Author: Gare Joyce
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118065786
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 298
Book Description
An award-winning writer sets the record straight on hockey's forgotten golden boy—Bobby Hull In his prime, few could dispute Bobby Hull's athletic brilliance—the first to have five 50-goal seasons, the highest scorer on the 1976 Canada Cup team, the first to use the slapshot as a scoring weapon, and the first hockey player to sign a million-dollar contract. With his body-builder torso, and his 100 mph volleys across a rink, the world of hockey glory was his to lose. And he did. With his publicized marital troubles and his defection from the NHL to the WHA, Hull's star began to fall, leaving him broke and in exile from the game. In The Devil and Bobby Hull, this once great hockey player and pioneer is finally given his due. Not only are Hull's remarkable on-ice achievements finally put in perspective, so, too, are his achievements off the rink—including endorsements for a wide array of products (rare for an NHL player) and his appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated a record four times. And the book details how Hull's battle with the owners of the Chicago Blackhawks—challenging the reserve clause in his contract, a move that enabled him to move to the WHA—helped other players follow him. The author places Hull squarely in the pantheon of other hockey greats, including Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr, and Wayne Gretzky—and makes the case that he is the game's most influential and important player This is the full, unauthorized story of Hull's life—that doesn't sidestep the controversies (including the domestic violence tainting his private life) Details Hull's recent reconciliation with the Chicago Blackhawks A candid look at one of hockey's most gifted and controversial figures, The Devil and Bobby Hull tells the story of his extraordinary career and life—and why this remarkable man has not faded into oblivion.
The Devil and Bobby Hull
Author: Gare Joyce
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118065786
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 298
Book Description
An award-winning writer sets the record straight on hockey's forgotten golden boy—Bobby Hull In his prime, few could dispute Bobby Hull's athletic brilliance—the first to have five 50-goal seasons, the highest scorer on the 1976 Canada Cup team, the first to use the slapshot as a scoring weapon, and the first hockey player to sign a million-dollar contract. With his body-builder torso, and his 100 mph volleys across a rink, the world of hockey glory was his to lose. And he did. With his publicized marital troubles and his defection from the NHL to the WHA, Hull's star began to fall, leaving him broke and in exile from the game. In The Devil and Bobby Hull, this once great hockey player and pioneer is finally given his due. Not only are Hull's remarkable on-ice achievements finally put in perspective, so, too, are his achievements off the rink—including endorsements for a wide array of products (rare for an NHL player) and his appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated a record four times. And the book details how Hull's battle with the owners of the Chicago Blackhawks—challenging the reserve clause in his contract, a move that enabled him to move to the WHA—helped other players follow him. The author places Hull squarely in the pantheon of other hockey greats, including Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr, and Wayne Gretzky—and makes the case that he is the game's most influential and important player This is the full, unauthorized story of Hull's life—that doesn't sidestep the controversies (including the domestic violence tainting his private life) Details Hull's recent reconciliation with the Chicago Blackhawks A candid look at one of hockey's most gifted and controversial figures, The Devil and Bobby Hull tells the story of his extraordinary career and life—and why this remarkable man has not faded into oblivion.
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118065786
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 298
Book Description
An award-winning writer sets the record straight on hockey's forgotten golden boy—Bobby Hull In his prime, few could dispute Bobby Hull's athletic brilliance—the first to have five 50-goal seasons, the highest scorer on the 1976 Canada Cup team, the first to use the slapshot as a scoring weapon, and the first hockey player to sign a million-dollar contract. With his body-builder torso, and his 100 mph volleys across a rink, the world of hockey glory was his to lose. And he did. With his publicized marital troubles and his defection from the NHL to the WHA, Hull's star began to fall, leaving him broke and in exile from the game. In The Devil and Bobby Hull, this once great hockey player and pioneer is finally given his due. Not only are Hull's remarkable on-ice achievements finally put in perspective, so, too, are his achievements off the rink—including endorsements for a wide array of products (rare for an NHL player) and his appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated a record four times. And the book details how Hull's battle with the owners of the Chicago Blackhawks—challenging the reserve clause in his contract, a move that enabled him to move to the WHA—helped other players follow him. The author places Hull squarely in the pantheon of other hockey greats, including Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr, and Wayne Gretzky—and makes the case that he is the game's most influential and important player This is the full, unauthorized story of Hull's life—that doesn't sidestep the controversies (including the domestic violence tainting his private life) Details Hull's recent reconciliation with the Chicago Blackhawks A candid look at one of hockey's most gifted and controversial figures, The Devil and Bobby Hull tells the story of his extraordinary career and life—and why this remarkable man has not faded into oblivion.
