New Releases by Michael Arkush

So, who’s the best of ''em all? Tiger Woods? Jack Nicklaus? Bobby Jones? Ben Hogan? Golf fans will disagree until the end of time, but one thing is certain: For well over 100 years, the sport has provided its share of spectacular careers and indelible moments. And what about fan favorites such as Phil Mickelson, Nancy Lopez, and Lee Trevino? Where do they rank on the list? Or modern players like Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Jordan Spieth, Nelly Korda, and Justin Thomas. Did they make the final cut—and if so, where? In a joyride through golf history itself, New York Times bestselling author Michael Arkush establishes a ranking system that places a heavy emphasis on the game’s major championships and profiles the most accomplished and impactful golfers ever—men and women, known and unknown. Arkush captures the flair, as well as the flaws, of athletes who are intensely competitive, funny, peculiar, or larger-than-life. Crafted from hundreds of interviews and longtime relationships developed over a quarter century, The Golf 100 is an immensely entertaining read.

Esta biografía, más parecida a una firme “cátedra” (The New York Times), de manos del doblemente medallista olímpico y estrella del Salón de la Fama de la NBA, revela cómo Scottie Pippen, el más joven de doce hermanos, superó dos tragedias familiares y la indiferencia absoluta de los buscadores de talentos universitarios para convertirse en un componente esencial de la más grande dinastía del basquetbol en los últimos cincuenta años. Con buena razón se ha reconocido a Scottie Pippen como uno de los mejores jugadores de la NBA. En pocas palabras, sin Pippen no habría banderas de campeonato —y mucho menos seis— colgando de las vigas del United Center. No existiría el documental Last Dance. No habría “Michael Jordan” como lo conocemos. El equipo de los Toros de Chicago de la década de 1990 no existiría como tal. Entonces, ¿cómo es que el más joven de doce hijos pasó de crecer en la pobreza en el pequeño pueblo de Hamburg, Arkansas, lidiando con dos tragedias familiares en el camino, a convertirse en una leyenda reverenciada de la NBA? ¿Cómo fue que el adolescente flacucho, ignorado por todos los programas importantes de basquetbol colegial, terminó siendo el quinto en la selección global del Draft de la NBA en 1987? Y quizá lo más contundente sea cómo fue que Pippen hizo a un lado su ego (y su propia cúspide profesional ilimitada) para que los Toros se convirtieran en la dinastía más dominante del basquetbol en el último medio siglo. En Sin defensa, el seis veces campeón y dos veces medallista de oro olímpico se abre para ofrecer una mirada aguda y transparente sobre Michael Jordan, Phil Jackson y Dennis Rodman, entre otros. Pippen detalla cómo se retorcía por ser etiquetado el segundón de Jordan, y comenta cómo hubiera podido recibir (y debería haber recibido) más respeto de parte de la administración de los Toros y los medios. Pippen revela historias nunca antes contadas sobre algunos de los juegos más famosos en la historia de la liga, incluyendo el juego de playoffs de 1994 contra los Knicks de Nueva York, cuando se salió por decisión propia faltando 1.8 segundos en el reloj. Comenta cómo fue lidiar con Jordan día a día, a la par que servía de facilitador de la ofensiva y ancla de la defensa. Pippen finalmente les da a los adorados millones de fanáticos del basquetbol lo que tanto desean: una mirada sin adornos, “cuidadosa e inusualmente modesta” de su vida y su papel en uno de los principales y más populares equipos de todos los tiempos. ENGLISH DESCRIPTION This unflinching “master class” (The New York Times) of a memoir from two-time Olympic gold medalist and NBA Hall of Famer reveals how Scottie Pippen, the youngest of twelve, overcame two family tragedies and universal disregard by college scouts to become an essential component of the greatest basketball dynasty of the last fifty years. Scottie Pippen has been called one of the greatest NBA players for good reason. Simply put, without Pippen, there are no championship banners —let alone six— hanging from the United Center rafters. There’s no Last Dance documentary. There’s no “Michael Jordan” as we know him. The 1990s Chicago Bulls teams would not exist as we know them. So how did the youngest of twelve go from growing up poor in the small town of Hamburg, Arkansas, enduring two family tragedies along the way, to become a revered NBA legend? How did the scrawny teen, overlooked by every major collegiate basketball program, go on to become the fifth overall pick in the 1987 NBA Draft? And, perhaps most compelling, how did Pippen set aside his ego (and his own limitless professional ceiling) in order for the Bulls to become the most dominant basketball dynasty of the last half century? In Unguarded, the six-time champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist finally opens up to offer pointed and transparent takes on Michael Jordan, Phil Jackson, and Dennis Rodman, among others. Pippen details how he cringed at being labeled Jordan’s sidekick and discusses how he could have (and should have) received more respect from the Bulls’ management and the media. Pippen reveals never-before-told stories about some of the most famous games in league history, including the 1994 playoff game against the New York Knicks when he took himself out with 1.8 seconds to go. He discusses what it was like dealing with Jordan on a day-to-day basis, while serving as the facilitator for the offense and the anchor for the defense. Pippen is finally giving millions of adoring basketball fans what they crave; an unvarnished, “closely observed, and uncommonly modest” (Kirkus Reviews) look into his life and role within one of the greatest, most popular teams of all time.

Las explosivas memorias del seis veces campeón de la NBA, dos veces medallista de oro olímpico y miembro del Salón de la Fama. El libro que ha despertado una polémica sin precedentes entre Jordan y Pippen. Si creías que ya lo habías visto todo en el último baile, descubre la versión narrada de primera mano por Scottie Pippen. Las explosivas memorias del seis veces campeón de la NBA, dos veces medallista de oro olímpico y miembro del Salón de la Fama, que revelan cómo Scottie Pippen, el menor de doce hermanos, superó dos tragedias familiares y el desprecio universal de los cazatalentos universitarios para convertirse en un componente esencial de la mayor dinastía de baloncesto de los últimos cincuenta años. Scottie Pippen ha sido llamado uno de los mejores jugadores de la NBA por una buena razón. En pocas palabras, sin Pippen, no habría carteles de campeonatos, y mucho menos seis, colgando de las vigas del United Center. No habría documental El último baile. No habría un Michael Jordan tal y como lo conocemos. Los Chicago Bulls de la década de 1990 no existirían como los conocemos. ¿Cómo pasó el menor de doce hermanos de crecer en la pobreza en la pequeña ciudad de Hamburgo, Arkansas, pasando por dos tragedias familiares en el camino, a convertirse en una leyenda reverenciada de la NBA? ¿Cómo es que el escuálido adolescente, pasado por alto por todos los programas universitarios importantes de baloncesto, se convirtió en la quinta selección general en el Draft de la NBA de 1987? Y, quizás lo más convincente, ¿cómo Pippen dejó de lado su ego para que los Bulls se convirtieran en la dinastía de baloncesto más dominante del último medio siglo? En Sin defensa, el seis veces campeón y dos veces medallista de oro olímpico finalmente se abre para ofrecer momentos claros y transparentes sobre Michael Jordan, Phil Jackson y Dennis Rodman, entre otros. Pippen detalla cómo se avergonzó al ser etiquetado como el compañero de Jordan, y comenta cómo pudo (y debería haber) recibido más respeto por parte de los propietarios de los Bulls y los medios de comunicación. Pippen revela historias nunca antes contadas sobre algunos de los partidos más famosos en la historia de la liga, incluido el partido de playoffs de 1994 contra los New York Knicks cuando fue expulsado a falta de 1,8 segundos para el final. Pippen explica cómo fue lidiar con Jordan en el día a día, mientras se desempeñaba como facilitador de la ofensiva y ancla para la defensa del equipo. Después de 30 años del primer campeonato de los Bulls, Pippen finalmente está dando a millones de fanáticos del baloncesto lo que anhelan; una mirada cruda y sin adornos a su vida y su papel dentro de uno de los equipos más grandes y populares de todos los tiempos. Reseñas: «Una clase magistral sobre cómo ajustar cuentas o crear nuevas.» The New York Times «La leyenda de los Chicago Bulls lo dice todo, y algo más. Pippen también escribe con imparcialidad sobre el mundo fuera del baloncesto: No importa cuántos campeonatos haya ganado y millones, nunca olvido el color de mi piel y que algunas personas en este mundo me odian solo por eso. Un libro extraordinariamente honesto.» Kirkus «Pippen ofrece una visión intrigante de una de las mayores dinastías de la NBA, su niñez, como el más joven de 12 hermanos en una familia desgarrada por la tragedia, y su improbable ascenso a la grandeza del baloncesto.» Booklist

