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Behind the Boundary: Cricket at a Crossroads
by Graeme WrightEngland's back-to-back Ashes victories, coupled with winning the 2010 World Twenty20, might give the impression that all is well in English cricket. But behind the headlines is another story: that of a county game struggling to cope with unprecedented levels of debt, a decline in membership and attendances, and the demands on players and spectators of an unsustainable fixture schedule. As a member of the ECB's Board of Directors admitted, 'English cricket is at something of a crossroads.'In this new book, Graeme Wright, a former editor of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack and author of Betrayal: The Struggle for Cricket's Soul, takes to the road to speak to those at the coalface of English county cricket. What he discovers there is not just a sport in crisis, but 18 complex organisations coming to terms with the reality of an ever-changing commercial world. And yet, perhaps surprisingly, he finds himself buoyed by a feeling of optimism. As the counties reposition their roles, not just in cricket but also within their local communities, there is something new and hopeful on the horizon. As Wright explores the world behind the boundary, he finds himself taking an affectionate - though not uncritical - look at England itself, as well as the best-loved game at its heart.
Behind the Boundary: Cricket at a Crossroads
by Mr Graeme WrightEngland's back-to-back Ashes victories, coupled with winning the 2010 World Twenty20, might give the impression that all is well in English cricket. But behind the headlines is another story: that of a county game struggling to cope with unprecedented levels of debt, a decline in membership and attendances, and the demands on players and spectators of an unsustainable fixture schedule. As a member of the ECB's Board of Directors admitted, 'English cricket is at something of a crossroads.'In this new book, Graeme Wright, a former editor of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack and author of Betrayal: The Struggle for Cricket's Soul, takes to the road to speak to those at the coalface of English county cricket. What he discovers there is not just a sport in crisis, but 18 complex organisations coming to terms with the reality of an ever-changing commercial world. And yet, perhaps surprisingly, he finds himself buoyed by a feeling of optimism. As the counties reposition their roles, not just in cricket but also within their local communities, there is something new and hopeful on the horizon. As Wright explores the world behind the boundary, he finds himself taking an affectionate - though not uncritical - look at England itself, as well as the best-loved game at its heart.
Behind the Curtain: Football in Eastern Europe
by Jonathan WilsonFrom the war-ravaged streets of Sarajevo, where turning up for training involved dodging snipers' bullets, to the crumbling splendour of Budapest's Bozsik Stadium, where the likes of Puskás and Kocsis masterminded the fall of England, the landscape of Eastern Europe has changed immeasurably since the fall of communism. Jonathan Wilson has travelled extensively behind the old Iron Curtain, viewing life beyond the fall of the Berlin Wall through the lens of football. Where once the state-controlled teams of the Eastern bloc passed their way with crisp efficiency - a sort of communist version of total football - to considerable success on the European and international stages, today the beautiful game in the East has been opened up to the free market, and throughout the region a sense of chaos pervades. The threat of totalitarian interference no longer remains; but in its place mafia control is generally accompanied with a crippling lack of funds. In BEHIND THE CURTAIN Jonathan Wilson goes in search of the spirit of Hungary's 'Golden Squad' of the early fifties, charts the disintegration of the footballing superpower that was the former Yugoslavia, follows a sorry tale of corruption, mismanagement and Armenian cognac through the Caucasuses, reopens the case of Russia's greatest footballer, Eduard Streltsov, and talks to Jan Tomaszewski about an autumn night at Wembley in 1973...
Behind the Desk with... Matt Christopher: The #1 Sportswriter for Kids
by Dale ChristopherIn 1954, Matt Christopher wrote and published The Lucky Baseball Bat and has since published more than one hundred twenty novels, making him the most prolific and bestselling sportswriter for children ever. With over 6 million copies sold, Matt's books have a permanent place in the hearts of young sports fans. Throughout 2004, we celebrate 50 years with Matt Christopher's own commemorative biography written by his son, Dale, in the tradition of the Matt Christopher Biography Bookshelf, with exclusive photos, original letters, and memorabilia.
