Bouncing Back From National Joke To Grey Cup Champs

For three decades the Toronto Argonauts were a national joke: a team that not only lost most of the time, but usually did so in embarrassing fashion. The franchise bottomed out in 1981 with just two wins. But 1981 was not a complete disaster because, even while finding new and more creative ways to lose, the Argos were assembling many of the key components that helped the franchise return to excitement in 1982 and Grey Cup glory in 1983. Thirty years after that long-awaited triumph, Bouncing Back takes readers on a wild ride through the three eventful and mesmerizing years that culminated in the 1983 Grey Cup, from crushing humiliations through sensational resurgence and finally the ultimate triumph.

The century-old Toronto Argonauts, like the rest of The Canadian Football League, seemed to be in shambles in 1991. Suddenly everything changed. The Argos were acquired by an unlikely trio: the greatest hockey player of all time, Wayne Gretzky; a universally beloved comic genius, John Candy; and an upstart sports magnate, Bruce McNall, whose apparent Midas touch masked dark secrets. They audaciously swiped from the NFL the most-hyped college athlete in years, Rocket Ismail, by signing him to the richest football contract ever, and set their sights on a league championship. The Blues Brothers--Dan Ackroyd and John Belushi--were flown in from Europe to perform with Candy at the Rocket's first game and the season only got crazier from there. One Ring Circus is the untold saga of one of the greatest gambles in sports history, and one of the most unforgettable seasons on any gridiron, brought to life by a veteran sportswriter who combines meticulous research with the perspective and passion of a lifelong fan.

Presented in full color with photos throughout, this volume contains numerous stories from players, coaches, and other people connected with the Toronto Argonauts. Featuring dozens of interviews with past and present Argonauts, the guide also includes contributions from journalists who have followed the Argos, as well as stories from fans. A history highlights the triumphs and turning points from each year and reveals the prominent players, venues, and changes to both the game and the league. Rounding out the book are profiles of key Argonauts, with photos, stats, and where they are now.

End Zones and Border Wars is the story of the CFL's ill-fated period of expansion into the United States during the early to mid- 1990s. It was a time filled with intriguing characters, from John Candy to Nick Mileti to Pepper Rodgers, the coach who loved everything about the Canadian game except the rules and the teams. With a cast of investors who are hopeful but unfamiliar with the game, bizarre stories emerge, from the Las Vegas Posse practising in the parking lot of the Riviera to the Shreveport Pirates camping out above a barn full of circus animals. The CFL's attempts to push the Canadian game into expanded territory brought both heartbreak and victory, with the 1994 Grey Cup victory of the BC Lions coming alongside the quick decline of every American club under low sales and resistance to new rules. The CFL survived these turbulent times to the harsh realization that it is a game for Canada alone, breaking through to a promising new era for the venerable institution.

Now a major motion picture starring Cole Sprouse and Haley Lu Richardson! Goodreads Choice Winner, Best Young Adult Fiction of 2019 In this #1 New York Times bestselling novel that’s perfect for fans of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, two teens fall in love with just one minor complication—they can’t get within a few feet of each other without risking their lives. Can you love someone you can never touch? Stella Grant likes to be in control—even though her totally out of control lungs have sent her in and out of the hospital most of her life. At this point, what Stella needs to control most is keeping herself away from anyone or anything that might pass along an infection and jeopardize the possibility of a lung transplant. Six feet apart. No exceptions. The only thing Will Newman wants to be in control of is getting out of this hospital. He couldn’t care less about his treatments, or a fancy new clinical drug trial. Soon, he’ll turn eighteen and then he’ll be able to unplug all these machines and actually go see the world, not just its hospitals. Will’s exactly what Stella needs to stay away from. If he so much as breathes on Stella she could lose her spot on the transplant list. Either one of them could die. The only way to stay alive is to stay apart. But suddenly six feet doesn’t feel like safety. It feels like punishment. What if they could steal back just a little bit of the space their broken lungs have stolen from them? Would five feet apart really be so dangerous if it stops their hearts from breaking too?

From the creator of the popular website Ask a Manager and New York’s work-advice columnist comes a witty, practical guide to 200 difficult professional conversations—featuring all-new advice! There’s a reason Alison Green has been called “the Dear Abby of the work world.” Ten years as a workplace-advice columnist have taught her that people avoid awkward conversations in the office because they simply don’t know what to say. Thankfully, Green does—and in this incredibly helpful book, she tackles the tough discussions you may need to have during your career. You’ll learn what to say when • coworkers push their work on you—then take credit for it • you accidentally trash-talk someone in an email then hit “reply all” • you’re being micromanaged—or not being managed at all • you catch a colleague in a lie • your boss seems unhappy with your work • your cubemate’s loud speakerphone is making you homicidal • you got drunk at the holiday party Praise for Ask a Manager “A must-read for anyone who works . . . [Alison Green’s] advice boils down to the idea that you should be professional (even when others are not) and that communicating in a straightforward manner with candor and kindness will get you far, no matter where you work.”—Booklist (starred review) “The author’s friendly, warm, no-nonsense writing is a pleasure to read, and her advice can be widely applied to relationships in all areas of readers’ lives. Ideal for anyone new to the job market or new to management, or anyone hoping to improve their work experience.”—Library Journal (starred review) “I am a huge fan of Alison Green’s Ask a Manager column. This book is even better. It teaches us how to deal with many of the most vexing big and little problems in our workplaces—and to do so with grace, confidence, and a sense of humor.”—Robert Sutton, Stanford professor and author of The No Asshole Rule and The Asshole Survival Guide “Ask a Manager is the ultimate playbook for navigating the traditional workforce in a diplomatic but firm way.”—Erin Lowry, author of Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together

ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE’S 100 BEST YA BOOKS OF ALL TIME • NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A modern-day classic from Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli, this beloved celebration of individuality is now an original movie on Disney+! And don't miss the author's highly anticipated new novel, Dead Wednesday! Stargirl. From the day she arrives at quiet Mica High in a burst of color and sound, the hallways hum with the murmur of “Stargirl, Stargirl.” She captures Leo Borlock’ s heart with just one smile. She sparks a school-spirit revolution with just one cheer. The students of Mica High are enchanted. At first. Then they turn on her. Stargirl is suddenly shunned for everything that makes her different, and Leo, panicked and desperate with love, urges her to become the very thing that can destroy her: normal. In this celebration of nonconformity, Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli weaves a tense, emotional tale about the perils of popularity and the thrill and inspiration of first love. Don’t miss the sequel, Love, Stargirl, as well as The Warden’s Daughter, a novel about another girl who can't help but stand out. “Spinelli is a poet of the prepubescent. . . . No writer guides his young characters, and his readers, past these pitfalls and challenges and toward their futures with more compassion.” —The New York Times

A compassionate, shame-free guide for your darkest days “A one-of-a-kind book . . . to read for yourself or give to a struggling friend or loved one without the fear that depression and suicidal thoughts will be minimized, medicalized or over-spiritualized.”—Kay Warren, cofounder of Saddleback Church What happens when loving Jesus doesn’t cure you of depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts? You might be crushed by shame over your mental illness, only to be told by well-meaning Christians to “choose joy” and “pray more.” So you beg God to take away the pain, but nothing eases the ache inside. As darkness lingers and color drains from your world, you’re left wondering if God has abandoned you. You just want a way out. But there’s hope. In I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die, Sarah J. Robinson offers a healthy, practical, and shame-free guide for Christians struggling with mental illness. With unflinching honesty, Sarah shares her story of battling depression and fighting to stay alive despite toxic theology that made her afraid to seek help outside the church. Pairing her own story with scriptural insights, mental health research, and simple practices, Sarah helps you reconnect with the God who is present in our deepest anguish and discover that you are worth everything it takes to get better. Beautifully written and full of hard-won wisdom, I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die offers a path toward a rich, hope-filled life in Christ, even when healing doesn’t look like what you expect.