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The Mad Dog 100: The Greatest Sports Arguments of All Time
THE ESSENTIAL BOOK FOR ANY SPORTS FAN, FROM ONE OF THE REIGNING KINGS OF SPORTS TALK RADIO, CHRISTOPHER “MAD DOG” RUSSO
Which was the greater achievement, Ted Williams’s .406 season or Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak?
Who’d be left standing in a battle between Joe Louis and Mohammed Ali?
Which NBA team was the greatest of all time—the ’66–’67 Celtics? The ’71–’72 Lakers? What about the ’95–’96 Bulls?
Who would dominate the ultimate Pebble Beach showdown—Ben Hogan or Tiger Woods?
Who was the most important athlete of the twentieth century?
You’re a sports fan. You love a good argument and you’ll defend your position as fervently as Michael Jordan at crunch time. You’ll analyze games and terrible calls, throw out stats to prove a point, and heatedly debate whether a player is an overachiever—or merely overpaid.
Now, in his long-awaited and completely original book, Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo sets up and breaks down the one hundred greatest sports arguments of all time. In classic Mad Dog style, each chapter tackles a classic sports debate and takes sides with the clear, step-by-step opinions that have made Russo one of the top radio personalities in the country. The Mad Dog 100 covers it from baseball (Who really should go to Cooperstown?), to basketball (Chamberlain, Russell, or who’s the NBA’s most dominant center ever?), to football (Who is the greatest NFL quarterback ever?), to hockey (What are the greatest hockey dynasties of all time?)—and is a catch-all of other crucial modern-day sports questions Is instant replay really worth it? What’s the true role of performance-enhancing drugs? Are salary caps really necessary?
Whether you’re reading The Mad Dog 100 or debating these sports arguments with friends, this is the definitive companion for any self-respecting sports fan.
Which was the greater achievement, Ted Williams’s .406 season or Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak?
Who’d be left standing in a battle between Joe Louis and Mohammed Ali?
Which NBA team was the greatest of all time—the ’66–’67 Celtics? The ’71–’72 Lakers? What about the ’95–’96 Bulls?
Who would dominate the ultimate Pebble Beach showdown—Ben Hogan or Tiger Woods?
Who was the most important athlete of the twentieth century?
You’re a sports fan. You love a good argument and you’ll defend your position as fervently as Michael Jordan at crunch time. You’ll analyze games and terrible calls, throw out stats to prove a point, and heatedly debate whether a player is an overachiever—or merely overpaid.
Now, in his long-awaited and completely original book, Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo sets up and breaks down the one hundred greatest sports arguments of all time. In classic Mad Dog style, each chapter tackles a classic sports debate and takes sides with the clear, step-by-step opinions that have made Russo one of the top radio personalities in the country. The Mad Dog 100 covers it from baseball (Who really should go to Cooperstown?), to basketball (Chamberlain, Russell, or who’s the NBA’s most dominant center ever?), to football (Who is the greatest NFL quarterback ever?), to hockey (What are the greatest hockey dynasties of all time?)—and is a catch-all of other crucial modern-day sports questions Is instant replay really worth it? What’s the true role of performance-enhancing drugs? Are salary caps really necessary?
Whether you’re reading The Mad Dog 100 or debating these sports arguments with friends, this is the definitive companion for any self-respecting sports fan.
- GenresSports
304 pages, Hardcover
First published May 13, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 30, 2017
Rating - 8.5
A book that covers the 100 greatest sports arguments of all time is right up my alley - lots of interesting insight and facts; must read for sport fans; Very engaging writing style
Only drawback is that there is a lot of repetition in the arguments and the bias of Russo starts coming through near the end of the book - could cover the same amount in 75% of pages
A book that covers the 100 greatest sports arguments of all time is right up my alley - lots of interesting insight and facts; must read for sport fans; Very engaging writing style
Only drawback is that there is a lot of repetition in the arguments and the bias of Russo starts coming through near the end of the book - could cover the same amount in 75% of pages
Currently Reading
August 23, 2021This book addresses 100 different debates and discussions about sports. Many different sports are covered. For instance, Christopher Russo writes about baseball; basketball;football;hockey;tennis; golf the Olympics; and other sports.
Since the book was published in 2003, certain teams and players were not part of the book. So, his lists and the debates are somewhat dated. However, the book was still interesting.
