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Comeback Kids #4
Two-Minute Drill
#1 New York Times bestseller Mike Lupica pays tribute to the underdog in his Comeback Kids series for young middle-grade readers
Chris Conlan is the coolest kid in sixth grade–the golden-armed quarterback of the football team, and the boy all the others look up to. Scott Parry is the new kid, the boy with the huge brain, but with feet that trip over themselves daily. These two boys may seem like an odd couple, but each has a secret that draws them together as friends, and proves that the will to succeed is even more important than raw talent. Mike Lupica scores from downtown with his Comeback Kids series.
Praise for the Comeback Kids:
“Lupica portrays the action clearly and vividly, with a real sense of the excitement and unpredictable nature of the games. These are worthy additions to collections seeking to draw in middle-grade boys with an enthusiasm for athletics.” –School Library Journal
“These should score big with middle-graders looking for alternatives to Matt Christopher's titles.” –Publisher’s Weekly
“This title is a good choice for reluctant readers with a background in baseball.” –School Library Journal
Chris Conlan is the coolest kid in sixth grade–the golden-armed quarterback of the football team, and the boy all the others look up to. Scott Parry is the new kid, the boy with the huge brain, but with feet that trip over themselves daily. These two boys may seem like an odd couple, but each has a secret that draws them together as friends, and proves that the will to succeed is even more important than raw talent. Mike Lupica scores from downtown with his Comeback Kids series.
Praise for the Comeback Kids:
“Lupica portrays the action clearly and vividly, with a real sense of the excitement and unpredictable nature of the games. These are worthy additions to collections seeking to draw in middle-grade boys with an enthusiasm for athletics.” –School Library Journal
“These should score big with middle-graders looking for alternatives to Matt Christopher's titles.” –Publisher’s Weekly
“This title is a good choice for reluctant readers with a background in baseball.” –School Library Journal
192 pages, Hardcover
First published September 20, 2007
186 people are currently reading
856 people want to read
About the author
Mike Lupica
111 books1,215 followersMichael Lupica is an author and American newspaper columnist, best known for his provocative commentary on sports in the New York Daily News and his appearances on ESPN.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
May 5, 2015
I read the book, "Comeback Kids, Two-Minute Drill." I very much liked this book and wanted to keep reading it. I liked everything about this book and how he had to face many struggles through out this book. It is by far one of my favorite sports books that I have read. The way that this book started all the way to the end was very good.
This book started off when Scott went to a new school and was thinking about joining the football team. He decided that he wanted to join so he did. He was not very good and never got to play in games. Scott's dad did not like that he never got to play in games. Scott helped his best friend Chris, who had dyslexia, in school because he was one of the best players on the team. Scott got mad at one practice and tackled Donavan, He was another really good player. They made it to the championship game and were losing 2-0. Scott kicked a field goal and won the game for his team and everyone was happy again.
I would recommend this great book to all males from the age of 6 to 26. I feel that people that age could really relate to Scott and the challenges that he faced in this book.
This book started off when Scott went to a new school and was thinking about joining the football team. He decided that he wanted to join so he did. He was not very good and never got to play in games. Scott's dad did not like that he never got to play in games. Scott helped his best friend Chris, who had dyslexia, in school because he was one of the best players on the team. Scott got mad at one practice and tackled Donavan, He was another really good player. They made it to the championship game and were losing 2-0. Scott kicked a field goal and won the game for his team and everyone was happy again.
I would recommend this great book to all males from the age of 6 to 26. I feel that people that age could really relate to Scott and the challenges that he faced in this book.
February 5, 2018
This book is an ok book. It was pretty interesting on how he overcame his fear and how you should not be judged. All of these kids thought this kid had no chance making it and now he's the STAR QB. This book is for you if your a person who likes surprises and big changes.
February 7, 2017
Goodreads Review
Personal Response(In your own words)
This was a good book, because there was a lot of action. I like how Chris thinks he can not play football, and thinks he sucks at it. Instead he is actually really good at kicking, and nobody knew. Nobody ever knew, because he never really showed it, and was shy to.
Plot(Events that take place)
There is a kid named Scott that moved to a new town, and started getting bullied by a kid named Jimmy. He took Scott's picture of his dog and would not give it back. Chris Conlan saw this and made Jimmy give Scott's picture back. After this Chris came over to Scott's house and they threw football around. Scott could hardly catch a ball. Then when Scott thought Chris was gone he kicked a field goal. Chris said he should go out for football, and be the kicker. Except Scott said he did not want to go out for football, because he is not good at football. Chris asked if he just thought that a kicker is not really part of the team. Scott said no, and he eventually went out for football. He made it through tryouts, and was basically the worst player on the whole team. He never got to play in the games, and barely made a play during practice. Then Chris said that if he did not pass the english test, he will not play football anymore. So Scott said he would help him study everyday, and Chris said he would help him become a better football player. So Chris and Scott went and asked Chris’s mom to see if that will be ok. She said ok, so Chris and Scott started studying. They studied everyday before practice. Chris passed the test, so he could play football. Scott tried to tackle Jimmy but he accidently tripped him. The next day, everybody wondered why Scott was still on the team. The next practice he got tackled really hard and could hardly walk. His dad was there and came over to him, and told the coach to go talk to his son. Then Scott and his dad went to the hospital. The doctor, said he would not be able to play in the last regular game of the season. They won the game, even without Scott. An hour before the championship game, Chris came over to Scott’s house, and they went out to Parry field. Chris said that we are going to play in this game. So Scott got his uniform on and went to the game. Scott did not get in the game until the end. Scott made the game winning kick, and everybody was talking about it at school.
The recommendation(The age, gender, etc)Why?
I recommend this book to both gender, because I know a lot of girls who like football. I also recommend it to 10+, because it is not that hard of a read and the words are not that hard in the book.
Personal Response(In your own words)
This was a good book, because there was a lot of action. I like how Chris thinks he can not play football, and thinks he sucks at it. Instead he is actually really good at kicking, and nobody knew. Nobody ever knew, because he never really showed it, and was shy to.
Plot(Events that take place)
There is a kid named Scott that moved to a new town, and started getting bullied by a kid named Jimmy. He took Scott's picture of his dog and would not give it back. Chris Conlan saw this and made Jimmy give Scott's picture back. After this Chris came over to Scott's house and they threw football around. Scott could hardly catch a ball. Then when Scott thought Chris was gone he kicked a field goal. Chris said he should go out for football, and be the kicker. Except Scott said he did not want to go out for football, because he is not good at football. Chris asked if he just thought that a kicker is not really part of the team. Scott said no, and he eventually went out for football. He made it through tryouts, and was basically the worst player on the whole team. He never got to play in the games, and barely made a play during practice. Then Chris said that if he did not pass the english test, he will not play football anymore. So Scott said he would help him study everyday, and Chris said he would help him become a better football player. So Chris and Scott went and asked Chris’s mom to see if that will be ok. She said ok, so Chris and Scott started studying. They studied everyday before practice. Chris passed the test, so he could play football. Scott tried to tackle Jimmy but he accidently tripped him. The next day, everybody wondered why Scott was still on the team. The next practice he got tackled really hard and could hardly walk. His dad was there and came over to him, and told the coach to go talk to his son. Then Scott and his dad went to the hospital. The doctor, said he would not be able to play in the last regular game of the season. They won the game, even without Scott. An hour before the championship game, Chris came over to Scott’s house, and they went out to Parry field. Chris said that we are going to play in this game. So Scott got his uniform on and went to the game. Scott did not get in the game until the end. Scott made the game winning kick, and everybody was talking about it at school.
The recommendation(The age, gender, etc)Why?
I recommend this book to both gender, because I know a lot of girls who like football. I also recommend it to 10+, because it is not that hard of a read and the words are not that hard in the book.
