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FSM Scouting Report: The Last Folk Hero

Book/Movie Title: The Last Folk Hero: The Life and Myth of Bo Jackson

Total Pages/Duration: 430 pages (hardcover)

Author/Director: Jeff Pearlman

Pace of Play: This book is certainly not a page-turner and feels more like a low-scoring baseball game that keeps going into another extra inning. That doesn’t mean this book is boring in anyway, just that you will be provided with a lot of different information about many different things related to the Bo Jackson universe. The pace of play here is slow.

Strengths: The author does not hide the type of person Bo Jackson was as a child. Admittedly, it was hard to root for Jackson after reading the first chapter of The Last Folk Hero. There will be times in that chapter you might ask yourself, “Why am I reading about this sociopath?” Keep reading and you’ll eventually get to a place of acceptance though you’ll probably never feel like rooting for the guy. There are some cool stories throughout subsequent chapters discussing huge acts of kindness that (just barely) balance things out. In addition to Bo Jackson’s suspect personality and charity work, the reader is also treated to multiple “Bo” nickname origin stories and reoccurring tales about bizarre interactions with autograph seekers.

Weaknesses: Reading, “There is a Bo story you won’t believe” or some variation of that sentence starts feeling a little redundant after the first handful of stories. The premise of this book gets proven over and over and over and over and…well you get the point.

Unique Attributes: This book is peppered with George Brett anecdotes from Bo Jackson’s time playing in the MLB for the Kansas City Royals.There is also extensive discussion of Jackson’s track and field career in college which is something that is often overlooked.

Scout’s Recommendations: The Last Folk Hero will take some time to read but the journey will be worth it in the end. Even die-hard Bo Jackson fans (if they exist) will learn something new by reading this book. The story of Bo Jackson is more than just someone who played in both the MLB and NFL at the same time and Jeff Pearlman captures that in his latest work. Based on the information in this FSM scouting report, FreeSportsMagazine.com recommends this book for fans of all sports.

FSM Scouting Report: Lord of the Rings

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Book/Movie Title: Phil Jackson Lord of the Rings

Total Pages/Duration: 341 pages (paperback)

Author/Director: Peter Richmond

Pace of Play: This book is a page-turner in spurts. It starts a bit slow (bios generally do as you have to get past the early years) then picks up some steam before coming to a pleasant, but slower conclusion. The pace of this book can be described as moderate.

Strengths: It is clear from the onset that the reader will go on more of a historical journey than some of the other Lakers/Phil books. However, this ends up being a strength as you will likely read multiple stories that provide new info about Jackson and his rise. It was actually surprising to see all the tidbits that had never been discussed in the mainstream over the years. The stories are not salacious in nature but would have just been fun to discuss. Additionally, the author does not linger on any period of time for too long saving the reader from a long slog through history (the Pistol Pete book was brutal in this regard). The way information is presented, Phil Jackson’s early years as a coach ends up being some of the most interesting material in the entire book.

Weaknesses: A major weakness of this book is the excessive quoting of others as the story goes on. At times, it is difficult to remember who is speaking or being quoted or why the quote was even being presented in the first place. The use of so many quotes is a bit understandable given that much of the book is just a presentation of facts and secondhand stories. Lastly, there are a large number of obscure jokes and references throughout the book. This may be good or bad depending on if you know what the heck the author is talking about. The jokes and comments do have a Family Guy feel at times.

Unique Attributes: This book will pique your interest on a few random topics we have always known were associated with Phil Jackson but that we may not necessarily have known about. These include (but are not limited to) Native American history and LSD. The author also has a special talent for throwing in intermittent zingers and one-liners that will make you literally LOL. More of the these would have been preferable to the random jokes mentioned in the previous section.

Scout’s Recommendations: This book probably would not do much for the die-hard hoops fan (Lakers and Bulls fans excluded) but it is certainly recommended for everyone else. The first third of this book in particular should appeal to fans of Phil Jackson and 1960’s and 70’s era sports. Be prepared though, the book does end on an optimistic note with Phil Jackson taking on the role of general manager of the New York Knicks.

