. It discusses and applies concepts to a full range of strength and conditioning settings, including elite performance, young athletes, ageing athletes and returning to play following injury. Featuring an eResource, and structured around rich, narrative pedagogical cases reflecting the issues faced by practising strength and conditioning coaches, the book offers a thoroughly engaging introduction to pedagogical and sociocultural concepts and literature in a strength and conditioning context. This is a vital book for students of strength and conditioning, and an important resource for practising strength and conditioning coaches and sport science staff.
Understanding the Golf Swing: Today's Leading Proponents O Ernest Jones' Swing Principles Presents A Complete System For Better Golf
by Carol Mann Gary D'AmatoThis modern classic of golf instruction by renowned teacher Manuel de la Torre (the 1986 PGA Teacher of the Year and the #11 teacher in America as ranked by the editors of Golf Digest in 2007) presents a simpler approach to the golf swing based on Ernest Jones’s principles. Understanding the Golf Swing includes information on the philosophy of the golf swing (with emphasis on the development of a true swinging motion), the most thorough analysis of ball flights available, and analysis of the principles of special shot play (including sand play, pitching, chipping, putting, and playing unusual shots) and the mental side of golf and effective course management. The final chapter offers an organized approach to understanding golf courses and playing conditions. The result is a blend of philosophy and practical advice found in few golf instructional books.
Understanding the Golf Swing: Today's Leading Proponents of Ernest Jones' Swing Principles Presents a Complete System for Better Golf
by Manuel De La TorreFor the first time in paperback, this modern classic of golf instruction by renowned teacher Manuel de la Torre (the 1986 PGA Teacher of the Year and the #11 teacher in America as ranked by the editors of Golf Digest in 2007) presents a simpler approach to the golf swing based on Ernest Jones' principles. Understanding the Golf Swing includes information on the philosophy of the golf swing (with emphasis on the development of a true swinging motion), the most thorough analysis of ball flights available, and analysis of the principles of special shot play (including sand play, pitching, chipping, putting, and playing unusual shots) and the mental side of golf and effective course management. The final chapter offers an organized approach to understanding golf courses and playing conditions. The result is a blend of philosophy and practical advice found in few golf instructional books.
Understanding the Olympics
by John Horne Garry WhannelThe Olympic Games is unquestionably the greatest sporting event in the world, with billions of viewers across the globe. How did the Olympics evolve into this multi-national phenomenon? How can the Olympics help us to understand the relationship between sport and society? What will be the impact and legacy of the 2016 Olympics in Rio? Now in a fully revised and updated new edition that places Rio 2016 in the foreground, Understanding the Olympics answers all these questions by exploring the social, cultural, political, historical and economic context of the Games. This book presents the latest research on the Olympics, including new material on legacy, sustainability and corruption, and introduces the reader to all of the key themes of contemporary Olympic Studies including: the history of the Olympics Olympic politics access and equity the Olympics and the media festival and spectacle the Olympic economy urban development Olympic futures. The most up-to-date and authoritative introduction to the Olympic Games, this book contains a full Olympic history timeline as well as illustrations, information boxes and ‘Olympic Stories’ in every chapter. Understanding the Olympics is essential reading for anybody with an interest in the Olympics or the wider relationship between sport and society.
Understanding the Olympics
by John Horne Garry WhannelHow did the Olympics evolve into a multi-national phenomenon? How can the Olympics help us to understand the relationship between sport and society? What will be the impact and legacy of the Olympics after Tokyo in 2020? Understanding the Olympics answers all these questions by exploring the social, cultural, political, historical and economic context of the Games. This thoroughly revised and updated edition discusses recent attempts at future proofing by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in the face of growing global anti-Olympic activism, the changing geo-political context within which the Olympics take place, and the Olympic histories of the next three cities to host the Games – Tokyo (2020), Paris (2024) and Los Angeles (2028) – as well as the legacy of the London (2012) Olympics. For the first time, this new edition introduces the reader to the emergence of &‘other Games&’ associated with the IOC – the Winter Olympics, the Paralympics, and the Youth Olympics. It also features a full Olympic history timeline, many new photographs, refreshed suggestions for further reading, and revised illustrations. The most up-to-date and authoritative textbook available on the Olympic Games, Understanding the Olympics is essential reading for anybody with an interest in the Olympics or the wider relationship between sport and society.