Bezkompromisowe wspomnienia sześciokrotnego mistrza NBA! Scottie Pippen nie bez powodu był nazywany jednym z najlepszych koszykarzy ligi. Mówiąc wprost, bez niego nie byłoby mistrzowskich banerów, które wiszą pod kopułą hali United Center. Ani serialu dokumentalnego Ostatni taniec. Nie byłoby też takiego Michaela Jordana, jakiego znamy, i drużyny Chicago Bulls, jaką pamiętamy. Jak młody chłopak, będący najmłodszym z dwanaściorga rodzeństwa, przezwyciężył rodzinne tragedie? W jaki sposób poradził sobie z brakiem zainteresowania ze strony skautów uniwersyteckich, by zostać piątym wyborem w drafcie NBA w 1987 roku? Jak został jednym z filarów najwspanialszej koszykarskiej dynastii ostatnich pięćdziesięciu lat? Czy dobrze wspomina relacje z Michaelem Jordanem? Dlaczego w starciu z New York Knicks w trakcie play-offów w 1994 roku tuż przed końcem spotkania odmówił powrotu na boisko? W książce Bez krycia Pippen otwarcie dzieli się ostrymi, szczerymi opiniami, między innymi na temat Phila Jacksona czy Dennisa Rodmana, i zdradza nieznane dotychczas informacje na temat jednego z najsłynniejszych meczów w historii NBA. Wspomina, jak bardzo nienawidził nazywania go pomocnikiem Jordana, oraz tłumaczy, dlaczego powinien być bardziej szanowany przez zarząd klubu z Chicago i dziennikarzy. Ponad trzy dekady po zdobyciu przez Bulls pierwszego tytułu mistrzowskiego Pippen w końcu daje kibicom to, czego tak łaknęli – surowy, nieupiększony wgląd we własne życie i w rolę, jaką odegrał w jednej z najwspanialszych i najbardziej popularnych drużyn w historii koszykówki.

Les mémoires incontournables du sextuple champion NBA, double médaillé d''or olympique et Hall of Famer, révélant comment Scottie Pippen, le plus jeune d''une fratrie de 12 enfants, a surmonté deux tragédies familiales et le mépris des recruteurs universitaires pour devenir un élément essentiel de la plus grande dynastie de basket-ball des cinquante dernières années.

An unflinching memoir from the six-time NBA Champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and Hall of Famer—revealing how Scottie Pippen, the youngest of twelve, overcame two family tragedies and universal disregard by college scouts to become an essential component of the greatest basketball dynasty of the last fifty years. Scottie Pippen has been called one of the greatest NBA players for good reason. Simply put, without Pippen, there are no championship banners—let alone six—hanging from the United Center rafters. There’s no Last Dance documentary. There’s no “Michael Jordan” as we know him. The 1990s Chicago Bulls teams would not exist as we know them. So how did the youngest of twelve go from growing up poor in the small town of Hamburg, Arkansas, enduring two family tragedies along the way, to become a revered NBA legend? How did the scrawny teen, overlooked by every major collegiate basketball program, go on to become the fifth overall pick in the 1987 NBA Draft? And, perhaps most compelling, how did Pippen set aside his ego (and his own limitless professional ceiling) in order for the Bulls to become the most dominant basketball dynasty of the last half century? In Unguarded, the six-time champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist finally opens up to offer pointed and transparent takes on Michael Jordan, Phil Jackson, and Dennis Rodman, among others. Pippen details how he cringed at being labeled Jordan’s sidekick, and discusses how he could have (and should have) received more respect from the Bulls’ management and the media. Pippen reveals never-before-told stories about some of the most famous games in league history, including the 1994 playoff game against the New York Knicks when he took himself out with 1.8 seconds to go. He discusses what it was like dealing with Jordan on a day-to-day basis, while serving as the facilitator for the offense and the anchor for the defense. On the 30th anniversary of the Bulls’ first championship, Pippen is finally giving millions of adoring basketball fans what they crave; a raw, unvarnished look into his life, and role within one of the greatest, most popular teams of all time.

