Worthwhile Will Leitch essay on Bill Simmons

Those seem like pretty clueless errors. You have to wonder how they were allowed to happen.

It does sort of make me question the book as a whole now, but I think Prager more or less redeems himself in the big picture, especially with his interviews of so many key players.

 

... and, of course, with his breaking of a huge story 50 years after the fact.

Yeah, Prager's book is OK by me. Flaws and all.

 

In his defense, a lot of Simmons' "mistakes" are along the lines of, "I shouldn't have put Dirk on my all-white team. He's European." So they aren't mistakes in fact as much as setting his own arbitrary criteria and then slipping up.

 

His interpretation of the attendance figures seems a little shaky too...

For some really interesting discussion, and criticism, of Simmons's book, New York Magazine had a roundtable discussion about it that was pretty thought-provoking.

In 14 parts. Tommy Craggs, Bethlehem Shoals and Jonathan Lethem among those writing.

http://nymag.com/arts/books/bookclub/book-of-basketball/

 

his no. 15 "what-if?" on why steve nash is ringless this decade is superb. yes, suns fans, you really can go light yourselves on fire now. holy shit, did suns ownership/leadership fuck up something that could've been special while nash was in his prime.

 

Who, Prager or Simmons? Attendance figures themselves are notoriously shaky in the first place.

 

I got the book this weekend from the library as a trial before I bought it. There are some excellent passages and he loves the game.

But all in all, it is leaving me a little annoyed. The book is incredibly self-referential. And in a book where the text isn't exactly focused, most of the footnotes are a distraction. I think if you are trying to put your thoughts down for eternity why a certain player is overrated, I don't need to be distracted with some tangent on a soft core porn actress.

Also, the lists with respect to active and future players will be dated in short order (and he admits that Kobe post-2009 would be listed higher). Some parts -- like with Russell/Wilt stuff, are very good.

Basically, a good bathroom book (along with Seven Seconds or Less), but not worthy of a place on the bookshelf (like The Breaks of the Game or The Miracle of St.Anthony).

 

Self-reverential? Simmons? Ya think?

A good bathroom book, for more than one reason . . .

 

I'm enjoying the book, but one passage in particular had me shaking my head. Late in the book, he's talking about comparing certain players to Jordan, including "Wade, Jordan and LeBron." Yikes.

 

such a good book. ... just over 400 pages to go. ... the blondafroperm jokes never get old. ... love his pipedream for a new nba hall of fame. ... just starting his top 96 pyramid.

anywho, it's be interesting to see if he edits out his travis henry footnote on page 292, talking about the siring record.

 

Are you confusing Travis Henry with Chris Henry?

 

you might be right. all these woebegotten athletic henrys hard to keep track of.