Understanding UK Sport Policy in Context
by Jonathan Grix and Lesley PhillpotsThe London Olympics of 2012 acted as a focal point for an examination of UK sport policy. Individual chapters from leading specialists in their fields focus upon the central components of the UK‘smodel of sport - for example elite, school and community sport and talent ID policies - and discuss what kind oflegacy 2012 is likely to leave on the sports landscape in years to come. The conceptlegacy is a common theme running through all contributions which themselves stem from a wide variety of academic disciplines and sub-disciplines, including sport psychology, political science, sports studies, cultural studies and sociology. A wide range of topics and organisations are covered throughout the volume, including coaching, talent ID, school sports partnerships, PE and youth sport, participation in sport, the IOC and the Olympic Charter, the Olympic Movement and Islamic Culture and, finally, issues of regeneration through sports mega-events. This book was published as a special issue of the International Journal of Sport Policy.
Understanding Young Chinese Backpackers: The Pursuit of Freedom and Its Risks (China Perspectives)
by Jia XieAn activity that originated in Western societies, backpacking has gained increasing popularity among Chinese millennials. In a spirit of the ‘search for self’, young Chinese backpackers have sought to display their pursuit of freedom, independence and responsibility within an increasingly individualised society through backpacking. This volume investigates contemporary young Chinese persons’ views on backpacking culture and backpackers. A group of Chinese backpackers are studied using interview and participant observation, and focus groups are conducted to study young professionals’ and university students’ attitudes towards backpacking. The results indicate a profound cultural change along with a degree of division. On the one hand, the backpackers often begin their journey due to a desire to pursue freedom, and use the pursuit as a process of reflexive awareness; on the other hand, the risks of pursuing a freewheeling lifestyle within an individualised society drive the majority of them to return home. The author concludes that this phenomenon is a kind of ‘staged individualism’, describing how Chinese millennials strike a balance between individual interests and wider social obligations. Students and scholars of sociology tourism, and youth culture will be interested in this volume.
The Undertaker
by Adam StoneThe Undertaker is one of the most famous wrestlers of all time. He has wrestled in hundreds of matches and won several championships. Readers will learn about the Undertaker's past, his training, and how he has remained one of the biggest stars in wrestling for over 25 years.
Undisputed: A Champion's Life
by Donovan BaileyA memoir of Olympic glory, the value of mentorship and the courage to champion your own excellence, from the long-reigning world's fastest man, Canadian sprinting legend Donovan Bailey.From the lush fields of his boyhood in Jamaica, to the basketball courts of Oakville, where he came of age in one of Canada&’s most thriving cultural mosaics, to his sprint toward double Olympic gold for Canada in Atlanta in 1996, Donovan Bailey got a long way on natural talent. But he also learned that in the bureaucratic world of Canadian sports, an athlete who didn't come up in the system needed to take charge of his fate if he was going to become the world&’s best. As he ascended from outsider to dominant athlete, others didn&’t always understand the rigour at work behind Bailey&’s confident demeanour. He&’d learned from watching Muhammad Ali that a champion needed to act like a champion. But media grew fixated on the sprinter&’s immodesty, the likes of which they never saw from Canadian athletes, especially track athletes in the wake of the Ben Johnson doping scandal at Seoul in 1988. Bailey was having none of it, and when he called out Canada's subtle racism and contradicted the prevailing idea most Canadians had of their country, he left in his wake a media uproar and cracked wide open the nation&’s moral complacency. In addition to his unforgettable 100-metre and 4x100 relay gold-medal sprints in Atlanta, Bailey's track career was a litany of records and rare accomplishments, including his audacious 1997 race in Toronto's SkyDome against American 200-metre Olympic champion Michael Johnson to determine who was really the world&’s fastest man. There was no disputing the result. Bailey had been coached in success before he was seriously coached in athletics. Following the lead of his father, a machinist-turned-real estate investor, Bailey became a millionaire by the age of 21, an experience he continues to draw on as an entrepreneur and philanthropist. Frank about his dominance on the track and unapologetic for expecting as much of those around him as he expects of himself, Undisputed is an athlete's story that refuses to settle for second best.
Undisputed: How to Become World Champion in 1,372 Easy Steps
by Chris JerichoSequel to the worldwide hit A LION'S TALE.A LION'S TALE documented Chris Jericho's journey from small-time dreamer to big-time superstar, from Winnipeg, Canada, to undisputed WWE heavyweight champion of the world. But UNDISPUTED kicks off just as the fantasy begins to unravel. Faced with endless internal politics on his rise to the top of the WWE company ladder, Jericho has to draw on the super-human resources that got him there in the first place. There are bruising encounters aplenty both inside and outside the ring. He reveals why he temporarily left WWE, includes the inside story of his time in Hollywood, and opens the can of worms that is life on the road with the rock band Fozzy. He also revisits the premature birth of his twins and the pain of his mother's death, as well as the shock of Eddy Guerrero's and the Benoit family deaths. As upfront and outspoken as A LION'S TALE, this sequel is as direct as the man himself.