Behind the Dragon: Playing Rugby for Wales (Behind the Jersey #5)
by Ross Harries‘Punchy, revelatory, irresistible. Gorge yourself on a history of Welsh rugby like you’ve never read before’ - Rugby World‘A tremendous book. What an array of fantastic characters and insights . . . both laugh out loud and poignant’ - Tom English, BBC SPORT‘An epic story, revealed by the words of the men who created legends in the Welsh jersey’ - Stephen Jones, The Sunday Times‘No country can have endured as volcanic a love affair with one sport as the Welsh and rugby union, a passion still going strong after almost 140 years. No code of football can have had quite as many colourful characters in its dramatis personae and in telling their stories, Ross Harries has written a history book like no other’ – Peter Jackson, JOURNALIST AND BROADCASTERFrom the first Test match in the 1881 all the way through to the 2019 Grand Slam, this is the story of Welsh rugby – told in the players’ words. Based on a combination of painstaking research into the early years of the Wales team to interviews with a vast array of Test match players and coaches from the Second World War to the present day, Ross Harries delves to the very heart of what it means to play for Wales, painting a unique and utterly compelling picture of the game in the only words that can truly do so: the players’ own. Behind the Dragon lifts the lid on what it means to pull on the famous red shirt in the fire and fury of Test match rugby – the trials and tribulations behind the scenes, the glory, the honour and the drama on the field, and the heart-warming tales of friendship off it.Absorbing, illuminating, hilarious and poignant, this is the ultimate history of Welsh rugby – told by the men who have been there and done it.
Behind the Line of Scrimmage: Inside the Front Office of the NFL
by Michael HuyghueFormer collegiate star, sports agent, and NFL Executive Michael Huyghue recounts his journey in professional sports and shows how race and racism operate among the rich and the white and extend way beyond the NFL and the world of sports executives.With a deep, abiding love for sports, Huyghue chronicles his journey from childhood athletics to one of the highest-ranking black executives in the NFL. Huyghue reveals a bird's eye view of the inner workings of the exclusive inner sanctum of the NFL owners, players and management. The author's journey as an athlete and lawyer provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse of what goes on behind closed doors in the world of professional sports and collegiate athletic programs. His story as a pioneer and a change agent is one of hope, triumph, setback and sheer perseverance that will resonate with any sports fan. It is a blueprint-marked by wry humor and without bitterness -- to successfully navigate the journey that remains for minorities to succeed as front office executives in the multibillion-dollar sports industry. It is also a not often told chronicle of growing up black and male in white suburban America. While black athletes are ubiquitous on the playing field and front pages of tabloids, the challenge remains to gain true power in the multibillion-dollar sports industry. Huyghue details that struggle play by play.
Behind the Lions: Playing Rugby for the British & Irish Lions (Behind the Jersey #1)
by Stephen Jones Tom English Nick Cain David Barnes‘comfortably the most interesting and entertaining history of the Lions’ – The Irish Times‘a magical history’ – Daily Telegraph‘Fascinating . . . both heart-warming and enthralling’ – The Sunday TimesFor over 130 years the British & Irish Lions have stood out as a symbol of the ethics, values and romance at the heart of rugby union. To represent the Lions is the pinnacle for every international player in Britain and Ireland, and the dream of tens of thousands of avid fans who fol-low them. A Lions tour, undertaken every four years to the southern hemisphere, is more than a series of rugby matches played out on foreign fields; it is an epic crusade where the chosen few face a succession of mental and physical chal-lenges on their way to the Test arena, where they do battle with the superpowers of the world game.Behind the Lions sees seven esteemed rugby writers delve to the very heart of what it means to be a Lion, using diaries and letters from those who pioneered the concept, to interviews with a vast array of players who have followed in their footsteps. In so doing they have uncovered the passion, pride and honour experienced when taking up the unique challenge of a Lions tour. This is a tale of heart-break and ecstasy, humour and poignancy that is at once inspirational, moving and utterly compelling. And it is the only story worth hearing: the players’ own.
Behind the Mask: My Autobiography
by Tyson Fury'Tyson Fury is an amazing real-life champion' SYLVESTER STALLONEThe extraordinary story of the rise and fall and rise again of Tyson Fury…________________________________ THE GYPSY KING.A Manchester lad from Irish Traveller stock, born three months premature and weighing just a pound at birth, Tyson (named after his father’s boxing hero) grew up to become one of the most unlikely heavyweight champions in history. This ‘dream come true’ soon turned to nightmare, however, as alcohol and cocaine abuse took hold and Tyson was stripped of his titles. What followed was the darkest moment of his life – detailed in this book for the first time – in which he came within seconds of ending everything.THE PEOPLE’S CHAMPION.Like all the greatest stories, though, there is redemption and Tyson defies all the odds and literally drags himself to his feet. 10 million people around the globe watched Fury fight Wilder in the biggest fight of the boxing calendar. Speaking candidly about his struggles with mental health, this is Tyson Fury as you have never seen him before.A BRITISH ICON.________________________________ Behind the Mask is an unflinching autobiography from the greatest boxer of our time and a man who has demonstrated strength of a very different kind by conquering his demons.________________________________ ‘I didn’t believe boxers could be role models, but Tyson Fury has changed my mind… This 30-year-old Mancunian has made us all think twice about the possibilities of redemption.’ SIMON KELNER, INDEPENDENT‘Tyson Fury has become Britain’s most unlikely inspirational figure… the sight of a broken Fury caught a mood with the public. Never was the epitaph “People’s Champion” more apt’ RON LEWIS, THE TIMES
Behind the Rose: Playing Rugby for England (Behind the Jersey #4)
by Stephen Jones Nick Cain‘A handsome new book... a historical treasure trove’ – The Guardian ‘a superb book’ – ESPN Scrum ‘delves to the very heart of what it means to play for England . . . a must-have’ – Planet Rugby ‘a riot of anecdote, inside track and genuine insights’ – The Rugby PaperShortlisted for Rugby Book of the Year, 2015 Telegraph Sports Book of the Year AwardsThis is a complete history of the England rugby union team – told by men who have donned the white shirt with its iconic red rose. Based on a combination of painstaking research into the early years of the England team to interviews with a vast array of Test match stars from the Second World War to the present day, world-renowned rugby writers Stephen Jones and Nick Cain delve to the very heart of what it means to play for England, painting a unique and utterly compelling picture of the game in the only words that can truly do so: the players’ own. This is the definitive story of English Test match rugby – a story etched in blood, sweat and tears, a story of great joy and heart-breaking sorrow, of sacrifice, agony, endeavour and triumph. Behind the Rose lifts the lid on what it is to pull on the white shirt – the trials and tribulations behind the scenes, the glory, the drama and the honour on the field, and the heart-warming tales of friendship and humour off it. Absorbing and illuminating, this is a must-have for all supporters who have ever dreamed of walking the hallowed corridors of Twickenham as a Test match player, preparing themselves for battle and then marching out to that field of dreams with the deafening roar of the crowd in their ears and the red rose emblazoned on their chest.
Behind the Ryder Cup: The Players' Stories (Behind The Jersey Ser.)
by Peter Burns Ed HodgeMuch like the match itself, Behind the Ryder Cup is as unique as it is unmissable . . . comprehensive and fascinating, this is a history of the biennial contest unlike any you've ever read before' – BunkeredEnter the locker room: this is a history of the Ryder Cup like you have never experienced it before. From the origin matches that preceded the first official trans-Atlantic encounter between Britain and America at Worcester Country Club in 1927, all the way through to the fortieth installment at Gleneagles in 2014, this is the complete history of the Ryder Cup – told by the men who have been there and done it. With exhaustive research and exclusive new material garnered from interviews with players and captains from across the decades, Behind the Ryder Cup unveils the compelling truth of what it means to play in golf's biggest match-play event, where greats of the game have crumbled under pressure while others have carved their names into sporting legend.
Behind the Scenes at the Olympics: Behind The Scenes At The Olympics Library Ebook (The Olympics #3)
by Nick HunterFrom the winning bid to the Olympic village and stadiums, this book looks beyond the sports and into all aspects, such as the costs involved, the media and where events will take place around the country.
Behind the Scenes at the Olympics: Behind The Scenes At The Olympics Library Ebook (The Olympics #9)
by Nick HunterFrom the winning bid to the Olympic village and stadiums, this book looks beyond the sports and into all aspects, such as the costs involved, the media and where events will take place around the country.
Behind the Silver Fern: Playing Rugby for New Zealand (Behind The Jersey Ser.)
by Tony Johnson Lynn McConnellGo behind the scenes with the world's most successful sports teamBehind the Silver Fern is a comprehensive history of rugby's most famous yet enigmatic team, the New Zealand All Blacks, told by the men who have had the honour of wearing the iconic black jersey.From the legendary 1905 'Originals' all the way through to the record-breaking back-to-back World Cup champions of 2015, this is a history of the All Blacks like you have never experienced it before. Thanks to exhaustive archival research and exclusive new material garnered from a vast array of interviews with players and coaches from across the decades, Behind the Silver Fern unveils the compelling truth of what it means to play for the team that has dominated Test match rugby for over a century and become the most successful team in the history of sport – all the trials and tribulations behind the scenes, the glory, the drama and the honour on the field, and the passionate friendships and bonds of a brotherhood off it.Absorbing and illuminating, this is the ultimate history of All Black rugby – told, definitively, by the men who have been there and done it.
Behind the Thistle: Playing Rugby for Scotland (Behind The Jersey Ser. #1)
by Peter Burns John Griffiths David Barnes‘Takes the reader as close as it is possible to get, short of invading the pitch’ - The Scotsman ‘A gem of a book’ - The Herald ‘remarkable . . . an unmissable tome’ - The Evening News From rugby union’s first ever Test match all the way through to the present day, David Barnes, Peter Burns and John Griffiths delve to the heart of Scottish rugby as the greatest players recount their experiences of representing their country at Murrayfield and around the world. Featuring the thoughts of 175 players who have represented Scotland since that first match at Raeburn Place in 1871, Behind the Thistle gives a unique insight into the drama and emotion of playing for Scotland - it is a story of great joys and heart-breaking lows, of victories against the odds and of shattering last-gasp defeats; but above all it is a story of unity, friendship and the unbreakable bonds of a brotherhood. This is a history of Scottish rugby like no other - told, definitively, by the men who have been there and done it.
Behind The White Ball
by Jimmy WhiteAfter Hurricane Higgins crashed out of snooker's top league, Jimmmy White has been the `People's Champion' even though he never quite made the top World spot, pipped at the post in 1995 by Stephen Hendry, after missing one single black. Aged 16, White was the youngest player to win the English Amateur Championship. At 18, he won the World Amateur title. By 1984, he's a professional success, married but not at all settled. He's the kind of man who goes out for a packet of cigarettes and comes home two weeks later. Gambling, women, marathon binges with showbiz friends like Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones, have threatened the stability of his marriage. But somehow White has survived, to tell in candid detail, a most unusual, often outrageous story of a very sporting life.
The Beijing Olympiad: The Political Economy of a Sporting Mega-Event
by Paul Close David Askew Xu XinThe stage is set for the Beijing Olympiad to be the greatest mega-event, sporting or otherwise, in history. Still, the issues taxing many minds include whether the Beijing Games will be successful; whether they will be wrought with and wrecked by troubles; and who they will benefit. What value will the 2008 Games be to the people of China? Will they mainly serve the purposes of the dominant political, economic and cultural groups at and between the local, regional and global levels of modern social life? The Beijing Olympiad examines these among other questions, providing a range of original insights of interest to an array of scholars, researchers and students from Sports Studies to Sociology, Politics, Economics, International Relations and Legal Studies.
The Beijing Olympiad: The Political Economy of a Sporting Mega-Event
by Paul Close David Askew Xu XinThe stage is set for the Beijing Olympiad to be the greatest mega-event, sporting or otherwise, in history. Still, the issues taxing many minds include whether the Beijing Games will be successful; whether they will be wrought with and wrecked by troubles; and who they will benefit. What value will the 2008 Games be to the people of China? Will they mainly serve the purposes of the dominant political, economic and cultural groups at and between the local, regional and global levels of modern social life? The Beijing Olympiad examines these among other questions, providing a range of original insights of interest to an array of scholars, researchers and students from Sports Studies to Sociology, Politics, Economics, International Relations and Legal Studies.
Being a Sport Psychologist
by Richard KeeganWhat makes a great sport psychologist? Is there an ideal style or approach? What do you need to consider when working with a client?In this practical guide, Richard Keegan presents a user-friendly model of the sport psychologist's consulting processes and offers a framework for understanding best practice. Whether you are a trainee or a qualified sport psychologist, this book will help you to deliver a consistent, transparent, effective and ethical service at all levels of sport. Being a Sport Psychologist:- Provides a clear and coherent model which accommodates different styles, philosophies and experience levels;- Contains worksheets to help you record, evaluate, understand and reflect; - Offers a range of useful case studies and examples;- Is the first book to describe the process of being a sport psychologist from beginning to end.
Being a Sport Psychologist (PDF)
by Richard KeeganWhat makes a great sport psychologist? Is there an ideal style or approach? What do you need to consider when working with a client? In this practical guide, Richard Keegan presents a user-friendly model of the sport psychologist's consulting processes and offers a framework for understanding best practice. Whether you are a trainee or a qualified sport psychologist, this book will help you to deliver a consistent, transparent, effective and ethical service at all levels of sport. Being a Sport Psychologist: • provides a clear and coherent model which accommodates different styles, philosophies and experience levels; • contains worksheets to help you record, evaluate, understand and reflect; • offers a range of useful case studies and examples; • is the first book to describe the process of being a sport psychologist from beginning to end.
Being Freddie: The Makings of an Incredible Career
by Andrew FlintoffAndrew 'Freddie' Flintoff is one of the most exciting cricketers in the world and has improved out of all recognition during the last two years. In 2003, he was England's best player at the World Cup. Then, explosively, he lit up the second half of the summer in 2004, lifting spirits at Lord's with a bat-smashing 142. He walked off with the England man of the series award and averages to flaunt. This book marks his story so far in his own words, taking us up to and including the summer of 2005, during which Flintoff has performed heroics with both bat and ball against Australia. Freddie will highlight the moments and matches in his career that helped him dramatically on his way forward, and reveals what it is like to play for one of the most successful England cricket teams in history.
Being Sugar Ray: Sugar Ray Robinson, America's Greatest Boxer and First Celebrity Athlete
by Kenneth ShropshireMuhammad Ali memorably referred to Sugar Ray Robinson as "the king, the master, my idol,” and rarely a fight fan has chosen to argue too much with those words. With a career spanning three decades, multiple championships, over two hundred fights (without once taking a 10-count), and more victories than Joe Louis and Ali combined it was no surprise when RING magazine named Robinson "pound for pound, the best boxer of all time.” In Being Sugar Ray, acclaimed scholar Kenneth Shropshire contends that Sugar Ray Robinson's influence extends far beyond the ring. It was Robinson who introduced America to the athlete as entrepreneur and celebrity. From his business empire to his prized flamingo pink Cadillac, described as the Hope Diamond of Harlem, Sugar Ray was the trailblazer whom every athlete since has been trying, consciously or otherwise, to emulate.
Being Sugar Ray: The Life of Sugar Ray Robinson, America's Greatest Boxer and the First Celebrity Athlete
by Kenneth ShropshireAnd in this corner, hailing from Black Bottom, Detroit by way of Harlem, with more victories than Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali combined, the greatest fighter-pound for pound-of all time: Sugar Ray Robinson. If imitation is truly the sincerest form of flattery then there should be little doubt Sugar Ray Robinson is the greatest and most influential American boxer of all time. Fighters (and the occasional alt-rock band) have been adopting his name, and trying to imitate his inimitable fighting style for decades. Sugar Ray Robinson transcended race and sport to become a celebrity athlete in a way that no one-white or black-had accomplished before him. From his business empire to his prized flamingo pink Cadillac, described as the Hope Diamond of Harlem, Kenneth Shropshire shows Sugar Ray was the trailblazer whom every athlete since has been trying, consciously or otherwise, to emulate.
Béisbol (The Ilan Stavans Library of Latino Civilization)
by Ilan StavansThis insightful collection documents Latinos in baseball from an interdisciplinary perspective.From the late, great Roberto Clemente, to Giants legend Juan Marichal to Pedro Martinez, Manny Ramirez, Sammy Sosa, Alex Rodriguez, the Alou brothers, and many, many more, Latinos continue to make their mark on baseball. Béisbol takes an interdisciplinary look at this phenomenon, examining the impact of Latino players on the game and all that surrounds it, as well as baseball's impact on Latino players and fans.Under the expert guidance of Ilan Stavans, the book collects essays and literary pieces that offer a wide-range of assessments, from the personal to the academic, exploring the sport from historical, sociological, athletic, religious, and gender-building perspectives. Combining scholarly and literary views, Béisbol promotes a comprehensive understanding of the game as both an athletic activity and an entertainment form among Latinos in the Spanish-speaking world and the United States.
Béisbol (The Ilan Stavans Library of Latino Civilization)
by Ilan StavansThis insightful collection documents Latinos in baseball from an interdisciplinary perspective.From the late, great Roberto Clemente, to Giants legend Juan Marichal to Pedro Martinez, Manny Ramirez, Sammy Sosa, Alex Rodriguez, the Alou brothers, and many, many more, Latinos continue to make their mark on baseball. Béisbol takes an interdisciplinary look at this phenomenon, examining the impact of Latino players on the game and all that surrounds it, as well as baseball's impact on Latino players and fans.Under the expert guidance of Ilan Stavans, the book collects essays and literary pieces that offer a wide-range of assessments, from the personal to the academic, exploring the sport from historical, sociological, athletic, religious, and gender-building perspectives. Combining scholarly and literary views, Béisbol promotes a comprehensive understanding of the game as both an athletic activity and an entertainment form among Latinos in the Spanish-speaking world and the United States.