FSM Scouting Report: MOX

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Book/Movie Title: Mox

Total Pages/Duration: 271 pages (Hardcover)

Author/Director: Jon Moxley

Pace of Play: Inconsistent sums up the pace of this autobiography. Based on the quick hitting prologue, the reader may get the feeling they’re about to buckle in for a wild ride. However, the book ends up feeling more “stop-and-go” by the final few pages. A page turner, this is not. There is never a sense of urgency to find out what’s coming next.

Strengths: The strength of this book comes from Moxley’s raw storytelling. He adds in some jokes and adjectives, but he usually gets to his point rather quickly (it’s just that one point quickly leads to an unrelated point which leads to yet another unrelated story and so on. The good news is that all the tangents are relatively brief). For example, the chapter about the late Brodie Lee starts off simply with, “Brodie died today.” Another chapter about a bully named Scott Baio goes into violent detail about Mox’s first significant fight.

Weaknesses: The structure of this book is that there is no real structure. At least that’s clear from the beginning which helps the reader prepare. Maybe it was done on purpose to get a sense of what it’s like in Moxley’s head but it’s definitely a weakness in this case. Reading the stream of consciousness of someone who has ADHD can be a double-edged sword. The chapter about Mox receiving his training and paying his dues was surprisingly slow and boring. The tedious detail in that chapter came from out of nowhere. Lastly, professional wrestling books are generally known for some cool glossy photos, usually in the middle of the book. Mox has none. We just get a bunch of random pictures randomly placed, with some randomly in black and white (pretty random right?).

Unique Attributes: This book is unique in that it reads like a collection of short stories about Jon Moxley. One chapter doesn’t always lead into the next (there is a chapter about how to make a sandwich which includes diagrams) but it was a nice experience to read a crazy anecdote here and there over a few weeks. While most stories aren’t about the WWE, the best ones certainly involve Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and the creation of the Shield.

Scout’s Recommendations: Mox is definitely worth a read if you’re a fan of WWE, AEW, New Japan or any other of the many organizations that exist now. Chances are Jon Moxley has wrestled in most of them and has a story to share. If you’re not a wrestling fan, avoid this one at all costs as it’s just going to be one big confusing mess.

FSM First Look: Jail Blazers

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Kerry Eggers, who covered the Trail Blazers, goes back twenty years for the stories from the players, coaches, management, and those in Portland—during an era when the local NBA stars were in the headlines for both their play and their off-court behavior.

In the late ’90s and early 2000s, the Portland Trail Blazers were one of the hottest teams in the NBA. For almost a decade, they won 60 percent of their games while making it to the Western Conference Finals twice. However, what happened off-court was just as unforgettable as what they did on the court.

When someone asked Blazers general manager Bob Whitsitt about his team’s chemistry, he replied that he’d “never studied chemistry in college.” And with that, the “Jail Blazers” were born. Built in a similar fashion to a fantasy team, the team had skills, but their issues ended up being their undoing. In fact, many consider it the darkest period in franchise history.

While fans across the country were watching the skills of Damon Stoudamire, Rasheed Wallace, and Zach Randolph, those in Portland couldn’t have been more disappointed in the players’ off-court actions. This, many have mentioned, included a very racial element—which carried over to the players as well. As forward Rasheed Wallace said, “We’re not really going to worry about what the hell [the fans] think about us. They really don’t matter to us. They can boo us every day, but they’re still going to ask for our autographs if they see us on the street. That’s why they’re fans and we’re NBA players.”

While people think of the Detroit Pistons of the eighties as the elite “Bad Boys,” the “Jail Blazers” were actually bad. Author Kerry Eggers, who covered the Trail Blazers during this controversial era, goes back to share the stories from the players, coaches, management, and those in Portland when the players were in the headlines as much for their play as for their legal issues.