The Devil and Bobby Hull
Author: Gare Joyce
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118065778
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 298
Book Description
An award-winning writer sets the record straight on hockey's forgotten golden boy—Bobby Hull In his prime, few could dispute Bobby Hull's athletic brilliance—the first to have five 50-goal seasons, the highest scorer on the 1976 Canada Cup team, the first to use the slapshot as a scoring weapon, and the first hockey player to sign a million-dollar contract. With his body-builder torso, and his 100 mph volleys across a rink, the world of hockey glory was his to lose. And he did. With his publicized marital troubles and his defection from the NHL to the WHA, Hull's star began to fall, leaving him broke and in exile from the game. In The Devil and Bobby Hull, this once great hockey player and pioneer is finally given his due. Not only are Hull's remarkable on-ice achievements finally put in perspective, so, too, are his achievements off the rink—including endorsements for a wide array of products (rare for an NHL player) and his appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated a record four times. And the book details how Hull's battle with the owners of the Chicago Blackhawks—challenging the reserve clause in his contract, a move that enabled him to move to the WHA—helped other players follow him. The author places Hull squarely in the pantheon of other hockey greats, including Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr, and Wayne Gretzky—and makes the case that he is the game's most influential and important player This is the full, unauthorized story of Hull's life—that doesn't sidestep the controversies (including the domestic violence tainting his private life) Details Hull's recent reconciliation with the Chicago Blackhawks A candid look at one of hockey's most gifted and controversial figures, The Devil and Bobby Hull tells the story of his extraordinary career and life—and why this remarkable man has not faded into oblivion.
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118065778
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 298
Book Description
An award-winning writer sets the record straight on hockey's forgotten golden boy—Bobby Hull In his prime, few could dispute Bobby Hull's athletic brilliance—the first to have five 50-goal seasons, the highest scorer on the 1976 Canada Cup team, the first to use the slapshot as a scoring weapon, and the first hockey player to sign a million-dollar contract. With his body-builder torso, and his 100 mph volleys across a rink, the world of hockey glory was his to lose. And he did. With his publicized marital troubles and his defection from the NHL to the WHA, Hull's star began to fall, leaving him broke and in exile from the game. In The Devil and Bobby Hull, this once great hockey player and pioneer is finally given his due. Not only are Hull's remarkable on-ice achievements finally put in perspective, so, too, are his achievements off the rink—including endorsements for a wide array of products (rare for an NHL player) and his appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated a record four times. And the book details how Hull's battle with the owners of the Chicago Blackhawks—challenging the reserve clause in his contract, a move that enabled him to move to the WHA—helped other players follow him. The author places Hull squarely in the pantheon of other hockey greats, including Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr, and Wayne Gretzky—and makes the case that he is the game's most influential and important player This is the full, unauthorized story of Hull's life—that doesn't sidestep the controversies (including the domestic violence tainting his private life) Details Hull's recent reconciliation with the Chicago Blackhawks A candid look at one of hockey's most gifted and controversial figures, The Devil and Bobby Hull tells the story of his extraordinary career and life—and why this remarkable man has not faded into oblivion.
Fighting the Devil in Dixie
Author: Wayne Greenhaw
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
ISBN: 1569768250
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 353
Book Description
Examining the growth of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) following the birth of the civil rights movement, this book is filled with tales of the heroic efforts to halt their rise to power. Shortly after the success of the Montgomery bus boycott, the KKK—determined to keep segregation as the way of life in Alabama—staged a resurgence, and the strong-armed leadership of Governor George C. Wallace, who defied the new civil rights laws, empowered the Klan’s most violent members. Although Wallace’s power grew, not everyone accepted his unjust policies, and blacks such as Martin Luther King Jr., J. L. Chestnut, and Bernard LaFayette began fighting back in the courthouses and schoolhouses, as did young southern lawyers such as Charles “Chuck” Morgan, who became the ACLU’s southern director; Morris Dees, who cofounded the Southern Poverty Law Center; and Bill Baxley, Alabama attorney general, who successfully prosecuted the bomber of Birmingham’s 16th Street Baptist Church and legally halted some of Governor Wallace’s agencies designed to slow down integration. Dozens of exciting, extremely well-told stories demonstrate how blacks defied violence and whites defied public ostracism and indifference in the face of kidnappings, bombings, and murders.
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
ISBN: 1569768250
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 353
Book Description
Examining the growth of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) following the birth of the civil rights movement, this book is filled with tales of the heroic efforts to halt their rise to power. Shortly after the success of the Montgomery bus boycott, the KKK—determined to keep segregation as the way of life in Alabama—staged a resurgence, and the strong-armed leadership of Governor George C. Wallace, who defied the new civil rights laws, empowered the Klan’s most violent members. Although Wallace’s power grew, not everyone accepted his unjust policies, and blacks such as Martin Luther King Jr., J. L. Chestnut, and Bernard LaFayette began fighting back in the courthouses and schoolhouses, as did young southern lawyers such as Charles “Chuck” Morgan, who became the ACLU’s southern director; Morris Dees, who cofounded the Southern Poverty Law Center; and Bill Baxley, Alabama attorney general, who successfully prosecuted the bomber of Birmingham’s 16th Street Baptist Church and legally halted some of Governor Wallace’s agencies designed to slow down integration. Dozens of exciting, extremely well-told stories demonstrate how blacks defied violence and whites defied public ostracism and indifference in the face of kidnappings, bombings, and murders.
Young Leafs
Author: Gare Joyce
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1501169874
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 240
Book Description
An in-depth and behind-the-scenes look at how Auston Matthews and a gang of talented young hockey players are breaking from Toronto’s troubled sporting past and rekindling the city’s love for its team. Auston Matthews made history on October 12, 2016 by becoming the first player in the modern game to score four goals in his NHL debut. It was a momentous occasion for the talented young All-Star, but it was equally important for his newly adopted city and its storied, century-old team. That night marked the dawn of a new era for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The team had a long and colourful history, and it had always been foundational to the city’s image. But years of losing seasons had tarnished the team’s reputation and left even the most diehard fans questioning their loyalty. It seemed that each passing year brought more of the same: more mediocrity, more heartbreak, more disappointment. But the team’s management had a plan, one that would take them where others feared to go: a total rebuild. Piece by piece, they were assembling a group of young, talented players who would reshape the team. With the arrival of Auston Matthews, the team’s first overall draft pick in over twenty years, it seemed that the Leafs were ready to break with their past. Young Leafs follows the team through that remarkable season, tracing the divergent journeys of the players leading up to their unlikely campaign. Matthews—the prodigy with the unorthodox path to the NHL. Marner—the baby-faced talent with immense skill and an infectious energy. Nylander—the son of a former hockey professional, now looking to make his own mark. Reilly—the youngster with the mind of a general. Kadri—the maturing leader once billed as the team’s saviour. As the ups and downs of the season unfold, the team tries to overcome the ghosts of its past and write a new future, one that is far from certain. Can a group of precocious kids bond together and become winners? Will they be able to carry the hopes of a city? Most important, will Toronto finally have a reason to believe again?
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1501169874
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 240
Book Description
An in-depth and behind-the-scenes look at how Auston Matthews and a gang of talented young hockey players are breaking from Toronto’s troubled sporting past and rekindling the city’s love for its team. Auston Matthews made history on October 12, 2016 by becoming the first player in the modern game to score four goals in his NHL debut. It was a momentous occasion for the talented young All-Star, but it was equally important for his newly adopted city and its storied, century-old team. That night marked the dawn of a new era for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The team had a long and colourful history, and it had always been foundational to the city’s image. But years of losing seasons had tarnished the team’s reputation and left even the most diehard fans questioning their loyalty. It seemed that each passing year brought more of the same: more mediocrity, more heartbreak, more disappointment. But the team’s management had a plan, one that would take them where others feared to go: a total rebuild. Piece by piece, they were assembling a group of young, talented players who would reshape the team. With the arrival of Auston Matthews, the team’s first overall draft pick in over twenty years, it seemed that the Leafs were ready to break with their past. Young Leafs follows the team through that remarkable season, tracing the divergent journeys of the players leading up to their unlikely campaign. Matthews—the prodigy with the unorthodox path to the NHL. Marner—the baby-faced talent with immense skill and an infectious energy. Nylander—the son of a former hockey professional, now looking to make his own mark. Reilly—the youngster with the mind of a general. Kadri—the maturing leader once billed as the team’s saviour. As the ups and downs of the season unfold, the team tries to overcome the ghosts of its past and write a new future, one that is far from certain. Can a group of precocious kids bond together and become winners? Will they be able to carry the hopes of a city? Most important, will Toronto finally have a reason to believe again?
