Sports book roundup
“Hard Labor: The Battle That Birthed the Billion-Dollar NBA” by Sam Smith, Triumph, 368 pages, $24.95
LeBron James is on the cover of “Hard Labor” with $100 bills floating around him, but this book really has nothing to do with the Cleveland superstar. Instead, former Tribune reporter Sam Smith examines the players who opened the door to the mega-salaries earned by James and others in today’s NBA. Smith details how Oscar Robertson and fellow players, known as the Oscar Robertson 14, sued the NBA in the 1970s for greater economic rights. For Robertson, one of the all-time greats whose career was at its end, it was a matter of principle since he would not benefit.
While the lawsuit is a central theme, at the core of the book really is a portrait of the early days of the NBA. Smith writes about players’ relatively modest pay and spartan conditions. He recounts how there were times NBA games played second-billing to the Harlem Globetrotters in an evening doubleheader.
Players who participated in the lawsuit, including Bill Bradley, Wes Unseld and Chet Walker, tell vivid stories of what the league was like back then. Smith’s book is an entertaining ride through a crucial time in the NBA’s history. “Dr. Z: The Lost Memoirs of an Irreverent Football Writer” by Paul Zimmerman, edited by Peter King, Triumph, 304 pages, $25.95
Paul Zimmerman became known as “Dr. Z” for his insightful and passionate coverage of the NFL for Sports Illustrated. He was 70 percent finished with his autobiography when he was hit by a series of strokes in 2008, leaving him unable to read, talk or write. Peter King, a longtime colleague at SI, worked with Triumph Books to complete the project this year.
The book is laden with anecdotes about Vince Lombardi, Joe Namath (the Jets great wouldn’t speak to him for 24 years), Johnny Unitas and more. A long chapter about his all-time team provides a detailed and fascinating analysis of his selections. Of Rams Hall of Fame defensive lineman Deacon Jones, Zimmerman writes, “I think Deacon made more crawling sacks than any player who ever lived. When he was knocked off his feet, the argument was just starting.”
The book is hilarious in spots and full of historical significance — he writes a riveting chapter about covering the terrorist attack on the 1972 Munich Olympics that killed 11 members of the Israeli team. Zimmerman’s final effort shows why he belongs on the Mount Rushmore of all-time great NFL writers. “The TB12 Method: How to Achieve a Lifetime of Sustained Peak Performance” by Tom Brady, Simon & Schuster, 320 pages, $29.99
While star NFL players more than a decade younger are suffering shattering year-ending injuries, Tom Brady continues to defy age at 40. How does he do it? The New England Patriots quarterback shares his insights and his “TB12 Method” in his new book. At its center is Brady’s belief about the pliability of muscles. He contends it is essential for muscles to undergo daily lengthening and softening, not only for high-level sports, but more important, for long-term health. He also goes into detail about his diet, and the need to eat “real food.” Plenty of photos demonstrate Brady’s exercises and some of his favorite recipes.
It is especially interesting to read about how Brady thinks the traditional strength and conditioning models are flawed. “Day after day I see players working extremely hard at doing the wrong thing . ... They’re committed to strength and conditioning, but often they’re doing it at levels that won’t ever pay off for them. It’s a system of diminishing returns.”
Brady’s observations are relevant in light of the rash of injuries that have hit the NFL. He makes a strong case for his approach; it’s difficult to argue about his own results.
Ed Sherman is a freelance writer.