If These Walls Could Talk: Pittsburgh Steelers
A behind-the-scenes perspective on Pittsburgh Steelers history from franchise legend Craig Wolfley As a longtime presence with the Pittsburgh Steelers as both a player and broadcaster, Craig Wolfley knew what it meant to live and breathe Steelers football. In If These Walls Could Talk: Pittsburgh Steelers, Wolfley opens up about his life and career in Pittsburgh and provides insight into the team's inner sanctum as only he can. Featuring conversations with players and coaches past and present as well as off-the-wall anecdotes only Wolfley could tell, this indispensable volume is your ticket to Steelers history.
The Next One
Behind the scenes to hockey's hidden superstars, the scouts who chase teenage prodigies and might-never-bes across North America and around the world. If you attend any junior, minor, or professional hockey game and you'll spot them, often up in the rafters, alone, busily taking notes and calling their general managers. These are the scouts, the men and women who have made the job into a lifestyle, chasing players across borders, working the locals, chatting with retired hockey people, and visiting remote communities in hopes of finding "the next one." Yes, they scout the likes of Connor McDavid and Connor Bedard and even Wayne Gretzky, but scouts really make their mark by finding players who will fit in up and down the lineup: the scorer having trouble finding the net; the goalie who stands on her head to keep her team in the game; the quiet winger who arrives at the rink first and leaves last. Scouts don't just birddog talent, they evaluate character and grit and drive, looking for players who can play even a handful of games in the bigs. Hockey's favourite raconteur, Ken Reid, tells us all about this secret club. One scout found himself squeezed into a small car with a bunch of other scouts, including Hall of Fame goalie Glenn Hall. Former NHLer and pro scout Rick Knickle followed Jordin Tootoo of remote Rankin Inlet, even though Tootoo didn't start playing the game until he was eleven years old. One scout worked at a maximum-security prison, only to find himself as a pro scout. Another scout went from a farmer who tried his hand at scouting to being a scout who happened to own a farm. And Reid takes us behind the scenes at the nascent PWHL, where teams furiously scouted their starting lineups with only a few weeks before the season began. Always entertaining, often illuminating, and sometimes hilarious, The Next One is the ideal book for anyone who wants to understand hockey beyond the ice.
A Hollywood Ending
NBA journalist Yaron Weitzman lays out the high stakes drama happening inside the Lakers' organization at a crucial juncture in their history, as they try to juggle the warring priorities between Lebron James and the Buss family. When LeBron James signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, the match looked like one made in heaven. Here was a living legend, the preeminent athlete of his generation, joining forces with one of the most iconic teams in all of sports. The Lakers, in the midst of their worst stretch in franchise history and reeling from the death of their legendary owner Dr. Jerry Buss, needed a savior. LeBron, fresh off ending Cleveland's 50-year title drought, needed a new challenge to help further burnish his legacy. The script wrote itself. A little over two years later, LeBron and Dr. Buss' daughter, Jeanie, were standing shoulder to shoulder, hoisting the NBA finals trophy into the air. Having won their record-tying 17th NBA title, the Lakers had reclaimed their accustomed perch on top of the basketball world and seemed destined to dominate the NBA for years to come. Traditionally, the Lakers' didn't celebrate championships, they celebrated dynasties. But this was a different Lakers' organization, one beset by infighting. A single title wouldn't be enough to cement Lebron James status as a Lakers' legend or help him surpass the ghost of Michael Jordan. Both parties needed sustained success, but for that to happen they needed to be on the same page. Sadly, the 2020 title would represent the pinnacle of their pairing, and the beginning of a precipitous decline. Drawing from over 250 interviews, Yaron Weitzman takes readers on a riveting, behind the scenes journey of this fraught partnership. From the Succession-like power struggle between the Buss children, to the rise of LeBron's landscape-altering talent agency and its attempts to assert its own power within the Lakers' walls, to the evolution of LeBron's priorities and political voice, "A Hollywood Ending" is the definitive story of an American icon's final years on stage, one portraying him, a fabled NBA franchise, and the world of modern professional sports in a light never seen before.
