Jeff Goldberg's "Unrivaled . . . . "

[vtcwbuff]

I posted in a earlier thread that I found "Bird at the Buzzer" to be pretty much a snoozer and that I probably would not purchase his latest book covering the UConn - UTenn rivalry.

Well the book was released on Amazon today and of course I had to get a copy. I am only part way through (I'll probably finish it tonight) but I found it nearly impossible to put down. It's full of great stuff from the greatest rivalry ever in WCBB. Here's a great example regarding Pat Summitt's paid suckup Sally Jenkins' ESPN article about Taurasi - something I had never read before.

"The freshman guard was the nations most sought after recruit." Jenkin's wrote "but she is also giggly, turn over prone, and lacks a conscience with the ball. Even worse, her ego needs its own zip code. She announced during recruiting that she didn't intend to sit. Really? Then who will? Bird? Don't think so."

I'm not half way through the book and I have already found a half dozen little gems like that. Things I never knew or had forgotten. Stuff like Auriemma's press conference comment comparing popular Philly cheesesteak spots - Geno's and Pat's. If you've been there you know the comparison.

Add to that the nostalgia factor of revisiting some of the most exciting WCBB games of all time and it's worth a read .

 

[alexrgct]

 

[j66kicker]

I read the book and found that it got me all riled up about the Tennessee rivalry again. Really made me realize how boring the last couple seasons have been (relatively speaking), with no serious competition. We never played Tennessee when everyone knew who was going to win. Now we play every game with everyone knowing who is going to win - the only speculation is whether we'll win by 20, 30, 40, 50 or 60.

Jeff wrote the book from a fairly impartial perspective, but it didn't make me "like" Tennessee any better. Just makes me want to play them in a game that matters and leave the starters in all game to quantify exactly how much better we are, with no apologies and no sympathy.

 

[wire chief]

Geno says he's moved on from those times. Me too...ancient history.

 

[ctfjr]

Here's a great example regarding Pat Summitt's paid suckup Sally Jenkins' ESPN article about Taurasi - something I had never read before.

"The freshman guard was the nations most sought after recruit." Jenkin's wrote "but she is also giggly, turn over prone, and lacks a conscience with the ball. Even worse, her ego needs its own zip code. She announced during recruiting that she didn't intend to sit. Really? Then who will? Bird? Don't think so."

I'm not half way through the book and I have already found a half dozen little gems like that. Things I never knew or had forgotten. Stuff like Auriemma's press conference comment comparing popular Philly cheesesteak spots - Geno's and Pat's. If you've been there you know the comparison.

I don't know why you should be surprised , she co-wrote (wrote?) Summitt's book, "Sum it Up". Her perspective definitely has an orange hue to it.

 

[JeffGoldberg]

The 2015 version of me thanks you for the kind words. I'm glad people are enjoying it. And I certainly wouldn't complain if some of these nice words wound up in the review section on my Amazon page.

The 2011 version of me is a little sad.

 

[meyers7]

The 2015 version of me thanks you for the kind words. I'm glad people are enjoying it. And I certainly wouldn't complain if some of these nice words wound up in the review section on my Amazon page.

The 2011 version of me is a little sad.

Just think of it as you got better. Or people on here got smarter.

 

[vtcwbuff]

I don't know why you should be surprised , she co-wrote (wrote?) Summitt's book, "Sum it Up". Her perspective definitely has an orange hue to it.

Where did you get that? Everyone knows the relationship she had with Summitt.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Geno says he's moved on from those times. Me too...ancient history.

The book has too much good stuff to pass off as "ancient history." After all its UTenn not ND.

 

[vtcwbuff]

The 2015 version of me thanks you for the kind words. I'm glad people are enjoying it. And I certainly wouldn't complain if some of these nice words wound up in the review section on my Amazon page.

The 2011 version of me is a little sad.

For me the PBP stuff in "Bird" was kinda' boring. Probably because I really didn't remember or care much about any of it.
UTenn was different. The game descriptions in the book took me back to the great edge of the seat, screaming at the TV games that I so enjoyed. Lots of great memories rekindled.