Cheaters prosper Contrast
coverage of Briscoe, Romo: Media sends the wrong message
Two drug-abusing former Denver
Broncos have "written" autobiographies (with assistance from
professional writers). One of those books, Romo: My Life
on the Edge - Living Dreams and Slaying Dragons, "by"
linebacker Bill Romanowski, has received major
sales-boosting publicity from local and national media
during the past week. The other book is one that you've
probably never heard of: The First Black Quarterback:
Marlin Briscoe's Journey to Break the Color Barrier and
Start in the NFL (with Bob Schaller). The differing
media treatment of these two books says a lot about what's
wrong with sports coverage these days.
Read Entire Review
______________
Indianapolis Star-News
Olympic Adversity Inspires Author By NELSON PRICEColumnist
Bob Schaller's Olympic books are collections of
essays by athletes and coaches. Their reflections were
derived from interviews with Schaller. Now that his Olympic
books are finished, he has embarked on a massive project:
The X-Country Adventures, featuring a teen-age brother and
sister detective team.
Read Full Story
NEW BOOK FEATURED ON FOX SPORTS
OKLAHOMA STORY
Attention for new book
keeps coming
(from the
Associated Press and Time Magazine)
He learned at the knee of his bookmaking father in New
York, took street bets in his teens and partied with Las
Vegas high-rollers. He made millions of dollars as a
self-described offshore sports gambling "pioneer,"
flirted with Internet gambling and was pinched by the
FBI. That's the story of Steve Budin, who saw his life
come crashing down when he was arrested in 1998 in the
first-ever U.S. prosecution of Internet sports betting.
His life is detailed in his new book, "Bets, drugs and
Rock and Roll." Released in early October, the book has
been ranked among the most popular books on Amazon.
Read Entire Review
Gardner's win replayed
on NBC; "Never stop pushing" reviewed by Associated Press
Gardner book takes readers
to new heights with gold medal
LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) -Rulon Gardner is plain-spoken and
forthright. You can feel rural Wyoming in him. He
apologizes for taking too much of a reporter's time, when in
reality he takes less than usual because there is no
need to peel back layers to get at the man beneath the
Olympic and world-champion wrestler. He laughs easily and
jokes about his roots. Gardner is also quick to correct an
easy misstatement - he didn't write a book, he co-wrote
it.Even if it is more credit than Gardner is willing to
take, his voice and his values saturate the book, "Never
Stop Pushing," co-written with author Bob Schaller. "When you're in school growing up, you
have teachers who sit and read to these kids, and what
better opportunity to sit and read a story - one that's not
fake. It's not a dreaming story. It's not Harry Potter. It's
a real-life story, with glorious moments to horrific
moments, including the frostbite - and what better way to
show kids their potential than with a real-life story?"
Gardner said. Real life is what the book, and Gardner
himself, do well. "Never Stop Pushing" chronicles Gardner's
life.More
1954 BEDLAM GAME FIXED,
NEW BOOK CLAIMS By LYNDELL DALRYMPLE Sports Writer
sports@ocolly.com
Not all Bedlam games are pure.
Steve Budin, the author of "Bets, Drugs, and Rock and Roll,"
says the 1954 Bedlam game could be the most famous game the mob
ever fixed.
It is a cautionary tale.
According to the book, the mob used a colorless, tasteless,
odorless liquid laxative to spike the soup at the hotel Oklahoma
was staying. The laxative was meant only for horses and not
humans.
The 6-foot-8, 270 lb. Tony Fingers was sent in beforehand to
rough up the cook. Tony slapped the cook around and scared him
pretty good, Budin writes. Then Tony gave the cook the laxative
and a couple hundred dollars for his trouble.
When the players began to eat the soup, they began to defecate
immediately and some of the players didn't stop until three days
later.
The Oklahoma Sooners were left to field a team with only 20
players — only those who did not eat the soup.
Football players played both offense and defense back then. If
the game was played today it might have been called off.
Oklahoma was a 20-point favorite over Oklahoma State, but with
only 20 players, Oklahoma struggled to win 14-0 over the
Cowboys, not quite covering the point spread, and the fix was
secured.
Read More
_________________
Aberdeen (S.D.)American-News
A trek through South DakotaBy Don
Hall
Arts and Entertainment The
Arlingtons -- mother Anne, father Alex, daughter Ashley(17), son
Adam(16)-- from Washington, D.C., are vacationing in the Black
Hills. At Crazy Horse Monument’s gift shop, Ashley spends $50 of
her baby sitting money for an original copy of Mari Sandoz’s
biography of the Indian warrior. The sales clerk tells Ashley,
“One of the elders from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation got a
box of these books when they were printed way, way back. The man
died in 1945, and his family boxed up his belongings and left
them in a garage on the reservation." One page will change
lives.
