My Brother S Teammates

Mia’s a feisty, curvy girl who loves sports. In fact, she’s always wanted to be a member of the men’s football team although Ridgewood High doesn’t allow women to play. But Mia’s got talent, and she’s determined to make her brother’s teammates acknowledge her athleticism even if Trace, Troy, Howard, Frank and George send thrills down her spine every time they call, “Hutt!” Trace, Troy, Howard, Frank and George are powerful athletes with chiseled physiques and the athleticism of raw animals. The Ridgewood Razorbacks are headed to the State Championships this year, and the last thing they want is for their teammate’s little sister to be a distraction. But when the gorgeous, curvy Mia shows her true colors, suddenly this scrum of football players has met their match: both on the field and in the locker room as well. Hey Readers – Get ready for the Five-Sided Feast! Yeah, you know what I mean. It’s a feast for the senses that will drive you absolutely INSANE with heat! As always, there’s an HEA with no cheating and no cliffhangers. You’ll love it, I promise! Xoxo, Cassie

Experiences Sweet and Sour By: Dennis Wayne Prothro Experiences Sweet and Sour is about genealogy, nationality, racial injustice, and strength found in a faithful, spiritual commitment and converted life. Truthful and educational in his writings, Dennis Wayne Prothro takes readers on a journey through life experienced as a Black man—both good and bad. Through his experience, learn that each person has an impact on others, either indirectly or directly, whether consciously or unconsciously; learn the value of trying to understand others by living in their place and time of history, and acting accordingly.

This the story of the seven baseball-playing Boyer brothers from western Missouri who signed professional contracts in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Led by oldest brother Cloyd, a pitcher, third baseman Ken and third baseman Clete, three of the seven brothers reached the majors. This book recounts their hardscrabble upbringing and how they fought their way to success. Initially discouraged by arm injuries that curtailed his big-league career, Cloyd became a coach and manager at the minor and major league levels, and remained in the game for nearly half a century. The most accomplished, Ken, became a perennial National League All-Star, and was the 1964 Most Valuable Player. In the 1960s, he was the face of the St. Louis Cardinals, and after his playing days ended he returned to manage the team. Clete gained prominence as a regular for the American League champion New York Yankees, and competed in five World Series before starring in the National League and concluding his career in Japan. While they did not make it to the top, the other four brothers enrich the story with their own baseball histories, and help illustrate how the closeness of the family helped each of them succeed.

Stephen Nasser somehow dug deep within his soul to survive the brutal and inhumane treatement his captors inflicted on the Jews. He was the only one of his family to survive--but the memory of his brother's dying words compelled him to live. Stephen's account of the Holocaust, told in the refreshingly direct and optimistic language of a young boy, appeals to both younger audiences and his contemporaries. Written in a straightforward, narrative style, Nasser avoids the cloying or maudlin language that characterizes some stories of the Holocaust. Perhaps it's for that reason readers will find his book one they won't forget--and one they recommend to others as a "must read."

Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco—the Bash Brothers—ushered in a new era of muscle-bound power hitters in baseball in the late 1980s. Suddenly balls were flying out of the parks like never before, and the rest of baseball stood up, took notice, and followed suit. Baseball’s bodybuilding revolution, with its resultant steroid infestation, was here to stay, and many experts today point to these two players as a large reason why. Author Dale Tafoya has interviewed more than 150 teammates, coaches, scouts, and friends who knew McGwire and Canseco during that era, including former A’s general manager Sandy Alderson, former team president Roy Eisenhardt, former commissioner Fay Vincent, Hall-of-Fame closer Dennis Eckersley, and 2004 Ford C. Frick award-winning legendary broadcaster Lon Simmons. They provide first-person commentary on what living and playing with the larger-than-life duo was like, and relate the shock and awe that followed both players and the team as well. Tafoya also investigates the players’ pre-Oakland careers, how they exploded upon reaching the majors with the A’s, and what happened when the two moved on. While Canseco has admitted his steroid use, McGwire ducked the question when Congress asked about his use by saying, “I am not here to discuss the past.” Tafoya investigates the claims of each. The Bash Brothers revolutionized baseball; Tafoya discusses whether it was for better or for worse and paints a colorful portrait of the duo’s rise to popularity and their ensuing exposure and shame. Bash Brothers: A Legacy Subpoenaed is the first book to fully investigate how these two players helped shape baseball for years to come.

Students of Bentonville, Arkansas interview relatives and community members about their lives. Interviewers included the guiding questions: What struggles do communities face regarding inequality and justice? How does experiencing societal conflict influence the way people see the world? How can I use my voice to create change? Interview responses include a range of discrimination struggles, life joys, humorous anecdotes, and sound advice.

Pass Protection is simply an 11-week devotional book/bible study guide, geared towards the course of a football season. These short and significant devotions were written by a youth pastor and high school football chaplain. Each chapter represents a week of the season, and it all starts with the first chapter called Pre-Season: Equipment Checkout (putting on the armor of God) Pass Protection merges scriptures and actual football stories, while tackling some issues that parents, teachers, coaches and athletes could face on a daily basis.

The NFL insists players know they're playing a dangerous game, but players never see the deteriorated mental capacities of their former heroes. Throwaway Players is former Tampa Bay Buccaneers president Gay Culverhouse’s story of the broken bodies and lost souls of the men who have left the locker room and what remains after the cheering subsides. Focused on making money rather than the well-being of their players, this is the dark side of football the NFL doesn't want fans to see. Additionally, high schools, colleges, and independent sports organizations have little oversight when choosing player’s equipment. This breeds a new generation of kids suffering from multiple concussions and damaged lives. Throwaway Players offers guidance to parents navigating the world of competitive sports as well as advocacy and resources for athletes often left in the dark about appropriate procedures for treating injuries, especially head traumas. Throwaway Players is essential reading for any parent, athlete, and sports fan. Gay Culverhouse testified before Congress on football head injuries and successfully changed the policy of including an independent neurologist on the sidelines of every NFL game. Gay's work with former players has appeared in The New York Times, Sarasota Herald Tribune, St. Petersburg Times, The Tampa Tribune, Time magazine, and many more. She has appeared on several radio shows, including PBS and ESPN, and is featured in three documentaries that are in post-production (with CNN, ESPN, and an independent filmmaker). In November 2009 Gay formed The Gay Culverhouse Players’ Outreach Program, Inc., a nonprofit organization to further the work nationally for retired players.