October 28, 2015
Personal response-
Two-Minute Drill by Mike Lupica was an inspirational book for me. It refreshes the lesson to me which says being good at something won’t get you everywhere. It’s having passion in something, loving it, working hard at it, and just giving the best effort that counts. If the reader doesn’t have that attitude then then there is no point in trying to do something. If the reader does they won’t give up on their dreams just because other people aren't respectful or care about how good the person is. I think that everyone should take on Scott’s attitude and be a champion from the heart and not physical talent (things a person is able to do). That’s the reason why it was inspiring/refreshing to me.
Plot-
The plot of Two-Minute Drill by Mike Lupica follows the life of a boy(Scott) who is singled out for being a nerd and not having much football, or athletic, talent. He at first has no friends but soon finds Chris Conlan, who befriends him and sticks up for him when he gets into tight situations. Soon after, Scott finds that even though Chris is a natural athlete, he’s not a whizz in the classroom. The two work together to improve Scott’s football ability and Chris’s performance in the classroom so they both can stay on the football team. Despite all the work Scott puts into football he still doesn’t drastically improve and plays little to none. Chris actually excels in the classroom and improves his academics. Eventually football season comes and both of them are allowed to go out for and stay on the team. The season continues with win after win guided by Chris Conlan. Finally Scott's time to shine comes in the last game of the season, the league championship. He comes to the rescue, kicking the winning field goal, and is credited as a hero to the football game. Now Scott has friends, fits in, and has a claim to fame in football. His dreams have finally come true and that’s where the book trails off.
Recommendation-
I would recommend this book to any boy age 12 and up. It is very sports oriented and that is what boys tend to like. The book has a catchy storyline that grabs your attention and makes you want to keep reading on and on. Even though the book isn’t extremely long it’s quite interesting because of the point of view explained in its many events. These include fights between friends, and themes like popularity vs. non popularity. I think anyone above the age of 12 has enough knowledge of football to understand the book and enjoy reading it.
December 10, 2010
Well there is this kid named John. He has a foot ball field in his back yard and he loves kicking field goals. Then he meets a friend named Chris. then they try out for a football team .they make it they go undefeated then they reach the championship .then they have fourth down at the end o the game they have to kick it and john nails it .
I think the book was good book because it had good point. Because it’s about a kid who gets bullied. Then he did a tryout and for a team and makes it. But the whole season he is forgotten about. But at the end he became a hero.
I would rate the book 4 out of 5 stars because it had my favorite sport and it had good character description. Because it tells you a ton about john like. He loves football and he is personal about stuff like when he was getting bullied he dropped a
Picture of his dog the guy threatened to rip it but he said ‘give it back I don’t want you looking at that’ so he is a little personal about his stuff
I didn’t like that it had a lot of repeated stuff like they went to his back yard every day and it gets boring. So it’s basically just a practice and they almost repeat it every chapter so it get s a little boring. But overall it was a great book.
I would recommend this book to people who love the sport football and that love a great ending. I would compare this book to a book called football nightmare by matt Christopher because the kid in football nightmare starts out as a good player but in the championship game he drops the winning catch so at the end he comes back and becomes a superstar but in comeback kids he joins the team he doesn’t get any playing time then he becomes the hero in the fourth quarter with like ten seconds to go and they have to kick for the win and he kicks a drop kick and he nails It and becomes the hero they carry him of the field and celebrate so they win the game and he becomes a winner. so it is a little bit the same so I think they are similar so both great book.
January 21, 2015
I read the book "Two-Minute Drill" by Mike Lupica. This book kept me wanting to read. I enjoyed this book from start to finish. There was not a dull moment in the book where there was not something going on.
This book is about a young boy name Scott Parry. He is the new kid in town and is not very athletic at all. What he lacks in size and strength, he makes up for with his brain. He is by far the smartest kid in his class. He feels as if he will go through another year all alone when something happens that changes everything. The coolest kid in school, Chris Conlan, stands up for him when he is being bullied by Jimmy Dolan. That is the last thing Scott expects to happen. Scott and Chris start to hang out more and more as time progresses and they become best friends. Scott helps Chris get better in school and Chris helps Scott get better on the football field.
Scott Parry is the main character of this book. He becomes friends with the star quarterback and joins the football team. Chris Conlan is the other main character. He is the star quarterback and helps Scott get batter at football. Jimmy Dolan is another important character. He is the bully that sparks the friendship between Chris and Scott.
This book takes place in modern time in Bloomfield. Most of the book takes place at either Bloomfield South Middle School, Scott Parry's house, or Chris Conlan's house. I believe it takes place in modern time due to the fact that the way the story is told. Also the conflicts are similar to those of modern conflicts.
The main theme of this book is to never give up, or to finish what you started. This theme is portrayed in two ways in the book. One way is when Scott helps Chris with his homework so he passes his test. Another way it is portrayed is when Scott wants to quit the football team but decides not to.
I would recommend this book to anyone that's 12 years of age or older. I would recommend this book because it has an easy to follow storyline and a simple vocabulary. I rate this book as a four out of five stars.
This book is about a young boy name Scott Parry. He is the new kid in town and is not very athletic at all. What he lacks in size and strength, he makes up for with his brain. He is by far the smartest kid in his class. He feels as if he will go through another year all alone when something happens that changes everything. The coolest kid in school, Chris Conlan, stands up for him when he is being bullied by Jimmy Dolan. That is the last thing Scott expects to happen. Scott and Chris start to hang out more and more as time progresses and they become best friends. Scott helps Chris get better in school and Chris helps Scott get better on the football field.
Scott Parry is the main character of this book. He becomes friends with the star quarterback and joins the football team. Chris Conlan is the other main character. He is the star quarterback and helps Scott get batter at football. Jimmy Dolan is another important character. He is the bully that sparks the friendship between Chris and Scott.
This book takes place in modern time in Bloomfield. Most of the book takes place at either Bloomfield South Middle School, Scott Parry's house, or Chris Conlan's house. I believe it takes place in modern time due to the fact that the way the story is told. Also the conflicts are similar to those of modern conflicts.
The main theme of this book is to never give up, or to finish what you started. This theme is portrayed in two ways in the book. One way is when Scott helps Chris with his homework so he passes his test. Another way it is portrayed is when Scott wants to quit the football team but decides not to.
I would recommend this book to anyone that's 12 years of age or older. I would recommend this book because it has an easy to follow storyline and a simple vocabulary. I rate this book as a four out of five stars.
May 20, 2015
I read the book "Two-Minute Drill" by Mike Lupica. Mike Lupica used great details and made me feel like I was in Scott’s shoes. I enjoyed this book from start to finish. I liked everything about this book and how Scott had to face many struggles throughout the story.
This book started off when Scott went to a new school and was thinking about joining the football team. Chris Conlan, the best football player in the school, convinced Scott to join the football team. He was not very good and never got to play in games. Scott’s only talent was kicking field goals. One day in practice, Scott got mad and tackled Donovan. Donovan was one of the team's best players. They made it to the championship game and were losing 2-0. Scott kicked a field goal and won the game for his team. Scott was considered the hero.
Scott Parry is the main character of this book. He became friends with the star quarterback of the football team. Chris Conlan is the other main character. He is the star quarterback of the football team and helps Scott get better at football. Jimmy Dolan is another important character. Jimmy is the school bully. If it was not for Jimmy, Scott and Chris probably would not have become friends.
This book takes place in modern time in Bloomfield. Most of the book takes place at Bloomfield South Middle School, Scott Parry's house, and Chris Conlan's house. I believe it takes place in modern time, because it involves middle school football. Scott also has many modern day problems.
I would recommend this book to boys ten years or older. This is a great book for boys ten and up, because it involves joining the football team. This book is also easy to read.
