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FreeDarko Presents: The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac: Styles, Stats, and Stars in Today's Game
The indispensible, amazingly illustrated companion to today's NBA—a roundball Rosetta Stone that hilariously decodes the trends and tendencies of pro basketball.
The NBA of the moment is a league of hugely charismatic celebrities, crackling aesthetic intrigue, sociopolitical undercurrents, and raw humanity: every Kobe Bryant pump-fake or LeBron James dunk holds within it a Shaq-size load of meaning. The Macro-Phenomenal NBA Almanac is a one-of-a-kind guide to this tumultuous and exciting league. In a series of brilliantly illustrated chapters—from Master Builders like Tim Duncan to Destiny’s Kids like Amare Stoudemire to Lost Souls like Lamar Odom—the almanac breaks down the styles of the NBA’s most colorful characters, showing what each one reveals through his play and conduct, both on the court and off. Filled with some of the smartest, funniest sportswriting known to fankind, this book will cast an entirely new light on one of our favorite games.
The NBA of the moment is a league of hugely charismatic celebrities, crackling aesthetic intrigue, sociopolitical undercurrents, and raw humanity: every Kobe Bryant pump-fake or LeBron James dunk holds within it a Shaq-size load of meaning. The Macro-Phenomenal NBA Almanac is a one-of-a-kind guide to this tumultuous and exciting league. In a series of brilliantly illustrated chapters—from Master Builders like Tim Duncan to Destiny’s Kids like Amare Stoudemire to Lost Souls like Lamar Odom—the almanac breaks down the styles of the NBA’s most colorful characters, showing what each one reveals through his play and conduct, both on the court and off. Filled with some of the smartest, funniest sportswriting known to fankind, this book will cast an entirely new light on one of our favorite games.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published November 11, 2008
20 people are currently reading
818 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
October 19, 2009
Remember back in college, when you had all those friends who were cultural theory and international culture and politics majors and, instead of going to keggers, you used to stay in to watch some god-awful Wizards team with Rip Hamilton and Mitch Richmond? What if- instead of ending the night by smoking, going to get another Burger Madness, and flipping though some Hieronymus Bosch book- you actually started to put to paper all that talk about the ethics of Manu Ginobli's existence? Maybe then you would have had to throw in the towel, go to law school, and get a real job. Maybe then you wouldn't feel like such a waste as you read this book from the Free Darko collective.
This book reminds you of everything that is awesome about the NBA: its bizarre, complex personalities; and the endless intricacies of even the most mundane mid-season game between two lottery teams. For example: how about the eerie similarity between Tim Duncan's career averages and the fibonacci sequence? Or a year-by-year comparison of Rasheed Wallace's career and the history of western philosophy from Heraclites to Richard Rorty? A statistical analysis of how great human accomplishments might have happened more quickly if they had been attempted by a collective of Leandro Barbosas?
It's a fun, intelligent, and above-all compassionate take on the NBA. And, even with my collection of cigarette-stained Hieronymus Bosch tomes, this is one of the best- and most intelligently- designed and illustrated books I own. The Tim Duncan section, for instance, is illustrated solely in grey and beige. And if I were Amare Stoudemire, I'd offer thousands of dollars for the for the original portrait of me in this book.
What else can I say? This is a really, really cool book that you'll read through in a day and then go back to browse through again and again.
This book reminds you of everything that is awesome about the NBA: its bizarre, complex personalities; and the endless intricacies of even the most mundane mid-season game between two lottery teams. For example: how about the eerie similarity between Tim Duncan's career averages and the fibonacci sequence? Or a year-by-year comparison of Rasheed Wallace's career and the history of western philosophy from Heraclites to Richard Rorty? A statistical analysis of how great human accomplishments might have happened more quickly if they had been attempted by a collective of Leandro Barbosas?
It's a fun, intelligent, and above-all compassionate take on the NBA. And, even with my collection of cigarette-stained Hieronymus Bosch tomes, this is one of the best- and most intelligently- designed and illustrated books I own. The Tim Duncan section, for instance, is illustrated solely in grey and beige. And if I were Amare Stoudemire, I'd offer thousands of dollars for the for the original portrait of me in this book.
What else can I say? This is a really, really cool book that you'll read through in a day and then go back to browse through again and again.