Certified Beauties
With its unpredictability, brutality, and camaraderie, hockey is full of great stories. And great characters. Certified Beauties is a new collection of the most compelling, hilarious, and heartwarming inside hockey stories--the ones that the players tell each other. Grab a seat with TSN's James Duthie as hockey's finest relive the highs, the lows, and heartwarming, hilarious moments on and off the ice including: - How Brady and Matthew Tkachuk both pulled pranks on teammates that almost went horribly wrong- The night a stunned beer league team had to face Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl- The friendship of Darryl Sittler and Borje Salming and the remarkable story of Salming's final visit to Toronto- When Sarah Nurse became a superstar during the chaos of Covid-19- How a team of Canadian "misfits" turned disaster to gold in Riga- When Kevin Bieksa got a big break at the worst possible time- How Darcy Hordichuk captured an alligator and left it on Roberto Luongo's front porchWith a foreword by Sidney Crosby and a special chapter remembering Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, Certified Beauties is essential reading for every hockey fan.
LaFleur
A celebration of one of the most electric and magnetic hockey players of all time--the incomparable Guy Lafleur--in the words of his peers and admirers, from Joe Sakic to Chris Nilan. Foreword by Wayne Gretzky. Guy Lafleur. The name alone sizzles on the tongue, eliciting memories of Lafleur's tremendous flow (in Quebec he is nicknamed "The Demon Blond"), his on-ice flair, his fiery play, and his incredible touch. He was fast and furious, the modern-day version of the legendary Maurice "Rocket" Richard. Lafleur played for the Canadiens during the Habs's fabulous seventies era when they won multiple Stanley Cups. Lafleur was the '70s, from his wardrobe to his hairstyle to his sideburns. He not only fought for the league lead in scoring--he was known to go to discos and even put out his own disco album. He absolutely mesmerized a generation of fans, changed the culture, and has influenced future draft classes ever for a generation. For the first time, authors Steven Finn (who played with Lafleur) and Pierre Gince reveal an intimate portrait of Lafleur, the player and the man, in the words of those who enjoyed him, or who spent all their ice time pointlessly chasing him down the wing. Every chapter evokes different memories of the man nicknamed in English Canada as The Flower. Gilbert Perreault, who battled Lafleur at centre for almost two decades, is here. As is Scotty Bowman, who coached Lafleur, and Larry Robinson and Serge Savard, the Hall of Fame defencemen who skated behind him. Joe Sakic and Steven Finn recount their days playing with Lafleur when he was a Quebec Nordique. Lanny McDonald and Darryl Sittler share their thoughts on Lafleur's rivalry with the Toronto Maple Leafs. In all, there are forty profiles by forty prominent players, coaches, family, and media, all of whom admired le Demon Blond.
Nfl: The Ultimate Fan's Guide
From the draft to the Superbowl, via epic touchdowns and crunching tackles, American football is a fast and violent game of chess. This comprehensive handbook offers a deep dive into the NFL's greatest teams and moments. Covering key concepts such as the importance of field goals, quarterbacks and wide receivers, NFL: The Fan's Guide reveals the extreme athleticism and complex tactics needed to dominate the modern game. Whether you're a seasoned fan or new to the game, insights into all 32 NFL teams mean that this must-have guide will take your game day experience to new heights.
Every Day Is Sunday
From veteran New York Times Business & NFL reporter, Ken Belson, a deeply-reported account of how the NFL's Commissioner, Roger Goodell, and its two most powerful owners, Jerry Jones & Robert Kraft, turned the league into a cultural phenomenon. On February 11, 2024, NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell, & the league's two most powerful owners, Jerry Jones & Robert Kraft, looked down at the spectacle before them. What they saw was the sport's championship game, the Super Bowl--now a de facto national holiday--being played in a shiny new $2B stadium, home to the first franchise based in Las Vegas, after the league's embrace of nationwide gambling. The moment was over 30 years in the making. "We're not competing with the NBA or MLB," Goodell later quipped in private. "Our competitors are Apple & Google." In Every Day is Sunday, Ken Belson traces the evolution of the league from "one of the four US professional sports," to the superpower it is today. Belson illustrates how the league's rise coincided with the arrival of Jones & Kraft in the early 90's. He provides an inside look on how these two men reshaped the league, taking readers into the secretive owner's meeting, how they decided Goodell was the right man to place as Commissioner, and how the three built, wielded, and held on to their collective power. Perfect for fans of The Dynasty and Big Game, Belson provides a unique peek behind the curtain of how America's favorite sport achieved its status--and how these three men let nothing stand in their way.
Sideline CEO
From ESPN's correspondent Marty Smith-- a book of key leadership principles learned from championship coaches he's interviewed over the past two decades. Sideline CEO delves into the unique psychology and daily preparation and gameplan execution of some of America's most respected leaders--the coaches who have led hugely successful programs to win it all. In talking to these sideline CEOs, Marty develops a set of leadership pillars that include: Building vital TRUST within the organization. Creating open lines of COMMUNICATION. DELEGATING responsibility--and thereby empowerment--to your coaches and players. Establishing and sustaining the RIGHT CULTURE in your program. MANAGING CRISES and adversity. EVOLVING with the game, the players and society, and always challenging your team. Packed with insight, candor and keen storytelling from some of the greatest coaches of all time, Sideline CEO offers valuable takeaways that go beyond the game and can help set intentions for winning in our daily lives.
Bruins 365
Now you can cheer for the Bruins every day of the year.The Boston Bruins are America's oldest NHL team, so there's no shortage of history with this storied franchise. For many, the Bruins have come to personify hard-nosed hockey, and while the team has evolved over the years, that tough approach to the game has been woven into the fabric of the team and embodied by its players.While the Bruins' stronghold is unques - tionably in New England, they have supporters around the world. And even if you're not a fan, you'll love reading about how the club has been part of some of hockey's fiercest rivalries from the Habs to the Leafs to the Canucks. With Bruins 365, you can relive memorable moments from more than a century of Bruins hockey with one short story for every day of the year. From the team's origins in 1924 to Bobby Orr's gravity-defying championship-clinching goal in 1970 to some of the milestones from the record-breaking 2022-23 season, Bruins 365 has something for every Boston fan.
101 Fascinating Basketball Facts
101 thought-provoking basketball stories and trivia to delight fans. Author provocateur Dalton Higgins provides 101 reasons why basketball has captured the imagination of sports enthusiasts around the globe. Higgins unpacks the myths and realities behind the world's second most popular sport, breaking down with precision all kinds of wildly interesting and obscure basketball facts tied to height, gender, geography, race, economics, and everything in between. From sneakers to salacious tidbits, Higgins offers takes on ageold issues and debates: Can white men jump now? Have three-pointers become the new layup? Should traditional ten-foot rims be raised? Who is the GOAT? Why is Canada a basketball hot spot? Is the WNBA the next big thing? Are hip hop and hoops kissing cousins?
Yoga for Footballers
Written by former Arsenal FC physio and yoga teacher, this is a guide for all ages and abilities to help you play soccer better for longer. Yoga has now become a standard part of soccer training with players such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo practising regularly. Sharon Heidaripour is a former professional soccer and Arsenal physio turned yoga instructor and knows all too well that the contact sport can lead to damaging injuries. However, many of them can be prevented if you can spot areas getting fatigued, overloaded, imbalanced or to become inflexible. In this step-by-step guide, Sharon teaches you routines that can be integrated into your daily life - on and off the pitch - and weekly training to help prevent injury and support recovery. Exercises focus on hip mobility, hamstring prehab and rehab, lower back mobility, relaxation and breathwork through morning, evening, pre-training and pre-match, post-training and post-match routines. With full-colour photographs, Sharon shares more than 70 yoga poses and routines with clear instructions, top tips and options to suit all levels and ages, whether you are a casual, amateur or professional soccer player.
The Pocketbook Guide To Sports Coaching
Do you want to know what makes a sports coach successful?This straightforward guide for sports coaches answers exactly that.Tom Lally - founder of Leadershipandsport.com, PE teacher, and sports coach - has created this comprehensive pocketbook, packed with powerful theories and practical tips on what makes a coach successful and how you can apply these principles yourself.Whether you are studying for a coaching qualification and want to be a grassroots coach, or are already an experienced coach, this book is designed for you. It combines research, proven techniques, and practical experience to help you put theory into practice.Discover what makes a successful coachLearn how to develop and motivate your athletesUnderstand how to build a winning teamWith over 90,000 readers accessing Leadershipandsport.com for coaching advice in 2024, this guide is a trusted companion to use before, during, and after your coaching sessions - helping you master the key theories behind success.