The Code
Author: Gare Joyce
Publisher: Penguin Canada
ISBN: 0670065951
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 313
Book Description
Brad Shade was a hockey player for fourteen years. Now he's retired and working as a scout for L.A., where the manager owes him a favour from his playing days. But when coaching legend Red Hanratty turns up brutally murdered in the parking lot after an old-timers charity game, the job of scouting the local phenom begins to feel a lot like investigating the killing of the kid's grizzled old coach.
Publisher: Penguin Canada
ISBN: 0670065951
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 313
Book Description
Brad Shade was a hockey player for fourteen years. Now he's retired and working as a scout for L.A., where the manager owes him a favour from his playing days. But when coaching legend Red Hanratty turns up brutally murdered in the parking lot after an old-timers charity game, the job of scouting the local phenom begins to feel a lot like investigating the killing of the kid's grizzled old coach.
Happy Clouds, Happy Trees
Author: Kristin G. Congdon
Publisher: Univ. Press of Mississippi
ISBN: 1626740992
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 209
Book Description
Readers will know Bob Ross (1942-1995) as the gentle, afro'd painter of happy trees on PBS. And while the Florida-born artist is reviled or ignored by the elite art world and scholarly art educators, he continues to be embraced around the globe as a healer and painter, even decades after his death. In Happy Clouds, Happy Trees, the authors thoughtfully explore how the Bob Ross phenomenon grew into a juggernaut. Although his sincerity in embracing democracy, gift economies, conservation, and self-help may have left him previously denigrated as a subject of rigorous scholarship, this book uses contemporary art theory to explore the sophistication of Bob Ross's vision as an artist. It traces the ways in which his many fans have worshiped, emulated, and parodied him and his work. His technique allowed him to paint over 35,000 paintings in his lifetime, mostly of mountains and trees in landscapes heavily influenced by his time in the Air Force and stationed in Alaska. The authors address issues of amateur art, sentimentality, imitation, boredom, seduction, and democratic practices in the art world. They fully examine Ross as a painter, teacher, healer, media star, performer, magician, and networker. In-depth comparisons are made to Andy Warhol and Thomas Kinkade, and mention is made of his life in relation to Joseph Beuys, Elvis Presley, St. Francis of Assisi, Carl Rogers, and many other creative personalities. In the end, Happy Clouds, Happy Trees presents Ross as a gift giver, someone who freely teaches the act of painting to anyone who believes in Ross's vision that "this is your world."
Publisher: Univ. Press of Mississippi
ISBN: 1626740992
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 209
Book Description
Readers will know Bob Ross (1942-1995) as the gentle, afro'd painter of happy trees on PBS. And while the Florida-born artist is reviled or ignored by the elite art world and scholarly art educators, he continues to be embraced around the globe as a healer and painter, even decades after his death. In Happy Clouds, Happy Trees, the authors thoughtfully explore how the Bob Ross phenomenon grew into a juggernaut. Although his sincerity in embracing democracy, gift economies, conservation, and self-help may have left him previously denigrated as a subject of rigorous scholarship, this book uses contemporary art theory to explore the sophistication of Bob Ross's vision as an artist. It traces the ways in which his many fans have worshiped, emulated, and parodied him and his work. His technique allowed him to paint over 35,000 paintings in his lifetime, mostly of mountains and trees in landscapes heavily influenced by his time in the Air Force and stationed in Alaska. The authors address issues of amateur art, sentimentality, imitation, boredom, seduction, and democratic practices in the art world. They fully examine Ross as a painter, teacher, healer, media star, performer, magician, and networker. In-depth comparisons are made to Andy Warhol and Thomas Kinkade, and mention is made of his life in relation to Joseph Beuys, Elvis Presley, St. Francis of Assisi, Carl Rogers, and many other creative personalities. In the end, Happy Clouds, Happy Trees presents Ross as a gift giver, someone who freely teaches the act of painting to anyone who believes in Ross's vision that "this is your world."
