In The Art of a Beautiful Game, Chris Ballard, the award-winning Sports Illustrated writer who has covered the NBA for the past decade, goes behind the scenes to examine basketball in ways that will surprise even die-hard fans. An inveterate hoops junkie who played some college ball, Ballard sits down with the NBA's most passionate, cerebral players to find out their tricks of the trade and to learn what drives them, taking readers away from the usual sports talk radio fodder and deep into the heart of the game. Ballard talks to Dwight Howard, a prolific shot-blocker, about the enervating feeling of meeting another man at the height of his leap; challenges Steve Kerr to a game of H-O-R-S-E to understand the mentality of a pure shooter; reveals the roots of Kobe Bryant's unmatched killer instinct; and spends time with LeBron James to better understand both his mental game and his seemingly unlimited physical skills. He tracks down renowned dunkers from Dominique to Shaq to explore the impact of the dunk on the modern game, shadows Shane Battier during his preparations to defend LeBron, takes lessons from a freethrow shooting guru who once hit 2,750 in a row, and attends an elite NBA training camp to feel the pain that turns a prospect into a pro. Packed with lively characters and basketball history, and grounded in superb writing and the reportage that is the hallmark of Sports Illustrated, The Art of a Beautiful Game is an often witty, always insightful look at the men like Steve Nash, Yao Ming, and Alonzo Mourning who devote themselves to this elegant and complicated sport. It ultimately provides basketball fans what they all want: an inside read on the game they love.
Price : $17.16
$17.16
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The football World Cup is unquestionably the biggest sporting event in the world. This fascinating collection of papers examines the background to the 2002 World Cup Finals, held in Korea and Japan, and explores the event's profound social, cultural, political and economic significance. The book offers important insight into topics such as: * the development of professional football in Korea and Japan* the political and diplomatic significance of the first co-hosted World Cup* FIFA and the 'back stage' dealing behind the World Cup* football as a global culture and its impact on 'traditional' East Asian structures. This book is essential reading for anybody looking to understand the power of sporting 'mega-events' and the increasingly complex relationship between sport and society. It is also an absorbing read for all serious fans of world football.
Price : $67.95
$67.95
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Red Auerbach is the architect and mastermind behind one of the most dominant franchises in professional sports history, the Boston Celtics. The cigar-chomping Auerbach wasn't a passive bench coach, but an aggressive, demanding and often volatile mentor who coached 11 Hall of Famers and led Boston to 10 Eastern Division titles in 16 years. Auerbach's passionate style reaped large rewards. From 1959-1966, the Celtics won 8 straight NBA championships, a streak unmatched in sports history. His career coaching record currently ranks fifth all-time in NBA history. Auerbach led Boston to 99 playoff victories, third all-time behind Phil Jackson and Pat Riley. He showcased his coaching prowess in 11 straight All-Star games, was named NBA Coach of the Year in 1965 and, in 1970, was selected as the NBA's 25th Anniversary All-Time Team coach. Auerbach began his coaching career in 1946 in the BAA with the Washington Capitals and led them to the 1947 and 1949 division titles. In 1950, Auerbach became head coach of the Boston Celtics. After coaching, Auerbach joined the Celtics front office full-time and in 1980 was named NBA Executive of the Year.
Price : $3.55
$3.55
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Coach John Wooden's teams won 10 NCAA mens basketball championships at UCLA and Sporting News magazine named him the greatest coach of all time. Yet decades after he retired and now after his passing, his wisdom capsulized so clearly in his famous Pyramid of Success continues to guide new generations of athletes, coaches, and people of all walks of life. In The Greatest Coach Ever, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes features 40 tributes from athletes, coaches, and other influential leaders like Bobby Bowden, Tom Osborne, Sue Semrau, Tony Dungy, Mike Singletary, Tamika Catchings, Joe Girardi, Jim Tressel and David Robinson playing honor to Coach Wooden and reflecting on how his example has challenged and changed them. Their stories can challenge and change your life, too. Coach Wooden appreciated the tributes and the honor of being called the greatest coach ever, but felt uncomfortable with the title. He was eager to see that this book points to the one whom he calls the greatest coach ever. I am happy being remembered as a man of integrity. I like that, --John Wooden, May 21 2010.
Price : $5.15
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On December 12, 1891, 13 rules of a new game were posted in a YMCA gym in Springfield, Massachusetts. At each end of the floor, Dr. James A. Naismith, who had invented the game, had peach baskets nailed below a walkway that happened to be 10-feet high. Within a few days, one of Naismith's students would christen the new game "Basket Ball."Over a century ago, no one could possibly have envisioned the extraordinary changes that were going to transform Dr. Naismith's game. Who could have imagined a 6-10 George Mikan swatting shots away from the basket? Julius Erving in flight, soaring in from the free throw line for a heart-stopping stuff? Or Bob Cousy throwing a mind-boggling no-look, behind-the-back pass; Jerry West hitting a 60-foot shot with no time left in a crucial playoff game; Larry Bird's three-point prowess and Michael Jordan rising to heights - literally and figuratively - never before seen by any athlete? Who could have foreseen more than 62,000 fans crowded into the Georgia Dome to see a game between the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks? Or the titanic battles between Wilt and Russell? Or the Dream Team? The longevity of Stockton and Malone? Red Auerbach's victory cigars? Phil Jackson's Zen coaching? Or Shaquille O'Neal's powerful dunks? Who could have ever predicted talent like Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Walt Frazier, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Grant Hill, Vince Carter, Jason Kidd, Allen Iverson, and Kobe Bryant?With an Introduction by NBA Commissioner David J. Stern and a Foreword by Michael Jordan, this third edition of The Official NBA Encyclopedia captures it all: The past and the present. The complete stats and the complex personalities. Dynasties, rivalries, coaches, referees, all the pre-NBA leagues, vignettes and features by the top basketball writers in the world. Every NBA season is reviewed and individual statistics are provided for every player who has ever played in the league. An extraordinary 32-page color photo essay that captures the spirit of the game since Naismith conceived it opens this encyclopedia in an unprecedented and spectacular manner.From the peach basket to the slam dunk championship - it's all here in The Official NBA Encyclopedia, a book that's almost as exciting as a triple overtime seventh game of the NBA Finals.
Price : $44.00
$44.00
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The newest addition to the highly successful Baffled Parent's Guide Series. Written by a teacher and basketball coach with more than three decades of experience, Great Basketball Drills offers 125 games that will keep practices fresh and kids moving and excited. Here is a fun, engaging alternative to traditional rote drills, with games designed to teach basic skills, sharpen reflexes, and build confidence and decision-making ability. Great Basketball Drills is a sure bet to end practice boredom. A fun, original games approach to drilling young players 125 simple, skill-building games that keep kids moving Quick-access troubleshooting chart lets coaches easily match drills to problem areas Endorsed by nationally renowned high school coach Morgan Wooten
Price : $6.38
$6.38
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Now in paperback, this title offers an insider look at the NBA phenom, including the Lakers' 1999-2000 championship season. When Kobe Bryant joined the glitzy Los Angeles Lakers in 1996 right out of high school, he faced a wave of media hype that declared him the next Michael Jordan. Now a veteran of five NBA seasons at the age of 23, Bryant has earned a place among pro basketball's elite. "Mad Game" documents his hard lessons on the road to stardom, his rapid rise through the NBA, and his conflicts with - and, at times, alienation from - his teammates, including his on-and-off-again relationship with Shaquille O'Neal. This is a story of triumph, of an unusually gifted young athlete trying to remain true to himself and his game.
Price : $7.95
$7.95
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"Liz Miller has really done something special. Advanced In-Line Skating gives the reader a taste of all the wonderful possibilities a pair of in-line skates can provide. It will be a great resource."--Kris Simeone, Inline Certification Program Director, International Inline Skating Association "Liz Miller's passion for the sport of in-line skating comes across clearly in Advanced In-Line Skating. This is the most complete resource for skaters of all abilities and includes all they need to reach their next level. Liz leaves no gray areas in explaining even the smallest details of every in-line discipline with factual, up-to-date information and resources. I recommend this book to everyone, even beginners, for a comprehensive overview of in-line skating."--Suzanne Nottingham, Examiner, IISA Instructor Certification Program, coauthor of Fitness In-Line Skating "This book cracks open the world of in-line skating for those looking for more than straight-line skating on their local bike path. As people look for innovative ways to reduce stress, have fun, and get and stay fit, Advanced In-Line Skating delivers a timely guide to getting the most from a pair of skates."--Adam Steer, Director, In-Line Certification Program, Canada "This book is the next logical step after Get Rolling. It's brimming with well-written, advanced skating techniques and key exercises to help transform you into the skater you want to be. It covers everything from speedskating, roller hockey, agressive, downhill, hybrid sports to essential safety tips, shopping advice, definitions of skate terminology and just improving and sharpening your rolling-around skills. Pack this book (with your helmet) in your skate bag and take it with you to the trail, road, or rink. It rocks and so will you!"--Jim Fink, Seattle Skate Patrol
Price : $9.49
$9.49
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Here's the guide for current and prospective coaches that covers every aspect of effectively coaching youth basketball: teaching good sportsmanship, running an effective practice, coaching to a player's age and skill level, teaching offensive and defensive skills and drills, rules of the game, executing winning plays and strategies, dealing with parents.
Price : $4.73
$4.73
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has always been fascinated by history-nineteenth-century American history in particular. Tired of L.A., restless and looking for new adventure, challenge, and discovery, he decides to go live among the Apaches he's read about. He encounters a complex reality. The kids on the Alchesay Falcons team don't easily embrace what he's trying to teach them on the court. Gradually they begin to learn from him as he begins to learn from them. He teaches them to push out of their comfort zone and try new things, both in sports and in life. They give him something he didn't quite expect: a way to reconnect with his passion for basketball. This is a story about the qualities we have in common and the things that still divide us in terms of race, culture, and history. Along the way, we get to know the kids, the coaches, the town of Whiteriver and Alchesay High, the tribe-but most of all, we get closer to Kareem, a man well into middle age who wants to pass along his knowledge and experience in basketball and life. Kareem gives something back, and in so doing receives more than he ever imagined.
Price : $16.05
$16.05
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