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Roll With It
More than a strange but true sports story, Roll With It is a love letter to Generation X and a time machine back to the early ‘90s.
Set during humanity's final Slacker-friendly years before a tech tidal wave would change everything, it’s 1990 and 21-year-old Porteus chases his childhood dream of working in the world of sports. Through an unlikely sequence of events, he gets drafted into duty as General Manager of a professional hockey team in the up-start Roller Hockey International, completely out of his depth.
Flashbacks to road trips, dive bars, locker rooms, Dead shows, and blind dates, Roll With It celebrates the improvisational superpower an entire generation utilized to MacGyver our way through the world that was transforming beneath our feet.
But, it's cool. We rolled with it.
(not recommended for book club)
Set during humanity's final Slacker-friendly years before a tech tidal wave would change everything, it’s 1990 and 21-year-old Porteus chases his childhood dream of working in the world of sports. Through an unlikely sequence of events, he gets drafted into duty as General Manager of a professional hockey team in the up-start Roller Hockey International, completely out of his depth.
Flashbacks to road trips, dive bars, locker rooms, Dead shows, and blind dates, Roll With It celebrates the improvisational superpower an entire generation utilized to MacGyver our way through the world that was transforming beneath our feet.
But, it's cool. We rolled with it.
(not recommended for book club)
259 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 24, 2025
1 person is currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
Brad Porteus
1 book3 followersA proud GenXer, Brad Porteus grew up dreaming of a job in the world of sports. With Roll With It he takes us back to the 1990s to recount a bygone era through ridiculous yet pedestrian stories. In 2004, Brad caught the writing bug after being bitten by a black widow spider. After penning a story that went viral, he has not stopped writing since. Roll With It is his first full-length work.
Brad enjoys timelapse photography, running trails, seeing live music with his oldest son, throwing the Frisbee with his youngest son, and on special occasions, flaunts a gaudy 10-karat gold championship ring. He and his wife, Jenney, currently live in the San Francisco Bay Area—approximately equidistant from the Cow Palace and the Shark Tank.
Brad enjoys timelapse photography, running trails, seeing live music with his oldest son, throwing the Frisbee with his youngest son, and on special occasions, flaunts a gaudy 10-karat gold championship ring. He and his wife, Jenney, currently live in the San Francisco Bay Area—approximately equidistant from the Cow Palace and the Shark Tank.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 17, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ but 5 stars above for the algorithm.
I thought this was an adorable autobiographical book about a California Dudes’ life. It was really cute how excited he was by small wins and silly stories. It reminded me how beautiful and novel life is for every single person on Earth. I also loved how the author was funny about a lot of the glory being rooted in potential self orientation.
“We ended up in the stadium in the same spot as the day before—like how you haphazardly pick a seat on the first day of class and then it somehow becomes your seat for the rest of the term, no questions asked. We were comfortable there and it felt like home.” Loved this passage.
My favorite parts were about the Grateful Dead shows!! Lots of sports history which didn’t hold my interest, but that’s only because sports don’t do it for me. Brad has such a good memory. Idk how he nailed so many details from so long ago. It was fabulous!!
I am an ARC reader through Book Sirens.
I thought this was an adorable autobiographical book about a California Dudes’ life. It was really cute how excited he was by small wins and silly stories. It reminded me how beautiful and novel life is for every single person on Earth. I also loved how the author was funny about a lot of the glory being rooted in potential self orientation.
“We ended up in the stadium in the same spot as the day before—like how you haphazardly pick a seat on the first day of class and then it somehow becomes your seat for the rest of the term, no questions asked. We were comfortable there and it felt like home.” Loved this passage.
My favorite parts were about the Grateful Dead shows!! Lots of sports history which didn’t hold my interest, but that’s only because sports don’t do it for me. Brad has such a good memory. Idk how he nailed so many details from so long ago. It was fabulous!!
I am an ARC reader through Book Sirens.