December 17, 2018
Two-Minute Drill by Mike Lupica is about a middle school kid named Scott Parry. Scott was the smartest kid in the class but he often got picked on for it. He was always the teachers pet even when he tried not to be. Over all of this he had a love for football even though he was very bad at it. Until he made friends with the quarterback Chris Conlan who had dyslexia and struggled with school. The two became friends while Scott tutored Chris and Chris would help Scott with football. This continued until Chris found out Scotts secret skill, he could kick field goals like no other and the team was in desperate need for a kicker. What I liked about this book was how the smart nonathletic kid became friends with the not so smart sporty kid and they complimented each other well. My favorite character was Scott because he got picked on for being himself and that was me at one point until I found some good friends that are my day ones now. The characters felt very real to me because it was a classic middle school setting where the smart kid gets picked on and the athletic one got all the praise. There was not anything major that I disliked about the book because it felt very real and I enjoyed how it played out. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys books about sports and that have a lot of sport related tension building up to the ending passage.
October 5, 2018
The book Two-Minute Drill is a realistic fiction book by Mike Lupica. The book has 180 pages in it. In the book the new kid, Scott, Who is very smart, joins the football team. The star quarterback, Chris, has a secret that if someone finds out, he will be off the football team. They have to work together to achieve each other’s goals. My favorite part in the book was when Chris stands up for Scott against the school bullies. This was my favorite part in the book because it showed that you don’t always have to be on the same side of things as your teammates in sports at school.
Some of the problems that Scott and Chris face is that Scott isn’t great at football. Chris has to help Scott a lot so he can stay on the team. This is not the best for Chris because he needs help for school. My favorite character in the book is Chris. Chris is my favorite character because I can relate to him. Similar to me he loves to play sports but we have some differences in that he loves football and I love hockey. If you love sports then I would recommend this book to you. I recommend it because it is a great story about sports and friendship between a new kid and the most popular kid at school.
Some of the problems that Scott and Chris face is that Scott isn’t great at football. Chris has to help Scott a lot so he can stay on the team. This is not the best for Chris because he needs help for school. My favorite character in the book is Chris. Chris is my favorite character because I can relate to him. Similar to me he loves to play sports but we have some differences in that he loves football and I love hockey. If you love sports then I would recommend this book to you. I recommend it because it is a great story about sports and friendship between a new kid and the most popular kid at school.
November 6, 2017
Scott was the new kid in school. It has always been hard for him to fit in at school. Sometimes he wishes he was not such a brain and more of an athlete. HE wishes he was more like Chris- the most popular kid in school and the starting quarterback for the Eagles. Scott ends up becoming best friends with Chris and Chris encourages Scott to join the football team. But there was one kid that terrorized Scott when he joined the football team and that kid was Jimmy Dolan. I compare this book to the Underdogs by Mike Lupica. Both are football books and both end up being really good books that i enjoyed. I recommend this book to anybody that likes sport books
December 14, 2012
Two-Minute Drill was a good book. In the book a boy named Scott loved football, he wasn’t good at it; Scott was smart when it comes to school. Another boy named Chris that played football was really good, but had dyslexia. There was also a bully named Jimmy Dolan that didn’t like Scott. During the book Scott had to help Chris with school, so Chris can still play football. Then Chris would help Scott with football. The only confusing part about the book is the words they used like straight-arm for stiff arm, and dropkick for punts or field goals.
November 9, 2015
GREAT BOOK.LOVE THAT THIS KID,SCOOT,HOW DOESN'T GIVE UP ON WHAT HE WANTS TO DO,AND THAT IS PLAY FOOTBALL.THE ENDING IS THE BEST PART BECAUSE HE DOES A DROP KICK TO WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP. COOL THAT HE HELPS OUT HIS BEST FRIEND,CHRIS CONLAN,ON A TEST BECAUSE HE HAS DYSLEXIA.WHAT'S ALSO COOL IS SCOOT HELPS CHRIS ON SCHOOL AND CHRIS HELPS SCOOT ON FOOTBALL.I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO PEOPLE WHO LIKE SPORTS.ONE OF THE COOLEST SPORTS BOOKS I EVER READ.
April 8, 2010
I can really relate to scott in this book I am new at foot ball but i have not gone in yet. The book was good scott had a hidden talent that he could kick and in the end the QB gets injured and they kick a feild goal and win the championship.
I really liked the book and think that i will check out more books by this author
I really liked the book and think that i will check out more books by this author
March 23, 2011
I loved this book it is all about football. It is all about a boy named scott and scott is an extrely smart. He joins the football team and everyone is amazed that this "nerd" is on the team, but they dont know about scotts speed. The star quarterback is nice to scott and he also has a hidden secrate. This secrate could get him taken off the team. You have to read the book to find out.
January 5, 2015
I liked how there was lots of action in the book, especially when they were playing football. There were some secrets in some parts of the book - like when Scott was really good at - whoops, you should read the book yourself!
September 18, 2017
I really liked it because I could relate to the book and I really liked the story and the end of the book.
March 12, 2018
This book keeps you on your toes and makes you keep reading.
December 19, 2019
How does Mike Lupica do it? How does he create heartachingly endearing, believably flawed characters every time he writes a new novel, kid protagonists one can't help but love by the last page? Mike Lupica isn't just "money" when it comes to writing wonderful young characters: he's "cash money", to borrow a line from Scott Parry's father in Two-Minute Drill. Whether they're sports stories for older kids such as Heat, The Big Field, and The Underdogs, or elementary schoolers like the Comeback Kids series, Mike Lupica's characterizations are spot-on, providing readers ample reason to pick up more of his books and reengage in the same degree of poignant emotion with a compelling cast of fresh new characters. In Two-Minute Drill, Scott Parry is the author's latest triumph, an undersized but bright eleven-year-old whose physical coordination can't match his passion for football. Scott's dad played college ball alongside exemplary quarterback Doug Flutie at Boston College, and he's passed his love of the sport on to Scott, who's stoked when his dad builds him his own scaled-down football field near their new house when the family moves before the school year. Scott tosses the football around with his dad or his dog Casey for hours at the field built just for him. He can even practice kicking here, without a doubt his specialty on the gridiron, knocking kick after kick convincingly through the uprights with rare consistency for a kid his age. Scott doesn't have reliable hands as a receiver, his throwing arm isn't much to speak of, and his footspeed rates low in any group of his peers, but when the pigskin meets his cleated foot it's a different story. Scott the mediocre athlete becomes Scott the solid kicker, a niche performer wondering whether he could kick with that much conviction if he ever made it onto a football team. In this his sixth-grade school year, he may find his answer.
Scott's shyness prevents him from pressing the action to win friends at his new school, but soon he has the attention of two polar opposites: Chris Conlan, standout quarterback of the local junior football team and dog lover like Scott, and Jimmy Dolan, the physically imposing, athletically gifted son of the team's coach with a mean streak he satisfies by picking on Scott. The unfriendly teasing might have increased if not for Chris drawing a line in the sand, sticking up for Scott and making it clear he wanted to be friends. When Chris sees the field Scott's dad built for him and observes Scott's enthusiasm for the game, he talks him into trying out for the team. Coach Dolan has a no-cut policy, so Scott has already clinched a spot on the roster. Why not give it a whirl and see how far their team can go? With Chris manning the helm at quarterback, Jimmy Dolan catching balls and plowing through defenders to score touchdowns in bunches, and other speedy, hard-hitting stars lining up on offense and defense, the Eagles have a shot at taking the league championship this season.
"It's what you do in sports, whether you're the star of the team or somebody at the end of the bench...You keep trying."