The book was interesting to read. Naturally, some topics may appeal more to different people based on what sports people are interested in. It was interesting to read about Russo’s five best baseball teams of all time: 1)1927 New York Yankees 2) 1929 Philadelphia A’s 3) 1939 New York Yankees 4) 1961 New York Yankees 5) 1998 New York Yankees 6) 1975 Cincinnati Reds. Russo gives a brief explanation for his choices.
It was also interesting to read about Russo’s top 10 sports towns.
The book also brought back some memories. For instance, he analyzes the Atlanta Braves from 1991 to 2002. He does. It write about the 1994 and 1995 seasons. Reading this part of the book reminded me how good the Braves were during this period.
Russo also gives his list of underrated NBA players; gives his opinion on what is the greatest NBA team of all time; underrated baseball players; and what city is the best sports town.
He also talked about how he would improve professional golf; how he would make college sports better; what makes a good or bad sports owner; hockey’s greatest dynasties; and many other topics related to the history of sports.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in sports.
Since the book was published in 2003, certain teams and players were not part of the book. So, his lists and the debates are somewhat dated. However, the book was still interesting.
The book was interesting to read. Naturally, some topics may appeal more to different people based on what sports people are interested in. It was interesting to read about Russo’s five best baseball teams of all time: 1)1927 New York Yankees 2) 1929 Philadelphia A’s 3) 1939 New York Yankees 4) 1961 New York Yankees 5) 1998 New York Yankees 6) 1975 Cincinnati Reds. Russo gives a brief explanation for his choices.
It was also interesting to read about Russo’s top 10 sports towns.
The book also brought back some memories. For instance, he analyzes the Atlanta Braves from 1991 to 2002. He does. It write about the 1994 and 1995 seasons. Reading this part of the book reminded me how good the Braves were during this period.
Russo also gives his list of underrated NBA players; gives his opinion on what is the greatest NBA team of all time; underrated baseball players; and what city is the best sports town.
He also talked about how he would improve professional golf; how he would make college sports better; what makes a good or bad sports owner; hockey’s greatest dynasties; and many other topics related to the history of sports.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in sports.
June 6, 2012
In't kort: zoals de titel het zegt, krijgen we een 100-tal onderwerpen waarover al heel wat over en weer is gediscussieerd in het verleden, en hoe de auteur daar tegenover staat.
Mijn beoordeling: de auteur staat ook bekend als 'the Mad Dog', en heeft samen met z'n maatje Mike Francesa een dagelijkse sport-talkshow bij een groot radiostation in New York. Hij kan dus met kennis van zaken spreken.
We krijgen uiteraard heel wat issues over American football, basketball, baseball en hockey, maar Russo maakt ook plaats voor tennis en de Olympische Spelen. Dus toch enkele onderwerpen die ons Europeanen bekender in de oren klinken.
Russo gaat knap tewerk in enkele van zijn onderwerpen. Wanneer het gaat over wie de beste was, Willie Mays of Mickey Mantle, pleit hij eerst 'the case for Willie', vervolgens 'the case for Mickey', en velt hij vervolgens een eindoordeel. Mooi gedaan, nergens kan je hem van oppervlakkigheid beschuldigen.
Uiteraard is dit boek al wat gedateerd (uitgekomen in 2003), waardoor hij soms (achteraf gezien) de bal misslaat. Zoals wanneer hij Tom Brady een eendagsvlieg noemt. Maar Brady moest toen nog zijn Patriots-dynastie opbouwen. En het perfecte seizoen in American football (19 opeenvolgende wedstrijden winnen) dat niet zou kunnen. O, wait, daar was hij juist, Damn you, David Tyree!!!! (en ja, het zit nog diep. sorry, het moest er even uit.)
Maar dus een very entertaining book.
Eindoordeel: ****
Mijn beoordeling: de auteur staat ook bekend als 'the Mad Dog', en heeft samen met z'n maatje Mike Francesa een dagelijkse sport-talkshow bij een groot radiostation in New York. Hij kan dus met kennis van zaken spreken.
We krijgen uiteraard heel wat issues over American football, basketball, baseball en hockey, maar Russo maakt ook plaats voor tennis en de Olympische Spelen. Dus toch enkele onderwerpen die ons Europeanen bekender in de oren klinken.
Russo gaat knap tewerk in enkele van zijn onderwerpen. Wanneer het gaat over wie de beste was, Willie Mays of Mickey Mantle, pleit hij eerst 'the case for Willie', vervolgens 'the case for Mickey', en velt hij vervolgens een eindoordeel. Mooi gedaan, nergens kan je hem van oppervlakkigheid beschuldigen.
Uiteraard is dit boek al wat gedateerd (uitgekomen in 2003), waardoor hij soms (achteraf gezien) de bal misslaat. Zoals wanneer hij Tom Brady een eendagsvlieg noemt. Maar Brady moest toen nog zijn Patriots-dynastie opbouwen. En het perfecte seizoen in American football (19 opeenvolgende wedstrijden winnen) dat niet zou kunnen. O, wait, daar was hij juist, Damn you, David Tyree!!!! (en ja, het zit nog diep. sorry, het moest er even uit.)
Maar dus een very entertaining book.
Eindoordeel: ****
June 9, 2015
This good-natured--not argumentative--book of sports debates is a perfect fit for the baby boomer sports nut. I was immensely enjoying this scattershot collection of classic, funny, weird categories, when Russo won me over completely by introducing a discussion on whether modern athletes really earn their atmospheric salaries by pointing out that Richie Hebner enjoyed his off-season career as a grave-digger just 20 years ago (hardcore Pittsburgh Pirates fans--any left, besides me?--will remember announcer Bob Prince calling Hebner by his nickname "Gravedigger" as he twitched his way through an at-bat; Hebner was the most fidgety batter I've ever seen).
Fun stuff--and its timeliness and timelessness is reinforced, not ruined, by 2003's new additions such as the Marlin's winning the World Series, and the Cubs and Red Sox confirming their cursedness in strikingly similar and bizarre fashion, the BCS completely missing and messing the Division College Football championship. These debates will never end, as long as we have sports talk radio to give us someone to yell out while we're driving!
Fun stuff--and its timeliness and timelessness is reinforced, not ruined, by 2003's new additions such as the Marlin's winning the World Series, and the Cubs and Red Sox confirming their cursedness in strikingly similar and bizarre fashion, the BCS completely missing and messing the Division College Football championship. These debates will never end, as long as we have sports talk radio to give us someone to yell out while we're driving!
April 26, 2011
A pretty interesting read and a good one to share with your friends, especially if you're a big sports fan like myself. I like how the author, Chris Russo, argues for both sides, and THEN makes his choice. Book really brought me back to some great games and athletes and made me just want to sit down and watch a game of any kind while reading (By the way I am with him on how he watches games. When the Lakers were in the Finals three years in a row starting in 08, I often had to pace around the couch, sometimes leave the room, and have no distractions.)
My only problem with this book now, and why I might not recommend it, is its just too dated. It was written 8 years ago, and by now a lot of the authors opinions may have changed. Especially when it comes to the steroid era ballplayers and Tom Brady as a great qb. Back when Russo wrote this Brady and Manning weren't in his Top 10 all-time qbs. I have to think that's probably changed by now.
Still, a fun read and worth the purchase.
My only problem with this book now, and why I might not recommend it, is its just too dated. It was written 8 years ago, and by now a lot of the authors opinions may have changed. Especially when it comes to the steroid era ballplayers and Tom Brady as a great qb. Back when Russo wrote this Brady and Manning weren't in his Top 10 all-time qbs. I have to think that's probably changed by now.
Still, a fun read and worth the purchase.
October 4, 2016
Few decent sections, but this isn't really "arguments" so much as it is one man's opinions with very little meat on the bones. I would have rather had 50 "arguments" with more discussion and color. In addition, even for the topics that should be evergreen, the fact that this book came out over a decade ago is painfully evident (a list of all-time top QBs, with nary a mention of Manning or Brady; tons of discussions about Tiger Woods as the perfect golfer who's just going to destroy all the records; that kind of thing). Ultimately unsatisfying.
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March 22, 2019Mad Dog 100 by Christopher Russo is a non-fiction book about a wide topic of sports arguments. These arguments range from boxing with Muhammad Ali, to talking about the best NBA basketball coaches ever. Some main points in this book is Christopher Russo loves talking about baseball and really opened up my mind about the game of baseball. He allowed me to think about things in baseball that I have never thought of before.
September 16, 2008
good book.
March 29, 2015
Not only thought provoking but extremely entertaining in only the way The Mad Dog can be! Covers arguments in the major sports as well as others; of which The mad Dog states his disdain for...
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews