Bill Simmons-- The Book of Basketball: a very ENGAGING read

[RainierBeachPoet]

anyone out there in ish-land read this book?

i got it from the library, i am on page 224; there are over 700 pages total

although i do not agree with everything, he has written one of the most funny and engaging nba books that i have ever read.

he is a huge celtics fan and i have never read anything like his description about game 4 in 1987. everyone remembers magic's "baby, baby sky hook" to win the game, but no one talks about what happened on the last play: bird missing the last shot (which would have won it for the celts and tied the series)

i remember watching that last shot and it rimming out and CHEERING (i loved magic and the lakers) but i have never read anything from a celtics fan point of view

simmons kills it as he describes the disappointment it gave him as a boy: "I would have bet my baseball card collection...i would have bet my intellivision.. i would have bet my virginity... i would have bet my life"


more to come but i am LOVING this book

[eliteballer]

Reads like basically a bunch of Kblazes long posts put together, pretty entertaining.

[jlauber]

I'll agree with his take on Russell, but he was clearly wrong about Wilt. BTW, does he mention that the '84 Celtics had no business winning the title? In fact, they should have been SWEPT.

[Ruh-Roh]

Reads like basically a bunch of Kblazes long posts put together, pretty entertaining.

And G.O.A.T.'s when he gets into lists

Extremely thorough and witty book. Must read for any serious NBA fan. :bowdown:

[Rake2204]

I have to say I really enjoyed this book (and the footnotes!).

[nycelt84]

I'll agree with his take on Russell, but he was clearly wrong about Wilt. BTW, does he mention that the '84 Celtics had no business winning the title? In fact, they should have been SWEPT.

Well they weren't so who cares?

[RainierBeachPoet]

I'll agree with his take on Russell, but he was clearly wrong about Wilt. BTW, does he mention that the '84 Celtics had no business winning the title? In fact, they should have been SWEPT.

he is a celts homer all the way. he does state that he STILL does not have an answer as to why bird missed that shot. my response is: luck goes both ways over time...

my guess is that he believes that ANY celt team in the finals SHOULD win the title. if he thought the '87 club should win, all the more for the 84 team

[ImmortalD24]

Is he paying you to hype his book up?

[code green]

Is he paying you to hype his book up?

why am i not surprised? :oldlol:

[ImmortalD24]

why am i not surprised? :oldlol:
Huh? :confusedshrug:

Anyways, I have this book.. got it the other day and I'm playing to read it after I'm through with the current book I'm reading (A short history of nearly everything by Bill Bryson).

[kabalcage]

Anybody feel like Bill retreads (and often reposts) his column material too much in this book? It feels like 50% of it is stuff I've already read.

[boozehound]

yeah, Ive been reading bits and pieces of this and really enjoying it. I get a little annoyed with all the lists, but its very accessible and pretty funny.


Reading today how he thought sheed leaving horry in game 5 of the 2005 finals (when he had scored something like 18 of the last 30 pts for the spurs and was the only one keeping them in the game) to double manu was the biggest bonehead play ever in the finals (in terms of the consequences and such). As a pistons fan, I certainly agree.

What do others think? Any bigger bonehead plays you can think of?

[momo]

I thought it was great in spite of him bashing kareem, undervaluing certain players and so on... it lets his homerism shine thru in a funny way most of the time. He often succeeds in making player comparisons interesting, and that is no easy task (witness all the ISH threads like that that fail).

I love the part about him talking to Zeek in Vegas. :lol

[boozehound]

I thought it was great in spite of him bashing kareem, undervaluing certain players and so on... it lets his homerism shine thru in a funny way most of the time. He often succeeds in making player comparisons interesting, and that is no easy task (witness all the ISH threads like that that fail).

I love the part about him talking to Zeek in Vegas. :lol
yeah, that section on "the secret" was awesome.

[code green]

Huh? :confusedshrug:

Anyways, I have this book.. got it the other day and I'm playing to read it after I'm through with the current book I'm reading (A short history of nearly everything by Bill Bryson).

Thought you were bashing it because a C's fan wrote it.

[triangleoffense]

Is there a way I can get this online? I want to read it now, lol.

