Thursday, September 21, 2006

The Next "Moneyball"

No, it's not porn.

I just saw that Michael Lewis' new book "The Blind Side" will be excerpted in this weekend's New York Times Magazine. When the link is live, you should definitely give it a read.

Lewis, of course, crystallized and catapulted the "Moneyball" craze. (Actually, "craze" is wrong. Craze connotes "fad" or "trend." Not to use lame-ass marketing speak, but "Moneyball" represented an entire paradigm shift in sports. And, amazingly, under all the sports, the book was a parable for economics -- recognizing inefficiencies in a marketplace.)

So needless to say, Lewis knows how to drive the sports conversation.

The new book is a little different -- it's about an undiscovered offensive tackle -- but I'm betting it's going to be THE must-read sports book of the fall. (And it's a REALLY good book, too. It comes out the week after next.)

I have to add this disclosure, but please don't rip me for name-dropping. If anything, please rip me for pimping my reading series:

I'm going to be having a public sit-down with Lewis as an event in conjunction with my reading series' new relationship with ESPN Books. It'll be Wednesday, Nov. 8 in NYC, if you're near the area. More details later.

I'm sure I'll be linking to the book excerpt on Monday. But for now, I just wanted to put the book on your radar, because people will be talking about it. (You know, I definitely miss the "trend-spotting" aspect of the Quickie. I'm going to try to do more of that here.)

-- D.S.

10 comments:

Zach said...

I wonder if Lewis is upset that Joe Morgan never gives him credit for Moneyball, since he seems to think that Billy Beane wrote it...

Mega said...

Dan, you need to bring your reading to Chicago, the Best. City. Ever. for true sports nuts.

DPrinz said...

No need to apologize for name-dropping. It's not your fault you have made connections in the business through your work at ESPN.

And keep up the recommendations. The reason I discovered Deadspin was because of your recommedation of Will's book "Catch."

Christian Thoma said...

Amazon.com says it's in stock, so people may already be able to buy it. I've added it to my 'check the library' wish list.

Badass Of The Year said...

That's great, I was actually about to re-read America's Game, because I was needing a good football read.

Also about your reading series, I really want to go to the one on October 4th, but the Mets might be in the NLDS that night. If that's the case I have to be all orange&blue at Shea that night.

Perks said...

By no means am I going to claim DC as the best spot for readings like these. However, if you want to transport this idea a little further south, I'll gladly try and move it along!

Brian in Oxford said...

yeah Dan, a round-trip train ticket to NYC from Fairfield is like $22....I need to get my money's worth at these shows of yours. Are there audience giveaways or something? Cocktails, perhaps?

Jingoist said...

Don't forget to make mention/provide links to the live webcast for the book series for those of us not near enough to NYC.

rob (warwick)

Allen Wedge said...

Dan,

I wasn't sure where to post this so I just chose the most recent post. I thought you'd love this new item:

IBF middleweight champion Arthur Abraham has apparently been entering the ring to the Smurfs theme song while wearing a Smurf hat....well he's now being told to stop


http://dejuiced.com/law-order/smurfin-boxer-told-to-stop-smurfin-around

wharfrat said...

There is also an excerpt in this week's Sports Illustrated.