Hockey Rants and Raves
The hottest takes and biggest beefs about hockey from the wildly popular podcaster and YouTuber Who would be on the Mount Rushmore of goalies?Is Gretzky the Greatest Player of All Time (a.k.a. GOATzky)?What are the most embarrassing Leaf losses of all time?Why would you choose to play in a small market?Steve "Dangle" Glynn was already a popular talking head on Sportsnet the night the Leafs lost to their own back-up goalie (and Zamboni driver), but his fandom skyrocketed after his rant following the hilarious mishap gained one million views on YouTube. Dangle is well known as a long-suffering Leafs fan, but he is more than just that. He shares his rants and opinions about all teams across the NHL, directing his laser focus onto hockey's greatest arguments, from the best players of all time, to the worst trades, to the most embarrassing Leafs losses. From one of the most unique voices in hockey, Hockey Rants and Raves is packed with passionate, honest and often humorous takes on all things hockey--required reading for all fans of the game.
Golf Crazy by Gary Patterson 2026 12 X 12 Wall Calendar
TEE-RIFIC HUMOR - Celebrate the ups, downs, and hilarious hazards of the game with this whimsical calendar featuring Gary Patterson's charming golf illustrations. Each month brings a new cartoon that perfectly captures the fun and frustrations every golfer knows too well.
The Team That History Forgot
While the Kansas City Chiefs are the NFL's newest dynasty, winning three Super Bowls since 2020, most fans don't recall the team's earliest successful years before decades of futility. What about the underdog losers of that very first Super Bowl? When the Kansas City Chiefs played the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl I in 1967, they had only been in existence for seven seasons and were tasked with the monumental burden of representing the still-fledgling American Football League against the NFL's team of the decade. The Chiefs won their first AFL Championship in 1962, as the Dallas Texans, when owner Lamar Hunt decided the Dallas market couldn't support two pro football teams--it could barely support one. After just three seasons, the Texans relocated to Kansas City, where they became the Chiefs. Under future Hall-of-Famers Len Dawson, Buck Buchanan, and Johnny Robinson, they were the winningest AFL team and helped integrate pro football more than any other team in the 1960s. In The Team That History Forgot, Rick Gosselin explores the team's struggles and triumphs in its early years, the competition created by the AFL in player signing wars, the recruitment of athletes from historically Black colleges and universities, the loss of the franchise identity with the move from Texas to Kansas City, the first Super Bowl and the humiliating loss against the Packers, and the moves the Chiefs made to recover from that loss and win Super Bowl IV, the last game before the two rival leagues finally merged in 1970. The early Chiefs set a bar for excellence that the team continues to pursue today.
Just Call Me Andi
For readers of sports broadcasting tell-alls like Jay Onrait's Anchorboy or James Duthie's The Guy on the Left comes Andi Petrillo's candid memoir. She explores the sexism she's faced and the relationships she's built, offering an underreported, crucial perspective on sports broadcasting from one of North America's top female sportscasters. When Andi Petrillo decided to pursue a career in sportscasting, a woman offering her opinion on sports was still a novelty. She was constantly being criticized, scrutinized, and sexualized, but her love for sports -- and her determination to prove she deserved to be doing what she loved -- propelled her into a successful and historic career. From becoming the first woman to be part of the Hockey Night in Canada in-studio broadcast, to being the first woman to host a daily sports radio talk show in Canada (Leafs Lunch on TSN), to being the first woman to win a Canadian Screen Award for Best Sports Host, she's come to see her perseverance as inspiration for young women who now believe they too can achieve great things in sports broadcasting. Just Call Me "Andi" shares many of the obstacles Petrillo's faced, as well as the incredible friendships she's made, and the lessons she's learned along the way. It also provides a behind-the-scenes look into the industry, explaining why editorial and broadcast decisions are often made and how the broadcasting world has evolved in the era of streaming and social media. Women have come a long way in sportscasting, but it may surprise people to learn about the pervasive sexism and the downright ridiculous requests that are still made of women that are not made of men ... Petrillo's story is both heartbreakingly honest and deeply insightful, providing a roadmap for future broadcasters navigating similar challenges so that female voices in sport are the norm, not the exception.
Keegan
From the author of Klopp: My Liverpool Romance, another funny and insightful look at one of Britain's greatest and strangest soccer figures. He was stranger than he knew - than any of us knew. Liverpool legend. England captain. Mercurial competitor. Pop star manqu矇. The Face of Brut 33. Pioneer of the footballers' perm. Twice winner of the Ballon d'Or. Kevin Keegan owned the 1970s. We had never seen his like before. There appeared to be nothing he could fail at. Tracking his career from youth-team player at Scunthorpe to the England manager's job, by way of Liverpool, Newcastle and Hamburg, Keegan considers the extravagant highs of a football man who touched the game with genius, who was never sacked and who came within an ace of triumph as a manager. A story of almost and maybe, of excellence and of failure, it is a story too, perhaps, of the fans' quixotic search for a messiah.
Moses Malone
Moses Malone overcame abject poverty in segregated Petersburg, Virginia, to become the first modern-day basketball player to jump directly from high school to the pros, paving a path for future stars such as Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, and LeBron James to follow. Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet tells the story of Malone's ascent in the early 1970s to becoming the premier player in the world for a five-year period. The young Malone prophesied his improbable rise and succeeded where others later failed because of his strength of character and unparalleled work ethic. Malone dominated his years in the NBA with a relentless determination that made him the greatest offensive rebounder in basketball history--a record he holds to this day. From 1979 to 1983 he won three of the NBA's Most Valuable Player awards and with Julius Erving helped to deliver the Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA championship in 1983. He remains one of just nine players to win the NBA MVP award three or more times. In many ways Malone was an anti-superstar. He lacked a signature move, displayed almost no ego, and shunned the spotlight to the detriment of his commercial appeal. Shy by nature and self-conscious about a speech impediment, Moses kept his distance from the media, some of whom mistook his reticence for stupidity. A man of few words, he possessed a magnetism rooted in humility, authenticity, and passion. Moses was a giver, equally generous in assisting a friend as he was mentoring younger players, including Charles Barkley and Hakeem Olajuwon. While his contemporaries preened for the cameras, Moses remained the "lunch pail superstar," a quiet and humble teammate who expressed himself through his tireless effort on the court and compassion off it.
In the Japanese Ballpark
Baseball is the national pastime of both the United States and Japan, but the two countries approach and play the game differently both on the field and away from it. To shed light on these differences and help fans gain a greater appreciation for Nippon Professional Baseball, Robert K. Fitts turns to the true experts, the people who play, oversee, promote, and watch the game, to find out what makes Japanese baseball special. In the Japanese Ballpark features engaging interviews with twenty-six baseball personalities to provide a behind-the-scenes look at the game. Fitts speaks with participants in the games such as players, managers, and an umpire; support staff including an interpreter, trainer, and data analyst; front office personal such as an owner, general and assistant managers, and marketing directors; ballpark workers including cheerleaders, a mascot, beer vendor, and usher; and professionals who surround the sport, such as baseball writers, a player agent, and a sports card dealer; as well as a league commissioner. Through their personal experiences, these individuals reveal the inner workings of the Japanese game and explain the cultural aspects that make Nippon Professional Baseball different from Major League Baseball. In the Japanese Ballpark features interviews with Bobby Valentine, Trey Hillman, Matt Murton, Robert Whiting, Marty Kuehnert, Tomoko Namba, Ambassador Ryozo Kato, and many others. Their experiences and insights provide inside knowledge to make the fan experience more enjoyable, for both those watching a Japanese game for the first time and well as for seasoned followers.
