Le Tour

The Tour de France is a great sporting event, but it has had its fair share of cheating, cruelty, tragic deaths and sheer bad luck. Matt Rendell has done a great job of recording this in Blazing Saddles. The Cruel and Unusual History of the Tour de France. The book basically follows every Tour from 1903 until 2007 and gives a brief summary of what happened. It particularly focuses on the things that set this race apart in terms of the unusual and cruel.

The early years of the race were like the wild west riders would travel on cars and trains to get an advantage, nails would be left across the road, mobs of supporters would block the road and beat up or stone competitors that were beating their favourite rider. One rider even organised a line of beer bottles to be set up on a wall on the side of the road on a long and hot stage, and when his competitors stopped to have a drink he rode on by. Now days drugs are the main form of cheating that goes on.

Overall a good little read that fans of the Tour will enjoy as it highlights some of the events that make it so unique.

Any Given Sunday or Saturday or Friday ...

I follow lots of different sports, and at the moment three of my favourite have either begun or are beginning. American Football has begun so I'm following that closely, go the Vikings.

The Ice Hockey season is about to begin so go the Penguins, and the NBA is about to start so go the Suns.

What does this mean for my reading?

Well it means I read a lot of magazines which follow these sports, whether they are reviewing the upcoming season, or following it once it starts.

So lots of stats, player news and rumours of trades.

It makes a pleasant change from my usual reading.

Freaks of Nature

As different styles of play come and go, what is regarded by coaches as good player attributes also changes. This happens in any sport, coaches emphasise speed so fast players are needed, strength and players with muscle bulk are sort after.

Michael Lewis looks at this in his book The Blind Side. He looks at American Football and the interesting trend of recent years that means the left tackle is the second highest paid player on the offense behind the quarterback. As teams have come to rely more on the passing game the left tackle has become very important because for a right handed quarterback the left tackle protects the quarterback's blind side, the side most sacks come from. As quarterback salaries have increased the left tackle's salary has also increased. But not just anyone can play left tackle, a very special physical freak is needed and what impressive specimens they are. Players in this role are usually taller that 6 and a half feet (198cm) and weigh more than 300lbs (136kg), and yet have the body control of a ballerina and the foot speed of a boxer.

Lewis follows a future left tackle from high school into college by the name of Michael Oher. At the age of sixteen when we first meet Michael he is 6ft 6in (198cm) and weighs 350lbs (158kg), and is one of the fastest kids over the 40 yard dash, he runs it in 5 seconds. Lewis tells the amazing story of Michael as he overcomes many obstacles to finally be one of the top prospects in college. Oher will probably be drafted into the NFL over the next couple of years so he is a name to watch out for.

You might think this book would only appeal to American Football fans, but sports fans in general will enjoy this book.