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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.
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.
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.
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)
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....
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
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.
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.
Unfair Play: The Battle For Women's Sport
by Sharron Davies Craig LordOn the face of it, women's sport is on the rise, garnering more attention and grassroots involvement than ever before. However, the truth is that in many respects progress is stalling, or even falling back.Sharron Davies is no stranger to battling the routine sexism the sporting world. She missed out on Olympic Gold because of blatant doping among East German athletes in the 1980s, and has never received justice. Now, biological males are being allowed to compete directly against women under the guise of trans 'self-ID', a development that could destroy the integrity of female sport. This callous indifference towards women in sport, argue Sharron and journalist Craig Lord, is merely the latest stage in a decades-long history of sexism on the part of sport's higher-ups.A strong fightback is required to root out the lingering misogyny that plagues sporting governance, media coverage and popular perceptions. This book provides the facts, science and arguments that will help women in sport get the justice they deserve.
Unfiltered: The Sunday Times bestseller from the F1 sensation, as seen on Netflix’s Drive to Survive
by Guenther SteinerTHE UNMISSABLE NEW BOOK FROM GUENTHER STEINER, AUTHOR OF THE #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, SURVIVING TO DRIVE. WITH A FOREWORD BY TOTO WOLFF.Fasten your seatbelts as Formula 1's favourite underdog, Guenther Steiner, takes you on a wild ride through his ten years at Team Haas.From the first seeds of his idea to establish a new F1 team to the challenges of funding and building that team from the ground up, Guenther shares the real story of the origins of Team Haas, immerses readers in the high and lows of its first decade on the grid, and opens up about his departure from the team at the end of 2023.As Guenther recalls his proudest achievements and the many, many disasters he has faced, he takes readers behind the scenes, into the pit lanes and garages, and out on to the circuits of the world's greatest race tracks. We spend time with drivers, mechanics, executives, sponsors, commentators and fans, and take in many personal moments too, all the while grappling with the big challenges and small details that keep the wheels of a Formula 1 team turning.Told in his inimitable style, packed with hugely entertaining stories, outspoken opinions and unvarnished truths, this is Guenther at his very best – insightful, opinionated and completely unfiltered.
Unfinished Business: On and Off the Court with the 1990–91 Boston Celtics
by Jack McCallumNEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Jack McCallum (DREAM TEAM) gives an inside look at the legendary Boston Celtics during a season of change.&“One of the five best NBA books ever written.&”—Bill Simmons, ESPNIn the 1990-91 basketball season, the Boston Celtics were a team in transition, both on and off the court. Jack McCallum, also the author of the critically-acclaimed SEVEN SECONDS OR LESS, chronicled this crucial year from the back-room planning on draft day to Larry Bird&’s unforgettable effort in the postseason.With aging superstar Bird nearing the end of his career, the season was filled with glorious highs and devastating lows. McCallum gets up close and personal with the players and management from this storied franchise, showing the larger-than-life characters in a rarely-seen light. The day-to-day drama of Bird's aching back plays in concert with the drumbeat of banter from his frontcourt partner, Kevin McHale. The book reveals the deep bonds—and sometimes deeper rivalries—of the locker room, and also provides an inside look at a league that was entering its Golden Age.
Unforgettable Walks: Best Walks With A View
by Julia BradburyA country girl at heart, Julia Bradbury's passion for walking and the great outdoors is a legacy from her dad and her childhood in rural Rutland and Sheffield where she went to school. She grew up exploring gently undulating hills and rugged green valleys.Now a mother of three, Julia once more pulls on her hiking boots and goes in search of Britain's Best Walks with a View for ITV. Join her as she sets out along eight of the UK's best-loved paths, showcasing Britain's beauty and opening our eyes to the sights and sounds, the flora and fauna and the stories, past and present, of the places and people she passes on the way. At once a practical guide and a love letter to the British countryside, Unforgettable Walks shows why our all-weather love affair with walking is still going strong. Julia's footsteps take her through the whole spectrum of Britain's diverse and beautiful landscapes, from the Jurassic coast of Dorset and the rich history of the South Downs to the breathtaking scenery of the Peak District and the Yorkshire Dales.Funny, inspiring and packed with beguiling characters, join Julia as she criss-crosses the country in sun, wind and rain, in search of the perfect walk, the perfect view - and the perfect pub.The WalksDorset: The Golden Cap WalkCotswolds: The Cleeve Hill WalkAnglesey: The Snowdon View WalkYorkshire Dales: The Malham Cove WalkLake District: The Borrowdale Valley WalkCumbria: The High Cup Nick WalkSouth Downs: The Birling Gap WalkPeak District: The Kinder Scout Walk
Unforgettable Walks: Best Walks With A View
by Julia BradburyA country girl at heart, Julia Bradbury's passion for walking and the great outdoors is a legacy from her dad and her childhood in rural Rutland and Sheffield where she went to school. She grew up exploring gently undulating hills and rugged green valleys.Now a mother of three, Julia once more pulls on her hiking boots and goes in search of Britain's Best Walks with a View for ITV. Join her as she sets out along eight of the UK's best-loved paths, showcasing Britain's beauty and opening our eyes to the sights and sounds, the flora and fauna and the stories, past and present, of the places and people she passes on the way. At once a practical guide and a love letter to the British countryside, Unforgettable Walks shows why our all-weather love affair with walking is still going strong. Julia's footsteps take her through the whole spectrum of Britain's diverse and beautiful landscapes, from the Jurassic coast of Dorset and the rich history of the South Downs to the breathtaking scenery of the Peak District and the Yorkshire Dales.Funny, inspiring and packed with beguiling characters, join Julia as she criss-crosses the country in sun, wind and rain, in search of the perfect walk, the perfect view - and the perfect pub.The WalksDorset: The Golden Cap WalkCotswolds: The Cleeve Hill WalkAnglesey: The Snowdon View WalkYorkshire Dales: The Malham Cove WalkLake District: The Borrowdale Valley WalkCumbria: The High Cup Nick WalkSouth Downs: The Birling Gap WalkPeak District: The Kinder Scout Walk
Unforgettable: Rugby, dementia, and the fight of my life
by Steve Thompson“I'm in My Early Forties. There are Days When I Don't Remember the Names of My Wife and Four Kids . . .”“So powerful. This book might just change the way you think about sport forever” ─Sir Clive Woodward, English rugby union footballer and coachWinner of the Sunday Times Sports Book of the Year Award 2023England won the 2003 Rugby World Cup. At the heart of this triumph was Steve Thompson, a formidable presence in England's front row, navigating the intense battles of the scrum. However, the euphoria of victory came at a staggering cost and today, Steve Thompson has no recollection of that momentous final. To him, watching the tape of that match is like peering into the life of a ghost. Steve has been diagnosed with early onset dementia, and serious progressive brain damage.A testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Unforgettable is the story of unwavering hope and unyielding courage, woven together with raw, powerful storytelling. This poignant sports memoir features contributions from his fellow world-cup winning teammates and his former manager, Sir Clive Woodward. As Steve grapples with the unrelenting challenges of dementia, he not only confronts his own past but also becomes a symbol of endurance, demonstrating that strength transcends the limits of the rugby field.Inside, learn what it’s like:Dealing with a life change and learning to navigate life with dementiaFor rugby players to be pushing past the limitReevaluating what’s important and navigating new family dynamicsIf you have read other sports memoirs and biographies such as Open, Straight Shooter, or Choosing to Run, then Unforgettable is for you!
Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson
by Geoffrey C. WardIn this vivid biography Geoffrey C. Ward brings back to life the most celebrated — and the most reviled — African American of his age. Jack Johnson battled his way out of obscurity and poverty in the Jim Crow South to win the title of heavyweight champion of the world. At a time when whites ran everything in America, he took orders from no one and resolved to live as if color did not exist. While most blacks struggled simply to exist, he reveled in his riches and his fame, sleeping with whomever he pleased, to the consternation and anger of much of white America. Because he did so the federal government set out to destroy him, and he was forced to endure prison and seven years of exile. This definitive biography portrays Jack Johnson as he really was--a battler against the bigotry of his era and the embodiment of American individualism.
