Here it is: My notorious review of Chris Russo's book
OK, by popular demand, I am posting the infamous book review of June 16, 2006, for which Chris Russo never will forgive me. Click below to read it.
First, though, here is a transcript of Tony Kornheiser talking about the potential breakup of "Mike and the Mad Dog" on "Pardon the Interruption" Tuesday:
"There has been media speculation that the long-time New York sports radio stars are splitting up, but Chris Russo came on the air yesterday with Francesa off this week and denied those rumors. I have no idea where this is going. But as someone who has done sports radio, I've always thought that Mike Francesa and Chris Russo are the best who have ever done it."
Said Michael Wilbon: "What a crushing blow to the culture that would be."
Kornheiser: "I like them, I think they're good."
Here's the review, which was headlined 'Mad Dog's Book Bites':
By page 9, you get a sense of the level of wit in Chris Russo's new book, "The Mad Dog Hall of Fame."
"His nickname was Mr. Clutch," Russo writes of Jerry West, "and it wasn't because he hated automatic transmissions."
It is not until page 106, though, that the larger lesson is driven home. The subject is Casey Stengel, but it might as well be the author himself:
"Stengel was smarter than he looked. A lot of that babbling idiot stuff was just an act."
"Smart" is an understatement for an amiable, somewhat goofy, fellow who has parlayed a local sports talk show into a national brand.
How else to explain Russo's pre-Father's Day promotional coup yesterday? He capped a frenzied week of flogging by sitting down with Matt Lauer on "Today." Say it ain't so, Katie Couric.
Lauer proposed the book as a late gift idea for Dad, which sprung SportsWatch into action. Warning: Dad deserves better than this.
The first hint of trouble is the lone blurb on the jacket, a forum usually reserved for glowing reviews of the book itself or of the author's other work. It is attributed to Bob Costas and reads:
"Opining about sports in a spirited fashion is Chris Russo's specialty."
True enough, as factual, noncommittal statements go. Much like, "Opining about politics in a spirited fashion is Ann Coulter's specialty."
Or, "Opining about wascally wabbits in a spirited fashion is Elmer Fudd's specialty."
Trouble is, Russo's often entertaining on-air opining does not translate well to the printed page, a place suited to more depth and insight than is radio hot air.
A trivial example that illustrates a sloppy style, including several factual errors: On radio, you can say the Yankees outscored the Pirates by "a billion runs" in the 1960 World Series; in a book, exact numbers are customary.
Russo and co-author Allen St. John offer Top Ten rankings in various historical categories, such as best baseball players, sports moments and sports venues.
You could argue with the lists, but why bother? Any fan with an Internet connection could have done the necessary research for items full of stale, mostly unattributed anecdotes.
Did you know Joe Montana once calmed jittery teammates in a Super Bowl huddle by pointing to John Candy in the stands!
The book could appeal to young fans for whom the oft-told stories might seem fresh. But their dads will realize something is amiss when Russo details the route by which he takes visiting friends to see Yankee Stadium:
"Up the FDR Drive, to the Deegan, down to the GW, and down the West Side Highway."
So for $23.95, you can be both bored and lost.
E-mail
Facebook
Digg
Delicious
Comments (9)
Thanks for posting that Neil. If only he had told us which bridge he used to cross from the FDR to the Deegan, it might have been a worthwhile read.
why would he even get off the deegan? i think that needs to be more scrutinized in your review.
So let me get this straight Neil.
If my car broke down on the Cross Bronx Expressway and I abandoned the vehicle with the book on the front seat.
I could rest easy knowing that when I came back to the vehicle in 24 hours that at least the book would still be there?
How many trees died to publish this worthless tome?
Although I appeared with Dog on June 8, 2006 at The Book Revue in Huntington at a book signing, I would never read this garbage. As a matter of fact it gets the handwave.
Who are the morons that bought it?
Neil,
Thanks for publishing this. I realize it's only Russo, but courageous of you to do so.
And absolutely spot on!
PS -- I haven't -- won't -- read the book, but I've always had the impression that Russo merely dictated the book to his ghostwriter...
It sounds like a book for tweeners and teens but they don't listen to that show and have no idea who Chris Russo is. I was going to say they don't read either, but that is Imus' territory.
Best part of PTI's discussion of the Mike and the Mad Dog possible breakup was Reali's imitation of Mad Dog. Spot on.