They Call Me Killer
Author: Brian Kilrea
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470677600
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 193
Book Description
An intimate, humorous look at Brian Kilrea's 60-year career in junior hockey With more wins than any coach in junior hockey history, and a personality as large as his winning record, Brian Kilrea is more than a hockey legend, he's one of the most beloved figures in the game. With veteran sportswriter, James Duthie, Kilrea gives fans a rink-side view of his early days as a player with the Red Wings and what it was like to score the first-ever goal in the history of the L.A. Kings; as well as his role as a coach for the Ottawa 67s and as a mentor to young stars of the future. With stories and comments from famous NHLers who played for Killer, including Bryan Trottier and Dennis Potvin, as well as coaches, trainers, and general managers, readers will get a taste of Kilrea's hardnosed coaching style, as well as the knowledge and dedication that has made him last so long. Anecdotes from NHLers like Mike Peca, Gary Roberts, Doug Wilson, Brian Campbell, Darren Pang, and many others An inside look at the day-to-day life in the world of junior hockey, including brutal practices, broken curfews, trades, and tirades With a Foreword by lifelong friend, Don Cherry, They Call Me Killer is a fascinating, real-life look at the world of junior hockey and the man who has meant so much to the sport.
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470677600
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 193
Book Description
An intimate, humorous look at Brian Kilrea's 60-year career in junior hockey With more wins than any coach in junior hockey history, and a personality as large as his winning record, Brian Kilrea is more than a hockey legend, he's one of the most beloved figures in the game. With veteran sportswriter, James Duthie, Kilrea gives fans a rink-side view of his early days as a player with the Red Wings and what it was like to score the first-ever goal in the history of the L.A. Kings; as well as his role as a coach for the Ottawa 67s and as a mentor to young stars of the future. With stories and comments from famous NHLers who played for Killer, including Bryan Trottier and Dennis Potvin, as well as coaches, trainers, and general managers, readers will get a taste of Kilrea's hardnosed coaching style, as well as the knowledge and dedication that has made him last so long. Anecdotes from NHLers like Mike Peca, Gary Roberts, Doug Wilson, Brian Campbell, Darren Pang, and many others An inside look at the day-to-day life in the world of junior hockey, including brutal practices, broken curfews, trades, and tirades With a Foreword by lifelong friend, Don Cherry, They Call Me Killer is a fascinating, real-life look at the world of junior hockey and the man who has meant so much to the sport.
Georges Laraque
Author: Georges Laraque
Publisher: Penguin Canada
ISBN: 0143185837
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 361
Book Description
Think you know NHL tough guy Georges Laraque? Think again. Sure, Laraque knows all about the rough side of hockey. The Hockey News named him “best fighter.” Sports Illustrated called him the league’s “#1 enforcer.” Fans called him “BGL”—for Big Georges Laraque. Ottawa Senators’ pugilist Chris Neil called him “probably the toughest in the league.” Ask Laraque, though, and he’ll say that’s not who he really is. Known as a player who was unfailingly respectful and gentlemanly even when he was going toe to toe with the toughest guys in the toughest league in the world, he now takes that courageous sense of what is fair into fights that are much more important than the outcome of a hockey game. The son of Haitian immigrants, Laraque campaigns for World Vision to help Haitian reconstruction and relief. A committed believer in animal rights (and probably the toughest vegan in the world), he is a spokesperson for PETA. A conscientious environmentalist, he stepped up to be the deputy leader of the Green Party of Canada. From facing racism in Quebec’s minor-hockey system to the thrill of the Stanley Cup finals as an Edmonton Oiler, Laraque tells the story of a hockey player’s life defined by courage and a refusal to compromise. Honest, startling, and brave, this is a portrait of a hockey player unlike any you’ve read before.
Publisher: Penguin Canada
ISBN: 0143185837
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 361
Book Description
Think you know NHL tough guy Georges Laraque? Think again. Sure, Laraque knows all about the rough side of hockey. The Hockey News named him “best fighter.” Sports Illustrated called him the league’s “#1 enforcer.” Fans called him “BGL”—for Big Georges Laraque. Ottawa Senators’ pugilist Chris Neil called him “probably the toughest in the league.” Ask Laraque, though, and he’ll say that’s not who he really is. Known as a player who was unfailingly respectful and gentlemanly even when he was going toe to toe with the toughest guys in the toughest league in the world, he now takes that courageous sense of what is fair into fights that are much more important than the outcome of a hockey game. The son of Haitian immigrants, Laraque campaigns for World Vision to help Haitian reconstruction and relief. A committed believer in animal rights (and probably the toughest vegan in the world), he is a spokesperson for PETA. A conscientious environmentalist, he stepped up to be the deputy leader of the Green Party of Canada. From facing racism in Quebec’s minor-hockey system to the thrill of the Stanley Cup finals as an Edmonton Oiler, Laraque tells the story of a hockey player’s life defined by courage and a refusal to compromise. Honest, startling, and brave, this is a portrait of a hockey player unlike any you’ve read before.