March 14, 2014
Resolved, I'm gonna be an NBA fan this year. With this book at my side I'll be unstoppable.
The lavish full color charts and ridiculous obsessive-compulsive stats make it well worth the purchase price. I liked when they said Tim Duncan's mind has the dull precision of a TI-83 calculator. Haha
If you like this kind of thing I highly recommend a visit to http://www.wizznutzz.com/
More hilarity cannot be had. wizznutzz 4 LIFE
The lavish full color charts and ridiculous obsessive-compulsive stats make it well worth the purchase price. I liked when they said Tim Duncan's mind has the dull precision of a TI-83 calculator. Haha
If you like this kind of thing I highly recommend a visit to http://www.wizznutzz.com/
More hilarity cannot be had. wizznutzz 4 LIFE
January 30, 2018
Concept - - 5 stars.
Execution - - 3 stars.
Total = 4 stars.
I love this kind of stuff. This is the intersection of pro sports and culture, blending the two and leaving the rest up to our imaginations. This was along the lines of Boston Sports Jesus Bill Simmons' The Book of Basketball, but not as well put together. This is a book for sports nuts. Not the people that know every statistic but the ones who ask the questions like who would be the best dinner party guests? Who would you want on your side in a street fight? Who would you have as your presidential cabinet members? To THESE types of fans, it's more than just sports. Players and teams permeate your life to the point where it may be hard to separate the two, or more likely, you don't want to. I still have my youth sized Spurs Rodman jersey. I cherish my signed Grant Hill basketball. My brother and I used to fight over who got to be MJ and who had to be Pippen when we played Nerf ball in the house. Rick Pitino gave me a t-shirt for Christmas almost 2 decades ago (really just my dad) and I am still a Louisville fan!!
This was published 10 years ago so it was a little dated but it was also so great to be able to go back to those 2000 NBA days. Plus now we know the answers to a lot of the predictions on players: Chris Paul a future hall of famer? Too easy. Ron Artest does some more weird things? ...He know legally goes by Metta World Peace. Melo the next big thing and the people's champ? I have friends that are still in his corner but I don't think his NY chapter helped him... or the Knicks. Let's just say that LeBron's path was a little different.
But if you ARE one of the aforementioned stats nerds, there are a bunch of well thought out statistics in here as well. Dunk to layup ratio's for big men by year, breaking down why Kobe's 81 might have been better than Wilt's 100 given the time and score of Kobe's game as well as the more competitive league, Gilbert's shooting percentages from WAY beyond the 3 point line compared to the traditional at the line shot, etc.
Great colorful pictures but the actual writing seemed unnecessarily wordy and was trying to do too much.
If you like deep dive 90's/00's NBA basketball, this is for you.
Execution - - 3 stars.
Total = 4 stars.
I love this kind of stuff. This is the intersection of pro sports and culture, blending the two and leaving the rest up to our imaginations. This was along the lines of Boston Sports Jesus Bill Simmons' The Book of Basketball, but not as well put together. This is a book for sports nuts. Not the people that know every statistic but the ones who ask the questions like who would be the best dinner party guests? Who would you want on your side in a street fight? Who would you have as your presidential cabinet members? To THESE types of fans, it's more than just sports. Players and teams permeate your life to the point where it may be hard to separate the two, or more likely, you don't want to. I still have my youth sized Spurs Rodman jersey. I cherish my signed Grant Hill basketball. My brother and I used to fight over who got to be MJ and who had to be Pippen when we played Nerf ball in the house. Rick Pitino gave me a t-shirt for Christmas almost 2 decades ago (really just my dad) and I am still a Louisville fan!!
This was published 10 years ago so it was a little dated but it was also so great to be able to go back to those 2000 NBA days. Plus now we know the answers to a lot of the predictions on players: Chris Paul a future hall of famer? Too easy. Ron Artest does some more weird things? ...He know legally goes by Metta World Peace. Melo the next big thing and the people's champ? I have friends that are still in his corner but I don't think his NY chapter helped him... or the Knicks. Let's just say that LeBron's path was a little different.
But if you ARE one of the aforementioned stats nerds, there are a bunch of well thought out statistics in here as well. Dunk to layup ratio's for big men by year, breaking down why Kobe's 81 might have been better than Wilt's 100 given the time and score of Kobe's game as well as the more competitive league, Gilbert's shooting percentages from WAY beyond the 3 point line compared to the traditional at the line shot, etc.
Great colorful pictures but the actual writing seemed unnecessarily wordy and was trying to do too much.
If you like deep dive 90's/00's NBA basketball, this is for you.
June 5, 2011
I was fairly amazed at how this book was written and constructed. The images were very aesthetic and it magnificently suits every player that it portrayed, especially with the humor attached to it.
The book was frank and very outspoken in a way that it channeled all its energy in shedding light at the things that go unnoticed and to an extend forgotten in a "media crazy" that is now embodied by the NBA. The book tries to recapture the glory of basketball as a game and as an art and it also tries to recover the lost glory of the NBA as the premier institution of guiding basketball talent to its fullest potential.
I am very impressed on how the writers of the book were able to use historic, pop cultural and intellectual references in every page. It greatly captures the different individual personalities and lives of the players that are mentioned in the book. It too aided in giving the reader a picture of what the description is trying to say about that particular person. And I have to admit, I also loved how humor, wit and wisdom were harmoniously merged into each and every description.
The book was frank and very outspoken in a way that it channeled all its energy in shedding light at the things that go unnoticed and to an extend forgotten in a "media crazy" that is now embodied by the NBA. The book tries to recapture the glory of basketball as a game and as an art and it also tries to recover the lost glory of the NBA as the premier institution of guiding basketball talent to its fullest potential.
I am very impressed on how the writers of the book were able to use historic, pop cultural and intellectual references in every page. It greatly captures the different individual personalities and lives of the players that are mentioned in the book. It too aided in giving the reader a picture of what the description is trying to say about that particular person. And I have to admit, I also loved how humor, wit and wisdom were harmoniously merged into each and every description.
January 6, 2009
Beautiful. Brilliant. Gorgeous. Tasty. These are all words I thought to myself as I was overwhelmed by the magnificence of the Macrophenomenal, not so much a compendium of art and philosophy as a guidebook to a land unknown to all but the most devoted NBA fan. A book like this really shatters the typical analysis of such professionals as Sports Illustrated, The Worldwide Leader, or even the insightful Sir Chas. Barkley - it shows us that for all of their analysis of minutes, ratios, percentages, and scoring plays, they have never told us a thing about the soul that drives the National Basketball Association, from which arises the courageous dedication of drive, the audacious generosity of assist, and the macrophilosophy of slam. The most beautiful, inscrutable, and satisfying book I've read all year.
February 9, 2009
Holy crap this is my kind of book! A cerebral, philosophical discussion of the modern NBA game, complete with some great art and design! This is not a discussion of the traditional fundamentals of basketball players. Some of my favorite examples include comparing Tim Duncan's career statistics to the Fibonacci sequence, Lamar Odem as a modern-day Job, and LeBron James as the future emperor of the NBA. Also includes helpful side-articles, such as choosing an appropriate jerseys for various occasions (funerals, weddings, etc.) and statistical factoids like how the more "selfish" a shot Gilbert Arenas takes, the more likely he is to make it. This is a well-written, well-designed book that's fun to read even if you don't know the the difference between a three-pointer and a point guard.
May 2, 2017
Rating - 7.4
Written w an underground, urban sort of edge which makes for a quick & interesting read; A few informational tidbits but, outside of Worldwide Wes, there is nothing revolutionary by the FreeDarko gang
Did not care much for the style pages but appreciate that there were a lot of players covered that usually do not get this type of press; The 2000 draft was most interesting (that & Lebron's manufacturing)
Written w an underground, urban sort of edge which makes for a quick & interesting read; A few informational tidbits but, outside of Worldwide Wes, there is nothing revolutionary by the FreeDarko gang
Did not care much for the style pages but appreciate that there were a lot of players covered that usually do not get this type of press; The 2000 draft was most interesting (that & Lebron's manufacturing)
May 20, 2009
Oh my god. This book gets high praise for it's novel statistics and quirky portraits, but the writing is terribly, terribly good, and extremely topical. The chapter on Gilbert Arenas is probably the best sports profile I've ever read.
August 16, 2008
What didn't I learn from this book?!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2021
Oh, boy!
November 26, 2011
My standard for this kind of book--a book that looks fairly intensely at stats and other aspects of the game to reveal and re-evaluate--is Bill James's Historical Baseball Abstracts.[return][return]The FreeDarko collective comes from the world of blogging rather than the world of numbers crunching and historical research. So, in comparison to our Jamesian benchmark, FreeDarko's books are a less insightful and revelatory, but lighter, funnier and far better illustrated. [return][return]For the contemporary basketball fan, these would be not at all bad as gifts, but I can't imagine they'd be books to take down from the shelf and revisit.[return][return]A couple of small complaints: Coming from what I always thought was a Detroit-centered blog, FreeDarko seems surprisingly to be a bit biased toward the Western Conference. Perhaps the free-flowing style of play is more in keeping with their individualistic/stylistic manifesto with which they begin their Macropehomenal Alamanac.[return][return]Also--and here my biases are revealed--there's so little in here about the Sixers. Almost nothing about their fine teams of the 70s. Nothing about the championship team of 83. Very little of interest about the rag-tag team centered on Charles Barkley in 1989, ditto the team built around Allen Iverson in 2001.[return][return]I know there were some good stories missed there (Derek Smith, for instance), which leads me to suspect that FreeDarko generally speaking may be a bit *too* dedicated to what's on the surface--style and image. After all we all know these things already, and there's not all that much joy in having richly illustrated books to remind us of what we already know. Or is there?
January 17, 2015
Excerpt from What I’ve Been Reading - November 2008
"Written in what at times seems like a constant state of hyperbole, FreeDarko’s tome is a testament to two things: the superstar as savior and the book as a work of art. First, we’re given a short assessment of some of the league’s most recognizable players, from unquestionable floor leaders like Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant to the game’s biggest cancers (think Stephon Marbury and Ron Artest.) In the middle, we’re given some of the coolest illustrations and design I’ve seen in any book.
Then, we’re treated to the stunning beauty of a well-bound and illustrated book. If McSweeney’s ever branched out and released a basketball book, this would be it. Come to think of it, it’s no coincidence that FreeDarko was a regular contributor to the McSweeney’s blog several years ago. The two go hand in hand – intelligence with an eye for beauty, looking for hidden truths in the cold confines of numbers and statistics.
Would you like a player-by-player description of the monumentally bad 2000 draft (listed in the “Cancers” section)? Would you like to see a graphic representation of how most “Euro” players aren’t really European? Would you enjoy learning to love Kobe for his drive, or suspecting LeBron for his cold, calculated way of attaining success? This isn’t your typical message board prose – this is well-thought-out, intelligently written and perfectly articulated basketball talk. The kind you would expect to see in Sports Illustrated, if that magazine had the balls to do something original once in a while."
"Written in what at times seems like a constant state of hyperbole, FreeDarko’s tome is a testament to two things: the superstar as savior and the book as a work of art. First, we’re given a short assessment of some of the league’s most recognizable players, from unquestionable floor leaders like Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant to the game’s biggest cancers (think Stephon Marbury and Ron Artest.) In the middle, we’re given some of the coolest illustrations and design I’ve seen in any book.
Then, we’re treated to the stunning beauty of a well-bound and illustrated book. If McSweeney’s ever branched out and released a basketball book, this would be it. Come to think of it, it’s no coincidence that FreeDarko was a regular contributor to the McSweeney’s blog several years ago. The two go hand in hand – intelligence with an eye for beauty, looking for hidden truths in the cold confines of numbers and statistics.
Would you like a player-by-player description of the monumentally bad 2000 draft (listed in the “Cancers” section)? Would you like to see a graphic representation of how most “Euro” players aren’t really European? Would you enjoy learning to love Kobe for his drive, or suspecting LeBron for his cold, calculated way of attaining success? This isn’t your typical message board prose – this is well-thought-out, intelligently written and perfectly articulated basketball talk. The kind you would expect to see in Sports Illustrated, if that magazine had the balls to do something original once in a while."