Grając w NBA przez osiemnaście lat, zdobywał mistrzostwa w barwach Boston Celtics i Miami Heat. Dzięki swojej ciężkiej pracy i zmysłowi do trafiania z dystansu zdobył także coś znacznie cenniejszego – szacunek fanów koszykówki na całym świecie. W swojej autobiografii Ray Allen pochyla się nad własnym życiem i karierą, opowiadając zakulisowe historie i dzieląc się przemyśleniami na temat gry, która pochłonęła go bez reszty. Z tej książki dowiesz się między innymi o jego złodziejskim wybryku, panicznym strachu trenera Bucks przed jednym z zawodników czy zachowaniu Kevina Garnetta wobec młodych zawodników. Ray-Ray trafiał „trójki” z niespotykaną skutecznością. Jako autor Za trzy na pewno trafi też do ciebie.

New York Times Bestseller The record-holding two-time NBA champion and recently inducted hall-of-famer reflects on his work ethic, his on-the-court friendships and rivalries, the great teams he''s played for, and what it takes to have a long and successful career in this thoughtful, in-depth memoir. Playing in the NBA for eighteen years, Ray Allen won championships with the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat and entered the record books as the original king of the three-point shot. Known as one of the hardest-working and highest-achieving players in NBA history, this most dedicated competitor was legendary for his sharp shooting. From the Outside, complete with a foreword by Spike Lee, is his story in his words: a no-holds-barred look at his life and career, filled with behind-the-scenes stories and surprising revelations about the game he has always cherished. Allen talks openly about his fellow players, coaches, owners, and friends, including LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Garnett. He reveals how, as a kid growing up in a military family, he learned about responsibility and respect—the key to making those perfect free throws and critical three-point shots. From the Outside is the portrait of a gifted athlete and a serious man with a strongly defined philosophy about the game and the right way it should be played—a philosophy that, at times, set him apart from colleagues and coaches, while inspiring so many others, and lead to the most pivotal shot of his career: the unforgettable 3-pointer in the final seconds of Game 6 of the 2013 NBA finals against the San Antonio Spurs. Throughout, Allen makes clear that success in basketball is as much about what happens off the court as on, that devotion and commitment are the true essence of the game—and of life itself.

A refreshing and thought-provoking look at athletes whose legacies have been reduced to one defining moment of defeat—those on the flip side of an epic triumph—and what their experiences can teach us about competition, life, and the human spirit. Every sports fan recalls with amazing accuracy a pivotal winning moment involving a favorite team or player—Henry Aaron hitting his 715th home run to pass Babe Ruth; Christian Laettner’s famous buzzer beating shot in the NCAA tournament for Duke. Yet lost are the stories on the other side of these history-making moments, the athletes who experienced not transcendent glory but crushing disappointment: the cornerback who missed the tackle on the big touchdown; the relief pitcher who lost the series; the world-record holding Olympian who fell on the ice. In Losing Isn’t Everything, famed sportscaster Curt Menefee, joined by bestselling writer Michael Arkush, examines a range of signature "disappointments" from the wide world of sports, interviewing the subject at the heart of each loss and uncovering what it means—months, years, or decades later—to be associated with failure. While history is written by the victorious, Menefee argues that these moments when an athlete has fallen short are equally valuable to sports history, offering deep insights into the individuals who suffered them and about humanity itself. Telling the losing stories behind such famous moments as the Patriots’ Rodney Harrison guarding the Giants'' David Tyree during the "Helmet Catch" in Super Bowl XLII, Mary Decker’s fall in the 1984 Olympic 1500m, and Craig Ehlo who gave up "The Shot" to Michael Jordan in the 1989 NBA playoffs, Menefee examines the legacy of the hardest loses, revealing the unique path that athletes have to walk after they lose on their sport’s biggest stage. Shedding new light some of the most accepted scapegoat stories in the sports cannon, he also revisits both the Baltimore Colts'' loss to the Jets in Super Bowl III, as well as the Red Sox loss in the 1986 World Series, showing why, despite years of humiliation, it might not be all Bill Buckner''s fault. Illustrated with sixteen pages of color photos, this considered and compassionate study offers invaluable lessons about pain, resilience, disappointment, remorse, and acceptance that can help us look at our lives and ourselves in a profound new way.

A New York Times bestseller! The real-life "Jerry Maguire," superagent Leigh Steinberg shares his personal stories on the rise, fall, and redemption of his game-changing career in the high-stakes world of professional sports Leigh Steinberg is renowned as one of the greatest sports agents in history, representing such All-Pro clients as Troy Aikman, Bruce Smith, and Ben Roethlisberger. Over one particular seven-year stretch, Steinberg represented the top NFL Draft pick an unheard of six times. Director Cameron Crowe credits Steinberg as a primary inspiration for the titular character in Jerry Maguire, even hiring Steinberg as a consultant on the film. Lightyears ahead of his contemporaries, he expanded his players'' reach into entertainment. Already the bestselling author of a business book on negotiation, the original superagent is now taking readers behind the closed doors of professional sports, recounting priceless stories, like how he negotiated a $26.5 million package for Steve Young—the biggest ever at the time—and how he passed on the chance to represent Peyton Manning. Beginning with his early days as a student leader at Berkeley, Steinberg details his illustrious rise into pro sports fame, his decades of industry dominance, and how he overcame a series of high-profile struggles to regain his sobriety and launch his comeback. This riveting story takes readers inside the inner circle of top-notch agents and players through the visionary career of Leigh Steinberg, the pre-eminent superagent of our time.

In this unflinching and inspiring autobiography, the boxing legend faces his single greatest competitor: himself. Sugar Ray Leonard''s brutally honest and uplifting memoir reveals in intimate detail for the first time the complex man behind the boxer. The Olympic hero, multichampionship winner, and beloved athlete waged his own personal battle with depression, rage, addiction, and greed. Coming from a tumultuous, impoverished household and a dangerous neighborhood on the outskirts of Washington, D.C., in the 1970s, Sugar Ray Leonard rose swiftly and skillfully through the ranks of amateur boxing-and eventually went on to win a gold medal in the 1976 Olympics. With an extremely ill father and no endorsement deals, Leonard decided to go pro. The Big Fight takes readers behind the scenes of a notoriously corrupt sport and chronicles the evolution of a champion, as Leonard prepares for the greatest fights of his life-against Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran, Tommy Hearns, and Wilfred Benitez. At the same time Leonard fearlessly reveals his own contradictions and compulsions, his infidelity, and alcohol and cocaine abuse. With honesty, humor, and hard-won perspective, Leonard comes to terms with both triumph and struggle-and presents a gripping portrait of remarkable strength, courage, and resilience, both in and out of the ring.

Advance Praise "The Fight of the Century brings back memories of a different and troubled time both in sports and in our country. It is vividly reported and a perfect example of the old saying that the genius is in the details." --John Feinstein "The Fight of the Century just floats like a butterfly and sings like a canary. Arkush recaptures the period of the late ''60s when America was in a quandary about Vietnam, Ali''s refusal to be drafted, about Smokin'' Joe Frazier''s claim on the heavyweight title, and the amazing build-up to this great fight. I saw the fight and remember the intensity in Madison Square Garden; people were fainting in the aisles. The electricity of that fight buzzes through this book." --Phil Jackson "Ali-Frazier I was the greatest sports event I ever saw or ever expect to see. With his landscape portrait of the men and their times, Michael Arkush takes us again to that historic moment in Madison Square Garden when two of boxing''s proudest warriors began their blood feud." --Dave Kindred, author of Sound and Fury: Two Powerful Lives, One Fateful Friendship "Arkush not only gives us the inside story on one of the century''s signature sporting events, he frames it politically and socially. I was there, and now I know much more about what happened. This is flesh and blood and history." --Robert Lipsyte "The Fight of the Century transcends the mere sports story. In Michael Arkush''s capable hands, this classic duel and its surrounding pressures and personalities show us where we have been as a society and where we are going. It is a story that truly stands for a place and time. It is a fully engrossing read." --Michael Connelly, #1 New York Times bestselling author "Never is a long time, but there''ll never be another cosmic boxing event like Ali-Frazier I. Michael Arkush brings alive that melodrama with all its political-social implications, wheeling and dealing, hyping and hitting." --Larry Merchant, author and boxing commentator "A richly detailed history of Ali and Frazier''s first big fight and the social and political forces at play. A great read." --Ron Shelton, director of Bull Durham and Tin Cup