[1987_Lakers]

I'll agree with his take on Russell, but he was clearly wrong about Wilt. BTW, does he mention that the '84 Celtics had no business winning the title? In fact, they should have been SWEPT.

Yea, I remember somewhere in the book he mentions the Celtics should have won in '85 & the Lakers should have won in '84.

[boozehound]

I just check it out from my public library for a couple weeks and then get it again. It really isnt a sit down and read it cover to cover kinda book.

[jlauber]

Is there a way I can get this online? I want to read it now, lol.

Here is some of it...

http://books.google.com/books?id=oLCSBeuStRcC&pg=PA73&lpg=PA73&dq=Bill+Simmons+on+Wilt&source=bl&ots=SLzo6Jo3cr&sig=Ly1uaSNfM0FtUM5HmIeQQqngH1U&hl=en&ei=oydMS67SOY3KsQOFxbiKAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CBYQ6AEwBTgU#v=onepage&q=Bill%20Simmons%20on%20Wilt&f=false

[ShaqAttack3234]

I've been skimming through it via the online preview and while I don't agree with quite a few of his opinions, it is a pretty enjoyable read. You can tell he loves the game, I'll probably pick up a copy of the book soon.

[Toizumi]

Great, fun read.

I'm at no. 5 in his top 100, so I've almost finished the book. He's clearly biased when it comes to certain teams/players, but he's honest about being it.. because it's HIS book.
There's some fun/personal stories in the book and the footnotes are really funny most of the time.

[boozehound]

Great, fun read.

I'm at no. 5 in his top 100, so I've almost finished the book. He's clearly biased when it comes to certain teams/players, but he's honest about being it.. because it's HIS book.
There's some fun/personal stories in the book and the footnotes are really funny most of the time.
yeah, the footnotes add quite a bit and are worth reading.

[Fatal9]

Download link for the book...

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=C77MEASG

[triangleoffense]

Here is some of it...

http://books.google.com/books?id=oLCSBeuStRcC&pg=PA73&lpg=PA73&dq=Bill+Simmons+on+Wilt&source=bl&ots=SLzo6Jo3cr&sig=Ly1uaSNfM0FtUM5HmIeQQqngH1U&hl=en&ei=oydMS67SOY3KsQOFxbiKAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CBYQ6AEwBTgU#v=onepage&q=Bill%20Simmons%20on%20Wilt&f=false

Thanks.. I started reading the prologue and the first chapter.. i hate how googlebooks skips a couple of pages due to copyright laws or some crap like that.... I tried to get into it but I was somehow unamused by Simmon's overt Celtic homerness and his crude writing habits (why all the gambling and women?).

Can anyone post Simmon's top25 so I can laugh at it really fast?


Download link for the book...

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=C77MEASG

ty

[dd24]

I've had a .pdf of the book for a little while now and haven't read it yet. Just seeing this thread gives me the motivation to get it started though. It does look like an interesting read. While I don't agree with all of Simmons opinions in his blogs and podcasts, he is an interesting guy so it should be a good read.

[boozehound]

I've had a .pdf of the book for a little while now and haven't read it yet. Just seeing this thread gives me the motivation to get it started though. It does look like an interesting read. While I don't agree with all of Simmons opinions in his blogs and podcasts, he is an interesting guy so it should be a good read.
Yeah, i definitely dont agree with everything, but its a pretty entertaining writing style. hes a laimbeer hater, ****er.

[JayGuevara]

I was gonna buy it a while ago, but I really can't seem to recall why I didn't. I haven't been back to the bookstore since, so I kinda forgot about it. A friend of mine had gotten it a while back and I had read a few pages one day at work and even though I'm not exactly a big Bill Simmons fan, it seemed like a very interesting read nonetheless.

On a side note, I didn't know you could download books. I guess it only makes sense that you can since movies and music are widely available. But while I can stream a movie online and watch it and in 2 hours be done and ready to buy it or wonder where it all went wrong, I can't imagine reading a book on the computer for some reason. It just sounds weird to me. :confusedshrug:

[boozehound]

I was gonna buy it a while ago, but I really can't seem to recall why I didn't. I haven't been back to the bookstore since, so I kinda forgot about it. A friend of mine had gotten it a while back and I had read a few pages one day at work and even though I'm not exactly a big Bill Simmons fan, it seemed like a very interesting read nonetheless.