December 27, 2008
A randomly organized set of essays, bios, and opinion pieces by the guys who run the freedarko.com basketball analysis site. Having only recently started reading their site, I found most of this material novel and enjoyed it greatly. They combine:
(a) an interest in using nontraditional forms of data analysis to learn more about the game, in the vein of the sabermetrics movement in baseball studies initiated by Bill James in the early 80's;
(b) edgy humor and cynicism -- always a matter of taste, but I found their observations on players, refs, coaches, etc. to be funny; and
(c) remarkably good graphics and drawings -- some of these are just silly, such as a detailed guide to Amare Stoudamire's tatoos, but some are fantastically rich and informative -- page 87, for instance, brilliantly uses color variations to present coherently a boatload of data supporting their point about the versatility of Lamar Odom on a big-man-skills vs. small-man-skills dimension.
(d) non-shown-offy (at least in my reading) erudition -- a two-page analysis of how Rasheed Wallace's career has mirrored the evolution of Western philosophy was the first time I've read anything about Richard Rorty since college.
all in all, a lot of fun if you like basketball a great deal and follow the NBA (aka "the association" in their lingo) closely. If you didn't know much about the game, the writing would probably be too obscure.
(a) an interest in using nontraditional forms of data analysis to learn more about the game, in the vein of the sabermetrics movement in baseball studies initiated by Bill James in the early 80's;
(b) edgy humor and cynicism -- always a matter of taste, but I found their observations on players, refs, coaches, etc. to be funny; and
(c) remarkably good graphics and drawings -- some of these are just silly, such as a detailed guide to Amare Stoudamire's tatoos, but some are fantastically rich and informative -- page 87, for instance, brilliantly uses color variations to present coherently a boatload of data supporting their point about the versatility of Lamar Odom on a big-man-skills vs. small-man-skills dimension.
(d) non-shown-offy (at least in my reading) erudition -- a two-page analysis of how Rasheed Wallace's career has mirrored the evolution of Western philosophy was the first time I've read anything about Richard Rorty since college.
all in all, a lot of fun if you like basketball a great deal and follow the NBA (aka "the association" in their lingo) closely. If you didn't know much about the game, the writing would probably be too obscure.
August 23, 2014
5 years after purchasing this book and reading the first 30 pages, I finally got around to finishing this book...and in doing so rekindled my oft-neglected and nearly forgotten love of basketball.
Bethlehem Shoals and his somewhat auspiciously named contributors synthesize spot on graphic design, insider-ish(read: real fans) knowledge of many of the league's players both well known and those not even infamous but rather semi-obscure, and wider cultural relevance to civilizations past and present. Each section and subsection were compelling in their own right, but the added nostalgia factor really brought me joy.
The graphics are so astounding and the pages so large that it reads almost like a comic book, but the writing and concepts are at a much more elevated level. Pretty much exactly what I could expect from the man who formerly headed the Free Darko blog. I'm certainly going to check out "The Undisputed Guide to Pro Basketball History," and have discovered Bethlehem Shoals on Twitter. R.I.P. Free Darko, and here's hoping that there is somehow a posthumous updated edition of this wonderful tome.
Bethlehem Shoals and his somewhat auspiciously named contributors synthesize spot on graphic design, insider-ish(read: real fans) knowledge of many of the league's players both well known and those not even infamous but rather semi-obscure, and wider cultural relevance to civilizations past and present. Each section and subsection were compelling in their own right, but the added nostalgia factor really brought me joy.
The graphics are so astounding and the pages so large that it reads almost like a comic book, but the writing and concepts are at a much more elevated level. Pretty much exactly what I could expect from the man who formerly headed the Free Darko blog. I'm certainly going to check out "The Undisputed Guide to Pro Basketball History," and have discovered Bethlehem Shoals on Twitter. R.I.P. Free Darko, and here's hoping that there is somehow a posthumous updated edition of this wonderful tome.
April 2, 2011
Reading this 3 years after publication proved interesting. I doubt anyone would consider Carmelo Anthony a people's champion anymore, Lamar Odom no longer seems like a lost soul in LA, Gilbert Arenas has certainly moved out of Uncanny Peacocks and headed straight to Phenomenal Tumors, and Chris Paul's knees have quickly dropped him behind the Deron Williams and Derrick Rose's of the world.
