Sex, drugs and rock and roll! They all collide on and off the football field at Harlow High when the Troy Benson, the young drama teacher is forced to take over the football team by his ambitious and desperate principal. Sports, love and comedy all crash together in this fast and fun novel of what life is REALLY LIKE in a modern American high school. FINAL CHARGE is written by a real teacher about real students and it rolls in the Harper Valley politics that permeate high school culture. Dark-humored and yet inspirational FINAL CHARGE is a perfect fun read.
The book is a research monograph that reviews and revises the concept of linguistic pejoration, and explores the role of 15 suffixes and combining forms, such as -ie, -o, -ard, -holic, -rrhea, -itis, -porn, -ish, in the formation of English pejoratives. The examination of the inner structure of the resulting derivatives is based on an innovative methodology that encompasses the theories and approaches of Construction Morphology, Componential Analysis, and Morphopragmatics. Following the principles of this methodology, pejorative words collected from dictionaries and corpora (a total of approximately 950 words) are abstracted into generalizations (or constructional schemas) where structural and functional similarities are used to cognitively trace the ways in which negative (or derisive) meaning is connected with a specific form. Through this multifaceted methodology, my analysis showcases the fact that the universal properties of ‘diminution’, ‘excess’, ‘resemblance’, and ‘metonymization’ are what underlie the making of pejorative meaning. These generalizations, along with the schematic representations of formatives, can help linguists, or linguistics enthusiasts in general, to understand the conventions and intricacy of lexical pejoration.
The author of THE TAO OF CHIP KELLY returns with deep insight into the mind of one of the NFL’s most innovative and increasingly controversial coaches. The 2014 off-season saw the excitement of Chip Kelly's NFL debut turn ugly fast. Before his second training camp even opened, the coach abruptly cut DeSean Jackson, his popular and explosive wide receiver, who signed with division rival Washington. Reporters wondered whether Kelly was built for the NFL, whether the offensive schemes that dominated the college game could work in the pros, and whether he had the fortitude to handle the media. Kelly responded to his critics by navigating crippling injuries and a fractious locker room to lead the Eagles to a 9-3 record. Then they lost three straight games, a collapse fueled by DeSean Jackson's revenge and, perhaps, Kelly's own stubbornness. Still, the Philadelphia Eagles, with Chip Kelly at the helm, continue to implement a strategy that goes beyond the X’s-and-O’s and into the very fabric of the organization. Mark Saltveit, the author of THE TAO OF CHIP KELLY, illuminates the strategies and philosophies of Chip Kelly in the nitty gritty stories of one NFL season, featuring characters such as Murderleg, Johnny Manziel, and Bryan Braman, the ex-model who grew up homeless and tackled a Titans punt returner head first—without a helmet. As Kelly continues to reinvent the game of football itself with insights from the Navy Seals, rugby stars, and silly movies, CONTROLLED CHAOS is essential reading for any gridiron fan.
Hard truths and surprising insights about our COVID-19 response from America’s former top doctor. When COVID-19 began spreading rapidly, the world was taken by surprise. As the ensuing pandemic raged, we faced one constant—a lack of consistent, scientifically sound, and trusted information about dangers, risks, and mitigation strategies that the average person could understand and put into practice to keep themselves and their families safe. Politicians, opportunists, and agenda-driven media personalities spread misinformation for an array of purposes, leaving most of the public scratching their heads, wondering what was true and what wasn’t. Now, the former Surgeon General of the United States—freed from the many constraints he worked under in public office—reveals critical lessons learned from both mistakes and successes overlooked during the pandemic. He explains what we need to know to create a safer environment for individuals, families, and communities, how we can respond better to the next threat, why we keep making the same mistakes, and why we must promote health equity for all. As Dr. Adams explains, the best public health policies are the ones that begin at home and come about as people in local communities work together to find solutions that fit their specific priorities and needs. Only through this bottom-up, community-driven approach will we be able to turn down the volume on the distracting noise, finally make our way out of and recover from a once-in-a-century pandemic, and prepare ourselves for inevitable future health crises.
The paperback version of Endzone includes an all-new, 57-page Afterword covering Michigan's triumphant 2015 season, and never-dull 2016 off-season. Informed by exclusive, in-depth interviews with Jake Rudock, Blake O'Neill, Jake Butt, Jim and Sarah Harbaugh and his parents, the Afterword addresses the players' initial shock at Harbaugh's long practices, their renewed confidence, and the story behind the stunning finish to the Michigan State game, the Wolverines' comebacks against Minnesota and Indiana, and their Citrus Bowl victory over Florida. It also goes a long way to answering the question on everyone's mind: How long will Harbaugh stay in Ann Arbor? Bestselling author John U. Bacon's Endzone tells the story of how college football's most successful, richest and respected program almost lost all three in less than a decade - and entirely of its own doing. It is a story of hubris, greed, and betrayal - a tale more suited to Wall Street than the world's top public university. Endzone takes you inside the offices, the board rooms and the locker rooms of the University of Michigan Wolverines to see what happened, and why - with countless eye-opening, head-shaking scenes of conflict and conquest. But Endzone is also an inspiring story of redemption and revival. When those who loved Michigan football the most recognized it was being attacked from within, they rallied to reclaim the values that made it great for over a century -- values that went deeper than dollars. The list of heroes includes players, students, lettermen, fans and faculty - and the leaders who had the courage to listen to them. Their unprecedented uprising produced a new athletic director, and a new coach - the hottest in the land - who vindicated the fans' faith when he turned down more money and fame to return to the place he loved most: Michigan. If you love a good story, you'll want to dive into Endzone: The Rise, Fall and Return of Michigan Football.
These eight essays explore the interface between psychiatry, science, and the timeless teachings of the Buddha. Drawn from the personal experiences of a therapist and practitioner of Vipassana meditation, this work explores meditation’s similarities and differences with psychotherapeutic and scientific endeavors. In the title essay, parallels are drawn between the atomic synthesis of free choice and lawful consequence in Chaos Theory and karma, offering contemporary insights into one of Buddhism’s core concepts. The empirical roots of meditation, its relevance to daily life, and the challenges and benefits of daily practice of Vipassana meditation are also addressed. Practical examples for continued observation outside of formal meditation retreats guide readers in incorporating Buddhist practice into daily life.
“Beautifully written . . . A celebration of girls and athletics.” The national bestselling sports classic from a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist (USA Today). Expanded and updated with a new epilogue, Madeleine Blais’ book tells the story of a season in the life of the Amherst Lady Hurricanes, a girls’ high school basketball team from the Western Massachusetts college town. The Hurricanes were a talented team with a near-perfect record, but for five straight years, when it came to the crunch of the playoffs, they somehow lacked the desire to go all the way. Now, led by senior guards Jen Pariseau, a three-point specialist, and Jamila Wideman, an All-American phenom, this was the year to prove themselves. It was a season to test their passion for the sport and their loyalty to each other, and a chance to discover who they really were. As an off-season of summer jobs and basketball camps turns to fall, as students arrive and the games begin, Blais charts the ups and downs of the team and paints a portrait of the wider Amherst community, which comes to revel in the athletic exploits of their girls. Finally, a women’s team was getting the attention they deserve. And the Hurricanes were richly deserving; these teenage girls are fierce and funny, smart and ambitious, and they are the heart of this gripping book. “Extraordinary.” —The Baltimore Sun “A picture of a changing period in American sports history, when a town rallied around its female athletes in a way that had previously been reserved for males.” —Publishers Weekly
Using illustrations and analogies from the world of sports, The Home Team by Clint Archer presents the Christian family as a team. He highlights the one-flesh union of husband and wife as the fundamental team for God’s design of society, the family, and marriage. Facing challenges together this cohesive team must not allow division to weaken their union. As children are added, Mom and Dad play their unique and essential roles to strengthen the expanding team. The family must close ranks on opponents to God’s design, tackle obstacles, and fortify the bonds in their huddle. In the unity and synergy of teamwork each player is uniquely positioned to advance the team’s objective. The goal is to give God glory, and enjoy the blessings and joy that come with obedience.
A Best Book of 2020 from Library Journal, CrimeReads, and BookPage “Marks the debut of an already accomplished novelist.” —John Banville The town of Bentley holds two things dear: its football, and its secrets. But when star quarterback Dylan Whitley goes missing, an unremitting fear grips this remote corner of Texas. Joel Whitley was shamed out of conservative Bentley ten years ago, and while he’s finally made a life for himself as a gay man in New York, his younger brother’s disappearance soon brings him back to a place he thought he’d escaped for good. Meanwhile, Sheriff’s Deputy Starsha Clark stayed in Bentley; Joel’s return brings back painful memories—not to mention questions—about her own missing brother. And in the high school hallways, Dylan’s friends begin to suspect that their classmates know far more than they’re telling the police. Together, these unlikely allies will stir up secrets their town has long tried to ignore, drawing the attention of dangerous men who will stop at nothing to see that their crimes stay buried. But no one is quite prepared to face the darkness that’s begun to haunt their nightmares, whispering about a place long thought to be nothing but an urban legend: an empty night, a flicker of light on the horizon—The Bright Lands. Shocking, twisty and relentlessly suspenseful, John Fram’s debut is a heart-pounding story about old secrets, modern anxieties and the price young men pay for glory.