—Two-Minute Drill, P. 18
Scott's lack of athletic talent isn't suddenly going to change because he wants it to, and wearing the Eagles uniform is no guarantee of playing time once the regular season gets underway. Scott wishes he could get into the fray when the plays count, making tackles, snagging passes, juking defenders to pull points out of thin air to the appreciation of adoring crowds, but most of his season will be spent on the sideline, cheering for Chris to make primetime plays and deliver in clutch situations. Scott isn't aware that Chris has a problem which goes deeper than his own two left feet: he struggles academically, especially at reading. School is where Scott shines brightest, acing tests and wowing teachers like Chris impresses fans on the football field, and he wonders if he can help Chris get his ship righted. If Chris can't bring up his grades rapidly, he'll have to drop football to focus on improving his academic scores, and that would be a devastating blow to the team. Can Scott figure out how to raise Chris's aptitude in the subjects that threaten to keep him from throwing touchdowns for the Eagles?
"You don't always get to pick the things you're best at."
—Two-Minute Drill, P. 63
The boys each hit roadblocks to success as the season progresses. Chris won't ever be a whiz kid like Scott, and Scott can't seem to get his big break in practice to convince Coach Dolan he's worth putting in for a series or two in action against other teams. The wins mount quickly for the Eagles, their superior athletes steamrolling the opposition as the schedule dwindles, but Scott hasn't played a single minute. Worse, Jimmy Dolan still berates him whenever the coach isn't paying attention. He takes pleasure in telling Scott he's a klutzy scrub who isn't a real member of the team. No one likes him except Chris, Jimmy says, so why go to the trouble of showing up for games and practice to watch others have all the fun? Scott is tempted to quit a few times, but Chris is his friend and they enjoy sharing the success of their team, and neither of them wants to give Jimmy the power to ruin that. The negative energy from the coach's son intensifies near the end of the six-game regular season when an innocent accident lands Jimmy on Injured Reserve, but Scott has only wanted from the beginning to suit up and play the game he loves with his best friend, forgetting all the drama just to feel the cool wind whistle in his ears as he gains momentum on a touchdown run, or the jolt of a tackle when he squares up the ballcarrier and brings him to the turf to end a play. Football and his friendship with Chris are now a package deal for Scott, and as much as he believed it before the season started, he feels the lesson that much more deeply being part of a team for the first time in his life. The rush of athletic accomplishment is short-lived yet indescribably sweet for the vanquished as well as the victor, the "money" talent and the benchwarmers, and sometimes a moment comes around that flips the paradigm for one game or even one play, then lives on in the unlikely hero's memory forever as the representative image of why he loves the sport, the perfect picture of what competitive athletics can mean to us for a lifetime because of a single moment on the field. The possibility of moments like that is why Scott loves football, and why fans of the game worldwide feel the same way.
I adore Scott Parry; he's most of the reason I liked Two-Minute Drill so much. Mike Lupica plots the sports action deftly as usual, the drama of the non-sports parts is authentically conveyed, and the narrative reads as smoothly and crisply as a fifty-yard pass from Sonny Jurgensen, but the book earned its place in my heart because I found Scott so disarmingly dear. The rewards of friendship feel sweeter for sharing them with characters like Scott and Chris, who won't bail on a good relationship when the road turns a little treacherous. They are each other's reward for sticking it out through some rough times, and they're also the reader's reward. I can hardly imagine a better one. I give Two-Minute Drill two and a half stars, and my continued praise to Mike Lupica as one of the best writers of the genre. His stories are always a pleasure to read.
Scott's shyness prevents him from pressing the action to win friends at his new school, but soon he has the attention of two polar opposites: Chris Conlan, standout quarterback of the local junior football team and dog lover like Scott, and Jimmy Dolan, the physically imposing, athletically gifted son of the team's coach with a mean streak he satisfies by picking on Scott. The unfriendly teasing might have increased if not for Chris drawing a line in the sand, sticking up for Scott and making it clear he wanted to be friends. When Chris sees the field Scott's dad built for him and observes Scott's enthusiasm for the game, he talks him into trying out for the team. Coach Dolan has a no-cut policy, so Scott has already clinched a spot on the roster. Why not give it a whirl and see how far their team can go? With Chris manning the helm at quarterback, Jimmy Dolan catching balls and plowing through defenders to score touchdowns in bunches, and other speedy, hard-hitting stars lining up on offense and defense, the Eagles have a shot at taking the league championship this season.
"It's what you do in sports, whether you're the star of the team or somebody at the end of the bench...You keep trying."
—Two-Minute Drill, P. 18
Scott's lack of athletic talent isn't suddenly going to change because he wants it to, and wearing the Eagles uniform is no guarantee of playing time once the regular season gets underway. Scott wishes he could get into the fray when the plays count, making tackles, snagging passes, juking defenders to pull points out of thin air to the appreciation of adoring crowds, but most of his season will be spent on the sideline, cheering for Chris to make primetime plays and deliver in clutch situations. Scott isn't aware that Chris has a problem which goes deeper than his own two left feet: he struggles academically, especially at reading. School is where Scott shines brightest, acing tests and wowing teachers like Chris impresses fans on the football field, and he wonders if he can help Chris get his ship righted. If Chris can't bring up his grades rapidly, he'll have to drop football to focus on improving his academic scores, and that would be a devastating blow to the team. Can Scott figure out how to raise Chris's aptitude in the subjects that threaten to keep him from throwing touchdowns for the Eagles?
"You don't always get to pick the things you're best at."
—Two-Minute Drill, P. 63
The boys each hit roadblocks to success as the season progresses. Chris won't ever be a whiz kid like Scott, and Scott can't seem to get his big break in practice to convince Coach Dolan he's worth putting in for a series or two in action against other teams. The wins mount quickly for the Eagles, their superior athletes steamrolling the opposition as the schedule dwindles, but Scott hasn't played a single minute. Worse, Jimmy Dolan still berates him whenever the coach isn't paying attention. He takes pleasure in telling Scott he's a klutzy scrub who isn't a real member of the team. No one likes him except Chris, Jimmy says, so why go to the trouble of showing up for games and practice to watch others have all the fun? Scott is tempted to quit a few times, but Chris is his friend and they enjoy sharing the success of their team, and neither of them wants to give Jimmy the power to ruin that. The negative energy from the coach's son intensifies near the end of the six-game regular season when an innocent accident lands Jimmy on Injured Reserve, but Scott has only wanted from the beginning to suit up and play the game he loves with his best friend, forgetting all the drama just to feel the cool wind whistle in his ears as he gains momentum on a touchdown run, or the jolt of a tackle when he squares up the ballcarrier and brings him to the turf to end a play. Football and his friendship with Chris are now a package deal for Scott, and as much as he believed it before the season started, he feels the lesson that much more deeply being part of a team for the first time in his life. The rush of athletic accomplishment is short-lived yet indescribably sweet for the vanquished as well as the victor, the "money" talent and the benchwarmers, and sometimes a moment comes around that flips the paradigm for one game or even one play, then lives on in the unlikely hero's memory forever as the representative image of why he loves the sport, the perfect picture of what competitive athletics can mean to us for a lifetime because of a single moment on the field. The possibility of moments like that is why Scott loves football, and why fans of the game worldwide feel the same way.
I adore Scott Parry; he's most of the reason I liked Two-Minute Drill so much. Mike Lupica plots the sports action deftly as usual, the drama of the non-sports parts is authentically conveyed, and the narrative reads as smoothly and crisply as a fifty-yard pass from Sonny Jurgensen, but the book earned its place in my heart because I found Scott so disarmingly dear. The rewards of friendship feel sweeter for sharing them with characters like Scott and Chris, who won't bail on a good relationship when the road turns a little treacherous. They are each other's reward for sticking it out through some rough times, and they're also the reader's reward. I can hardly imagine a better one. I give Two-Minute Drill two and a half stars, and my continued praise to Mike Lupica as one of the best writers of the genre. His stories are always a pleasure to read.
