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Blood, Sweat and McAteer: A Footballer's Story
by Jason McAteerFormer Republic of Ireland and Premier League footballer Jason McAteer shares the highs and lows from his long and colourful career ...The fighting McAteers: that's how the McAteer family of title-winning boxers were known throughout Birkenhead, across the Mersey from Liverpool. But for eleven-year-old Jason McAteer, growing up in the shadow of Liverpool FC, football became the dream. After signing with Bolton Wanderers at the age of twenty-one, the call to the international scene followed with the Republic of Ireland and, soon after, to his beloved Liverpool FC. The dream had become a reality. From his time with the Irish World Cup squad of 1994 to those tumultuous days in Saipan in 2002; on through his decision to leave Liverpool for Blackburn Rovers; his move to Sunderland, and the depression he fell into after finishing his professional career with Tranmere Rovers, Jason McAteer looks back with characteristic honesty and humour on his life - the jokes, the matches, and the personalities.This is the real Jason McAteer: a little bit bruised, a little bit battered. But still fighting.
Blood, Sweat, and Cheers
by Colin HowellBlood, Sweat, and Cheers looks at the contribution of sport to the making of the Canadian nation, focusing on the gradual transition from rural sporting practices to the emphasis on contemporary team sports that accompanied the industrial and urban transition. The book also analyzes sport's pre-eminent place in our contemporary consumer-oriented culture, and the sometimes ambivalent contribution of sport to a sense of Canadian identity. Intended as an introduction to the way in which social historians approach the history of sport, rather than as an exhaustive narrative of our sporting heritage, Colin Howell introduces readers to a number of important issues, including amateurism and professionalism, race and ethnicity, regionalism and nationalism, the impact of British and American sporting traditions upon Canadian sporting life, and the contemporary meaning of sport in a globalizing capitalist economy. He also investigates discourses about respectability and the display of the body, gender construction and sexual identities, the changing nature of the sporting marketplace over time, as well as the involvement of spectators, the media, and the state in the production of our national sporting life.While theoretical in approach, Blood, Sweat and Cheers also looks at the accomplishments of individual athletes, including Ned Hanlan, Maurice Richard, Barbara Ann Scott, Wayne Gretzky, and Donovan Bailey, as well as major sports teams, and covers a wide array of activities from hunting, rodeo, and native sporting traditions to those associated with the Olympic Games.
Bloodlines
by Jason Starr Maggie EstepFrom provocative peeks into the lives of jockeys, trainers, owners, and breeders, to the down and dirty doings of bookies and gamblers, here is a literary tribute to a favorite national pastime. Editors Maggie Estep (Diary of an Emotional Idiot;Flamethrower) and Jason Starr (Twisted City;Lights Out) have brought together original fiction and nonfiction from some of our most beloved writers. Lee Child heads off the collection with a thrilling story about a hit man hired to knock off a horse mid-race. Laura Lippman contributes a vivid tale about a young man who makes money selling parking places at the Preakness and the intriguing woman he meets. Here is Bill Barich on the misfortunes of an Irish gambler, Joe R. Lansdale on one man's ambition to win a mule race in east Texas, Laura Hillenbrand on the Kentucky Derby, and James Surowiecki on the wisdom of horse-racing crowds. Jonathan Ames adds his unique theory of horse love, Meghan O'Rourke shares her touching recollections of going to Saratoga as a child, and Jane Smiley tells of her experiences raising thoroughbreds. This standout collection on horse-racing featuring twenty authors, from national bestsellers to Pulitzer Prize winners, is as page-turning as it is diverse. Also includes pieces by Ken Bruen, Steven Crist, Maggie Estep, William Nack, Scott Phillips, John Schaefer, Jerry Stahl, Jason Starr, Charlie Stella, Wallace Stroby, and Daniel Woodrell.
Bloodlines: The True Story of a Drug Cartel, the FBI, and the Battle for a Horse-Racing Dynasty
by Melissa del BosqueThe riveting and suspenseful account of two young FBI agents in a pursuit of a drug cartel's most fearsome leader, Miguel TreviñoDrugs, money, cartels: this is what FBI rookie Scott Lawson expected when he was sent to the border town of Laredo, but instead he’s deskbound writing intelligence reports about the drug war. Then, one day, Lawson is asked to check out an anonymous tip: a horse was sold at an Oklahoma auction house for a record-topping price, and the buyer was Miguel Treviño, one of the leaders of the Zetas, Mexico's most brutal drug cartel. The source suggested that Treviño was laundering money through American quarter horse racing. If this was true, it offered a rookie like Lawson the perfect opportunity to infiltrate the cartel. Lawson teams up with a more experienced agent, Alma Perez, and, taking on impossible odds, sets out to take down one of the world’s most fearsome drug lords. In Bloodlines, Emmy and National Magazine Award-winning journalist Melissa del Bosque follows Lawson and Perez's harrowing attempt to dismantle a cartel leader’s American racing dynasty built on extortion and blood money. With extensive access to investigative evidence and in-depth interviews with key players, del Bosque turns more than three years of research and her decades of reporting on Mexico and the border into a gripping narrative about greed and corruption. Bloodlines offers us an unprecedented look at the inner workings of the Zetas and US federal agencies, and opens a new vista onto the changing nature of the drug war and its global expansion.
Bloody Confused!: A Clueless American Sportswriter Seeks Solace in English Soccer
by Chuck Culpepper<p>Chuck Culpepper was a veteran sports journalist edging toward burnout . . . then he went to London and discovered the high-octane, fanatical (and bloody confusing!) world of English soccer. <p>After covering the American sports scene for fifteen years, Chuck Culpepper suffered from a profound case of Common Sportswriter Malaise. He was fed up with self-righteous proclamations, steroid scandals, and the deluge of in-your-face PR that saturated the NFL, the NBA, and MLB. <p>Then in 2006, he moved to London and discovered a new and baffling world--the renowned Premiership soccer league. Culpepper pledged his loyalty to Portsmouth, a gutsy, small-market team at the bottom of the standings. As he puts it, "It was like childhood, with beer. " <p>Writing in the vein of perennial bestsellers such as <i>Fever Pitch</i> and <i>Among the Thugs</i>, Chuck Culpepper brings penetrating insight to the vibrant landscape of English soccer--visiting such storied franchises as Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool . . . and an equally celebrated assortment of pubs. <p><i>Bloody Confused!</i> will put a smile on the face of any sports fan who has ever questioned what makes us love sports in the first place. </p>
Bloody Sundays: Inside the Rough-and-Tumble World of the NFL
by Mike FreemanAward-winning sportswriter Mike Freeman goes beyond day-to-day newspaper journalism and ESPN highlights to take us deep inside the game and reveal the NFL in ways that will surprise the most avid football fans. He travels to the sidelines and into the locker rooms to interview hundreds of players and coaches on their expertise. Breaking the game down to its essential elements -- coaching, offense, and defense -- Freeman profiles in depth three of today's football elite: Jon Gruden, head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Michael Strahan, defensive end for the New York Giants; and Emmitt Smith, the legendary running back. Bloody Sundays goes behind the scenes of the "secret society" of gay players who play in fear of their lives and careers, studies how the violence of the game ravages the bodies of players, and takes us into the owners' offices to look at the darker side of the sport. Part tribute, part exposÉ, Bloody Sundays is a vivid portrait of professional football that "gives you so much to think about that you might find yourself switching off a game to read" (New York Times Book Review).
Bloomer Girls: Women Baseball Pioneers
by Debra A ShattuckDisapproving scolds. Sexist condescension. Odd theories about the effect of exercise on reproductive organs. Though baseball began as a gender-neutral sport, girls and women of the nineteenth century faced many obstacles on their way to the diamond. Yet all-female nines took the field everywhere. Debra A. Shattuck pulls from newspaper accounts and hard-to-find club archives to reconstruct a forgotten era in baseball history. Her fascinating social history tracks women players who organized baseball clubs for their own enjoyment and found roster spots on men's teams. Entrepreneurs, meanwhile, packaged women's teams as entertainment, organizing leagues and barnstorming tours. If the women faced financial exploitation and indignities like playing against men in women's clothing, they and countless ballplayers like them nonetheless staked a claim to the nascent national pastime. Shattuck explores how the determination to take their turn at bat thrust female players into narratives of the women's rights movement and transformed perceptions of women's physical and mental capacity.
Blow Out (Counterattack)
by M. G. HigginsIt's the start of a new soccer season, and Lacy Sheridan is anxious. She spent the winter recovering from a knee injury that still gives her nightmares. But Lacy is trying not to let fear get the best of her. She needs to bring her A-game if she wants to impress soccer recruiters. Raven McAlister is a tough-as-nails player who plays the same position as Lacy—and she's going after Lacy's starting spot. Will Raven move to sabotage her teammate? And can Lacy ignore the pressure and play the way she used to?
Blowgun Techniques
by Amante P. Marinas Sr. Hironori HiguchiBlowgun Techniques is a complete introduction to one of the world's oldest weapons. It provides detailed explanations and instructions on all aspects of the blowgun's use--from grips and stances, to targets and trajectories, to how to construct your own blowgun.While shooting the blowgun may seem effortless, it actually requires not only power, but also intelligence, focus and good technique. This unique combination--simplicity of design yet complexity of technique--has caused the blowgun to undergo a dramatic rise in popularity in the modern world. This popularity makes Blowgun Techniques a timely guide for hunting enthusiasts and those interested in archery-style sports competitions.
Blown Away
by Brenda RothertIn an emotionally charged, wickedly hot novel of love and loss, a passionate affair gives two daring storm chasers the strength to overcome shattered dreams and the courage to build a future together. One year after her fiancé died in a heartbreaking accident, Drew McGovern decides to honor his memory by joining his old storm-chasing buddies on their latest excursion. What she’s not so sure about, however, is whether she’s ready to move on. Drew wasn’t expecting to feel the powerful pull of desire toward Colby’s best friend. But there’s no denying the intensity of their connection . . . or the heat he inspires in the parts of her that are still very much alive. Aiden O’Neal doesn’t trust himself around Drew. He’s wanted this girl for a long time—long enough to remember the stab of jealousy he felt the first time he saw her in Colby’s arms. Now he’s trying his best to behave himself. But when the wind starts blowing and the adrenaline starts pumping, Aiden can’t resist the urge to claim Drew as his own. Because when it comes to desire, he’s hoping to make lightning strike twice.
Blue (Bakers Mountain Stories)
by Joyce Moyer HostetterWith her father away at war to fight Hitler, a young girl gains strength by joining her community in battling polio in this Parents' Choice Silver Honor Book based on the 1944 epidemic and the "Miracle of Hickory" Hospital in Hickory, North Carolina. Ann Fay Honeycutt accepts the role of "man of the house" when her father leaves because she wants to do her part for the war. She's doing well with the extra responsibilities when a frightening polio epidemic strikes, crippling many local children. Her town of Hickory responds by creating an emergency hospital in three days. Ann Fay reads each issue of the newspaper for the latest news of the epidemic. But soon she discovers for herself just how devastating polio can be. As her challenges grow, so does her resourcefulness. In the face of tragedy, Ann Fay discovers her ability to move forward. She experiences the healing qualities of friendship and explores the depths of her own faithfulness to those she loves--even to one she never expected to love at all.
Blue (Blue #1)
by Lisa GlassSurfing is sixteen-year-old Iris's world, and when the ultra-talented Zeke walks into her life, it soon becomes her passion. Over one amazing summer, as she is drawn into his sphere, she experiences love, new friendships, but also loss, with an intensity she never dreamed of. But is Zeke all he seems? What hides beneath his glamorous and mysterious past? When Iris decides to try for her own surfing success, just as her ex-boyfriend comes back into her life, she will test her talent, and her feelings for Zeke, to the limit...
Blue Apple Switchback: A Memoir
by Carrie HighleyCarrie Highley was always a tomboy—and by the time she turned sixteen, she was wishing she were dancing with the girls instead of the boys at cotillion dances. In her early thirties, while living in West Virginia, she discovered a passion for road biking, finally stopped sequestering her deep feelings for women, and began an ill-fated love affair with a female cycling friend. Then, at thirty-six, she found herself skidding into Asheville, North Carolina, holding on tight to the coattails of her doctor husband and spending her time as a stay-at-home mother of two boys. Moving to North Carolina was Highley&’s attempt to reembrace heterosexual married life after her tumultuous time in West Virginia. But in Asheville, she met Charlie, a fellow cyclist twenty-three years her senior, who became her mentor, friend, and father all rolled into one—and as they grew closer, she started unloading her fears into Charlie&’s inbox. With Charlie&’s support, Highley finally got the courage to do what she&’d been waiting her whole life to do: go down the mountain with her hands off the brakes.
Blue Blood II: Duke-Carolina: The Latest on the Never-Ending and Greatest Rivalry in College Hoops
by Art ChanskyA follow-up to Blue Blood that tells the recent history of the Duke-Carolina college basketball rivalryWhen Art Chansky's Blue Blood was published in 2005, ESPN’s Dick Vitale said it was about “the greatest rivalry, not just in college basketball, but in all of sports” and the book was hailed by The East Carolinan as the “holy text for both sides of the rivalry.” Now, 13 years later, Chansky revisits the fiercest college basketball rivalry.Since 2005, Duke-Carolina has been a study of rival recruiting philosophies, disparate playing styles, classic game encounters, coaching milestones, All-American and NBA draft draft picks galore, plus off -the-court drama, and most recently, the ultimate question of who will be the next caretakers to this national treasure.Winning more Atlantic Coast Conference and NCAA championships than the rest of the ACC combined made Duke and UNC the true blue bloods of basketball. When the prequel to this book was published in 2005, few fans thought the passionate backyard battle could get any better, but the last 13 years have added new colors and different fabrics to the mosaic that is the remaining virtue of the college game’s regular season, which for everyone else is now a qualifying run to the NCAA tournament and March Madness.Chansky brings all of these details to light, making Blue Blood II a must-have follow-up for Duke and UNC fans, and college basketball fans in general.
Blue Blood: Duke-Carolina: Inside the Most Storied Rivalry in College Hoops
by Art ChanskyBlue Blood is a thrilling chronicle of the Duke-Carolina rivalry as it has evolved over the last fifty years. With unparalleled insider access, veteran journalist and author Art Chansky details the colorful, revered, and respected rivalry--for the first time ever."It's not about me versus Dean, or me against Roy or Dean against Vic Bubas. Duke and Carolina will be here forever."--Mike KrzyzewskiFor fifty years the rivalry between Duke and Carolina has featured famous brawls, endless controversy, long-nurtured hatred--and some of the best basketball ever played in the history of the sport. For Duke and UNC players and fans, the competition is not about winning a prize, trophy or title--it's about bragging rights and raw pride.The Duke-Carolina rivalry has fostered more than thirty former players from the two schools playing or coaching in the NBA; it has enchanted a nation of spectators to watch games between the archrivals--garnering some of the highest regular-season TV ratings in history. Blue Blood celebrates the history of this rivalry, the traditions, the heritage, and, most importantly--spectacular basketball.
Blue Boat
by Kersten HamiltonWhen a family on a sailing outing gets stuck in a surprise storm, there's only one boat tough enough to handle the rocking waves and howling winds: Blue Boat! Completing the primary-colored series of books that have won fans across the country, the team behind RED TRUCK and YELLOW COPTER present their third rhyming book about a vehicle who saves the day.
Blue Field
by Elise LevineMedical-textbook illustrator Marilyn draws her husband, technical diving expert Rand, and her best friend Jane into a complex triangle of desire, loss, and guilt. Jane’s death on a dive with Rand causes Marilyn to spin out of control in a pattern of escalating risk-addiction. Marilyn drags Rand with her, endangering them both in their private underwater version of hell.
Blue Lines: The Assassins Series
by Toni AleoOpposites do more than just attract in Toni Aleo's latest Nashville Assassins novel about a very bad boy and the good girl he can't resist. The instant Piper Allen sees Erik Titov, she wants him--wants his rock-hard body, sure, but the strength and mystery that lie behind that superstar hockey jock demeanor, too. So when he sidles up to her at a bar and slinks his arm around her waist, she's lost. What follows is the wildest night of her life . . . followed by inevitable heartbreak the next morning. And then, a few weeks later, a very big surprise: two blue lines on a pregnancy test. Only a check to the head could make Erik fall for a nice girl like Piper. But since their crazy-sexy night together, he's been trying to forget about her alluring body by falling into bed with every woman in Nashville, and it's not working. So when Piper shows up at his house with a baby-bomb to drop, it doesn't take much for Erik to suggest the nuclear option: marriage. While it's supposed to be all for show, the second they say "I do," the ice between them starts to melt into sizzling steam.Praise for Toni Aleo's Nashville Assassins romances "Aleo melts the ice and hits it into the net with her Assassins series."--Award-winning author Jami Davenport "Taking Shots is really the whole package. You get romance, humor, steamy sex, drama, and then it all wraps up with a great conclusion. I am amazed that this is Toni's first book. She has come out in a huge way. I can't wait to read more from her. Don't hesitate for a moment to grab this book."--Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews "A little steamy, a little heartbreaking, and a whole lot of fanning yourself are in order this time around, readers. Are your cheeks feeling a little pink yet? Get used to the feeling."--Dreaming in the Pages, on Trying to Score "Empty Net is an honest, heartwarming, endearing story. . . . Toni Aleo doesn't just write a story. She gives you the ability to experience the journey of her characters right along with them. Her stories are enveloped with passion, emotion, humor, love; and let me tell you, that girl knows how to write a sex scene that just makes you sweat!"--Guilty Pleasures Book Review "Sexy and riveting . . . the perfect combination of love and lust."--USA Today bestselling author Heidi McLaughlin, on Blue Lines "Funny, charming, sweet, sexy . . . [Falling for the Backup] has everything you want in a story."--Blushing Reader Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from these Loveswept titles: Taking Shots, Trying to Score, and Empty Net.
Blue Monday: The Expos, the Dodgers, and the Home Run That Changed Everything
by Danny Gallagher Larry ParrishBlue Monday: one of the most unforgettable days in Canadian baseball history. Danny Gallagher leads readers up to that infamous day in October 1981 when Rick Monday of the Los Angeles Dodgers hit a home run off of Montreal Expos pitcher Steve Rogers in the ninth inning, giving the Dodgers a berth in the World Series. Readers will be taken back to 1976 when a five-year plan for winning the National League championship was set in place by the Expos with the hiring of experienced manager Dick Williams. Gallagher examines old narratives about Blue Monday and talks to all the key players involved in the game, unearthing secrets and stories never before told.
Blue Moon (Orca Soundings)
by Marilyn HalvorsonBobbie Jo didn't set out to buy a limping blue roan mare—she wanted a colt she could train to barrel race. But the horse is a fighter, just like Bobbie Jo. Now all she has to do is train the sour old mare that obviously has a past. While she nurses the horse back to health, Bobbie Jo realizes that the horse, now called Blue Moon, may have more history than she first thought. With the help of the enigmatic Cole, she slowly turns the horse into a barrel racer.
