Week 12+13 Reading Post

This week I read A Season on the Brink by John Feinstein for 10 hours and 48 minutes.

This book gives a detailed look-in at the rebound season for Bob Knight and the Indiana Hoosiers of 1985-1986. The previous season the team had finished with a 15-13 record, 7-11 in the Big Ten. Coach Knight was determined to do better. With his unusual style of coaching-name-calling,swearing tirades, and other explosions- and his my way or no way attitude, Coach Knight set out to prove that his system was not broken. There were times during the season that reminded him of the previous season and made him feel like quitting, but there were also moments of great promise that really encouraged him. People who only know Bob Knight the chair thrower would have been surprised by this book. John Feinstein did a great job of showing the softer side of Bob Knight as he was granted full access to everything around the team. The team finished the 1985-1986 season with a 21-7 record, 13-5 in the Big Ten. They lost a disappointing game in the first round of the NCAA tournament to Cleveland State. Even though the team lost three seniors, there were high hopes for the team. They were ranked in the top ten nationally the following season and were bringing in some talented freshman. The team responded by winning the national championship.


For me this project was a success and also a tool. Although I did not meet my goal of reading a book a week, I certainly have read more during this school year than I have read during every school year combined. I have taken time to read books that I enjoy which has really benefited me. This project was also a tool in that it has made me responsible for reading each week and making a blog post. This has been very helpful. It also has reshaped how I feel about reading in my spare time. From this project I have learned that if I take the time to read, it can be very enjoyable. Since this project is now over I probably will not read every weekend, but will continue to read. When I don't have guidelines to follow for reading, I usually read in the car and that is probably what my reading will consist of now.


To end my final post, I will list and rate (out of 10) the books that I have read throughout the project.

1. A Season on the Brink by John Feinstein This book not only gave an overview of the Indiana basketball team, but it also made you feel every emotion from worry to bewilderment to excited expense. (10)
2. The GM by Tom Callahan This book interested me very much because I am looking to get into the field of sports management. This book may not be as enjoyable to people who aren't true fans of the NFL. (10)
3. Uncommon by Tony Dungy The second of Tony Dungy's books is just as good as the first. In this book Tony Dungy gives tips for leading an uncommon life with faith in God while incorporating personal experiences and NFL experiences. (10)
4. The Blind Side by Michael Lewis This book gave an in-depth look at a kid in a bad situation and showed how God can work things out for our good. It also included some chapters that talked exclusively about the NFL. (10)
5. Monday Morning Quarterback by Peter King In this book Peter King takes his favorite articles from his well-known column that the book takes its name from making this a very fun book to read. (10)
6. More Than a Game by Brian Billick In this book Brian Billick as a former coach in the NFL give an in-depth look at life in the NFL. This book as well would only be enjoyable to the serious NFL fan. (10)
7. Walk-On by Alan Williams In this book, just as in A Season on the Brink, gives an in-depth look at NCAA Division 1 basketball. This book, however, concerns the Wake Forest basketball program from the view of a walk-on. (10)
8. Who's Your Caddy by Rick Reilly In this book Rick Reilly retells what it was like to caddy for some of professional golf's greats. Being a fan of Rick Reilly's somewhat humorous writing for Sports Illustrated, this was a fun book to read. (10)
9. Like Brothers by Dave Giffels In this book Dave Giffels emphasizes teamwork in this fictional story. I tend to enjoy non-fiction rather than fiction-unless based on a true story (sometimes)-which is why this book is at the bottom of my list. (6)

Final Totals: 58 hours and 9 minutes/ 2361 pages

A special thank you to Mr. Strusz. This has been a very enjoyable project.

Week 11 Reading Post

This week I read The Blind Side by Michael Lewis for 1 hour and 48 minutes.

The first chapter I read discussed the Egg Bowl-a famous rivalry gamed played between the Ole Miss Rebels and the Mississippi State Bulldogs for an egg shaped trophy. Before getting into the game, Michael Lewis showed how Ole Miss' attitude toward black people affected their recruiting. Michael then went into how offensive line coach George DeLeone did not want to play Michael Oher as a freshman. Instead of letting him play left tackle, DeLeone played him at right guard where he could receive help. Ole Miss had a terrible season and topped it off with a 35-14 loss in Starkville. DeLeone and the offensive coordinator were fired, and Michael was put back at left tackle. The next chapter dealt both the childhood of Michael Oher's mother and Michael himself. Michael's mother had a drug addiction while trying to raise her ten kids. The police took the children away and placed them in foster homes. Michael, however, wanted no part of that and would frequently run back to his mom. Michael Lewis then again goes into Michael's relationship with Big Tony. The final chapter began with Michael almost beating a fellow football player to death for making sexual comments about his mom and sister-the Tuohys that is. The book ends with Dwight Freeney. Dwight had heard that there was a college lineman who thought that he could take him right now. Dwight said he couldn't wait to play him.