February 3, 2025
Are you ready for a cold metallic drink from the garden hose of Gen X nostalgia? In this hilarious and authentic deep dive into ‘90s life, Brad Porteus wryly documents his time working in the trenches of a nascent NHL franchise, including a short-lived detour into the insanity of minor league roller hockey. In true '90s slacker fashion, there are plenty of road trips, Dead shows, and dive bars along the way. No hashtags, no LinkedIn—just a paper map, a mixtape, and the blind faith that we’d figure it out eventually.
February 18, 2025
Roll With It by Brad Porteus is a very unique peak behind the scenes of sports in the San Jose area.
The first 90 pages or so focus on Brad trying to land a job in sports, before finally landing one with the San Jose Sharks. It was interesting to see the names of players and to get a glimpse of how that Hockey team came to be.
From there, the job as general manager of the San Jose Rhinos, somehow fell in his lap. It seemed very much like being in the right place at the right time.
I loved the final word section, where people that were in the book commented about the book itself and about specific events that took place. I also really enjoyed the inclusion of an Easter egg at the end. As a Xennial I got a lot of the references, but I'm sure a person from Gen X would get even more of them.
Special thanks to Brad Porteus for reaching out via email and inquiring why I wanted to read this book as it didn't follow the pattern of books I usually go for. It impressed me that he took the time to do that and it shows that he really cares about the book he wrote. Thank you for working with NetGalley and giving me a chance to read your book early with an advanced reader copy. I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
The first 90 pages or so focus on Brad trying to land a job in sports, before finally landing one with the San Jose Sharks. It was interesting to see the names of players and to get a glimpse of how that Hockey team came to be.
From there, the job as general manager of the San Jose Rhinos, somehow fell in his lap. It seemed very much like being in the right place at the right time.
I loved the final word section, where people that were in the book commented about the book itself and about specific events that took place. I also really enjoyed the inclusion of an Easter egg at the end. As a Xennial I got a lot of the references, but I'm sure a person from Gen X would get even more of them.
Special thanks to Brad Porteus for reaching out via email and inquiring why I wanted to read this book as it didn't follow the pattern of books I usually go for. It impressed me that he took the time to do that and it shows that he really cares about the book he wrote. Thank you for working with NetGalley and giving me a chance to read your book early with an advanced reader copy. I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
March 9, 2025
Being named the general manager of a professional sports franchise is a notable achievement in anyone’s career. To have that title bestowed upon one before the age of 30 is highly unusual, no matter what sport or league. But that honor went to Brad Porteus in 1993 when through a strange sequence of events he became the GM of the San Jose Rhinos of Roller Hockey International (RHI). His adventure to get there is described in this fun, humorous and entertaining memoir.
Porteus was determined to land a job in sports and went through various methods to do so. Through connections, hustle and some good luck, he landed a job in the merchandise warehouse of the San Jose Sharks, who at the time were a new expansion team in the NHL. With the same work ethic and some mentoring, he became an important part of that crew. But when the Sharks left the Cow Palace, their temporary home for the first two seasons, for the new San Jose Arena and Aramark would be running the merchandise sales there, Porteus left that job.
While with the sharks, he did make one important connection - NHL Hall of Fame defenseman Doug Wilson. Wilson ended his career with the expansion Sharks and knowing Brad’s work with them (it should be noted that at the time, Sharks gear was the hottest item in the NHL), Wilson put him in touch with the ownership of the Rhinos, a new team in the second year of RHI.
Porteus’ accounts of his times with both teams, as well as his journey to get there, was just so much fun to read. The subtitle is very appropriate as there are a lot of Generation X references and the lifestyle of that time is captured very well. At the end Porteus states that there were over 50 references in the book and asks the reader if they found them all. While I can’t say I was keeping score, I certainly understood them. There were so many times I was nodding my head while reading and thinking, “Yup, I remember that” or “I can relate.” This was the case whether he was writing about his work with the two hockey teams or about his personal life.
That topic is just as interesting and entertaining for a reader as everything else in the book. His account of his trip to a Grateful Dead concert where Sting was the opening act was excellent. This coming from a reader who was certainly no Deadhead but nonetheless enjoyed reading about the experience at one of their shows. This is just one portion of the plentiful stories that have nothing to do with hockey, so it will appeal to even non-sports fans who are part of Generation X. A must read when one just wants to chill while the VCR is flashing 12:00 and need a break from reviewing the paper maps to chart out the next road trip.
I wish to thank the author for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.
Porteus was determined to land a job in sports and went through various methods to do so. Through connections, hustle and some good luck, he landed a job in the merchandise warehouse of the San Jose Sharks, who at the time were a new expansion team in the NHL. With the same work ethic and some mentoring, he became an important part of that crew. But when the Sharks left the Cow Palace, their temporary home for the first two seasons, for the new San Jose Arena and Aramark would be running the merchandise sales there, Porteus left that job.
While with the sharks, he did make one important connection - NHL Hall of Fame defenseman Doug Wilson. Wilson ended his career with the expansion Sharks and knowing Brad’s work with them (it should be noted that at the time, Sharks gear was the hottest item in the NHL), Wilson put him in touch with the ownership of the Rhinos, a new team in the second year of RHI.
Porteus’ accounts of his times with both teams, as well as his journey to get there, was just so much fun to read. The subtitle is very appropriate as there are a lot of Generation X references and the lifestyle of that time is captured very well. At the end Porteus states that there were over 50 references in the book and asks the reader if they found them all. While I can’t say I was keeping score, I certainly understood them. There were so many times I was nodding my head while reading and thinking, “Yup, I remember that” or “I can relate.” This was the case whether he was writing about his work with the two hockey teams or about his personal life.
That topic is just as interesting and entertaining for a reader as everything else in the book. His account of his trip to a Grateful Dead concert where Sting was the opening act was excellent. This coming from a reader who was certainly no Deadhead but nonetheless enjoyed reading about the experience at one of their shows. This is just one portion of the plentiful stories that have nothing to do with hockey, so it will appeal to even non-sports fans who are part of Generation X. A must read when one just wants to chill while the VCR is flashing 12:00 and need a break from reviewing the paper maps to chart out the next road trip.
I wish to thank the author for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.
March 29, 2025
I saw a substack review from allsportsbookreviews.substack.com, and thought I would give it a read. The author, Brad Proteus, got a job with the San Jose Rhinos, a professional roller hockey team. He ended up becoming the GM of the team. He was in his mid 20's, and this was the mid 90's. In his 2nd year with the Rhinos, the team won the championship, which was known as the 'Murphy Cup."
He tells the story of how he got started in sports with the San Jose Sharks hockey expansion team in 1991 and the Rhinos a few years later. Thrown in are stories from the job, stories from being a young adult in that area, and references from the 90's (which I really enjoyed as I remember a lot of them as I was 13 in 1990).
Overall, it was OK for me, and it was a quick read. It was more of, hey, I got a job for a sports team and this is what I did, and I got a championship ring.
I worked for a professional NBA franchise in Marketing and Guest Services, and I took the 1999 San Antonio Spurs championship trophy home a few times. I can easily write a book about that! Wait, I already have something written down in a draft!
He tells the story of how he got started in sports with the San Jose Sharks hockey expansion team in 1991 and the Rhinos a few years later. Thrown in are stories from the job, stories from being a young adult in that area, and references from the 90's (which I really enjoyed as I remember a lot of them as I was 13 in 1990).
Overall, it was OK for me, and it was a quick read. It was more of, hey, I got a job for a sports team and this is what I did, and I got a championship ring.
I worked for a professional NBA franchise in Marketing and Guest Services, and I took the 1999 San Antonio Spurs championship trophy home a few times. I can easily write a book about that! Wait, I already have something written down in a draft!
February 14, 2025
Roll With It serves as a heartfelt tribute to Generation X, transporting readers back to the early ‘90s.
Set in 1990, during the last years of a slacker-friendly culture before the tech revolution altered everything, 21-year-old Porteus pursues his childhood ambition of entering the sports world. In a surprising turn of events, he finds himself appointed as the General Manager of a professional hockey team in the burgeoning Roller Hockey International, feeling completely out of his element.
Although I am not a sports fan (and specifically not a hockey fan - despite being Canadian), this was an interesting read of a bit of history told by someone who was there in a simpler time - before the internet, before social media, before any trace.
Porteus writes with humour and weaves a good story about his time with the Sharks, the Rhinos and trying to navigate adulthood in the early 90s.
Set in 1990, during the last years of a slacker-friendly culture before the tech revolution altered everything, 21-year-old Porteus pursues his childhood ambition of entering the sports world. In a surprising turn of events, he finds himself appointed as the General Manager of a professional hockey team in the burgeoning Roller Hockey International, feeling completely out of his element.
Although I am not a sports fan (and specifically not a hockey fan - despite being Canadian), this was an interesting read of a bit of history told by someone who was there in a simpler time - before the internet, before social media, before any trace.
Porteus writes with humour and weaves a good story about his time with the Sharks, the Rhinos and trying to navigate adulthood in the early 90s.
February 3, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!
I didn't read much of an introduction to this book so I didn't really know what I was getting into - just blindly reading any book marked as sports.
The author runs through the details of his early career, working in marketing for the San Jose Sharks and then as general manager of a short-lived roller hockey team, the San Jose Rhinos. I had heard of this league previously but this book inspired me to watch some old videos of the league, which is pretty entertaining.
The book was short and to the point, giving a lot of fun and interesting details on running a team outside of the Big 4 sports leagues - I'd recommend this to any sports fan as it's a story you surely haven't heard before.
I didn't read much of an introduction to this book so I didn't really know what I was getting into - just blindly reading any book marked as sports.
The author runs through the details of his early career, working in marketing for the San Jose Sharks and then as general manager of a short-lived roller hockey team, the San Jose Rhinos. I had heard of this league previously but this book inspired me to watch some old videos of the league, which is pretty entertaining.
The book was short and to the point, giving a lot of fun and interesting details on running a team outside of the Big 4 sports leagues - I'd recommend this to any sports fan as it's a story you surely haven't heard before.
February 16, 2025
Gen X here. I wasn't sure what I was getting into with this book. It's the story of a guy with the extraordinary ability to turn lemons into refreshing lemonade. With a gift for self promotion and a knack for bargaining, Porteus shows how he succeeded in the back office of 2 similar sports, winging it as he went. Being a hockey fan from the State of Hockey, I loved the stories of the early days of the San Jose Sharks. What a ride it must have been! With sprinkles of 90's references, sports stories and a bit of this and that, Roll With It, was a fun read.
March 26, 2025
Roll With It is the Moneyball of roller hockey! In the early 90s, Brad Porteus got the opportunity of a lifetime: He was hired to be the General Manager of professional sports team, the San Jose Rhinos, a roller hockey team. In the book, Brad humorously recounts his two years at the helm of the Rhinos. It's a hilarious, behind-the-scenes look into the world of low-level professional sports. Plus, there's lots of 90s nostalgia. Roll With It is a lot of fun.
March 2, 2025
I am not a fan of the sport, so elements of the story didn't resonate with me. But that's a me issue. This book feels very time appropriate, has an engaging and fun (true!) story. It fun, easy, read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 12, 2025
As a Gen-Xer, I particularly enjoyed this book, but I think it will be a lot of fun for a reader of any age. Brad tells great stories with lots of good pop culture references, and it flew by (I read it in a few days and couldn't put it down). Highly recommend!
March 24, 2025
A great read about one man journey through life when he gets an unexpected jobs as a team manager. He is way out of his depth but he does what he can when he can. A wonderful read
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and was a great read
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and was a great read
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June 24, 2025Full of great humor, effortless sincerity, numerous deft cultural references, and interesting business anecdotes, Mr. Proteus’s memoir is a ROLLicking good time! (See what I did there? If so, and if you approve, there’s tons more (and better) in Roll With It, so read it!!)
March 16, 2025
Took me back to my own coming of age in the 90’s. The book I wish I had written. Plus Darren Colbourne was super hot.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews