Customer Reviews: Read 15 more reviews...
 For Someone Who Isn't Even A Suns Fan April 9, 2008
Even though I'm not a Suns fans and for that matter, not much of a basketball or a sports fan anymore, this was a pretty good book - it's mainly about the Suns' 2006 playoff run, with some "flashbacks" to some regular season games that season, with some insight into most of the players and an NBA season's roller coaster ride, and some insight into the coaching staff too. Individual players are discussed, as is the coaching staff, and it's nice to read that kind of info too.
 Disappointing. February 13, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Expected a lot more to be honest. There are better books by beat writers, such as "If They Don't Win It's A Shame" by Dave Rosenberg.
Pretty enjoyable book November 24, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
A great, well-written and funny book exploring what goes on behind closed doors on an NBA team.
If you're looking for a book that delves into players affinity for clubs, booze and girls, then you'll have to look elsewhere. The Suns are a pretty clean club, and I'm sure they've done some stuff that isn't included in the book. What is included is an insiders look into the thought processes of coaches and players and discusses how the relationships within a professional organization can affect the win-loss column. There are some solid perspectives on team chemistry, ownership, the role coaches play in the success (or failure) of a ball club, the pressures of the playoffs, the psyche of the pro athlete (who knew someone making $20m a year could be so sensitive), how marketing efforts can affect a player's attitude and much more. I kind of wish the Suns would've won it all in 2006 so that this book could've been longer. Also, you don't have to be a Suns fan to appreciate this book. I'm a die-hard Pistons fan, and found this read very enjoyable.
On thing to point out: there's some swearing in this book (a few F bombs and the like), so if you're a parent thinking of picking this book up for a young Suns fan you may want to browse the pages beforehand. Otherwise, there really isn't anything worse than that, though.
 NBA Junkies' Delight! October 20, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
If you love basketball, you're going to love this book. McCallum writes about a season with the Phoenix Suns, and takes us through their playoff run. He mixes in flashbacks to key points during the season, and manages to entertain.
Two problems are that the book is shallow and doesn't go into enough depth on most topics, and there is absolutely no criticism of anything the Suns did.
Enjoyable, but light. NBA fans are going to devour this.
Great story with a couple of flaws August 26, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I'm an SI subscriber, so I've been reading Jack for years in the magazine. I was looking forward to this book ever since I put it on my wishlist, and I wasn't disappointed. They gave him really great access, and the coaches seemed to relax around him and give him good quotes. He has a smooth and engaging writing style, which works great for wriiting about sports.
And he did not treat the players like Gods, and that was very key. He made Shawn Marion look like he was, your typical insecure semi-superstar, and allowed Amare Stoudemire to appear as the clueless, under-educated athlete that he is. Reserve guard Eddie House wound up being the star of the book, player category, he's very entertaining without coming off like a jerk.
A couple of quibbles:
Jack really does not like Mark Cuban, and takes as many shots at him as he coould. Makes a person wonder if he tried to float this book idea by the Mavericks and was turned down.
The other, far bigger gripe, is that the book was too short. It seemed that he rushed it to get it out quickly, and thus the focus so much on the playoffs, with the preseason and regular season not touched on much. I know that this is paritially a compliment, wanting the book to be much bigger, and I mean it that way. It just seems rushed.
All in all a great buy, well worth the money I paid, and I got it right here at Amazon.
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