Blue Moon: The Modern Football Classic of a Season Down Among the Dead Men
by Mark HodkinsonBlue Moon traces a season in the life of Manchester City. Not just any season, but 1998-99, when the once-proud club, with two League Championships and four FA Cup wins to its name - not to mention a phenomenal fan base - was forced to battle the likes of Macclesfield Town, Colchester United and Wigan Athletic in English football's third flight.Mark Hodkinson was involved in every aspect of the club through a long, stirring season, one which culminated in the euphoria of promotion: mingling with players, ex-players, directors, office staff and fans, he was constantly on the look-out for the unusual, the offbeat, the hopeful and the heartbreaking. Through it all, he remained impartial, steadfastly resisting the temptation to become a mere pawn for the club's PR operation. Originally commissioned as a series of weekly articles for The Times newspaper, Hodkinson's column soon acquired cult status among fans. Now, in Blue Moon, the author has brought these articles together and, along with a considerable number of further anecdotes, both comical and moving, provides an unprecedented insight into the passionate community that is Manchester City FC.
Blue Scotland: The Ultimate Guide to Exploring Scotland's Wild Waters
by Mollie HughesScotland is famed for its rugged coastlines, pristine beaches, endless rivers and deep lochs. The whole country is a magnet for outdoor enthusiasts from all over the world. In this unique guide, adventurer Mollie Hughes introduces many of her favourite places to paddleboard, kayak, swim and surf. Mixing world-class surfing breaks with kayaking adventures on the west coast, and urban paddleboarding along the Clyde with invigorating swims in the lochs of the Cairngorms, the book shows us how to access and enjoy these varied blue spaces. Mollie includes her own personal experiences and tips, enabling wild watersports fans of all levels to make the most of the amazing opportunities Scotland has to offer.
Blue Star Rapture
by James W. BennettA high school junior fights to protect his best friend from the dark side of college athletics Tyron has finally shed his baby fat, and he's starting to look like a star. He moves with grace on the basketball court, showing the brilliance that eludes him everywhere else. He has the talent to win himself a college scholarship that could change his life--but he might not be strong enough academically to take full advantage of it. His best friend, T.J., is committed to making sure Tyron doesn't squander his shot at an education. A basketball player himself, he has none of Tyron's talent, but he's smart enough to look out for his friend. At a one-week summer basketball camp, Tyron is overwhelmed by scouts, sportswriters, and recruiters. To keep Tyron out of trouble, T.J. will have to move quicker than he ever has on the court.
Blue Streaks and Little Giants, The: More than a Century of Sandusky and Fremont Ross Football (Sports)
by Vince GuerrieriOn November 2, 1895, the newly formed football team at Fremont High School journeyed to Sandusky to play its first game against Sandusky High School. It was the beginning of the second-oldest high school football rivalry in Ohio. Since then, the teams have met 106 times in the regular season and once in the playoffs. The players have included an Olympian, a top NFL draft pick, a Heisman Trophy winner and scores of athletes and coaches who went on to notoriety and success. Take the field with author and sports journalist Vince Guerrieri as he recounts the amazing legacy of a truly historic rivalry.
Blue Upright: The Flies of a Lifetime (Lyons Press Ser.)
by Steve RaymondAccording to Steve Raymond, tying flies requires “imagination and skill, creativity and discipline, patience and vision. ” But for the fly fisher, tying flies is more than that—it is the creation of a living insect from fur, feathers, or synthetic materials and is an art and a passion. Blue Upright discusses the fly patterns that have served Steve Raymond most faithfully over the years. There are well-known and famous flies, such as the Crazy Charlie; there are flies that wouldn’t be recognized outside of the Pacific Northwest; and, more interestingly, there are flies of his own creation, which he uses alone or shares with only a few close friends. Here, he shares not only the flies but also the stories that go along with some of those flies, which include the Carey Special, Thompson’s Delectable Chronomoid, the Green Machine, and the Blue Upright. Each of Steve Raymond’s favorite flies call to mind memories of landscapes, anglers, and fish that have passed through his life, and each of his stories will appeal to beginners and experienced fly tyers alike.