Joe Wikert's Publishing 2020 Blog

The Game, by Ken Dryden

As a hockey fan growing up in the late '60's and early '70's, Ken Dryden was one of my heroes.  The Canadiens seemed to always win the Stanley Cup in those years and Dryden was the goalie to watch in the '70's.  The Game chronicles the latter stage of his career and provides a great deal of insight into the NHL, the Canadiens and, of course, Dryden himself.

My favorite part of this book is when he takes the time to drill down deeper into the quirky personalities of certain teammates.  When you think of the Canadiens of the '70's, players like Guy Lafleur, Larry Robinson, Bob Gainey, Guy Lapointe, Steve Shutt, and of course, coach Scotty Bowman come to mind.  Dryden devotes much of The Game to coverage of teammates, coaches and even trainers, all written in the cerebral style he was known for throughout his career.

Any true hockey fan will want to read this book, regardless of how much or little you know about Dryden and Canadiens history.  Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the NHL today is where it stands after the 2004-05 lockout.  Although Dryden didn't touch on this in The Game, he offered these prescient thoughts towards the end of the book (and his NHL career):

Expansion and the WHA behind it, it will be a time to turn inward, to put its (the NHL's) unwieldy house in order.  Like an aging adolescent having grown too fast, it will get reacquainted with its parts, get them in hand, and do something with them.  It will be a time for realism, and stability, for chastened hopes and dreams deferred--except one.  Off ice, the whispered word will be "cable."  But it will represent a more modest dream this time, and more realizable, if the promised bonanza is only for some.  It is time for a deep breath, a pause, a time to return the game to the ice.  For that is the real tragedy of the 1970s, and the real opportunity for the 1980s.  It is on the ice that its next great challenge lies.

Gee, he could have written much of that in the last 3 years and it would have been just as applicable.  The league is on the rebound but the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals, the ultimate hockey championship, are relegated to the Versus network.  Ugh.  I even had to bite the bullet and sign up for Versus network service yesterday so that I could watch games 1 and 2, featuring my beloved Pittsburgh Penguins against the evil Detroit Red Wings.

How sad is that?  The Stanley Cup Finals start out on some third-tier cable network.  Maybe it's time to toss Gary Bettman out as NHL commissioner and replace him with someone like Ken Dryden...

Heather Johnson Guest-Blogging About Baseball Books

If variety is the spice of life, other voices are probably the most important spice of the blogosphere.  With that in mind, look for the occasional "Publishing 2020 open mike night" as I encourage others in the community to post their opinions as guest bloggers.  First up, Heather Johnson, and she's here to talk about one of her passions: baseball books.

Top 5 Baseball Books to Read this Summer, by Heather Johnson

What is better than curling up with a great book on your favorite beach in the summer? Well, maybe only one thing: reading a great baseball book. It seems the number of books about baseball has gone through the roof in recent years as every two-bit player that toiled in the minors is writing a tell-all about his time riding the buses from one town not listed on a map to another. If you're tired of sifting through the titles that will never make it to the big leagues, consider these great reads:

1. Jim Bouton’s Ball Four. There have been many tell-alls to hit the bookstores over the years but Ball Four is the gold standard. Its greatness is not even just due to its recounting of Mickey Mantle's drinking day, rather, its true greatness emerges when we see how much the game meant to Bouton and how he'd do nearly anything to stay in the game for just one more turn on the mound. This is a must-read for any true fan of the game.
2. Bill James' Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract. This is the Bible of books dedicated to the numbers of baseball. No other sport has a rich appreciation for statistics as baseball and Bill James is the authoritative figure in this realm. James ranks players at every position throughout the history of the major leagues and this is sure to spark a heated debate around your beach blanket.
3. Jerrold Casway's Ed Delahanty in the Emerald Age of Baseball . This fascinating work chronicles the best hitter many people have never heard of and his contributions to the game. In the latter part of the 19th century, first generation Irish-Americans ruled the sport and brought a new, aggressive style of play to the game. Ed Delahanty was a tragic hero as his lifestyle contributed to a shorter career – a career that would have rivaled that of Babe Ruth.
4. Bill Littlefield's Prospect. This popular NPR host shows his flair for the game in this wonderful, little novel that follows a prospect through the eyes of an incredulous scout. The scout feels as much pride as the prospect when he finally makes it to the big leagues.
5. Jim Collins' The Last Best League. This production is a magnificent insight into the Cape Cod Baseball League in Massachusetts. The amateur summer league is considered the premiere league of its kind and Collins does a masterful job of portraying the game and the community in this effort.

Heather Johnson is a freelance business, finance and credit writer, as well as a regular contributor for Business Credit Cards, a site for comparing business credit cards. She welcomes questions, comments, and freelancing job inquiries at her email address heatherjohnson2323@gmail.com.

Brookstone's Content Opportunity

While dining with the family and waiting for a table at The Cheesecake Factory Saturday night I decided to kill some time in Brookstone's.  They had a device on display that really caught my eye.  It's called the SportCast Wireless Baseball Scoreboard.  It's a simple LCD display that provides up-to-the minute box score and standings information, all received through a satellite feed. 

I'm a baseball junkie but even I feel the $99 price tag for this was way too high.  I look at something like this and think of what it could become though...

The device's dimensions are ideal for placement on a desk or shelf.  Sitting next to your computer you'd have a bit of additional content surface area that could be used for a variety of things.  It's also a great size to take with you.  I could see them adding a flap that's set up to serve as both the stand and a protective cover.

Why make it more portable?  Because I think there's a great opportunity to provide more content.  Think of this as a stripped-down Kindle.  Thanks to the satellite feed it could receive all sort of additional content.  Would I want to read a book on this thing?  No, but it would offer a great way to take newspapers, magazines and other short form content on the road, always up-to-date.  If there's not enough memory already built in to house the content, just add an SD slot for customers to increase it on their own.

Then there's the advertising component.  It would be pretty simple to create an additional revenue stream by including banner ads, for example.  They could offer two subscription models: One that's less expensive with ads and an ad-free one that's a bit pricier.

(Speaking of advertising, when we finally got seated at The Cheesecake Factory I noticed that every other page of the menu is an ad for another store in the mall.  Pretty smart, especially when you think about the captive audience reading the menu and the fact that they're already at the mall.)

Suddenly that $99 price tag wouldn't seem so expensive, especially if this device could be my gateway to portable content that's priced at the same level as what Amazon charges for the same content on the Kindle.  I wouldn't need the sexier eInk technology for this...a simple LCD would do the trick.

The Blind Side, by Michael Lewis

I'm a big Michael Lewis fan.  I read Moneyball and loved it, but I figured that's because baseball is my favorite sport.  So when colleague Willem K. got me a copy of Lewis latest book, The Blind Side, I figured I'd read it but not right away; after all football is #3 or #4 on my list of must-watch sports, so what's the rush?

I finally started reading it recently and finished it last night.  Now I wish I would have started sooner.  It's every bit as good as Moneyball but from a completely different perspective.  The Blind Side tells the story of Michael Oher, an extremely poor individual from Memphis who is an incredible physical specimen.  It's his physical abilities that get everyone's attention, including the NCAA.  In fact, if you're looking for a book to show you just how incompetent and silly the NCAA can be, well, you've found the winner with The Blind Side.

Besides the story of Oher, Lewis also uses this book to document the left tackle's meteoric rise in importance and pay scale in the NFL. The book is filled with interesting behind-the-scenes observations from coaches and players alike.  For example, I don't think I've ever read so much about Lawrence Taylor's career-ending hit on Joe Theismann.

All in all, this is an excellent summary of a position and a player who is currently still in college but should soon be making his mark in the NFL.  It's also an inspiring story of a family who took him in and gave him a chance.  In short, there's something in this for everyone regardless of whether you're a big time football fan.

TV Rants

The writer's strike is paying dividends for me.  I used to DRV every Tonight Show and Daily Show episode and then just watch the first 15 minutes of each.  Sometimes I'd fall behind though and have to invest a couple of hours in non-stop skimming to catch up.  That hasn't been a problem the past few weeks.  The writer's strike means no new episodes of either show.  NBC is showing really old re-runs (from 1992) and while Leno looked funny at first the novelty quickly wears off.

The result?: I stopped DRV-ing both shows.  I think I've finally weaned myself off the Tonight Show.  I doubt I'll bother recording it after the writer's strike is over.  I can't seem to completely break away from Jon Stewart and the Daily Show though.  I kind of miss that one.  I might drop it as well though if the strike lasts another month or so.