An inside look at the season that proved to be the final ride of a truly great dynasty—Kobe Bryant, Shaq, and the LA Lakers For the countless basketball fans who were spellbound by the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2003–2004 high-wire act, this book is a rare and phenomenal treat. In The Last Season, Lakers coach Phil Jackson draws on his trademark honesty and insight to tell the whole story of the season that proved to be the final ride of a truly great dynasty. From the signing of future Hall-of-Famers Karl Malone and Gary Payton to the Kobe Bryant rape case/media circus, this is a riveting tale of clashing egos, public feuds, contract disputes, and team meltdowns that only a coach, and a writer, of Jackson’s candor, experience, and ability could tell. Full of tremendous human drama and offering lessons on coaching and on life, this is a book that no sports fan can possibly pass up.

A one–of–kind collection of letters from many of golf''s past and present masters––from Jack Nicklaus to Tiger Woods––describing their most amazing shot and its impact on their career. While listening to so–called golf–experts debate the greatest golf shots of all time, Ron Cherney, a golf memorabilia collector, was struck by an idea––what do the players themselves think? So for the next three years, he sent off letters to all the best players to find out. Amazingly, many players actually wrote back with stories about their most memorable shots. Ron, with sports writer Michael Arkush, have melded the resulting letters into a captivating book that also includes a short background on each player and other interesting quotes and anecdotes from their careers. An irresistible gift for any golf fan, My Greatest Shot goes behind the scenes and into the minds of the sport''s greatest players.

Ken Venturi was a promising young golfer from California with numerous amateur titles when he took of four-stroke lead into the final day of the 1956 Masters. Venturi''s three-day ride had riveted the golf world because no amateur had ever won this prestigious event. Venturi, however, collapsed, finishing one stroke behind the winner. The press labeled him a choke--a moniker that stuck. Just when it looked as though a once promising career would be wasted, something amazing happened: Ken Venturi won the 1964 U.S. Open, stunning the golfing establishment and becoming the big story of the 1964 season Sadly, Venturi''s comeback was short lived. He suffered from carpal tunnel syndrome, which ended his playing career and sent him into a career in which he would thrive: broadcasting. Venturi joined CBS and broadcast golf for 34 years--the longest television career in golf history--coming to be known as the Walter Cronkite of the game. Getting Up & Down is Ken Venturi''s story in his own words. It includes an honest and compelling recap of his life and incisive and searing commentary on the game he loves and those who play it, including sections on his longtime friendships with giants such as Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, and Gene Sarazen--and his frosty relationship with Arnold Palmer.

Contains brief testimonials in which fellow golfers, relatives, college friends, reporters, and others share their memories of golf pro Payne Stewart who died in an airplane crash in October 1999.

"The game," writes Michael Arkush, "is a rite of passage for the father sharing his expertise with the child he is training for the future--the same child who, almost inevitably, will dethrone him at the first opportunity." All of the 25 professional golfers who relate their tales of golf life with Dad eventually did out-drive, out-chip, and out-putt their old men, but all acknowledge appreciatively the essential roles their fathers played in the journey, and it is to them that they offer homage. Interestingly, the lasting legacies go beyond the essentials on grip and stance: it is the intangibles that fly the course from tee to green here. Jack Nicklaus thanks his father for instilling self-confidence; Arnold Palmer praises his father for teaching him how to lose; Amy Alcott is grateful that her father let her know the only barriers in her way were those of her own making; Calvin Peete extols his father''s insistence that he be a leader, not a follower. If Fairways and Dreams fairly overdoses on its own inspiration and sweetness, that''s its intention; you''ll find testimonials worth respecting, and lessons worth learning and remembering. --Jeff Silverman

Discusses Tim Allen''s carefree youth, actions as a drug dealer that led to his incarceration, devotion to his family, career as a standup comedian, and successful television series, "Home Improvement"

An Up-close look at Rush Limbaugh--America''s number One Radio and TV talk show Host.