Unforgiving: Lessons from the Fall
by Lindsey JacobellisIn this deeply personal memoir in the vein of Andre Agassi's Open and Megan Rapinoe’s One Life, the winningest snowboardcross rider of all time chronicles her career, a story of self-growth that reveals the secret of her resilience and how she overcame crushing early failure to win Olympic gold.On February 16, 2006, twenty-year old American snowboarder Lindsey Jacobellis was poised to win the first gold medal in women’s snowboardcross, a sport making its Olympic debut. With a seemingly insurmountable lead over the other competitors, Lindsey only needed a clean run for the gold medal to be hers. But as the five-time world champion entered the last 100 meters the unthinkable happened: choosing to add a little flair to the run, she grabbed the back edge of her board—then lost her balance and fell. It was a mistake that would go down as one of the biggest “unforced errors” in all of sports history. For the next sixteen years, Jacobellis endured the criticism and second-guessing of Olympic commentators, sportswriters, and detractors. Day after day she persevered and trained harder on the snow and with her life coach, learning the power of resilience and what the sport really meant to her. The fierce competitor discovered that life, though it may not seem like it, does happen in just the right way: you end up precisely where you were meant to be. At the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, Lindsey twice reached the top of the podium, becoming a two-time Olympic gold medalist. Unforgiving recounts Lindsey’s journey from disappointment to triumph. It is an honest account of one life-altering misstep and its aftermath, and a reflection on what it means to come of age as an athlete in the spotlight, the weight of expectations, falling short, and ultimately fulfilling your dreams. Unforgiving is about the purpose-driven, forward-looking attitude Lindsey took on after her fall, when looking back wouldn’t have done anyone any favors. It’s about the pass she refused to grant herself until she’d earned it. Unforgiving is about the commitment to seek her own truth—and to speak up on one’s own behalf after letting others do it for years. Forgiveness, in the end, is at the heart of Lindsey’s story, but underneath and alongside is its polar opposite—an unending, uncompromising determination to push herself, to prove herself, to power past every obstacle in her path, even those of her own making.
Unguarded
by Scottie PippenAn unflinching memoir from the six-time NBA Champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and Hall of Famer—revealing how Scottie Pippen, the youngest of twelve, overcame two family tragedies and universal disregard by college scouts to become an essential component of the greatest basketball dynasty of the last fifty years. Scottie Pippen has been called one of the greatest NBA players for good reason. Simply put, without Pippen, there are no championship banners—let alone six—hanging from the United Center rafters. <P><P>There’s no Last Dance documentary. There’s no “Michael Jordan” as we know him. The 1990s Chicago Bulls teams would not exist as we know them. So how did the youngest of twelve go from growing up poor in the small town of Hamburg, Arkansas, enduring two family tragedies along the way, to become a revered NBA legend? How did the scrawny teen, overlooked by every major collegiate basketball program, go on to become the fifth overall pick in the 1987 NBA Draft? And, perhaps most compelling, how did Pippen set aside his ego (and his own limitless professional ceiling) in order for the Bulls to become the most dominant basketball dynasty of the last half century? <P><P> In Unguarded, the six-time champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist finally opens up to offer pointed and transparent takes on Michael Jordan, Phil Jackson, and Dennis Rodman, among others. Pippen details how he cringed at being labeled Jordan’s sidekick, and discusses how he could have (and should have) received more respect from the Bulls’ management and the media. <P><P>Pippen reveals never-before-told stories about some of the most famous games in league history, including the 1994 playoff game against the New York Knicks when he took himself out with 1.8 seconds to go. He discusses what it was like dealing with Jordan on a day-to-day basis, while serving as the facilitator for the offense and the anchor for the defense. On the 30th anniversary of the Bulls&’ first championship, Pippen is finally giving millions of adoring basketball fans what they crave; a raw, unvarnished look into his life, and role within one of the greatest, most popular teams of all time. <P><P><B>A New York Times Best Seller</b>
Unguarded: My Autobiography
by Jonathan TrottShortlisted for the 2017 Cross Sports Autobiography of the Year 'Full of illuminating anecdotes, piercing insights and unsparing self-analysis from the former England batsman' The Cricketer Jonathan Trott was England's rock during one of the most successful periods in the team's history - he scored a century on debut to clinch the Ashes in 2009, and cemented his position as their pivotal batsman up to and beyond the team's ascendancy to the number 1 ranked test team in 2011. Yet shortly after reaching those heights, he started to crumble, and famously left the 2012-13 Ashes tour of Australia suffering from a stress related illness. His story is the story of Team England - it encompasses the life-cycle of a team that started out united by ambition, went on to achieve some of the greatest days in the team's history but then, bodies and minds broken, fell apart amid acrimony.Having seen all of this from the inside, Jonathan's autobiography takes readers to the heart of the England dressing room, and to the heart of what it is to be a professional sportsman. Not only does it provide a unique perspective on a remarkably successful period in English cricket and its subsequent reversal, it also offers a fascinating insight into the rewards and risks faced as a sportsman carrying the hope and expectation of a team and a nation. And it's a salutary tale of the dangers pressure can bring in any walk of life, and the perils of piling unrealistic expecations on yourself.
Unguarded: My Forty Years Surviving in the NBA
by Lenny Wilkens Terry PlutoFor forty years, he has been the Quiet Man of the NBA. As a rookie, he was overshadowed by two pretty fair guards who entered the league at the same time: Jerry West and Oscar Robertson. As a veteran, he was -- both figuratively and literally -- a coach on the floor, but he had the misfortune to play for several struggling teams. As a general manager, he won a championship and made back-to-back Finals appearances -- but he did it without superstars, a year before Magic Johnson and Larry Bird revitalized the league. And as a coach, he has won more games than anyone in NBA history -- but spent his best years locked in the same division as Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls. Basketball connoisseurs have long appreciated the style and intelligence with which Lenny Wilkens played and the unflappability and class he's brought to coaching. The respect he has earned resulted in his joining the legendary John Wooden as the only men to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame twice -- first as a player, and then as a coach. Now, in Unguarded, Lenny Wilkens steps out from behind his placid demeanor to speak plainly and unequivocally on the enormous social and athletic changes he's seen in his career. Wilkens sounds off about the challenges he had to overcome in the course of his journey: the racism that left him off the 1960 Olympic basketball team and kept him from being chosen as head coach of the first Dream Team; the fatal miscalculation that kept his Cleveland Cavaliers from getting past Michael Jordan to the NBA Finals; the painful, frustrating task of coaching a troubled and troublesome J.R. Rider, a player who contributed to his departure from Atlanta. And he credits those who went out of their way to help him: the priests and nuns who taught him the value of discipline and reinforced his faith; the coaches who pushed him to develop his talents to the fullest; the selfless players such as John Johnson, Hot Rod Williams, Larry Nance, Steve Smith, and many others who sacrificed individual glory for the good of their teams; his mother, Henrietta, and his wife, Marilyn, who stood beside him in many trying times. Unguarded reveals the Lenny Wilkens we have never seen before, the tough, strong, thoughtful, and analytical man who has spent a life in basketball making his teammates and players better than they knew they could be. Thought-provoking, candid, always honest, Wilkens shares all the secrets he's learned in his four decades surviving in the NBA storm.
Unholy Union: When Rugby Collided with the Modern World
by Mike AylwinWhat is the state of rugby?Is the game on the brink of expansion? Or is it on the brink of implosion?No game has undergone so traumatic a transformation since the turn of the century. The last of the major sports to embrace professionalism, rugby was propelled on a trajectory that has twisted its cumbersome frame to the limit in a drama compelling and appalling to behold. After a hundred years defying the future, rugby now shudders with the turmoil of its sudden leap into the modern world, attaining heights hitherto undreamed of, even as the strains - financial, political, social and medical - threaten to tear it apart.With a global focus (and a particular lens on Australasian and South African rugby), Unholy Union is a fascinating and in-depth analysis of the sport, examining the journey so far and speculating on where it will go next. It is irreverent and provocative, asking uncomfortable questions of rugby, but imbued throughout with affection for a game that integrates all human life, as beautiful as it is ugly, as in love with itself as it is terrified.Sports enter periods that make or break them.Rugby is in one now . . .