My bigger gripe has to do with two relatively new networks: The Big Ten Network and The NFL Network, neither of which deserve a link.  Both of these greedy networks are taking programming that was once free and making it part of a premium package on cable/satellite.  The Colts game on Thanksgiving night was on the NFL network but broadcast locally so I had a chance to see this channel in action.  Unimpressive.  They somehow managed to find the two least insightful commentators and put them together for one game (Cris Collinsworth and Bryant Gumbel).  A a bonus they periodically showed a "special new feature for the NFL Network."  It was nothing more than pictures from the game.  Is that really groundbreaking?

I haven't seen the Big Ten Network and it wouldn't break my heart if I never do.  Gone are the local broadcasts of Purdue and IU football and basketball games.  Oh well.

The bright side in all of this is that I suddenly have a lot more time to read some of the great books that have piled up at home!

The Team that Changed Baseball, by Bruce Markusen

The subtitle of Bruce Markusen's The Team that Changed Baseball is "Roberto Clemente and the 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates."  I was born and raised in Pittsburgh and the '71 World Series is one I'll never forget.  On top of all that, Roberto Clemente has always been a hero of mine, so I simply had to read this book.

One of the things that makes this title so special is the difference between media coverage of a World Series back then vs. one today.  Every aspect of the game and players lives is covered today.  It's hard to miss even the smallest detail.  Back then you had the game itself and a couple of local sports columnists.  No ESPN.  No Internet.  No DVR-ing all the pre-game hype on every single channel.  Even though I read every article I could back in 1971, I learned a lot of new tidbits thanks to this great book.

Markusen does a fantastic job of taking you back to the entire 1971 season.  His extensive interviews with many of the players and coaches make this book a treasure for any Pirates fan of the 1970's.  Month-by-month regular season assessments of the team's performance, roster changes, etc., lead up to almost 40 pages of coverage dedicated to the '71 World Series...yet another one the Pirates were supposed to lose, this time, to the extremely talented Baltimore Orioles.

My favorite part of this book is the "Where Are They Now" chapter he closes with.  It was fun to read what some of these guys are up to now, especially the ones I hadn't even thought about since the early '70's.  Any baseball fan will enjoy this book, but if you're a Pirates fan and you followed the team in 1971, you definitely need to add The Team that Changed Baseball to your library.

Purdue Confirms Notre Dame is as Bad as Advertised

I thought the 22-point spread was a bit insulting to poor Notre Dame.  In the end, Purdue should have won by much more.

I got to spend yesterday afternoon at Ross-Ade Stadium watching Purdue beat up on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.  This in-state rivalry always brings out the funniest t-shirts and banners.  One of my favorites from this year was a large sign at the game which read "Even Rudy Could Start On This Team."

Purdue was fortunate to escape with a win though.  After getting well within the red zone several times in the first half they wound up settling for far too many field goals, although it was good to see Chris Summers knock 'em all down.  Trading 7's for 3's allowed Notre Dame to get back in the game in the second half though.  Of course, despite their 5-0 record, Purdue fans know this isn't a second-half team; lots of yardage and points have been given up by Brock Spack's defense after halftime.  This game was no different.

If you're a Purdue fan, be concerned.  Local columnist Bob Kravitz is right to ask whether these guys are for real.  Ohio State comes to town next Saturday and should give Purdue their first true test of the season.  Call me a fair weather fan but I'm not holding my breath...

The Echoing Green, by Joshua Prager

As a loyal baseball fan I'm quite familiar with Bobby Thomsom and his "shot heard round the world" in the 1951 playoff with the Brooklyn Dodgers.  Knowing some of the facts surrounding that big home run and feeling like you've actually just relived it are two completely different things.  Having read Johsua Prager's The Echoing Green I feel like I not only sat in the stands that October afternoon, but I've also become close acquaintances with Thomson and the Dodger on the mound that day, Ralph Branca.

I'm truly amazed at the level of detail Prager provides in this book.  He meticulously describes Thomson and Branca's pro careers and how they crossed paths many times before that fateful day.  Of course, the big story behind this one is the spying and sign-stealing work done by the Giants from their clubhouse perch in center field. If you've heard anything about this part of the story you won't be surprised by what you read in Prager's book; but what you will read is first-hand accounts from many of the Giants on the roster that year, including Thomson himself.

How can an almost 500-page book about one swing of the bat be so entertaining and interesting?  Well, first of all, there's really only about 350 pages of reading material here.  That's not to say the remaining 150 pages are worthless; they're mostly reference material and notes to support all the facts presented throughout the book.  Those sections are tucked away in back and there if you need them.

Prager is clearly a gifted and engaging writer.  He almost makes you feel like you could take a deep breath and smell the concessions stands from almost 60 years ago.  He also does a fantastic job describing the ups and downs of Branca and how he managed to keep his cool (for the most part) over the years, despite the rumblings of Giant cheaters.

Hmmm...Giant cheaters...now that I'm a fan of Prager, I wonder if he'd consider writing another well-researched book on the subject of our modern day Giant cheater...

Quiet Strength, by Tony Dungy

Two words sum up my review of Tony Dungy's book, Quiet Strength: Deeply inspirational.  It doesn't matter what your background and interests are, everyone should read this book.  You don't have to be a Colts fan.  You don't have to even be a sports fan.  You don't have to be a Christian, although Dungy's Christ-centric lifestyle is quite an inspiring model, especially when compared to the lifestyles of others in the game.

This isn't a football book.  If you're looking for the X's and O's of how the Colts won the Super Bowl you'll need to look elsewhere.  This is a remarkable story about a remarkable man and his journey up to now.  Although it's easy for all of us to look at the positives in Dungy's life, especially since it's only been about 5 months since the Colts won the Lombardi trophy, this book outlines the many, many challenges and setbacks he's had along the way; but it's how he's responded to each and every one of those situations that make him an excellent role model.

I had often wondered why a search of "Tony Dungy" on Amazon yielded nothing until this book came out.  The reason behind that is explained in the Introduction: as a very quiet, private man, Dungy didn't see the need to hype is career/life in a book.  Or he didn't until he realized it could be used to help others, and that's precisely his goal with Quiet Strength.  Much has been written about his outreach to teens in trouble after his own son committed suicide in 2005.  Seeing this man in action and hearing him speak recently, I have no doubt these reports only scratch the surface.  Dungy is a remarkable person who impacts everyone around him.

Dungy isn't one to operate with a bunch of smoke and mirrors.  Even his advice on building a solid team would be considered pretty dull by today's standards.  It's mostly "do what we do, whatever it takes", etc.  No fire and brimstone, which is one of the reasons he probably looked like less of a winner after Jon Gruden was able to replace him in Tampa and win it all in his first year.  Fortunately for good guys everywhere, Dungy proved once and for all that Leo Durocher was wrong and they can finish first!  Further, the Colts success in 2006/2007 can be directly attributed to Dungy's stick-to-it attitude and approach.

This book caused me to look at Colts owner Jim Irsay differently.  I've always assumed he was a cold mercenary, just like his dad.  You remember Bob Irsay...he's the guy who moved the Colts from Baltimore to Indianapolis without telling anyone.  Not that Jim wouldn't consider pulling up stakes as well, but it was interesting to read Dungy's story of how Jim first contacted him.  It was immediately after Tampa let Dungy go and Irsay presented a vision for the team that reminded me of the old Art Rooney days in Pittsburgh.  Irsay even went on to tell Dungy that money wouldn't be an issue and to make sure "your agent doesn't screw up the deal"!

Read this book and you too will discover that football is just one small but important piece of Tony Dungy's life.  It's how he's dealt with all the other aspects of his life though that truly make this a outstanding book.  Just when I thought there were no players/coaches in professional sports worthy of having your child look up to, Tony Dungy proved me wrong.

Pirates Road Trip

Actually, the Pirates were at home this week and I was the one on the road trip.  Having grown up in Pittsburgh and attended countless Pirates games at Three Rivers Stadium (and even a couple at Forbes Field), I figured I finally needed to catch a game at PNC Park.  What an outstanding venue.  It's well laid out and centrally located in the city for easy access.  There doesn't appear to be a bad seat in the place and the food selection is excellent.

I was fortunate enough to attend the Pirates-Cubs game Friday night with my buddy Paul, an old friend from high school days.  We started off with sandwiches from Primanti Brothers, a Pittsburgh classic where they load the cole slaw and french fries into the sandwich itself.  The rest of the night featured a couple of IC Lights and other assorted snacks and closed with an 8-4 Pirates victory.  If you ever find yourself in the Pittsburgh area and the Pirates are in town you owe it to yourself to pay a visit to this top-notch stadium.