Goals for Spring Break:

During spring break I plan on spending my reading time going through The Scarlet Letter one time before we have to read it in class as Mr. Strusz said it would be the most difficult book we would read this year. If I have time, I also may try to get one more book in before the end of the project, but I have not decided which book that would be.

Totals: 47 hours and 21 minutes/ 2012 pages

Week 10 Reading Post

This week I read The Blind Side by Michael Lewis for 1 hour and 43 minutes.

In the first chapter that I read this week, Michael Oher was investigated by the NCAA to see if he received any benefits from Ole Miss boosters-namely the Tuohys-that would make him ineligible to play college football. The investigator became frustrated as Michael refused to answer her questions and were answered by Sean Tuohy. The chapter continued by showing the academic standards that Michael needed to play college football. The higher the ACT score; however, the lower the grade point average needed. Michael's best ACT score was 12. THis required a 2.65 GPA. He finished his sophomore year with a 0.9 GPA. The Tuohys brought in a tutor, Miss Sue, to work tirelessly with Michael. Even with hard work, Michael was going to finish with a 2.05 GPA. Sean found a loophole. If Michael were mentally disabled, he could submit new grades up until August 1. BYU offered courses online which could "replace" the F's Michael received. With these courses he was required to read brief passages from famous works and answer 5 questions about them.Michael was evaluated by two psychiatrists and determined to be learning disabled. After he finished his final test, Michael was allowed to go to college. He was also informed by Coach O of Ole Miss that he would start his freshman year.

The next chapter described the evolution of the left tackle position as their was no "prototype" for the position. That quickly changed. The demand for left tackles increased. Talented defensive ends would exploit the quarterback's blind side. A higher demand brought a higher price. Left tackles new they were talented and expected to be paid as such. Jonathan Ogden proved this by receiving a six-year deal worth $44 million in 2000. He was being paid more than any quarterback in the NFL.

Totals: 45 hours and 33 minutes/ 1942 pages

Week 9 Reading Post

This week I read The Blind Side by Michael Lewis for 1 hour and 17 minutes.

GTA

(Geometry, Trigonometry, and Algebra III)

Sometimes in GTA I feel like Michael Oher. Confused. There are just some problems that I can see worked over an over again, and it still doesn't sink in. Michael Oher was a lot like this when it came to the "most basic facts of life, the sort of things any normal person would have learned by osmosis". Mrs. Tuohy did her best to make sure every day he knew something he didn't already know.

After a few games Michael's coaches learned something: they could win running behind Michael. That's what they did. The whole game they would run "Gap", a run play that followed Michael. One play. That made me think of GTA. One rule. K.I.S.S.: Keep It Simple Stupid. Just like their football team, if you keep it simple, you can easily "win" at GTA.

Totals: 43 hours and 50 minutes/ 1877 pages

Week 8 Reading Post

This week I read The Blind Side by Michael Lewis for 1 hour.

"The Times They Are a-Changin'" by Bob Dylan

It all started with Bill Walsh. Due to a lack of talent that Bill had to work with to run the passing game for the AFL expansion team the Cincinnati Bengals, he created a system to fit the quarterback's strengths. His quarterback Virgil Carter was very inaccurate throwing deep. His new system involved short, timing routes. With this system he was able to perform many "miracles" by taking quarterbacks who had never completed as many as half of their passes and turning them into quarterbacks who completed over sixty percent of their passes. His system also increased their their yards per attempt. Teams in the National Football League took notice. A new trend in NFL strategy emerged: away from the run and toward the pass. In 1978 teams passed forty-two percent of the time and ran fifty-eight percent of the time. This new system changed the trend to passing fifty-nine percent of the time and running forty-one percent of the time. Teams were initially reluctant to pass because there was a six percent chance of a quarterback throwing an interception, but only a three percent chance of a running back fumbling. The success of this system changed those numbers. The chance of a quarterback throwing an interception dropped to three percent. That is how Bill Walsh changed the times.

Totals: 42 hours and 33 minutes/ 1825 pages

Week 7 Reading Post

This week I read The Blind Side by Michael Lewis for 2 hours and 5 minutes.

The book starts with the story of how Lawrence Taylor changed the left side of the offensive line from just another position to the blind side because because the quarterback never saw him coming. Teams had to double or triple team him to protect their quarterback. This set the stage for a demand for talented left tackles in the NFL.
The book continues by outlining the poor childhood that Michael Oher endured. With the help of a man called Big Tony, he was enrolled in Briarcrest Christian School-even though he had a grade point average of .6. He was a challenge for tutors until they realized that he remembered information when tested orally. He picked things up easily by watching someone else do it. He did this to learn how to throw discus.
Michael was huge. He could move dummies around the football field like they were weightless. When it came to letting people get close to him, he didn't find that very easy. There was one woman, however, Leigh Anne Tuohy who took Michael shopping one day and was the only person he would talk to. This was evident when he cut his hand in a football game and Leigh Anne was the only person who could convince him to get treated. The Tuohy family eventually took him in to live with them.
Michael soon began to be coveted by college coaches across the nation. He had incredible size and clearly was someone who could protect a quarterback's blind side. First assistant coaches assembled at Briarcrest, but soon after seeing Michael, they were on the phone with their head coaches to come see Michael for themselves.

Totals: 41 hours and 33 minutes/ 1785 pages

Week 6 Reading Post

Today I finished reading Walk-On by Alan Williams in 2 hours and 31 minutes.

For me the project has been a success. Today I finished my seventh book in six weeks which averages out to the one book a week goal that I set for myself at the beginning of this project. The books I have read have inspired me and some also have strengthened my faith. The second half of Walk-On was one such book. Alan shared stories such as being cut from the team after his freshman season when he had been promised a spot on the team for four years and his father being diagnosed with leukemia. These were especially trying times in his life. Turning to God was his only choice to find the comfort he needed. This is a lesson we all can take to heart. He also shared some good memories. After being cut his teammates constantly lobbied for him to be back on the team, how he fought through conditioning drills to be a part of the team, and when he got to play in the final 11.34 seconds in a game in his hometown. This book was a great example of how to be a teammate- not only in basketball.

Totals: 39 hours and 28 minutes/ 1683 pages

Week 5 Reading Post

This week I read Walk-On by Alan Williams for 45 minutes.
(start at bottom)

The time came for the team picture. The General had "forgotten" to give the two walk-on players jerseys. Coach arrived and asked where Alan and Matt, the two walk-on players, were. Coach approached Alan and Matt and asked them how long it would to go home and put on a shirt and tie. He waited. By holding up the picture for walk-on players, Coach dared to be different no matter what others thought.

It was a particularly rough day for Alan. An unpleasant encounter with the General and the physical and mental aspects of balancing academics and basketball were really taking a toll. He remebered that his grandfather used to say that everything was in God's hands. He, however, could not see God's hand in this. After soul searching, he realized that God put him in this new enviroment to make him more dependent on Him through prayer. God's hand was in it after all.

After a day of conditioning, the equipment manager, the General, handed out new Nike travel bags. The General didn't like walk-ons. After showering with the team, Alan came back to his locker to find a travel bag waiting for him. Instead of a #20, his number, it had a #4, Robert O'Kelley's number. Robert O'Kelley was always a true friend and always had his back.

The summer before his freshman year called Robert O'Kelley, the star of Wake Forest, to workout before his first year of college basketball. Robert O'Kelley took him under his wing and helped him to prepare for college ball.

The summer after his sophomor year of high school, Alan attended Howard Garfinkle's Five Star Basketball Camp. Garf, as he is known, saw Alan's midrange game, which he needed because he was only 6'2", and told him to come back the next summer. Garf promised him that there would be a place for him at a good school. Garf even put in a good word for him with Wake Forest's coach, the school he dreamed to play for, which earned him a spot as a walk-on at Wake. The coach who he had signed with resigned after his freshman year. Garf continued to keep his promise and told the new coach to trust him and keep Alan on the team. Garf truly was on his side.

Totals: 36 Hours and 57 minutes/ 1516 pages

Week 4 Reading Post

Today I finished The GM by Tom Callahan for 3 hours and 35 minutes.

The second half of the book discusses some of the important cogs that made up the New York Giants including Amani Toomer, Jeff Feagles, and Rich Seubert. Tom also describes how Ernie Accorsi tried to have Jerry Reese selected as his replacement as he would be retiring at the end of the year. He also includes Reese's first draft as GM. The book finishes with Ernie telling the team before he retired that there was a championship in the room-this was the year before they won the Super Bowl, and then he recaps the Giants' Super Bowl win.

Chapter 18 describes a three game losing streak that the Giants went through including blowing a 21-point lead and losing to the Tennessee Titans. Archie Manning who had to deal with enough losing himself called his son with encouraging words, "Keep fighting". These are words that we all can take to heart. God gives us the strength is His Word to keep fighting, and that is something that we need to be reminded of every day.

Totals: 36 hours and 12 minutes/ 1466 pages

Week 3 Reading Post Part 2

On Sunday I read The GM by Tom Callahan for 4 hours and 14 minutes.

This book highlights the career of former New York Giants' general manager Ernie Accorsi. The book tells of the time he spent with the Baltimore Colts and drafted John Elway. John was then traded to Denver without his knowing. It continues with the story of how he used certain rules to draft the quarterback he wanted. It also includes the draft day trade that brought Eli Manning to the Giants and sent Phillip Rivers to the Chargers.

Totals: 32 hours and 37 minutes/ 1322 pages

Week 3 Reading Post

Today and yesterday I read Who's Your Caddy by Rick Reilly for 6 hours and 55 minutes.

In order to write this book, Rick caddied for golfers including Tommy Aaron, John Daly, Donald Trump, Tom Lehman, David Duval, Dewey Tomko, Jack Nicklaus, Depek Chopra, Casey Martin, Bob Newhart, Jill McGill, and Bob Andrews.

The biggest problem was getting people to let him caddy for them since he had never caddied before. Some people (Tiger Woods) would not allow it no matter how many times he asked. Some did. While writing the book he got to live the high life with Donald Trump. He learned how to be at peace with your body from guru Deepak Chopra. He learned the art of gambling in golf from Dewey Tomko, who would bet on just about everything. Most importantly he learned never to take the game for granted from Bob Andrews, a blind golfer, by playing nine holes blindfolded.

Totals: 28 hours and 23 minutes/ 1187 pages

Week 2 Reading Post Part 2

Today I read Like Brothers by Dave Giffels for 5 hours and 46 minutes.

This fictional story is portrayed through the viewpoint of Ted, a seventh-grader who goes out for the basketball team for the first time. The new basketball coach tries to shape the basketball team to play like brothers when the previous year the offense had been a one man show. Early in the story Ted is frustrated because his dad seems uninterested when he makes the team. Ted later finds out that his dad was driving drunk after a college party and hit a family driving home from the movies. This cost him his basketball scholarship. After Ted's dad shares this with him, he is able to get back into the game of basketball as his son's team goes into the playoffs.

This book helped to drive the point home to me that no matter what the task, trying to do it myself is not going to work. It also makes me appreciate the relationship that I have with my parents.

Totals: 21 hours and 28 minutes/ 926 pages

Week 2 Reading Post

Today and yesterday I read More Than a Game by Brian Billick for 5 hours and 35 minutes.

In his book Brian outlines the NFL's present and future. He gives readers an in depth look at owners, general managers, coaches, players, the challenge of evaluating quarterbacks, offense, and defense of the NFL.

My life is changing. Soon I will have to pick a college, apply for scholarships, etc. The same is true for the NFL. The threat of an uncapped year in 2010 and a lockout in 2011 if a new collective bargaining agreement is not reached, possibly changing the schedule from sixteen games to eighteen games and eliminating two pre-season games, and the like all add to a changing league. As one chapter is titled "There Are No Certainties", I am reminded of the fact that I do not know what tomorrow will bring as people in the NFL do not know what tomorrow will bring for their league. All I can do is trust in God and lead a life pleasing to him.

Totals: 15 hours and 42 minutes/ 702 pages

Week 1 Reading Post: Part 2

The early part of this week I read Monday Morning Quarterback for 5 hours and 54 minutes.

In the book, Peter King selects his favorite articles from his column "Monday Morning Quarterback". He also throws in some stories, quotes, and facts that "may only interest me".

Here are my Best of the Midwest from Peter King:

• Detroit vice chairman Bill Ford Jr.-" One of the great things about being in Paris is nobody knows about the Lions".
• At the Minnesota State Fair in 2002, 36 food items were sold on a stick, such as:

1. Deep-fried Snickers Bar on a stick.
2. Walleye on a stick.
3. Deep-fried macaroni and cheese on a stick.
4. Pork chop on a stick.
5. Footlong corndog on a stick.

-If I were the fair operators, I would have one other delicacy available: Deep-fried Tums on a stick.

• In the summer of 2007 I was asked to sign the bright yellow car of a Packers fan in the Lambeau Field parking lot. Seems the fellow, From St. Louis, parks near the walkway the players use going to and from practice, and he gets them to sign along the way. I have to say it's the first time I've ever defaced a car, and certainly the first time ever when asked to do so by a Lite-drinking Green Bay fan.

Totals: 10 hours and 7 minutes/ 476 pages

Week 1 Reading Post

Today I read Uncommon by Tony Dungy for 4 hours and 13 minutes
Here are some ways that we can be uncommon:

• Remember that what you do when no one is watching matters.
• Be careful with the authority and influence that you've been entrusted with.
• Conflict can be positive. Don't fear it.
• Be positive. Your mind is more powerful than you think.
• Never confuse what you do with who you are.
• Earning the respect of others starts with the way you treat others.
• Keep seeking God's purpose for your life. Remember that whatever He has placed in your heart is bigger than you.

Totals: 4 hours and 13 minutes/ 223 pages

goals

1. Beat Mr. Strusz
2. read at least one book per week