March 14, 2014
I thought “The Comeback Kids: Two Minute Drill” was a great book about a kid who had just moved to a new town and made a friend. Scott Parry a sixth grader had just moved to a new town and didn't have any friends. He was the smartest person in class and answered all of the questions. Before getting on the buses one day he was being bullied by Jimmy Donlan one of the best kids on the football team. After Jimmy dumped out all of Scott's books out of his backpack Jimmy found a picture of Scott’s dog, Casey, and Jimmy teased Scott for that. Then Chris Conlan most likely the best football player in their grade came and stood up for Scott.
Then later Scott was playing on Parry Field, a little football field in a field behind his house. Then surprisingly Chris shows up with his dog Brett. Then they are talking about football and that Scott should join. A few days later are the first couple practices so the coaches can see what positions everyone would be at. Scott isn't doing very well because the only thing he is good at is kicking the ball, but he found out that the head coach doesn't like kickers. After the few days of these practices its the regular practices, and Scott doesn't have a position. One day Chris came over him and Scott were throwing around, but then Chris said he might have to quit the team and then stormed off. The next day Scott asked Chris what that meant and Chris told him that he wasn't very good at reading and that if he doesn't do good enough in school then he couldn't go out for the team.
Scott made a deal with Chris, if Chris helped him with football then Scott would help Chris with school. It came time to crack down on studying for the quiz and every day Chris would improve. Then it was quiz day and after they took it Chris felt really good about it. They were also on a roll in football undefeated so far and only a couple more games left. One day at practice Scott had to Cover Jimmy on kick return and their feet got tangled up and Jimmy sprained his ankle and the coach was furious. After practice that day a bunch of Jimmy’s friends were bullying Scott about what happened to Jimmy, and then Scott wanted to quit the team after that. The next day Scott told that to Chris, and he was really mad because the only thing Chris hates is quitters. Scott told his parents about the situation and they said he shouldn't quit, but it was ultimately up to him. The next day it was time for practice and Scott was ready for practice because of the deal he had with Chris. They won again that weekend, the next week was against the worst team, and after that was the championship game. They won this week but Scott didn't get to play again which really sucked because coach said that everyone that usually doesn't get to play will play. The next week was really important for practice and everything was super serious. That week Jimmy was back off his sprained ankle. In practice Scott got to play at wide receiver and was wide open and caught it, Jeremy Sharp the fastest kid on the team caught up to him though, and pushed him out of bounds. The only bad thing was, was that Jimmy was right behind him and he leveled Scott and he hurt his wrist and was out for most of the week back just in time for the game.
It was game time and all Scott got to do was watch again. There was no score for the entire game until the third quarter when the other team got a safety on a bad snap. Then in the fourth quarter with two minutes left they got the ball and drove it all the way down the field. With about a minute left they tried some plays and couldn't get it in the end zone, but the worst part is that Chris got hurt and they only had one more down left. Chris told coach that Scott could kick really well and that he didn't even need the tee and that he could drop kick the ball and make it which was equivalent to a field goal. With fifteen seconds left Scott went out there and got a perfect snap and kicked it straight through the uprights and won the game. Then there was a test they had to study for the next week. Thankfully Chris passed and they just kept on doing what they were doing even though football was over.
The main character was Scott who had just moved in from a different town, who was very smart, and was going to try football. Chris was the only kid that wanted to be Scott’s friend because Chris stood up to Jimmy Dolan that was bullying Scott. Jimmy Dolan was the head coaches son and was a really big bully to Scott. Mr. Perry and Mrs. Perry were Scott’s parents, his dad used to play college football, and Scott’s mom is a doctor. Coach Dolan was the head coach of the football team and let Jimmy get away with a lot of things during practice. Chris’s parents were very supportive of Scott and Chris’s plan about Scott helping Chris with school if he stayed out for football. Jeremy Sharp was the fastest kid on the football team. Casey, Scott’s dog that always retrieved the ball, and Brett, Chris’s dog that played with Casey all of the time.
This took place in Bloomfield at Bloomfield South Middle School in modern time. It was during football season so it was in the fall. It also took place at Scott’s house and Chris’ house when they would study. Perry field was an other location where Scott and Chris played catch.
I would recommend this book to people that are in middle school and high school. They would have to like sports mainly to read this, mainly football though. I wouldn't recommend this to people that don’t like sports or older people because they should read more advanced books.
Then later Scott was playing on Parry Field, a little football field in a field behind his house. Then surprisingly Chris shows up with his dog Brett. Then they are talking about football and that Scott should join. A few days later are the first couple practices so the coaches can see what positions everyone would be at. Scott isn't doing very well because the only thing he is good at is kicking the ball, but he found out that the head coach doesn't like kickers. After the few days of these practices its the regular practices, and Scott doesn't have a position. One day Chris came over him and Scott were throwing around, but then Chris said he might have to quit the team and then stormed off. The next day Scott asked Chris what that meant and Chris told him that he wasn't very good at reading and that if he doesn't do good enough in school then he couldn't go out for the team.
Scott made a deal with Chris, if Chris helped him with football then Scott would help Chris with school. It came time to crack down on studying for the quiz and every day Chris would improve. Then it was quiz day and after they took it Chris felt really good about it. They were also on a roll in football undefeated so far and only a couple more games left. One day at practice Scott had to Cover Jimmy on kick return and their feet got tangled up and Jimmy sprained his ankle and the coach was furious. After practice that day a bunch of Jimmy’s friends were bullying Scott about what happened to Jimmy, and then Scott wanted to quit the team after that. The next day Scott told that to Chris, and he was really mad because the only thing Chris hates is quitters. Scott told his parents about the situation and they said he shouldn't quit, but it was ultimately up to him. The next day it was time for practice and Scott was ready for practice because of the deal he had with Chris. They won again that weekend, the next week was against the worst team, and after that was the championship game. They won this week but Scott didn't get to play again which really sucked because coach said that everyone that usually doesn't get to play will play. The next week was really important for practice and everything was super serious. That week Jimmy was back off his sprained ankle. In practice Scott got to play at wide receiver and was wide open and caught it, Jeremy Sharp the fastest kid on the team caught up to him though, and pushed him out of bounds. The only bad thing was, was that Jimmy was right behind him and he leveled Scott and he hurt his wrist and was out for most of the week back just in time for the game.
It was game time and all Scott got to do was watch again. There was no score for the entire game until the third quarter when the other team got a safety on a bad snap. Then in the fourth quarter with two minutes left they got the ball and drove it all the way down the field. With about a minute left they tried some plays and couldn't get it in the end zone, but the worst part is that Chris got hurt and they only had one more down left. Chris told coach that Scott could kick really well and that he didn't even need the tee and that he could drop kick the ball and make it which was equivalent to a field goal. With fifteen seconds left Scott went out there and got a perfect snap and kicked it straight through the uprights and won the game. Then there was a test they had to study for the next week. Thankfully Chris passed and they just kept on doing what they were doing even though football was over.
The main character was Scott who had just moved in from a different town, who was very smart, and was going to try football. Chris was the only kid that wanted to be Scott’s friend because Chris stood up to Jimmy Dolan that was bullying Scott. Jimmy Dolan was the head coaches son and was a really big bully to Scott. Mr. Perry and Mrs. Perry were Scott’s parents, his dad used to play college football, and Scott’s mom is a doctor. Coach Dolan was the head coach of the football team and let Jimmy get away with a lot of things during practice. Chris’s parents were very supportive of Scott and Chris’s plan about Scott helping Chris with school if he stayed out for football. Jeremy Sharp was the fastest kid on the football team. Casey, Scott’s dog that always retrieved the ball, and Brett, Chris’s dog that played with Casey all of the time.
This took place in Bloomfield at Bloomfield South Middle School in modern time. It was during football season so it was in the fall. It also took place at Scott’s house and Chris’ house when they would study. Perry field was an other location where Scott and Chris played catch.
I would recommend this book to people that are in middle school and high school. They would have to like sports mainly to read this, mainly football though. I wouldn't recommend this to people that don’t like sports or older people because they should read more advanced books.
December 3, 2023
I knew nothing about The series but was looking for a book for my sports enthusiast nephew. although a book I would never pick on my own, I actually enjoyed this football story.The author did a great job interweaving life lessons between the sports scenes: persistence, commitment, friendship. I would definitely recommend this book for middle grade kids who love the game of football.
November 30, 2017
I will be the first to admit that this was not a book for which I was an ideal, or even intended reader. I read it specifically as part of an "outside your reading zone" challenge, where I decided sports books were about the only thing I don't habitually read. However, my problems with the book stem not from a generalized "meh, not for me", but from an active dislike of the problematic messages in the book. This wasn't about genre, it was about hurtful messages aimed at children.
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November 20, 2019In the book 2 minute drill by Mike Lupica, Scott loves football, there’s just one issue, he’s not very good, but, he’s very smart, one of the smartest in his school. Scott is in middle school and he absolutely loves football, his dad even cut a field in their backyard and chalked it with white paint and even had field goal post up. Scott wasn’t very big, he didn’t have the best arm or the best hands or the best anything, in fact, Scott wasn’t very good at football in general, except one thing, he was a very very good kicker. Scott’s dad works for titlist golf and because of his position he gets moved around a lot. Scott is going to a new school and it already isn’t going very well. Scott gets picked on a lot as school and one day Chris, the star player on the football team steps in and stands up for Scott. Scott and Chris become friends and start to hang out together. Chris trys to help Scott get better at football, he comes over all the time and plays with him. One day Scott found out that Chris can’t read and might not be able to play football that season because of it. Chris has dyslexia. Throughout the book Scott trys to help Chris and make sure he is able to play that season and Chris helps Scott to try and help him get better and get playing time. I would recommend this book to teens who are in sports. It shows determination and will, it was a good read and i would definitely recommend it.
March 19, 2012
Two-Minute Drill
Author: Mike Lupica Published: 2007 Genre: Realistic Fiction
In the book, Scott Parry is the new at his school and he is a nerdy kid who doesn’t have many friends. He gets bullied a lot by a kid named Jimmy Dolan, but when the jock of the school, Chris Conlan sees this he hates it. He tells Dolan to back off and then Scott and Chris became friends. In their new town-home in Bloomfield, Scott’s dad built a little football field in their backyard with goalposts and boundaries. Chris came over one day and they played on that field for hours, and when he left Scott starting kicking as he usually does. He didn’t want to show Chris because he was too scared, but sure enough Chris saw him and told him to go out for the team. He goes to the team tryouts, and that’s when he starts his tough journey.
The theme of this book is that no matter how tough things get you never quit and someday you will get your shot. This is shown in this example, “It’s what you do in sports, whether you’re the star of the team or at the end of the bench, his dad always told him. ‘You keep trying’.” Another example is, “ ‘What is you don’t play this season, would you really be ok with that?’ his dad said. ‘If I wasn’t, I’d quit,’ Scott said. ‘and I’m not quitting.’” The last example is, “ ‘You’re going in’ Chris said. ‘No! I can’t!’ Scott shouted. ‘Yes you can, now go make that field goal.’”
In the book, I love how Lupica always uses suspense and foreshadowing to show what is going to happen and make it eventful. For example, at the end Chris gets hurt and when he’s talking to the coach, then the coach looks at Scott, he shows that the coach is probably going to put Scott in. Audiences that would like this book are people who like football, happy-endings, tough journeys, supportive friends, and suspense. This book is like a book I read about Lebron James because in both stories the main character has to overcome obstacles and fight through adversity in order to remain successful.
“In the end, Scott had worked it out for himself, decided that it wasn’t about Mr. Dolan, or Jimmy, or Chris, or even his parents. He was playing for himself. It wasn’t as if he didn’t want to get out on the field in a real game. Scott still wanted that in the worst way, even if he was the worst player on the team. But if it didn’t happen the season, well, he could live with that more than he could live with being a quitter.” Page 135.
This book relates to me because in my life I have thought about quitting so many times in so many different ways, but I just remember that in the end something always goes right and the people who fight through will always win. This book has affected me by the way that it relates to me so well, and it makes me feel optimistic on the things to come. I loved how the author always had people supporting Scott in all his decisions. The thing I didn’t like about this book is that it was so short and it should have had more obstacles that Scott had to overcome to keep the readers’ interest.
Author: Mike Lupica Published: 2007 Genre: Realistic Fiction
In the book, Scott Parry is the new at his school and he is a nerdy kid who doesn’t have many friends. He gets bullied a lot by a kid named Jimmy Dolan, but when the jock of the school, Chris Conlan sees this he hates it. He tells Dolan to back off and then Scott and Chris became friends. In their new town-home in Bloomfield, Scott’s dad built a little football field in their backyard with goalposts and boundaries. Chris came over one day and they played on that field for hours, and when he left Scott starting kicking as he usually does. He didn’t want to show Chris because he was too scared, but sure enough Chris saw him and told him to go out for the team. He goes to the team tryouts, and that’s when he starts his tough journey.
The theme of this book is that no matter how tough things get you never quit and someday you will get your shot. This is shown in this example, “It’s what you do in sports, whether you’re the star of the team or at the end of the bench, his dad always told him. ‘You keep trying’.” Another example is, “ ‘What is you don’t play this season, would you really be ok with that?’ his dad said. ‘If I wasn’t, I’d quit,’ Scott said. ‘and I’m not quitting.’” The last example is, “ ‘You’re going in’ Chris said. ‘No! I can’t!’ Scott shouted. ‘Yes you can, now go make that field goal.’”
In the book, I love how Lupica always uses suspense and foreshadowing to show what is going to happen and make it eventful. For example, at the end Chris gets hurt and when he’s talking to the coach, then the coach looks at Scott, he shows that the coach is probably going to put Scott in. Audiences that would like this book are people who like football, happy-endings, tough journeys, supportive friends, and suspense. This book is like a book I read about Lebron James because in both stories the main character has to overcome obstacles and fight through adversity in order to remain successful.
“In the end, Scott had worked it out for himself, decided that it wasn’t about Mr. Dolan, or Jimmy, or Chris, or even his parents. He was playing for himself. It wasn’t as if he didn’t want to get out on the field in a real game. Scott still wanted that in the worst way, even if he was the worst player on the team. But if it didn’t happen the season, well, he could live with that more than he could live with being a quitter.” Page 135.
This book relates to me because in my life I have thought about quitting so many times in so many different ways, but I just remember that in the end something always goes right and the people who fight through will always win. This book has affected me by the way that it relates to me so well, and it makes me feel optimistic on the things to come. I loved how the author always had people supporting Scott in all his decisions. The thing I didn’t like about this book is that it was so short and it should have had more obstacles that Scott had to overcome to keep the readers’ interest.
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February 26, 2016Stephen R. Campbell
Ms. Porter
English 1-B
25 February 2016
Future Books to read: The Tiger’s Rising, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,The 39 clues, The Toilet Paper Tigers, Million-Dollar Throw, Comebacks Kids, Mockingjay, Catching Fire, Chomp, The List. And right now I am finishing comeback kid’s
My current book: The book that I am reading right now is called Comeback kids and the author is Mike Lupica.
Recommendation for book: A good friend told me about the author and how all of his books are about sports and are super realistic. So then I was interested in the author and the books and so I bought a book authored by him and it was about football which is a sport I love.
Synopsis: This is by far the best athletic storyline that I have read. The book is very relatable to the everyday high school athlete. The author is so detailed and writes about the kids life's like it was real life. The author showed enthusiasm when talking about sports and football in general. The story is about a kid who barely makes the football team and he goes to practice and works hard but the coach won't put him. But the kid beat the odds and he got to play and he made the winning play in the championship game.
Rating: I would no doubt give this book a 5 out of 5. I love sports stories, especially one like these where the kid that wasn't so good or in this case barely made the team and is the nerdiest kid in school rises to the top to become the mvp of the game and win the championship game. The kid's name was Scott Perry, he was the nerdiest kid in school. He went out for football and barely made it, he went to all the practices and worked hard but the coach would never let him in the game cause he wasn't good enough. So one day at practice, they were doing drills and the quarterback of the team, the reason they have so many games, gets hurt, so guess who comes in? Scott parry, he was the quarterback of the championship game and he won the whole thing.
Recommendation: I recommend this book to any athlete who loves a fairy tale ending athletic story. The book isn't that long, but just long enough to pack a great story that will make you cheer. This book shows that no matter how bad you are, or if you're not starting on the team, don't quit, because you will get your shot and when you do, you can't afford to miss it. No matte rhow bad thinbgs get, dont givce up, just keep pushing through the hard times.
Ms. Porter
English 1-B
25 February 2016
Future Books to read: The Tiger’s Rising, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,The 39 clues, The Toilet Paper Tigers, Million-Dollar Throw, Comebacks Kids, Mockingjay, Catching Fire, Chomp, The List. And right now I am finishing comeback kid’s
My current book: The book that I am reading right now is called Comeback kids and the author is Mike Lupica.
Recommendation for book: A good friend told me about the author and how all of his books are about sports and are super realistic. So then I was interested in the author and the books and so I bought a book authored by him and it was about football which is a sport I love.
Synopsis: This is by far the best athletic storyline that I have read. The book is very relatable to the everyday high school athlete. The author is so detailed and writes about the kids life's like it was real life. The author showed enthusiasm when talking about sports and football in general. The story is about a kid who barely makes the football team and he goes to practice and works hard but the coach won't put him. But the kid beat the odds and he got to play and he made the winning play in the championship game.
Rating: I would no doubt give this book a 5 out of 5. I love sports stories, especially one like these where the kid that wasn't so good or in this case barely made the team and is the nerdiest kid in school rises to the top to become the mvp of the game and win the championship game. The kid's name was Scott Perry, he was the nerdiest kid in school. He went out for football and barely made it, he went to all the practices and worked hard but the coach would never let him in the game cause he wasn't good enough. So one day at practice, they were doing drills and the quarterback of the team, the reason they have so many games, gets hurt, so guess who comes in? Scott parry, he was the quarterback of the championship game and he won the whole thing.
Recommendation: I recommend this book to any athlete who loves a fairy tale ending athletic story. The book isn't that long, but just long enough to pack a great story that will make you cheer. This book shows that no matter how bad you are, or if you're not starting on the team, don't quit, because you will get your shot and when you do, you can't afford to miss it. No matte rhow bad thinbgs get, dont givce up, just keep pushing through the hard times.
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February 26, 2010Mike Lupica’s Come Back Kids is about boys named Scott and Chris. One day the bully Jimmy gets in a fight with Scott. Chris comes over and breaks it up. Then Chris and Scott start to hang out. Chris got Scott into football.
I liked this book because it’s about football, and I play football so I understand it.
It had really great football parts but here’s three I like most:
1. Their coach, Mr. Dolan, hates punting. In the last game there are a few seconds left. He decides to punt! He ends up winning, but he still went against what he dosen’t like to do.
2. Chris gets Scott to play football on the Eagles modified football team.
3. Scott wins the final game and makes the Eagles the division leaders.
I would recommend Mike Lupica’s Come Back Kids to any football lover.
- by sk8rWWE
http://classblogmeister.com/blog_edit...
The book Mike Lupica's 2 Minute Drill is a really amazing book. I would recommend it to any football lover.
It is about a boy named Scoot that moved to a new school and has no friends. Then a boy named Chris (the QB for the football team) helps him out in a fight. Then they start to hang out together. Chris gets scoot into football. Scoot tried out for the football team and made it!
He wasn’t that good, though, so he didn’t get to play much. Then at practice he does a leg whip to the coach’s son and sprains his ankle. The whole team was mad at him. But he won the next game without Jimmy. Then Jimmy gets better, and at practice Scoot ran a play, the whistle blows, and Jimmy hits him and fractured his wrist.
Scoot got his cast off before the championship. They were losing 2-0 and then on the 2nd to last play Chris, the QB, gets hurt.
Chris said, "I know who can win us the championships. . . Scoot!"
Coach said, "What can he do?"
"Kick," Chris said.
So coach yelled, "Scoot, you're in. We're going to punt."
Scoot kicked the ball and won the championship for his team. His team was so happy that they were undefeated in the season.
- by sk8rWWE
http://classblogmeister.com/blog_edit...
I liked this book because it’s about football, and I play football so I understand it.
It had really great football parts but here’s three I like most:
1. Their coach, Mr. Dolan, hates punting. In the last game there are a few seconds left. He decides to punt! He ends up winning, but he still went against what he dosen’t like to do.
2. Chris gets Scott to play football on the Eagles modified football team.
3. Scott wins the final game and makes the Eagles the division leaders.
I would recommend Mike Lupica’s Come Back Kids to any football lover.
- by sk8rWWE
http://classblogmeister.com/blog_edit...
The book Mike Lupica's 2 Minute Drill is a really amazing book. I would recommend it to any football lover.
It is about a boy named Scoot that moved to a new school and has no friends. Then a boy named Chris (the QB for the football team) helps him out in a fight. Then they start to hang out together. Chris gets scoot into football. Scoot tried out for the football team and made it!
He wasn’t that good, though, so he didn’t get to play much. Then at practice he does a leg whip to the coach’s son and sprains his ankle. The whole team was mad at him. But he won the next game without Jimmy. Then Jimmy gets better, and at practice Scoot ran a play, the whistle blows, and Jimmy hits him and fractured his wrist.
Scoot got his cast off before the championship. They were losing 2-0 and then on the 2nd to last play Chris, the QB, gets hurt.
Chris said, "I know who can win us the championships. . . Scoot!"
Coach said, "What can he do?"
"Kick," Chris said.
So coach yelled, "Scoot, you're in. We're going to punt."
Scoot kicked the ball and won the championship for his team. His team was so happy that they were undefeated in the season.
- by sk8rWWE
http://classblogmeister.com/blog_edit...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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March 24, 2015"Two-Minute Drill" by Mike Lupica is another great sports inspired book. I know all of these books about sports are great stories and some can be inspirational. I loved this book and could relate to some parts of the book.
This book is about a young boy name Scott Parry. He is the new kid in town and is not very athletic at all. For not being very athletic, though, he is a very smart kid. He is most likely the smartest kid around. He feels as if he is a nobody and nobody notices him until a popular kid named Chris stands up for him when he was getting picked on. Scott is stunned and does not know what to say to him. Afterwards they start to hang out more and end up becoming good friends. Scott helps out Chris with school and Chris helps out Scott on the field. It ends up being a story about how nobody would’ve thought it to be.
Scott Parry is the main character of this book. He starts out as a nerdy nobody in school until he meets a kid named Chris. He becomes friends with the star quarterback and is convinced to join the football team. Chris Conlan is the other main character. He is the star quarterback and helps Scott get better at football while Scott helps him in school..
This book takes place in modern time in a little city named Bloomfield. Most of the book takes place at either Bloomfield South Middle School, the football field, or Scott Perry's house.This book could take place nowadays or at anytime because it is based upon everyday middle school friends.
The thematic connection I had with this book was that you never know when something good will happen to someone when they feel like their whole life is falling apart. They just have to keep believing in themselves and never give up. Like when Scott is getting bullied and the quarterback of the team stands up for him and becomes his best friend.
I would recommend this book to any middle school kid or older. Even though it is a lower reading level it still teaches a great life lesson. I would rate this book a five out of five, because I loved how the book was very connectable. I gave it the rating also because the message and story went along great as well.
May 29, 2012
Scott Parry was the smartest kid at all of his schools. Except he had competition, not with school but with the bully, Jimmy Dolan. One day on the bus Jimmy shoves Scott and all his books fall on the floor he constantly waits for him to stop but he won't and then out of the corner of Scott's eye he sees the coolest kid in the school Chris Conlan. Chris goes up to him to help pick up his books and makes Jimmy leave. And, that is what started Scott's football career. Scott kept on coming to games and practice but he never got any playing time. Then in practice a little before the big game Jimmy Dolan hurt Scott with a massive hit. Scott didn't know if he had a chance to play in the big championship game. He then gets Chris's courage to participate in the game and he does come. He sits on the sidelines waiting then he sees that the score is 2 to zero and he realizes it could mean he might be able to play. At the 2 minute warning it is still the same score. Chris leads the team onto a ride and then they get down to the twenty yard line. Then with half a minute left Chris got injured and couldn't complete. All they needed was a kicker or backup quarterback and that would decide the game. IT all was up to scott to kick a field goal and he kicks it and it goes in and they win the game.
I liked this book because it was about a sport that I like. This book has a great atmosphere of the sport. It has great description and lots of fun-friend-stuff. It shows how friends would do stuff. Chris and Scott have fights but then Chris would turn back to Scott. One of my favorite parts in this book is calling scott "The Brain". That was Jimmy's nick-name to Scott. This book has some awesome parts and definitely some good "clean" (sarcasm) football. And that is why I read the book Two-Minute Drill. This is my book review.
I liked this book because it was about a sport that I like. This book has a great atmosphere of the sport. It has great description and lots of fun-friend-stuff. It shows how friends would do stuff. Chris and Scott have fights but then Chris would turn back to Scott. One of my favorite parts in this book is calling scott "The Brain". That was Jimmy's nick-name to Scott. This book has some awesome parts and definitely some good "clean" (sarcasm) football. And that is why I read the book Two-Minute Drill. This is my book review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2018
"Two-Minute Drill" Choice book #1, Quarter #1. "Two-Minute Drill" written by Mike Lupica is a realistic fiction book which takes place in Scott's house and on the football field. Some of the main characters in this book is Scott a smart guy who is not the best at football. Chris who is amazing at football but isn't the greatest at school since he has dyslexia. And Jimmy who bullies Scott and is good at football. The conflict of the book is that Scott gets bullied by Jimmy Dolan and wants to be good at football but isn't as good as everyone else. And he doesn't fit in with anyone except for his best friend Chris. And the conflict with Chris is that he needs Scott's help because if he can't pass his test he can't play anymore football, and has to go to a special class. Scott is lonely and his only friend is his dog Casey but then he finds Chris the star quarterback on the football team and they become best friends, Chris persuays him into joining the football team, but the question is is can Scott overcome bullying and get better at football? I really enjoy this book and if your like me and love sports including football you should read this book. In fact I like every book written by Mike Lupica and you should read more books by Mike Lupica too. This book is awesome because on every chapter you get more and more into the story and you learn a lot about life and it's action packed. I highly recommend this book to anyone reading this because Mike Lupica's books are my favorite. They are all about sports and life combined, and they are about all different sports and all different stories. Overall this book is amazing and it is one of the best books I have ever read, Mike Lupica is an amazing author, and anybody who is reading right now you should start reading the book "Two Minute Drill" by Mike Lupica right now.
December 18, 2008
Mike Lupica has written some good sports novels for YAs and now turns his sights towards younger readers with his Comeback Kids series. Reading this book put me in mind of when I was in grade school and reading Matt Christopher, which were the epitome of sports books for kids then and still popular now.
Scott Parry is the new kid in school, trying very hard to make new friends. He is smart but clutzy, which makes him the target of Jimmy Dolan--football player, son of the football coach, and school bully. Things get worse when Scott gets on the football team and Jimmy treats him like his personal tackle dummy. Fortunately, Scott does make friends with Chris Conlan, the team's quarterback. The two get together and practice on the field Scott and his dad marked off behind his house. Chris discovers that while Scott is not very good at catching the football, he is very good at kicking. But Chris has his own problem--he has trouble reading and if he can't pass an upcoming test his parents won't let him play football anymore. The two make a deal--Chris will help Scott with football, and Scott will help Chris with reading.
I enjoyed this book, even though I'm not a big football fan. Scott is a good kid, who is trying to be independent and solve his own problems. His friendship with Chris has its ups and downs, but they are both willing to work at it, and to apologize when they hurt each other. Jimmy isn't as fully fleshed out as the others, but he isn't just a cardboard character; early on, Chris offers some insight as to why he acts as he does. And while Coach Dolan seems to be blind to his son's misconduct, he is still trying to be a good coach.
Two-Minute Drill is on the 2009-2010 Texas Bluebonnet Award List.
Scott Parry is the new kid in school, trying very hard to make new friends. He is smart but clutzy, which makes him the target of Jimmy Dolan--football player, son of the football coach, and school bully. Things get worse when Scott gets on the football team and Jimmy treats him like his personal tackle dummy. Fortunately, Scott does make friends with Chris Conlan, the team's quarterback. The two get together and practice on the field Scott and his dad marked off behind his house. Chris discovers that while Scott is not very good at catching the football, he is very good at kicking. But Chris has his own problem--he has trouble reading and if he can't pass an upcoming test his parents won't let him play football anymore. The two make a deal--Chris will help Scott with football, and Scott will help Chris with reading.
I enjoyed this book, even though I'm not a big football fan. Scott is a good kid, who is trying to be independent and solve his own problems. His friendship with Chris has its ups and downs, but they are both willing to work at it, and to apologize when they hurt each other. Jimmy isn't as fully fleshed out as the others, but he isn't just a cardboard character; early on, Chris offers some insight as to why he acts as he does. And while Coach Dolan seems to be blind to his son's misconduct, he is still trying to be a good coach.
Two-Minute Drill is on the 2009-2010 Texas Bluebonnet Award List.
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March 15, 2014Summary- There is a new kid in town named Scott. He has no friends right now. So a kid is bulling him named Jimmy Dolan. The quarterback of the school football team named Chris told him to stop. So jimmy stopped. Chris helped Scott up. Then to days later Scott invites Chris over. Scott showed Chris around. Then Scott showed Chris his backyard it was a football field. Chris loved it. In the next couple days Scott and Chris try out for the football team. Then Chris can’t read and is failing in school. So Scott is his tutor if he wants to play football. Because Scott is very smart. Then the season starts for football. Chris passes his test so he can play. Scott sits out all the games but his team made it to the championship. It was raining hard out. Everyone was falling and fumbling. There is 20 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Their team is losing 2-0. But someone was open in the end zone but Chris fell because the rain and got hurt. Chris got off the field. Ten seconds left. Couch said the only thing they could do id kick a field goal. So he put Scott in for the first time in the season. He gets in he does not think he can do it but he does and he makes it!!!!!!! They won the championship 2-3.
Main characters- Scott little, loves football. Chris tall, quarterback, loves football. Jimmy Dolan big, bully, loves football.
The setting- In Indiana, sunny, and rainy.
Conflict- Chris gets hurt so they can’t win.
Resolution of conflict- They put Scott in to kick a field goal and they won.
My option of the book- It was a great book I was so into it.
My recommendation- you should read this book it is funny and you will picture good pictures in your head so you should read this book it was great my rate is a ten out of ten.
Main characters- Scott little, loves football. Chris tall, quarterback, loves football. Jimmy Dolan big, bully, loves football.
The setting- In Indiana, sunny, and rainy.
Conflict- Chris gets hurt so they can’t win.
Resolution of conflict- They put Scott in to kick a field goal and they won.
My option of the book- It was a great book I was so into it.
My recommendation- you should read this book it is funny and you will picture good pictures in your head so you should read this book it was great my rate is a ten out of ten.
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