That being said, this book presents a lot of information about basketball in a cool and appealing visual way. I love new and fascinating ways of representing data and this book doesn't disappoint. My highlights include the graph showing how Tmac's baby impacted his field goal percentage, how Stephon Marbury really does improve teams he leaves and negatively impact teams he joins, and the statistical value of Lamar Odom. The takedown of the 2000 draft was also enjoyable and the glossary at the end was laugh out loud funny.
Overall an enjoyable book for any NBA fan, albeit a bit dated in 2011.
That being said, this book presents a lot of information about basketball in a cool and appealing visual way. I love new and fascinating ways of representing data and this book doesn't disappoint. My highlights include the graph showing how Tmac's baby impacted his field goal percentage, how Stephon Marbury really does improve teams he leaves and negatively impact teams he joins, and the statistical value of Lamar Odom. The takedown of the 2000 draft was also enjoyable and the glossary at the end was laugh out loud funny.
Overall an enjoyable book for any NBA fan, albeit a bit dated in 2011.
January 10, 2013
This book came out in 2008. It seemed a little outdated already to read it in 2012. For instance this book came out just before the Seattle Supersonics came to become the Oklahoma City Thunder. So most of what I now know and love about basketball, which has been forever changed by this historic acquisition, has been directly influenced by the success of Kevin Durant and his merry band of heroes. This book has nothing to say about KD, rather it goes on about Gilbert Arenas. A man who shortly after the publication of this book brandishes a firearm in the locker room and then later makes light of it on the court using hand gestures and subsequently gets suspended by the evil Stern and later traded off to waste his talents in China. For the specific moment in time in which the book came out though, I will say it is relevant. I used it to brush up a bit more on new/old favorites such as Rasheed Wallace and Kevin Garnett. If you get this book I highly recommend skipping around, reading about the players who you are still interested in since 2008. And skip the rest.
January 17, 2009
For an amateur entering the world of basketball, this book was a great introduction to the current status of the nebulous NBA. I remember the great 1991 finals between the Bulls and the Lakers(Michael Jordan vs. Magic Johnson), but that had been my only informal introduction to the world of professional basketball. Fast forward 17 years, and here I am rediscovering the 10-year-old inside of me by attending Blazers games and managing a fantasy basketball team.
The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac is highly recommended to any fan. Whether you are a Johnny-come-lately or a dedicated sports-page-reader, get this book.
Thank you, Michael Brooks, and I will make sure this copy finds you at the Fresh Pot soon.
The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac is highly recommended to any fan. Whether you are a Johnny-come-lately or a dedicated sports-page-reader, get this book.
Thank you, Michael Brooks, and I will make sure this copy finds you at the Fresh Pot soon.
August 4, 2009
Finally, the NBA gets the obsessive and inspired analysis it deserves (my regards to Bill Walton). While all the profiles make their cases, I have to disagree with a few assessments. To wit: Freedarko has a case of very thinly veiled Kobe Love and the nerve to call him a "smarter" Michael Jordan. An insufferable MJ or a taller Isiah Thomas, maybe. Less damningly, the LeBron profile could've dug around the veneer a little bit to reveal something more trenchant than the Ode to Warrior Businessbot they came up with.
However, I only say these things because I loved the book. It's remarkably astute and playful. Plus, Sheed gets his long overdue notice as people's champ and world-class cutup.
However, I only say these things because I loved the book. It's remarkably astute and playful. Plus, Sheed gets his long overdue notice as people's champ and world-class cutup.
February 12, 2014
The aesthetics of basketball, for the intellectually inclined. The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac is definitely among my five favorite books ever written on basketball, and I've read hundreds of books on basketball.
The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac is the perfect companion to the FreeDarko Collective's sophomore effort, FreeDarko Presents: The Undisputed Guide to Pro Basketball History (which, to my mind, is also a top-five ever hoops book).
Buy both books. They're worth every penny, even if you're only interested in the fantastic original illustrations by artist Jacob Weinstein.
The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac is the perfect companion to the FreeDarko Collective's sophomore effort, FreeDarko Presents: The Undisputed Guide to Pro Basketball History (which, to my mind, is also a top-five ever hoops book).
Buy both books. They're worth every penny, even if you're only interested in the fantastic original illustrations by artist Jacob Weinstein.
