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Games and Sports October 2023
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Coffee first, then the world : one woman's record-breaking pedal around the planet
by Jenny Graham
"In 2018, amateur cyclist Jenny Graham left family and friends behind in Scotland to become the fastest woman to cycle around the world. Alone and unsupported, she crossed the finish line at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin four months later, smashing the female record by nearly three weeks. With infectious wit and honesty, Jenny brings readers into her remarkable Round the World adventure, as she takes on four continents, 16 countries--and countless cups of coffee. Her journey swerves from terrifying nearroad collisions in Russia and weather extremes in Australia to breathtaking landscapes in Mongolia and exhilarating wildlife encounters in North America. Tight on time and money, she resorts to fixing her bike on the fly, sleeping on roadsides and often riding through the night to stay on track and complete her mission. As she battles physical and mental challenges to race against the clock, Jenny gradually opens up to the joy of the adventure and all its daily discoveries. She gives in to her impulse toconnect with people, making friends with strangers across the globe and embracing new cultures"
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Game of edges : the analytics revolution and the future of professional sports
by Bruce Schoenfeld
"The story of how a new generation of tech-savvy franchise owners is reshaping every aspect of professional sports. In the last two decades, innovation, data analysis, and technology have driven a tectonic shift in the sports business. Game of Edges is the story of how sports franchises evolved, on and off the field, from raggedly run small businesses into some of the most systematically productive companies around. In today's game, everyone from the owners to the marketing staff are using information-data-to give their team an edge. For analysts, an edge is their currency. Figuring out that bunting hurts your offense? That's an edge. So is discovering metrics that can predict the career arc of your free agent shooting guard. Or combing through a decade of ticket-buying data to target persuadable fans. These small, incremental steps move a sports franchise from merely ordinary to the leading edge. Franchises today are more than just sports; they integrate a whole suite of other businesses-television and digital content, gambling and real estate, fashion and apparel, entertainment, catering and concessions, and much more. But an optimized franchise has no room for error. Teams must do what the numbers say, reducing the element of chance, limiting those random moments of athletic heroism that make sports thrilling to watch. Optimization also means the franchise's main goal isn't championships anymore; it's keeping you, the viewer, engaged with the product. Drawing on extensive interviews with franchise owners, general managers, executives, and players, Bruce Schoenfeld introduces dynamic leaders who are radically reimagining the operations of these decades-old teams-and producing mind-boggling valuations. He joins the architects of the Golden State Warriors dynasty for an exclusive reception before tip-off. He stands among the faithful at Anfield, watching Liverpool's analytics guru size up a prized midfielder. And he watches the president of the Chicago Cubs break ground on a new DraftKings gambling parlor at Wrigley Field, not ten miles from the site of the original Black Sox betting scandal. Essential reading for anyone interested in sports, business, or technology, Game of Edges explores a world where winning the game is only the beginning"
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The tao of the backup catcher : playing baseball for the love of the game
by Tim Brown
Paying tribute to baseball's backup catchers, who, despite being essential, exist near the bottom of the roster and at the end of the bench, this eye-opening story of grown men who once dreamed of stardom chronicles the hardships they face and their love for a game that would not always love them back.
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Pee wees : confessions of a hockey parent
by Rich Cohen
The New York Times best-selling author tells his own story of being a devoted Pee Wee hockey parent in an elite Connecticut league, following the triumphs and struggles of the 12-year-old boys and girls on the team. Illustrations.
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One to Remember : Stories from 39 Members of the NHL's One Goal Club
by Ken Reid
From the national bestselling author of One Night Only come 39 new stories about what a big-league goal can mean to an NHLer If you've ever picked up a hockey stick, chances are you've dreamed of scoring in the National Hockey League. Ken Reid interviews and profiles 39 men who did just that: they bulged the twine in the best hockey league in the world ... but only once. From minor league call-ups to season-long mainstays and even a Hall of Famer, One to Remember brings you the stories of 39 men who scored just a single NHL goal.
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Home ice : reflections of a reluctant hockey mom
by Angie Abdou
A novelist describes her experiences parenting a young amateur hockey player, telling personal stories and covering such sports-related issues as cost, gender bias, concussions, and family pressures
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Rochester Hills Public Library 500 Olde Towne Rd Rochester, Michigan 48307 248-656-2900www.rhpl.org/ |
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