Undisputed: How to Become the World Champion in 1,372 Easy Steps
by Chris Jericho Peter Thomas FornataleThe eagerly awaited follow-up to the New York Times bestselling A Lion's Tale documents Chris Jericho's meteoric rise to wrestling glory in the WWE.A Lion's Tale gave readers a portrait of Jericho as a young man. Fighting his way through Mexico, rinky-dink leagues and a battery of thieving, sleazy promoters/managers, the book ended with the author's WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) debut. Never one to leave his fans hanging, as demonstrated by his recent return to wrestling glory, Jericho now tells the story of life in the big leagues. But "making it" in the premier wrestling league in the world comes with its own set of obstacles and hard lessons. Jericho, in his witty, hilarious, and surprisingly endearing manner, lays it all out: the good, the bad, and the spandex.
Undisputed Truth: My Autobiography
by Larry Sloman Mike TysonPhilosopher, Broadway headliner, fighter, felon--Mike Tyson has defied stereotypes, expectations, and a lot of conventional wisdom during his three decades in the public eye.<P><P> Bullied as a boy in the toughest, poorest neighborhood in Brooklyn, Tyson grew up to become one of the most ferocious boxers of all time--and the youngest heavyweight champion ever. But his brilliance in the ring was often compromised by reckless behavior. <P>Yet--even after hitting rock bottom--the man who once admitted being addicted "to everything" fought his way back, achieving triumphant success as an actor and newfound happiness and stability as a father and husband. Brutal, honest, raw, and often hilarious, Undisputed Truth is the singular journey of an inspiring American original. films, and his newfound happiness and stability as a father and husband, Tyson's story is an inspiring American original.Brutally honest, raw, and often hilarious, Tyson chronicles his tumultuous highs and lows in the same sincere, straightforward manner we have come to expect from this legendary athlete. <P>A singular journey from Brooklyn's ghettos to worldwide fame to notoriety, and, finally, to a tranquil wisdom, Undisputed Truth is not only a great sports memoir but an autobiography for the ages.
Undone By You (The Chicago Rebels Series #3)
by Kate MeaderUSA TODAY bestselling author Kate Meader brings her signature &“steamy sex scenes, colorful characters, and riveting dialogue&” (RT Book Reviews) to this novella in the Chicago Rebels series, following the general manager of the Rebels as he scores with one of his players off the ice.Dante Moretti has just landed his dream job: GM of the Chicago Rebels. And screw the haters who think there should be an asterisk next to his name because he&’s the first out and proud managing executive in pro hockey. He&’s earned the right to be here and nothing will topple him off that perch—especially not an incredibly inconvenient attraction to his star defenseman, Cade &“Alamo&” Burnett. Cade has always been careful to keep his own desires on the down low, but his hot Italian boss proves to be a temptation he can&’t resist. Sure, they both have so much to lose, but no one will ever know... As Dante and Cade&’s taboo affair heats up off the ice and their relationship gets more and more intense, they&’ll have to decide: is love worth risking their careers? Or is this romance destined to be forever benched?
Undrafted: Hockey, Family, and What It Takes to Be a Pro
by Nick KypreosTrue stories and hard-won lessons about a life of hockey, from a Stanley Cup champion and top analyst.As a child growing up in Toronto, Nick Kypreos lived for hockey and dreamed of following in his idols&’ footsteps to play in the NHL. Hockey was an important part of the Kypreos household. It was largely through the game that his immigrant Greek parents acclimatized to their new lives in Canada, and from a young age &“Kyper&” proved he was more than good enough to move through the ranks. But he was never a top prospect—he didn&’t even attend the NHL draft when he became eligible. And yet, through dedication and constant improvement, he made it to the show. Kypreos built a career on his tireless work ethic and made a name for himself for always having a positive influence on team morale. A medium-weight fighter, he squared off with the league&’s toughest players, including Chris Simon, Joey Kocur, Tony Twist, and Scott Stevens—anything to give his team an edge. Ultimately, he was brought to the New York Rangers to help them win the Stanley Cup in 1994—their first in fifty-four years—with the legendary Mark Messier. And then he got to live his other dream: playing for his hometown team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. When a concussion forced him to retire early, it changed his life. But the lessons he&’d learned on the ice over eight seasons helped him build a new career as a top hockey analyst and personality for Sportsnet. For twenty seasons he provided unique insight on the evolving game, and a player&’s perspective on the biggest discussions of the day. Revealing, fun, and brutally honest, Undrafted shows the challenges of being a pro player. It&’s a story of the resilience it takes to prove yourself every night, and how the right attitude can lead to the greatest success, not only in the arena, but in life.
Undressed (A Country Roads Novel #5)
by Shannon RichardShe knows the rules of the game . . . but she can't resist his movesPublicist Abby Fields's career is on the rise. And with failed romances in her past, she has no time for men. When a job opportunity opens up with a sports team in Florida, Abby eagerly packs up and heads south. Yet after a work event in Mirabelle, Florida, Abby finds herself in the arms of a hockey player whose heartstopping smile leads her to the steamiest night of her life . . . Logan James is hot on and off the ice. With his team on an epic winning streak, life couldn't get better . . . until he meets Abby, the fiery redhead assigned to protect his team's image. Now Logan's finding it difficult to concentrate on anything other than getting Abby undressed. But after a secret is leaked to the press, the taste of betrayal opens old wounds. If they can't learn to trust each other, they may risk losing more than their hearts.(50,000 words)
The Undying Flame: Olympians Who Perished in the Second World War
by Nigel McCreryOver 60,000,000 people died worldwide during the course of the Second World War and, in contrast to those slaughtered in The Great War, it was civilian populations that bore the brunt. They perished in the Holocaust, in internment camps, in bombed towns and cities and as ‘collateral damage’, in war zones, such as the Eastern Front and in Asia. Among this carnage were hundred of individuals of all nations who had competed in Olympic Games. Imagine the loss of so many of the world’s greatest sportsmen and women of the present era. The author has painstakingly researched the lives, achievements and circumstances of death of almost five hundred athletes of the period. While many were household names at the time, this exceptional work honors these fallen Olympians and reminds us of the futility and wastefulness of war.
UNEXPECTED
by Rick Ridgeway Jennifer Ridgeway Jane SievertFrom the peak of a mountain or the barrel of a wave, Patagonia has collected some of the most spectacular sports imagery in history. Relive the achievements captured in Patagonia's history, as well as the joie de vivre fostered by nurturing a relationship with the great outdoors.Unique for a business enterprise, Patagonia's catalog devotes fully half its space to nonselling editorial content - to environmental and sport essays and above all to extraordinary photographs of wild places and active pursuits for which the company makes its clothes. Since 1980, Patagonia has invited customers and wilderness photographers to submit their best, most unexpected shots of life outdoors - of alpine climbing, bouldering in the desert, skiing untracked bowls, surfing secret spots, ocean crossings, first kayak descents and travel in unfamiliar places. The photos have poured in ever since (current rate: 60,000 per year), some from the famous (John Russell, Galen Rowell), others from respected photographers (Corey Rich) who had their first work published in these pages. Jane Sievert and Jennifer Ridgeway, Patagonia's current and founding photo editor, respectively, have been calling - and culling - the shots for three decades. This is their compendium of the 100-plus most compelling photos Patagonia has published - and a celebration of wilderness and outdoor-sport photography as an art and a practice.
Unexpected: The Autobiography
by Greg RutherfordGreg Rutherford is one of the most successful British athletes of all time, winning gold at European, Commonwealth, World and Olympic levels, an achievement matched by only four others: Linford Christie, Jonathan Edwards, Sally Gunnell and Daley Thompson. Yet his route to the very top was never smooth. He always believed in himself as an athlete and sportsman, but for many years could not find an outlet that allowed him to truly excel. During his reckless teenage years, he would sometimes sleep rough and he dropped out of school, before he found the focus that would help him to get to the very top. But even then, there were still setbacks, as when he fell short in the Beijing Olympics. It served only to spur him on. In London, he became a part of 'Super Saturday' when he joined Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis in winning gold in 45 astonishing minutes of British glory. Condemned by some as a 'lucky' winner, he went on to complete his clean sweep of major titles through sheer determination to succeed. In this long-awaited memoir, he not only reveals the secrets of his remarkable success, but also has plenty to say on the issues that are dominating athletics, such as doping, and much else besides. It is a raw, passionate, entertaining and fascinating read.
Unexpected Babies (The Talbot Twins)
by Anna AdamsTHE TALBOT TWINSA troubled marriage, an unexpected pregnancy, a terrible accident. Any one of those flings would be hard to handle. Cate Talbot Palmer has to face them all.Cate has decided her marriage is over. Much as she loves her husband, she can no longer live with him. But after she tells him she's going-and before he can even start to win her back-an accident robs her of her memory.Amnesia is frightening: Everyone knows you, but to you, even family members-including your identical twin-are strangers. You have to trust others for your memories and take too much on faith.Then again, maybe amnesia's the perfect opportunity to start over....
An Unexpected Christmas (Taking the Shot #1)
by Shannon RichardBAH-FREAKING-HUMBUGAdele James’s favorite time of year has always been Christmas, but this year she’s in no mood for the holiday season. Thanks to her famous A-list actor boyfriend cheating on her! Now that her photo is splashed all over TV, the internet, and tabloids her number one goal is to get away. She heads to her family’s cabin to be alone, but there’s another occupant when she arrives: none other than the frustratingly sexy Jace Kilpatrick… the man she’s been avoiding falling in love with for the past six years.Jace Kilpatrick has never been the biggest holiday guy, and after three months of the NHL being on lockout, celebrating is low on his priority list. Getting the keys to his best friend’s family cabin was supposed to be about being alone. But those plans are foiled by Adele James who brings the mother of all snowstorms with her. Adele is gorgeous, funny, and fiery, but she’s also his best friend’s sister, aka, completely off limits. But when the cabin loses power in the middle of the storm, Jace forgets the rules and spends the Christmas days and nights with Adele wrapped in his arms. Once the snow thaws, they’ll call things off, no harm, no foul… if they can agree to keep their hearts out of the equation.
Unexpected Goals: A WLW Hockey Romance (Out on the Ice #2)
by Kelly FarmerOn-ice rivals find some surprising heat under all their hostility in this enemies-to-lovers hockey romanceIf you can&’t play nice, play hockey Canadian goalie Maisy Goode is wary of American Jen Donato and her dirty playing. She&’s been on the receiving end of Jen&’s aggressive style and doesn&’t like it one bit. Now that they&’re on the same women&’s pro team, keeping her eyes off Jen is a struggle. Jen signed up to win it all with the Boston Ice. Her very public clashes with their hot goalie aren&’t going to derail her championship plans. Jen&’s a professional. But there&’s just something about Maisy that gets under her skin. The media loves the tension, but the more time Maisy and Jen are forced to spend together, the more they discover what&’s between them isn&’t entirely hostile. At all. Banter turns into flirting, and flirting turns into more. The closer they get to the playoffs, the more pressure weighs on the team—and the couple. Maisy needs Jen&’s support. Jen needs to know Maisy&’s all in. And it all needs to get sorted out before the season—and their relationship—closes out.Out on the IceBook 1: Out on the IceBook 2: Unexpected Goals
An Unexpected Hero
by Stella Bagwell Nancy Robards ThompsonA romance for realHer Sweetest Fortune by Stella Bagwell Sophie Fortune Robinson is intent on landing Mr. Right by Valentine's Day—and she has her eye set on a sexy office colleague. But when she enlists friend and coworker Mason Montgomery to teach her how to get a man to notice her, she doesn&’t know she's already captured his attention. Now Mason has just a few short weeks to convince sweet Sophie that he is the real man of her dreams!Fortune's Surprise Engagement by Nancy Robards Thompson Olivia Fortune Robinson&’s cynical view of marriage accidentally convinced her little sister to call off her own wedding, and Liv has to fix things and quick. What better way than to "fall in love" herself? Tall, dark and sexy Alejandro Mendoza agrees to be her pretend boyfriend for a week. But when the two commitmentphobes suddenly become faux fiancés, Liv's traitorous heart starts to fall for real…USA TODAY Bestselling Author Stella Bagwell2 Heartfelt Stories Her Sweetest Fortune and Fortune's Surprise Engagement
Unexpected Rush: Play-By-Play Book 11 (Play-By-Play #11)
by Jaci BurtonUnexpected Rush is the eleventh sexy novel in the Play-By-Play series from New York Times bestselling author Jaci Burton. Perfect for fans of Lori Foster, Maya Banks and Jill Shalvis.This player has all the right moves...to break all the rules. It seems as though Barrett Cassidy's dreams are coming true - he's playing defense for the Tampa Hawks and he may have found his ideal woman. Harmony Evans is smart, gorgeous and hard to resist. If only she wasn't his best friend's sister...Harmony has always gone after what she wants with single-minded determination. She never expected her youthful crush on Barrett to develop into something deeper, and she's not about to let some ridiculous guy code - or her brother - stand in her way. With chemistry this combustible, lines are easily crossed. But when Barrett and Harmony's secret gets out, it just might be game over...Want more sexy sporting romance? Don't miss the rest of this steamy series which began with The Perfect Play. And check out Jaci's gorgeously romantic Hope series beginning with Hope Flames.