December 30, 2008
Best book about basketball (or anything else) this entire year. Thank God for the Internet or we would never see things like this book, which is by the basketbloggers from FreeDarko.com. How would they have pitched it to a publisher? "Hi, we're a bunch of nerdy Jewish philosophy grads who want to write a giant metaphysical essay on Lamar Odom accompanied by stylized illustrations of NBA players dressed as ancient mythological figures. How much can you give us up front?"
February 27, 2009
Everything about this book is super good and I think that, on many levels, even non-basketball fans would enjoy parts of it.
First off, the graphics and layout is awesome. Somehow both accessible and a little overwhelming. The writing is really top notch--smart and funny w/o being show-offy. And last but not least, some of the stats and charts are unbelievable and often mind-blowing. I don't even look at their blog much, but I have to say this: Freedarko rules.
www.freedarko.com
First off, the graphics and layout is awesome. Somehow both accessible and a little overwhelming. The writing is really top notch--smart and funny w/o being show-offy. And last but not least, some of the stats and charts are unbelievable and often mind-blowing. I don't even look at their blog much, but I have to say this: Freedarko rules.
www.freedarko.com
January 3, 2010
The analysis is featherweight, but the illustrations are quite impressive (and more than a bit indebted to the groundbreaking work of cartoonist Chris Ware). So style matters in basketball, huh? Well no shit. So you can reference Martin Buber and the Aztec calendar? Ooh, how clever. I'm just glad it took me less than 1.5 hours to read The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac (what a title!). My father should have saved his eighteen bucks.
November 28, 2010
Fascinating look at some of the NBA's most notable and most interesting personalities. The FreeDarko guys do a good job coming up with some interesting statistical analyses to back up their characterizations of players. Unfortunately, I missed the chance to get my book signed but definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys the NBA. The illustration and "Style Guides" are very... um, stylish and unique.
August 7, 2011
If there is one thing this book fails at delivering, it is that it didn't give enough material. Sure, the illustrations and infographics were well thought of and creatively presented. But if you're a sabermetrics expert writing for a bunch of hoop junkies looking to devour as much hoop stats as possible, you know you need to deliver a banquet and not ala carte. And for this one, I felt I only had slim pickings.
January 7, 2009
Fantastic illustrations, excellent writing, and some incredibly clever data analysis make this book lots of fun to read. Despite the fact that I don't really buy into the "basketball as individual" mantra in my own fandom, I still found this book a wonderful read and recommend it for any fan of the NBA or even the college game.
February 1, 2009
This book is possibly my single most favorite possession, it's the perfect blend of nerd and basketball. They fit Tim Duncan's career averages to the Fibonacci Sequence (graphically)! "Garnett's leap was viewed incredulously, like a baby constructing a refrigerator."
I am in love with this book. I pray for a sequel.
I am in love with this book. I pray for a sequel.
April 20, 2009
This is the greatest writing on sports, perhaps short of Terry Pluto, Chuck Klosterman, or Hunter S Thompson. The writing is clever and insightful, although the editting is sub-par (There were a lot of typos missed). I have a new found appreciation for Tim Duncan, and Gilbert Arenas wrote the foreword.
June 26, 2009
Beautifully designed, engaging and inventive look at NBA athletes in their cultural context. Too few sportswriters seem to be able to grasp what various athletes mean.
The illustrations and the not just un- but anti-orthodox statistical analysis would make this a worthwhile read on their own. The writing is icing. Delicious icing.
The illustrations and the not just un- but anti-orthodox statistical analysis would make this a worthwhile read on their own. The writing is icing. Delicious icing.
July 7, 2009
Wholeheartedly recommended. I read this book (in about two hours) because of its tongue-in-cheek use of graphical tools, but in doing so was wholly persuaded by FreeDarko's new paradigm of NBA basketball fandom. I've long been unable to transfer my devotion to college hoops to the pros, and now have both a better understanding of why and an new way to appreciate NBA ball.
September 10, 2011
This book re-ignited my interest in basketball, which had been collecting dust since David Robinson retired. A breeze to read and with lots of cool graphics, the sports book for the non-sports fan who is likes smart sports books. Or, conversely, the non-sports book for the sports fan who likes smart non-sports books.
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