Breakaway
When the first puck dropped in the Professional Women's Hockey League in January 2024, it had been a long time coming. Women have been playing hockey since at least 1890 and playing professionally for decades. But until 2024, even the highest-level female players had never been compensated as professionals: some paid for their own gear and worked second jobs, earning a pittance, if anything, from their chosen profession. In Breakaway, Karissa Donkin tells the story of the players' efforts to create the PWHL, long before the first full season in 2024. Following the unnamed 2024 Montreal PWHL team, with some of the best players in the sport, like Marie-Philip Poulin and Erin Ambrose, Donkin takes readers through the League's founding, the draft process, the practices, and the dramatic arc of the first season. Defying all expectations, with larger crowds and higher revenues than anticipated, this first season was a gamechanger for professional women's sports leagues.
Bullies
The name 'Broad Street Bullies' in synonymous with tenacity, toughness, and hockey royalty in Philadelphia. Names like Bobby Clarke, Bernie Parent, Dave "The Hammer" Schultz, Gary Dornhoefer, Don Saleski, Ed Van Impe, and Bob "Hound Dog" Kelly brought an aggressive, punishing style of play to the NHL and delivered back-to-back Stanley Cups to the City of Brotherly Love in 1974 and 1975. Bullies, by longtime Flyers beat writer Sam Carchidi alongside writer and director Jeff Hare, explores this incredible group of hockey legends and why this band of beloved misfits resonated so strongly among the entire city of Philadelphia. Fifty years have passed since the Broad Street Bullies became the first expansion team to win both the Stanley Cup and the hearts of generations of new Flyers fans, and the men who fought those fights and won those battles are forever engrained into the psyche of Philly sports lore. Carchidi and Hare bring these beloved folk heroes back into the spotlight, shedding light on not just what they did on the ice, but what they meant to the city that embraced them.
Leap Year
The definitive chronicle of the Philadelphia Eagles' ascent to Super Bowl LIX glory The Philadelphia Eagles entered the 2024-2025 NFL season with high hopes amid uncertainty following a historic collapse the previous year. With a retooled coaching staff and new injection of talent, the Birds built their rebirth brick by brick, week after week, and set the stage for a Super Bowl revenge game for the ages. In Leap Year, Zach Berman expertly chronicles the team's remarkable championship season as well as the elements that made it all possible--the highlight reel plays of new addition Saquon Barkley, the quiet leadership of Jalen Hurts, Vic Fangio's dominant defense, and more. Featuring in-depth reporting and an unforgettable cast of characters both on the field and in the front office, this is the story of how the Eagles found their footing, vanquished the reigning back-to-back champion Kansas City Chiefs, and returned the Lombardi Trophy to Philadelphia.
The Franchise: New York Giants
In The Franchise: New York Giants, take a more profound and unique journey into the history of an iconic team. This thoughtful and engaging collection of essays captures the astute fans' history of the franchise, going beyond well-worn narratives of yesteryear to uncover the less-discussed moments, decisions, people, and settings that fostered the team's iconic identity. Through wheeling and dealing, mythmaking and community building, explore where the organization has been, how it came to prominence in the modern NFL landscape, and how it'll continue to evolve and stay in contention for generations to come. Giants fans in the know will enjoy this personal, local, in-depth look at football history.
The Forty Year Old Rookie
What's worse than a has-been? A never-was.Peter Collins plays beer league ice hockey. He's overweight, over the hill, and the only thing crashing harder than his slapshot is his bank account.But when a strange twist of fate - and a few questionable decisions - land him a spot on an NHL roster, Peter sees his chance to earn some big money. The only problem? It's not entirely legit.Now he's skating a thin line between fantasy and fraud, trying to stay on the team. Because when you've waited your whole life for a shot at the big leagues... would you let the truth get in the way?A gripping story about regret, redemption, and how far someone will go to chase a dream.
Money Can't Buy Us Love
In 1960, the wealthy owner of the Merseyside-based Littlewoods corporation, John Moores, took control of Everton Football Club, setting in motion a chain of events that still affect the game in this country today.In Money Can't Buy Us Love, Everton's official statistician Gavin Buckland tells the tale of how Moores and manager Harry Catterick took the so-called 'Mersey Millionaires' to the summit of English football, in the context of the major cultural changes of the time.Money Can't Buy Us Love offers fascinating insight into how strong personalities can take a team to the very top but can also cause its ultimate downfall.
