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Let's not forget about his book - The Ovechkin Project, a behind the scenes look, lacking only the participation of its subject.
If you guys are interested, there's already a book on the Bulls last season. It's called Playing for Keeps
It's written by the great David Halberstrom. He got full access to following the team that year. It's not just the last season but also mini biography on most of the players and coaches, but mostly centered around Jordan.
The book is really good and would have been even better if Jordan didn't renege on his promise to sit down after the season 1-1 with Halberstrom.
BTW, the book is really great at showing how much the players HATED Krause and how hard it was for Jackson to try to balance the stars and keeping management out of the way, all while coaching that year on his own expiring contract. It has other great details, like how at the end Reinsdorff would negotiate with Jordan 1-1, no one else, no agents. They'd sit in a room and work it out on their own.
according to this book I read https://www.amazon.com/Falling-Hard-Journey-into-World/dp/1590307151
he stated that Putin started Sambo at age 14 and judo around a year later. He won tournaments in Leningrad and took 3rd place at Russian Junior Nationals, and he also became senior champion later. He then joined the KGB where they had to continue some sort of combat training.
It's possible for sure! The reason judo is so great is that it's for everyone. My dad has been doing judo into his 60s and while he avoids doing randori with the hard-charging young bucks these days, he has a fun time just moving around on the mat and playing gently.
There will be some clubs that focus on the competition aspect of the sport, so I would try to do some research and find a good judo instructor that is dedicated to teaching judo and not winning judo competitions. A club that does a lot of kata training (these might be a little more rare) would definitely be a place I would recommend you try as you will have an outlet for learning judo in all its forms without the focal point being how hard and fast you throw someone.
Also I would recommend this book! https://www.amazon.com/Falling-Hard-Journey-into-World/dp/1590307151 It's "Falling Hard" by Mark Law. He's a British journalist who decides to pick up judo on his 50th birthday and he writes about his journey in the sport as a new judo enthusiast. My dad has been playing judo for decades, but he got a kick out of it as an older judoka. He recommends it to all of his judo friends. (I also had the random encounter of running into Mark Law at the Budokwai in London maybe in 2015. He was an incredibly nice guy and was still on the mat 6 years after he published this book!)
You might like this. 50 year old guy starts Judo, falls in love with it and writes an excellent book about its development and history.
Obviously there's spin, but that doc was pretty similar to playing for keeps - which is very well regarded:
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https://www.amazon.com/Playing-Keeps-Michael-Jordan-World/dp/0767904443
Michael saved the NBA and made it into the juggernaut that it is today. Even the superstars at time, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were amazed by Jordan’s level of play. He had an entire brand built around him that is still around today. Air Jordans are still a top selling sneaker. There is a great book about Jordan’s influence: Playing for Keeps: Michael Jordan and the World He Made https://www.amazon.com/dp/0767904443/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_7PQYWZQX5A0AZFKNMCPK
There's a good book that covers the story of a guy starting Judo at the age of 50. It's a great read in itself and might cover some realities and what to expect.
Mark Law, Falling Hard: A Journey into the world of Judo (also published as the Pyjama Game)
> On his fiftieth birthday, British journalist and self-described “indolent sportsman” Mark Law decides to take up judo on a whim and ends up getting hooked on the sport. Falling Hard is Law’s love letter to judo—the culture, drama, history, and practice. With journalistic zeal, he delves deeply into the sport’s history and lore, and interweaves his own judo experiences with the development of judo in Japan, the life and vision of its founder Jigoro Kano, the export of judo to the West, the emergence of women in the sport, and detailed descriptions of competition on the world championship and Olympic levels.
> Law’s account is as much for the sports writing fan and armchair enthusiast as for the judo practitioner. With humor and skill, he describes grueling training sessions and matches (including his own), famous Olympic bouts, and legendary rivalries between judo players and national teams, and he speculates on the future of the sport.
For the hockey fans out there, I recommend The Ballad of the Whiskey Robber, an incredible true story about a Transylvanian bank robber who also played professional hockey in Hungary, and Hockeywood, a fictional story about a pro hockey player facing death threats on the eve of the Stanley Cup Final. I think you'll like them both!
Another recommendation: David Shoemaker's The Squared Circle - Life, Death and Professional Wrestling -- https://www.amazon.com/Squared-Circle-Death-Professional-Wrestling/dp/1592408818
The NWA book is very informative but can be a little dry at times. This one (for me anyway) tells the history of wrestling a bit more succinctly and with some humor.
A good Jordan book is Playing for Keeps: Michael Jordan and the World He Made https://www.amazon.com/dp/0767904443/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_f0diCbNMQCFV3
Two must read Sebastian Junger books are War and Tribe. Amazon has both in paperback.
Maybe checkout Falling Hard
It has a lot of stories throughout the history of Judo and the authors experience learning Judo, maybe has some stuff that would be fun to talk about.
I'm about 3/4 eat through it and find a fun read.
This sounds like something right out Patrick O'Sullivan's Autobiography
Glad the police got involved, shame the guy took off :(
First of all have you read Murakami's book on running? just curious, as a book nerd. Surely you've read The Oatmeal?
Ok ok first question. Why do you run Raisin? What do you like about it?
Now a less philosophical one:
So, what kind of stretches do you recommend before running? And after? I've noticed alot of stiffness around my knees and the muscles on the sides of my legs so I'm thinking I'm not stretching properly.
That's exactly what happened to Patrick O'Sullivan who played for the Kings, Oilers, Hurricanes, Wild and Coyotes. Extreme parental abuse justified as 'getting him ready for the NHL'.
He just wrote a book about it that is a great read despite airing some uncomfortable truths: Breaking Away: A Harrowing True Story of Resilience, Courage and Triumph
Missing two big ones imo:
To me it seems that running is a good way to get away from all the presions and problems in my llife. Some of that is in this not so good book but at least he does a good job describing the scenery. http://www.amazon.com/What-About-Running-Vintage-International/dp/0307389839
Hello Patrick! Thank you for taking some time out of your day to come hang out with us. I will most definitely be checking out your book after reading through the article Sports Net ran yesterday.
My question to you is, who were your favorite guys to play with? Any mentors? Locker room leaders?
Also if anyone else would like to check out Patrick's book, go here-
I'd strongly suggested reading David Shoemaker's book http://www.amazon.com/The-Squared-Circle-Professional-Wrestling/dp/1592408818
He also writes for Grantland, but the book covers a great amount of history before delving into the stories of various wrestlers. As you enjoyed Wrestling Ins't Wrestling, the book should be up your alley - it goes into a lot of the more meta concepts in the world of wrestling.
If you don't want that sort of foundation, but want some additional analysis, there's the aforementioned Grantland feature, a weekly RAW review on AVClub, and countless more wrestling specific sites to check out.
If you're looking for something fun, I highly recommend Ballad of the Whiskey Robber by Julian Rubenstein. It's a true story about a (really bad) Hungarian goalie turned back robber during the fall of Communism in Budapest.
I don't know if it's quite up there with Game of Thrones for excitement level, but it's a pretty good read.
The movie was actually based on a minor league player's autobiography.
Although the movie is "Hollywood-ed up" for sure, I do think there are elements that are pretty accurate. Most enforcers know each other and get their role in the league and I think it portrayed that aspect really accurately. It captured the energy of smaller arena minor league hockey really well. And the hockey locker room humor was spot on. I would not consider it the best hockey movie, but watch it a few times and it will grow on you.
What is this? Ralph Vacchiano should sue!
- try both
- depends on the club but it will be covered.
- your knee will strengthen with judo wear a brace that is soft.
- The one of the better books for beginners is Falling Hard by Mark Law. Not instructional or anything but good overview of modern history judo like major player that people will likely be talking about in class--very helpful-- and some stuff on manners. http://www.amazon.com/Falling-Hard-Journey-into-World/dp/1590307151
- I started at 25 and I wish I started at 6. If you are dedicated you can become competitive.
This is not recent history by any means but I loved these two books. The Game by Ken Dryden and The Rocket: A Cultural History of Maurice Richard.
Good idea, also when I started playing I read some great books on hockey, I recommend The Ovechkin Project