Future Greats and Heartbreaks
Author: Gare Joyce
Publisher: Anchor Canada
ISBN: 038567273X
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 338
Book Description
“One of this continent’s master craftsmen of sporting prose” (Sports Illustrated) and three-time National Magazine Award-winner Gare Joyce goes undercover to learn the secrets of NHL scouts. Veteran sports writer Gare Joyce realizes a long-held secret ambition as he spends a full season embedded as a hockey scout. Joyce’s year on the hockey beat is a steep learning curve for him; NHL scouts spend each season gathering information on players fighting it out to break into the world of professional hockey. They watch hundreds of games, speak to scores of players, parents, team-mates and other scouts, amassing profiles on all the top contenders. It’s a form of risk assessment–is this young hopeful deserving of a multi-million dollar contract?–and it can be a tough and thankless task. Scouts are ground into the game, picking up nuances of play that even the most committed fan would miss, but they are looking at more than just how well a kid can play. And come the final draft, only a tiny percentage of their full year’s work might matter. Examining the amount of information gathered on the under-eighteen hopefuls, the scrutiny to which they are subjected, and the differences between the rigour of American and Canadian junior teams, Joyce opens a window on the life and methods of an NHL scout and penetrates the mysterious world of scouting as no one has before.
Publisher: Anchor Canada
ISBN: 038567273X
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 338
Book Description
“One of this continent’s master craftsmen of sporting prose” (Sports Illustrated) and three-time National Magazine Award-winner Gare Joyce goes undercover to learn the secrets of NHL scouts. Veteran sports writer Gare Joyce realizes a long-held secret ambition as he spends a full season embedded as a hockey scout. Joyce’s year on the hockey beat is a steep learning curve for him; NHL scouts spend each season gathering information on players fighting it out to break into the world of professional hockey. They watch hundreds of games, speak to scores of players, parents, team-mates and other scouts, amassing profiles on all the top contenders. It’s a form of risk assessment–is this young hopeful deserving of a multi-million dollar contract?–and it can be a tough and thankless task. Scouts are ground into the game, picking up nuances of play that even the most committed fan would miss, but they are looking at more than just how well a kid can play. And come the final draft, only a tiny percentage of their full year’s work might matter. Examining the amount of information gathered on the under-eighteen hopefuls, the scrutiny to which they are subjected, and the differences between the rigour of American and Canadian junior teams, Joyce opens a window on the life and methods of an NHL scout and penetrates the mysterious world of scouting as no one has before.
The California Golden Seals
Author: Steve Currier
Publisher: University of Nebraska Press
ISBN: 1496222288
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 496
Book Description
Hockey has had its share of bizarre tales over the years, but none compare to the fascinating story of the California Golden Seals, a team that remains the benchmark for how not to run a sports franchise. From 1967 to 1978, a revolving door of players, apathetic owners, and ridiculous marketing decisions turned the Seals, originally based in Oakland, into hockey’s traveling circus. The team lost tons of money and games, cheated death more often than Evel Knievel, and left behind a long trail of broken dreams. Live seals were used as mascots, players wore skates that were painted white on an almost daily basis, and draft picks were dealt away nonchalantly like cards at a poker game. The California Golden Seals examines the franchise’s mismanaged—but always interesting—history, from its ballyhooed beginnings as a minor-league champion in the 1960s to its steep slide into oblivion in the late 1970s after moving to Cleveland. Through a season-by-season narrative, Currier brings to life the Seals’ history with lighthearted anecdotes, personal interviews, and statistics about hockey’s most infamous losing team.
Publisher: University of Nebraska Press
ISBN: 1496222288
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 496
Book Description
Hockey has had its share of bizarre tales over the years, but none compare to the fascinating story of the California Golden Seals, a team that remains the benchmark for how not to run a sports franchise. From 1967 to 1978, a revolving door of players, apathetic owners, and ridiculous marketing decisions turned the Seals, originally based in Oakland, into hockey’s traveling circus. The team lost tons of money and games, cheated death more often than Evel Knievel, and left behind a long trail of broken dreams. Live seals were used as mascots, players wore skates that were painted white on an almost daily basis, and draft picks were dealt away nonchalantly like cards at a poker game. The California Golden Seals examines the franchise’s mismanaged—but always interesting—history, from its ballyhooed beginnings as a minor-league champion in the 1960s to its steep slide into oblivion in the late 1970s after moving to Cleveland. Through a season-by-season narrative, Currier brings to life the Seals’ history with lighthearted anecdotes, personal interviews, and statistics about hockey’s most infamous losing team.