Sports Book

Ok well not a real sports book (as in betting), but just a bit about sports and a bit about a book, close enough for me...

A couple of weeks ago I went out and got another handful of books to entertain myself for a while. I was kind of happy with the selections especially since one of my very favorite authors had a book out that I hadn't read yet. I knew it was out there, but it is different...he writes extremely rompy novels using a delicious vocabulary of words, so I really enjoy his tales. This book however, was "non-fiction", which coming from him I didn't really know if I would like it. Well now that I have managed to work my way well in to over the weekend, it was well worth it. I still like his fiction better, but I have enjoyed this in ways quite different from his fiction. At the same time though his biting wit and quick with a word mind is still very evident. The book is filled with typical non-fiction that writers are often asked to write or sometimes just write for the hell of it. It includes poems, essays, book reviews, travel reviews, music reviews, and more. The author by the way is Tom Robbins.

Robbins has a very eclectic style, unique, sharp, smart, and at times obscene. I really enjoy his works though I know they are not for everyone. His arguably most famous (which was made in to a movie with Drew Barrymore) is called "Even Cowgirls get the Blues". Others would argue though that "Still life with Woodpecker" is the most notable. I agree with neither opinion and instead like "Jitterbug Perfume" the best. They are all great story's imho, and for a lot of people I would highly recommend them all. Just for kicks, here is an excerpt from his non-fiction book that I am currently tearing through. The following is taken from a travel review (done for Esquire Magazine, 1985) from the Selous game reserve located in central Tanzania, Africa:

"The Selous is the largest uninhabited game reserve in the world. Located in central Tanzania, a couple hundred miles south of Mount Killimanjaro, the Selous is no national park where tourists sprawl on rattan sofas, sipping gin and listening to the BBC as from the air-conditioned safety of posh lodges they spy shamelessly on mating lions. In the Selous, one doesn't catch a safari bus to the corner of Zebra and Watusi. To see the Selous, one hikes and one paddles. And when an aggravated hippopotamus is charging one's rubber raft, one paddles very hard, indeed."

Excerpted from "Wild Ducks Flying Backwards" by Tom Robbins

As can be gleaned from that sample, he is very playful and funny as he usually is in fiction as well. The title of the travel article is "The Day the Earth Spit Warthogs", and it was quite a good read. Sometimes it is good to challenge what you may or may not believe you'll like, and just dive right in and start paddling.

Now about sports...The Buckeyes and Wolverines did not disappoint in a 42 to 39 win by OSU...it was what I wanted anyway, a good game. The NFL was good as well, at least to Bengals fans such as myself. The Bengals took a small step towards resurrection what had seemed to be a promising season that has lately been anything but. They took the Saints down today by a pretty good margin. It was by no means as impressive as the score though. The Bengals defense gave up over 600 total yards, while Drew Brees threw for 550 of those yardspicking apart the Bengals D. Lucky for Cincy fans though, Brees also managed to throw 3 picks at very inopportune times. A win is a win though, and I'll take it.

I watched some poker just a bit ago on FSN, and was happy to see Phil Ivey playing at the table as I am a big fan of his game. Once it got down to 3-handed between Allen Cunningham, Phil Ivey, and Robert (the Grinders brother) Mizrachi, I knew we were in for some good poker. Very shortly in to 3 way Ivey got pocket Ks in the hole while Cunningham (who was the chip leader at the moment) got pocket Js...needless to say all of the money got in the middle and Cunningham sucked out with a two outer Jack on the River. Ivey took it like a pro gambler though, saying in his parting interview, that hands like those never bother him. That's what makes him the pro. I realize when you have his money it's easier to shrug off the sick beats. I would have been pretty steamed regardless though...that hand was the ticket to the massive chip lead, and on to the promised land. Oh well...it gave good TV.

more some other time...