On a side note, I didn't know you could download books. I guess it only makes sense that you can since movies and music are widely available. But while I can stream a movie online and watch it and in 2 hours be done and ready to buy it or wonder where it all went wrong, I can't imagine reading a book on the computer for some reason. It just sounds weird to me. :confusedshrug:
you can, but they arent as accesible, cause no one really reads that much anymore. As for me, I almost always print a pdf since reading online hurts my eyes.

[dd24]

I was gonna buy it a while ago, but I really can't seem to recall why I didn't. I haven't been back to the bookstore since, so I kinda forgot about it. A friend of mine had gotten it a while back and I had read a few pages one day at work and even though I'm not exactly a big Bill Simmons fan, it seemed like a very interesting read nonetheless.

On a side note, I didn't know you could download books. I guess it only makes sense that you can since movies and music are widely available. But while I can stream a movie online and watch it and in 2 hours be done and ready to buy it or wonder where it all went wrong, I can't imagine reading a book on the computer for some reason. It just sounds weird to me. :confusedshrug:

Sometimes it's nice to have a paperback, but I do a lot of my reading on my laptop. Especially if it's a book where I'm trying to learn about a new software or something like that.

[RainierBeachPoet]

I thought it was great in spite of him bashing kareem, undervaluing certain players and so on... it lets his homerism shine thru in a funny way most of the time.

I love the part about him talking to Zeek in Vegas. :lol

i am a KAJ fan and disagree with much of his shots against kareem but it is only because he busted the celts so many times in his great career. simmons is entertaining through all the shots though

i hadnt heard the zeke story before and it had my laughing

[wpdougie2180]

It's an interesting read, I got it Christmas, and while I agree with most of the things in the book his blatant homerism and he downright lies in some instances especially concerning Wilt (he has Wilt at 6 but doesn't say one good thing about him) and is overly harsh of Kareem. And this is coming from a Boston fan

[G.O.A.T]

Reading today how he thought sheed leaving horry in game 5 of the 2005 finals (when he had scored something like 18 of the last 30 pts for the spurs and was the only one keeping them in the game) to double manu was the biggest bonehead play ever in the finals (in terms of the consequences and such). As a pistons fan, I certainly agree.

What do others think? Any bigger bonehead plays you can think of?


Many people don't know this, but that was actually the design of the play per Larry Brown. Billups was supposed to rotate onto Horry and leave Parker, oops.

[Rake2204]

Many people don't know this, but that was actually the design of the play per Larry Brown. Billups was supposed to rotate onto Horry and leave Parker, oops.
Honest question (not skeptical one): Where did you read this? I'm not sure I ever got around to reading Larry Brown's comments on that play and I'd be interested to read the whole excerpt.

[TheAnchorman]

Many people don't know this, but that was actually the design of the play per Larry Brown. Billups was supposed to rotate onto Horry and leave Parker, oops.
6'3" guard rotating to Horry? As great a defender Billups was, I don't see it.

Also welcome back, when did you start posting again and why did you come back haha

[G.O.A.T]

Honest question (not skeptical one): Where did you read this? I'm not sure I ever got around to reading Larry Brown's comments on that play and I'd be interested to read the whole excerpt.

It was on Pistons pre-game the next season, I believed they interviewed Dave Cowens, who was then a Pistons assistant under Flip. I'm not sure if he was with LB, but he made it sound like he knew that inside the huddle the plan was to force the corner, trap and rotate and that way force them into to their play with less time than they expected to have.


6'3" guard rotating to Horry? As great a defender Billups was, I don't see it.

Also welcome back, when did you start posting again and why did you come back haha

I'm sure that was just how the play broke down, Billups could have forced Horry to pass or drive with that much time, I think that's all they were trying to accomplish.

My only point is that I think Sheed gets a raw deal on that, even if the rotate wasn't on, a help defender on the perimeter is taught to see ball first, when he left someone should have rotated to the best clutch 3-pt shooter of the decade.

As for my return, about a week ago, need so more ideas to get the project moving again.

[zORi]

I read it earlier this summer and I would say that it's the best basketball book that I've ever read (although I will admit that I've only read about 5 or so).

He definitely is biased, though, and does nothing to conceal it. I tend to take everything he said about Wilt, Kareem, Vince Carter, Kobe Bryant, and the Celtics not so seriously. Especially Kobe, at some points it flat out sounds like he's looking for a reason to bring Kobe down ("Kobe will also never be Jordan because he wasn't at cool as him. Jordan knew how to command a room, he would walk in and everyone would look."), that's a real (loose) quote. His epilogue even alludes to this.

Great book, but my suggestion for everyone, get other opinions as well. Even the people whom he gave high rankings, he still found ways to insult them (the ones he didn't like).

[Psileas]

I recently passed from the N.Y NBA store and found it, among other interesting books. I didn't buy it though, because it's mostly an outspoken, opinionated book instead of a book that would include interesting facts that you can only find in Google Archives, apart from its Celtics' bias. In the players' section, I didn't find anything I hadn't read multiple times elsewhere. When I find something resembling more a detailed chronography, I'll certainly give it a try.

[zORi]

I recently passed from the N.Y NBA store and found it, among other interesting books. I didn't buy it though, because it's mostly an outspoken, opinionated book instead of a book that would include interesting facts that you can only find in Google Archives, apart from its Celtics' bias. In the players' section, I didn't find anything I hadn't read multiple times elsewhere. When I find something resembling more a detailed chronography, I'll certainly give it a try.

That's its gift, and it's curse, imo.

He is witty, even though some of his references to pop cultures blow right over my head (I'm only 22, and it seems like you have to be 25-30 to get all of them), but the ones that I do get are funny.

But, too often, he injects his opinions about a player. I dare anyone to read everything he said about Kobe and Wilt and tell me he doesn't have something personal against them.

[jlauber]

Simmons ranked Bird ahead of Wilt forcryingoutloud. Other than one more ring, which was accomplished on a team with FIVE HOFers, Wilt BURIED Bird in virtually EVERY category. Even FT's (Wilt MADE 2000 more FTs in his career...in one more season.) Chamberlain was far more dominant in BOTH the regular seasons, and the post-seasons. I see NO case at all for Bird over Wilt.

On top of that, Simmons did not include the '67 76ers on HIS all-time "great teams" list. How could that team not make a top-10?

[Big#50]

yeah, Ive been reading bits and pieces of this and really enjoying it. I get a little annoyed with all the lists, but its very accessible and pretty funny.


Reading today how he thought sheed leaving horry in game 5 of the 2005 finals (when he had scored something like 18 of the last 30 pts for the spurs and was the only one keeping them in the game) to double manu was the biggest bonehead play ever in the finals (in terms of the consequences and such). As a pistons fan, I certainly agree.

What do others think? Any bigger bonehead plays you can think of?
Not in the finals, but Manu fouling Dirk in game 7.

[Bird]

yeah, Ive been reading bits and pieces of this and really enjoying it. I get a little annoyed with all the lists, but its very accessible and pretty funny.


Reading today how he thought sheed leaving horry in game 5 of the 2005 finals (when he had scored something like 18 of the last 30 pts for the spurs and was the only one keeping them in the game) to double manu was the biggest bonehead play ever in the finals (in terms of the consequences and such). As a pistons fan, I certainly agree.

What do others think? Any bigger bonehead plays you can think of?

Not only did I agree with that, I remember WATCHING that happen.

And I received the book as a Christmas present last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. It brought me back to basketball (I had stopped following it as seriously as I used to for a few years) and even opened my eyes to some of the players from the 60's and 70's I knew little about.

Even though he is a blatant homer about all things Boston, it was a great read filled with tons of knowledge and a lot of things that made me laugh (most of these are in the footnotes).

[AKshoreshack]

hey thanks for the PDF file, just started reading. roughly 50 pages in; it really is a great read right now, though i do disagree with some of the things he says (like when duncan is the best post-Jordan superstar)

OH, and the footnotes are informative and funny but its so frustrating flipping back and forth especially on the computer >:(

[Maize'N'Blue]

Been a great read so far, I'm at no. 20 in his pyramid.

Also has anybody read the Wilt book Simmons mentions? The one where Wilt talks about how he was blown by a airline stewardess.

[jlip]

I have the book but have only read through the player rankings for the most part. From what I've read, it's pretty cool. I'm not certain that I agree with his rationale for placing West ahead of Oscar though.

[TheAnchorman]

Been a great read so far, I'm at no. 20 in his pyramid.

Also has anybody read the Wilt book Simmons mentions? The one where Wilt talks about how he was blown by a airline stewardess.
Yes, I bought it at a local book sale 5-6 yrs ago and have reread it a couple times, its one of my favorite sports books because its so Wilt (and so hilarious). In it Wilt talks about his experience in HS, college, Globetrotters in Europe, 1st NBA season, Russell, etc. I remember him talking about that stewardess story, and he said how "she gave a performance worthy of deep throat :roll: "; he also talks about backseat sex with girls while his teammates drive him to/from the airport, balcony trysts with european hotties, globetrotter pick up methods (i guess back in those days the expression was to "cop a girl" instead of hook up), etc.

in that bio he said hannum was the only coach he ever truly respected (along with mcguire and sharman but hannum most of all), HATED van breda kolff, hated being a loser. He also talked about his political views concerning Nixon and how it cuased a rift between him and young kareem, his probable fight with muhammad ali, his love of volleyball, his house in LA, etc.

Great read overall. And hilarious. The guy never put as much effort as Russell did but he seemed to love the game of life way more and thats respect in my book.

[Bring-Your-Js]

Simmons ranked Bird ahead of Wilt forcryingoutloud. Other than one more ring, which was accomplished on a team with FIVE HOFers, Wilt BURIED Bird in virtually EVERY category. Even FT's (Wilt MADE 2000 more FTs in his career...in one more season.) Chamberlain was far more dominant in BOTH the regular seasons, and the post-seasons. I see NO case at all for Bird over Wilt.

On top of that, Simmons did not include the '67 76ers on HIS all-time "great teams" list. How could that team not make a top-10?

The only thing simmons has ever been right about were his columns about 1999-2000 pedro, a totally different sport.

His nonstop hating of chamberlain was Pathetic.

[the_wise_one]

It's a good book until he ranked Magic over Bird. Then he failed.

[Rake2204]

So far, on my second read-through, my favorite ironic written-in-2009 line is:

[Cuban] spent the decade making it rain Pacman-style - only coming close to a title in 2006, when the Mavericks were robbed - and the window closed with a nine-figure payroll and no hope for turning things around unless Jason Kidd gets place on an accelerated HGH program while we're printing this book. Too bad. One of my "Bucket List" sports goals in life was to watch a pissed-off David Stern hand Cuban the Finals trophy while Cuban sobbed like Rocky at the end of Rocky II.

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/files/2011/06/Cubes-Title-306x369.jpg

http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/4df8a0f549e2ae703f290000-480/mark-cuban-urinal-trophy-photo.jpg

[Rocketswin2013]

Simmons ranked Bird ahead of Wilt forcryingoutloud. Other than one more ring, which was accomplished on a team with FIVE HOFers, Wilt BURIED Bird in virtually EVERY category. Even FT's (Wilt MADE 2000 more FTs in his career...in one more season.) Chamberlain was far more dominant in BOTH the regular seasons, and the post-seasons. I see NO case at all for Bird over Wilt.

On top of that, Simmons did not include the '67 76ers on HIS all-time "great teams" list. How could that team not make a top-10?
Now I see why people call that ****** Lazeruss, Jlauber.

[D-Wait]

hey thanks for the PDF file, just started reading. roughly 50 pages in; it really is a great read right now, though i do disagree with some of the things he says (like when duncan is the best post-Jordan superstar)

Does anyone still have a PDF file of the book?
I wanted to buy that book for a friend's birthday, but he's one of those who like to read on the Laptop.
Future Rep if someone can help a fellow ISHer out :cheers: