We Were Kings
A Deep Dive Inside the Lives of Professional Beach Volleyball Players
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $19.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Jason Leikam
-
By:
-
Travis Mewhirter
About this listen
We see them every four years, these sun-kissed, muscle-bound athletes, shirtless or bikini-clad. How glamorous it must be, to live the life of a professional beach volleyball player, for your office to reside west of the Pacific Coast Highway. Kings of the beach, they were called once, these professional beach volleyball players. And indeed, they lived up to the name - sponsors! Endorsements! Commercials! Millions in prize money. Icons to a rebel culture.
Yet when the Summer Olympics come to a close, beach volleyball disappears from the public eye, and what the rest of the world fails to see once again becomes reality: It is a remarkable struggle, a wondrous grind, to live the life of a professional beach volleyball player. It is cramming six to a one-bedroom apartment, of sleeping under piers before tournaments, of stealing sandwiches from the players' tent to save an extra buck.
It is the pressure of winning a tournament just to make rent or, for that matter, just to afford the next meal. It is flying to a tournament in Shanghai, not knowing if you’ll be able to feed your wife and newborn when you return, all in the hopes of keeping the beach dream alive.
Featuring interviews and arresting accounts of more than 100 beach volleyball players, award-winning writer and professional beach volleyball player Travis Mewhirter tells the stories, for the first time, of the modern player, lifting the curtain for the inside story of life as a professional beach volleyball player and the pursuit of being a king of the beach once more.
©2018 Travis Mewhirter (P)2019 Travis MewhirterListeners also enjoyed...
-
Kings of Summer
- The Rise of Beach Volleyball
- By: Travis Mewhirter, Kent Steffes
- Narrated by: Robert Restivo
- Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It started with a kiss. In 1955, that’s what the best beach volleyball players in the world played for: A kiss from Hollywood star Greta Thyssen. It was a seminal moment for the sport, and the subculture that it soon birthed: Players could ditch the 9-5 work life and instead spend their days on the beach, working odd jobs to make ends meet, doing whatever it took to stay on the sand.
-
-
Great stories!
- By Kevin on 05-12-24
By: Travis Mewhirter, and others
-
If Gold Is Our Destiny
- The 1984 U.S. Men's Volleyball Team and Its Quest for Olympic Glory
- By: Sean P. Murray, Karch Kiraly - foreword
- Narrated by: Chris Monteiro
- Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the early 1980s, a golden generation of volleyball players joined the U.S. men's national team. With the Olympics coming to Los Angeles in 1984, the pressure was on to build a winning program around these exceptional athletes. In If Gold Is Our Destiny, Sean P. Murray shares the incredible story of how a group of free-spirited players and their demanding coach captured the heart of a nation and became one of the greatest indoor volleyball teams of all time.
-
-
A great read!
- By Amy Morrissey on 08-24-24
By: Sean P. Murray, and others
-
The Inner Game of Tennis
- The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance
- By: W. Timothy Gallwey
- Narrated by: Dan Woren
- Length: 4 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This phenomenally successful guide has become a touchstone for hundreds of thousands of people. Not just for tennis players, or even just for athletes in general, this handbook works for anybody who wants to improve their performance in any activity, from playing music to getting ahead at work.
-
-
For anyone who wants to perform
- By Casper P. on 07-23-14
-
No Excuses
- The Making of a Head Coach
- By: Bob Stoops, Gene Wojciechowski
- Narrated by: Bob Stoops
- Length: 11 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Stoops's journey from player to struggling graduate assistant to legendary head coach, it becomes clear that his dedication to football is about far more than the sport itself. Big Game Bob, as he is known by adorning Sooners, made a name for himself not only by rebuilding the OU football program and leading the team to multiple conference championships but also by adhering to a strong set of principles at a time when corruption was rampant across the NCAA.
-
-
What a Story!
- By Teacher 4832 on 05-07-20
By: Bob Stoops, and others
-
Son of Bum
- Lessons My Dad Taught Me About Football and Life
- By: Vic Carucci, Wade Phillips
- Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin, Wade Phillips
- Length: 4 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In his memoir Son of Bum, decorated NFL coach Wade Phillips shows that the roots of his knowledge come from his father, Bum Phillips. A beloved character in NFL history, Bum taught Wade from the beginning that "coaching isn't bitching", as well as how to have perspective on the game during tough times. These are lessons that apply both on the field and off, and Wade has passed this wisdom down to his son, Wes Phillips, an NFL coach himself.
-
-
A Must For Anyone Who Is A Football Fan
- By Amazon Customer on 03-24-20
By: Vic Carucci, and others
-
Finish Strong
- A Father's Code and a Son's Path
- By: Nate Ebner, Paul Daugherty, Urban Meyer - foreword
- Narrated by: Stephen Graybill
- Length: 7 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nate Ebner and his father were inseparable. From an early age, they worked side-by-side in the family junkyard. Even though Nate was a great peewee football player in football-mad Ohio, he followed his father's passion for rugby and started playing for the same club as his father when he was only 13 years old. But Nate had to face the fact that there was no way to make a living as a professional rugby player in this country. So Nate gave his dad the news that he planned to quit rugby and go out for the football team at Ohio State University, with an eye toward making the NFL.
-
-
Inspiring Story
- By Dawn Ebner on 11-12-24
By: Nate Ebner, and others
-
Kings of Summer
- The Rise of Beach Volleyball
- By: Travis Mewhirter, Kent Steffes
- Narrated by: Robert Restivo
- Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It started with a kiss. In 1955, that’s what the best beach volleyball players in the world played for: A kiss from Hollywood star Greta Thyssen. It was a seminal moment for the sport, and the subculture that it soon birthed: Players could ditch the 9-5 work life and instead spend their days on the beach, working odd jobs to make ends meet, doing whatever it took to stay on the sand.
-
-
Great stories!
- By Kevin on 05-12-24
By: Travis Mewhirter, and others
-
If Gold Is Our Destiny
- The 1984 U.S. Men's Volleyball Team and Its Quest for Olympic Glory
- By: Sean P. Murray, Karch Kiraly - foreword
- Narrated by: Chris Monteiro
- Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the early 1980s, a golden generation of volleyball players joined the U.S. men's national team. With the Olympics coming to Los Angeles in 1984, the pressure was on to build a winning program around these exceptional athletes. In If Gold Is Our Destiny, Sean P. Murray shares the incredible story of how a group of free-spirited players and their demanding coach captured the heart of a nation and became one of the greatest indoor volleyball teams of all time.
-
-
A great read!
- By Amy Morrissey on 08-24-24
By: Sean P. Murray, and others
-
The Inner Game of Tennis
- The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance
- By: W. Timothy Gallwey
- Narrated by: Dan Woren
- Length: 4 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This phenomenally successful guide has become a touchstone for hundreds of thousands of people. Not just for tennis players, or even just for athletes in general, this handbook works for anybody who wants to improve their performance in any activity, from playing music to getting ahead at work.
-
-
For anyone who wants to perform
- By Casper P. on 07-23-14
-
No Excuses
- The Making of a Head Coach
- By: Bob Stoops, Gene Wojciechowski
- Narrated by: Bob Stoops
- Length: 11 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Stoops's journey from player to struggling graduate assistant to legendary head coach, it becomes clear that his dedication to football is about far more than the sport itself. Big Game Bob, as he is known by adorning Sooners, made a name for himself not only by rebuilding the OU football program and leading the team to multiple conference championships but also by adhering to a strong set of principles at a time when corruption was rampant across the NCAA.
-
-
What a Story!
- By Teacher 4832 on 05-07-20
By: Bob Stoops, and others
-
Son of Bum
- Lessons My Dad Taught Me About Football and Life
- By: Vic Carucci, Wade Phillips
- Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin, Wade Phillips
- Length: 4 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In his memoir Son of Bum, decorated NFL coach Wade Phillips shows that the roots of his knowledge come from his father, Bum Phillips. A beloved character in NFL history, Bum taught Wade from the beginning that "coaching isn't bitching", as well as how to have perspective on the game during tough times. These are lessons that apply both on the field and off, and Wade has passed this wisdom down to his son, Wes Phillips, an NFL coach himself.
-
-
A Must For Anyone Who Is A Football Fan
- By Amazon Customer on 03-24-20
By: Vic Carucci, and others
-
Finish Strong
- A Father's Code and a Son's Path
- By: Nate Ebner, Paul Daugherty, Urban Meyer - foreword
- Narrated by: Stephen Graybill
- Length: 7 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nate Ebner and his father were inseparable. From an early age, they worked side-by-side in the family junkyard. Even though Nate was a great peewee football player in football-mad Ohio, he followed his father's passion for rugby and started playing for the same club as his father when he was only 13 years old. But Nate had to face the fact that there was no way to make a living as a professional rugby player in this country. So Nate gave his dad the news that he planned to quit rugby and go out for the football team at Ohio State University, with an eye toward making the NFL.
-
-
Inspiring Story
- By Dawn Ebner on 11-12-24
By: Nate Ebner, and others
-
Rebound
- Soaring in the NBA, Battling Parkinson’s, and Finding What Really Matters
- By: Brian Grant, Ric Bucher
- Narrated by: Leon Nixon
- Length: 9 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After 12 years of playing basketball at the highest professional level, Brian Grant could have been forgiven for thinking that the hardest part of his life was behind him, that he'd be able to kick back and enjoy the fruits of his considerable labors. But soon after his retirement from the NBA, Grant was diagnosed with Young-Onset Parkinson's Disease, ushering in a challenge greater than any he'd faced before. In Rebound, Grant shares his remarkable life before, during, and after those NBA years with no shortage of compassion and wit.
-
-
Great story
- By Damian R. on 05-09-23
By: Brian Grant, and others
-
No One Wins Alone
- By: Mark Messier, Jimmy Roberts
- Narrated by: Will Reeve, Mark Messier - Introduction & Epilogue
- Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mark Messier is one of the most accomplished athletes in the history of professional sports. He was a fierce competitor with a well-earned reputation as a winner. But few people know his real story, not only of the astonishing journey he took to making NHL history, but of the deep understanding of leadership and respect for the power of teamwork he gained.
-
-
❤️❤️❤️11❤️❤️❤️
- By sandy on 01-18-23
By: Mark Messier, and others
-
The Last Great Game
- Duke vs. Kentucky and the 2.1 Seconds That Changed Basketball
- By: Gene Wojciechowski
- Narrated by: Kyle Tait
- Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
March 28, 1992. The final of the NCAA East Regional, Duke vs. Kentucky. Millions could say they witnessed the greatest game and the greatest shot in the history of college basketball. But it wasn't just the final play - an 80-foot inbounds pass with 2.1 seconds left in overtime - that made Duke's 104-103 victory so memorable. Each player and coach arrived at that point with a unique story to tell. In The Last Great Game, ESPN columnist Gene Wojciechowski turns the game we think we remember into a drama filled with suspense, humor, revelations, and reverberations.
-
-
A great book about a great game
- By Hebern on 02-02-21
-
The Master
- The Long Run and Beautiful Game of Roger Federer
- By: Christopher Clarey
- Narrated by: Kiff VandenHeuvel
- Length: 15 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There have been other biographies of Roger Federer, but never one with this kind of access to the man himself, his support team, and the most prominent figures in the game, including such rivals as Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Roddick. In The Master, New York Times correspondent Christopher Clarey sits down with Federer and those closest to him to tell the story of the greatest player in men's tennis.
-
-
Roger, voiced by Schwarzenegger
- By S. Armour on 08-27-21
-
Scotty
- A Hockey Life Like No Other
- By: Ken Dryden
- Narrated by: Ken Dryden
- Length: 15 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Scotty Bowman is recognized as the best coach in hockey history, and one of the greatest coaches in all of sports. He won more games and more Stanley Cups than anyone else. Despite all the changes in hockey, he coached at the very top for more than four decades, his first Cup win and his last an astonishing thirty-nine years apart. Yet perhaps most uniquely, different from anyone else who has ever lived or ever will again, he has continuously experienced the best of hockey since he was fourteen years old.
-
-
Great Concept and Excellent Execution
- By Dennis E. Pipper on 04-24-20
By: Ken Dryden
-
Overtime
- Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines at the Crossroads of College Football
- By: John U. Bacon
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For the past year, John U. Bacon has received unprecedented access to Jim Harbaugh’s University of Michigan football team: coaches, players, and staffers, in closed-door meetings, locker rooms, meals, and classes. Overtime captures this storied program at the crossroads, as the sport’s winningest team battles to reclaim its former glory. But what if the price of success today comes at the cost of your soul? Do you pay it, or compete without compromising?
-
-
Good story.... but
- By Amazon Customer on 10-07-19
By: John U. Bacon
-
Rapture
- Fifteen Teams, Four Countries, One NBA Championship, and How to Find a Way to Win - Damn Near Anywhere
- By: Nick Nurse, Michael Sokolove, Phil Jackson
- Narrated by: Cameron Scoggins
- Length: 6 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
NBA fans had low expectations for rookie coach Nick Nurse and his Toronto Raptors. But what those naysayers didn't realize was that Nurse had spent the past 30 years proving himself at every level of the game, from youth programs and college ball to the NBA D League and Britain's struggling pro circuit. While few coaches have taken such a circuitous path to pro basketball's promised land, the journey - which began at Kuemper Catholic high school in Carroll, Iowa - forged a coach who proved to be as unshakable as he is personable.
-
-
It’s easy to root for Nick Nurse after hearing his story
- By Amazon Customer on 03-03-23
By: Nick Nurse, and others
-
Unfu*k Yourself
- Get Out of Your Head and into Your Life
- By: Gary John Bishop
- Narrated by: Gary John Bishop
- Length: 3 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Are you tired of feeling f*cked up? If you are, Gary John Bishop has the answer. In this straightforward handbook, he gives you the tools and advice you need to demolish the slag weighing you down and become the truly unf--ked version of yourself. "Wake up to the miracle you are," he directs. "Here's what you've forgotten: You're a f--king miracle of being." It isn't other people that are standing in your way; it isn't even your circumstances that are blocking your ability to thrive. It's yourself and the negative self-talk you keep telling yourself.
-
-
Now I'm F'd for sure!
- By Kerry Strong on 08-24-17
By: Gary John Bishop
-
The Sixth Man
- A Memoir
- By: Andre Iguodala, Carvell Wallace
- Narrated by: Sullivan Jones, Andre Iguodala
- Length: 7 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The standout memoir from NBA powerhouse Andre Iguodala, the indomitable sixth man of the champion Golden State Warriors. Andre Iguodala is one of the most admired players in the NBA. And fresh off the Warriors’ third NBA championship in the last four years, his game has never been stronger. Off the court, Iguodala has earned respect, too - for his successful tech investments, his philanthropy, and increasingly for his contributions to the conversation about race in America.
-
-
Lost its legs in the 4th
- By JKay on 07-08-19
By: Andre Iguodala, and others
-
Up and Down
- Victories and Struggles in the Course of Life
- By: Bubba Watson, Don Yaeger - contributor
- Narrated by: Webb Wilder
- Length: 6 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
He was a small-town boy who burst onto the international golf scene with a dramatic hook shot from deep in the woods to win the Masters - before the game he loved almost killed him. Opening up about the toll that chasing and achieving his dream of being a champion golfer took on his mental health, Bubba Watson shares his powerful story of the breaking point that gave him clarity.
-
-
Bubba did not write this
- By cvalero on 11-09-21
By: Bubba Watson, and others
-
Got to Give the People What They Want
- True Stories and Flagrant Opinions from Center Court
- By: Jalen Rose
- Narrated by: Jalen Rose
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jalen Rose has never been quiet. Not as a kid growing up in Detroit in the '70s and '80s. Not as the brash, trash-talking leader of the legendary "Fab Five" at the University of Michigan. Not as the player under the stewardship of Hall of Famers Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas, and others throughout his 13-year NBA career. And certainly not as a commentator and analyst on ABC/ESPN and Grantland.
-
-
Amazing book - a MUST download / read
- By Terry on 10-08-15
By: Jalen Rose
-
Unguarded
- By: Scottie Pippen, Michael Arkush
- Narrated by: JD Jackson
- Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Scottie Pippen has been called one of the greatest NBA players for good reason. Simply put, without Pippen, there are no championship banners - let alone six - hanging from the United Center rafters. There’s no Last Dance documentary. There’s no “Michael Jordan” as we know him. The 1990s Chicago Bulls teams would not exist as we know them. So how did the youngest of 12 go from growing up poor in the small town of Hamburg, Arkansas, enduring two family tragedies along the way, to become a revered NBA legend?
-
-
Unfortunate
- By Lisa A Bartruff on 11-22-21
By: Scottie Pippen, and others
Related to this topic
-
The Master
- The Long Run and Beautiful Game of Roger Federer
- By: Christopher Clarey
- Narrated by: Kiff VandenHeuvel
- Length: 15 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There have been other biographies of Roger Federer, but never one with this kind of access to the man himself, his support team, and the most prominent figures in the game, including such rivals as Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Roddick. In The Master, New York Times correspondent Christopher Clarey sits down with Federer and those closest to him to tell the story of the greatest player in men's tennis.
-
-
Roger, voiced by Schwarzenegger
- By S. Armour on 08-27-21
-
Overtime
- Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines at the Crossroads of College Football
- By: John U. Bacon
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For the past year, John U. Bacon has received unprecedented access to Jim Harbaugh’s University of Michigan football team: coaches, players, and staffers, in closed-door meetings, locker rooms, meals, and classes. Overtime captures this storied program at the crossroads, as the sport’s winningest team battles to reclaim its former glory. But what if the price of success today comes at the cost of your soul? Do you pay it, or compete without compromising?
-
-
Good story.... but
- By Amazon Customer on 10-07-19
By: John U. Bacon
-
Got to Give the People What They Want
- True Stories and Flagrant Opinions from Center Court
- By: Jalen Rose
- Narrated by: Jalen Rose
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jalen Rose has never been quiet. Not as a kid growing up in Detroit in the '70s and '80s. Not as the brash, trash-talking leader of the legendary "Fab Five" at the University of Michigan. Not as the player under the stewardship of Hall of Famers Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas, and others throughout his 13-year NBA career. And certainly not as a commentator and analyst on ABC/ESPN and Grantland.
-
-
Amazing book - a MUST download / read
- By Terry on 10-08-15
By: Jalen Rose
-
A Champion's Mind
- Lessons from a Life in Tennis
- By: Pete Sampras, Peter Bodo
- Narrated by: Mark Deakins
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Pete Sampras is arguably the greatest tennis player ever, a man whose hard-nosed work ethic led to an unprecedented number one world ranking for 286 weeks, and whose prodigious talent made possible a record-setting 14 Grand Slam titles. While his more vocal rivals sometimes grabbed the headlines, Pete always preferred to let his racket do the talking. Until now.
-
-
Not As Strong As His Forehand
- By A. M. Dalessandro on 07-21-09
By: Pete Sampras, and others
-
The Cup They Couldn't Lose
- America, the Ryder Cup, and the Long Road to Whistling Straits
- By: Shane Ryan
- Narrated by: Shane Ryan
- Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The task facing Steve Stricker at the 2021 Ryder Cup was enormous. It was his job, as the American captain, to stare down almost 40 years of Ryder Cup history, break a pattern of home losses that had persisted almost as long, and reverse the tide of European dominance in one of golf's most tense and emotional events. This was the epitome of a must-win, but it was also something more—in the entire 93-year history of the event, no American side had ever faced this kind of pressure.
-
-
Great listen
- By Amazon Customer on 05-27-24
By: Shane Ryan
-
Barkley
- A Biography
- By: Timothy Bella
- Narrated by: Korey Jackson
- Length: 16 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
He's one of the most interesting American athletes in the past fifty years. Passionate, candid, iconoclastic, and gifted both on and off the court, Charles Barkley has made a lasting impact on not only the world of basketball but pop culture at large. Yet few people know the real Charles. Informed by over 370 original interviews and painstaking research, Timothy Bella's Barkley is the most comprehensive biography to date of one of the most talked about icons in the world of sports.
-
-
Great insight to the big man’s life.
- By marci rodee on 07-03-23
By: Timothy Bella
-
The Master
- The Long Run and Beautiful Game of Roger Federer
- By: Christopher Clarey
- Narrated by: Kiff VandenHeuvel
- Length: 15 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There have been other biographies of Roger Federer, but never one with this kind of access to the man himself, his support team, and the most prominent figures in the game, including such rivals as Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Roddick. In The Master, New York Times correspondent Christopher Clarey sits down with Federer and those closest to him to tell the story of the greatest player in men's tennis.
-
-
Roger, voiced by Schwarzenegger
- By S. Armour on 08-27-21
-
Overtime
- Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines at the Crossroads of College Football
- By: John U. Bacon
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For the past year, John U. Bacon has received unprecedented access to Jim Harbaugh’s University of Michigan football team: coaches, players, and staffers, in closed-door meetings, locker rooms, meals, and classes. Overtime captures this storied program at the crossroads, as the sport’s winningest team battles to reclaim its former glory. But what if the price of success today comes at the cost of your soul? Do you pay it, or compete without compromising?
-
-
Good story.... but
- By Amazon Customer on 10-07-19
By: John U. Bacon
-
Got to Give the People What They Want
- True Stories and Flagrant Opinions from Center Court
- By: Jalen Rose
- Narrated by: Jalen Rose
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jalen Rose has never been quiet. Not as a kid growing up in Detroit in the '70s and '80s. Not as the brash, trash-talking leader of the legendary "Fab Five" at the University of Michigan. Not as the player under the stewardship of Hall of Famers Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas, and others throughout his 13-year NBA career. And certainly not as a commentator and analyst on ABC/ESPN and Grantland.
-
-
Amazing book - a MUST download / read
- By Terry on 10-08-15
By: Jalen Rose
-
A Champion's Mind
- Lessons from a Life in Tennis
- By: Pete Sampras, Peter Bodo
- Narrated by: Mark Deakins
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Pete Sampras is arguably the greatest tennis player ever, a man whose hard-nosed work ethic led to an unprecedented number one world ranking for 286 weeks, and whose prodigious talent made possible a record-setting 14 Grand Slam titles. While his more vocal rivals sometimes grabbed the headlines, Pete always preferred to let his racket do the talking. Until now.
-
-
Not As Strong As His Forehand
- By A. M. Dalessandro on 07-21-09
By: Pete Sampras, and others
-
The Cup They Couldn't Lose
- America, the Ryder Cup, and the Long Road to Whistling Straits
- By: Shane Ryan
- Narrated by: Shane Ryan
- Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The task facing Steve Stricker at the 2021 Ryder Cup was enormous. It was his job, as the American captain, to stare down almost 40 years of Ryder Cup history, break a pattern of home losses that had persisted almost as long, and reverse the tide of European dominance in one of golf's most tense and emotional events. This was the epitome of a must-win, but it was also something more—in the entire 93-year history of the event, no American side had ever faced this kind of pressure.
-
-
Great listen
- By Amazon Customer on 05-27-24
By: Shane Ryan
-
Barkley
- A Biography
- By: Timothy Bella
- Narrated by: Korey Jackson
- Length: 16 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
He's one of the most interesting American athletes in the past fifty years. Passionate, candid, iconoclastic, and gifted both on and off the court, Charles Barkley has made a lasting impact on not only the world of basketball but pop culture at large. Yet few people know the real Charles. Informed by over 370 original interviews and painstaking research, Timothy Bella's Barkley is the most comprehensive biography to date of one of the most talked about icons in the world of sports.
-
-
Great insight to the big man’s life.
- By marci rodee on 07-03-23
By: Timothy Bella
-
Basketball
- A Love Story
- By: Jackie MacMullan, Rafe Bartholomew, Dan Klores
- Narrated by: James Fouhey, Jim Frangione, Sullivan Jones, and others
- Length: 16 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A sweeping and revelatory history of basketball, drawing upon hundreds of hours of interviews with the greatest players, coaches, executives, and journalists in the history of the game. In an effort to tell the complete story of basketball in all its fascinating dimensions, acclaimed authors Jackie MacMullan, Rafe Bartholomew, and Dan Klores have compiled nearly a thousand hours' worth of interviews with a staggering number of basketball greats. The audiobook that grew out of those interviews is an extraordinary project and quite possibly the most ambitious basketball work ever made.
-
-
Underwhelming
- By Adam Kosberg on 12-02-18
By: Jackie MacMullan, and others
-
Furious George
- My Forty Years Surviving NBA Divas, Clueless GMs, and Poor Shot Selection
- By: George Karl, Curt Sampson
- Narrated by: Danny Campbell
- Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A man of deep passion and intensity, George Karl earned his bad boy reputation while playing at the University of North Carolina, a rap that continued through the five years he spent with the San Antonio Spurs - and long after he stopped playing. Karl's beery nights, fistfights, and barking followed him into a 35-year coaching career. In a game defined by big stakes and bigger egos, rabid fans and an unforgiving media, Karl was hired and fired a dozen times.
-
-
Pathetic little black book.
- By Brad Howard on 04-20-20
By: George Karl, and others
-
Golden Days
- West's Lakers, Steph's Warriors, and the California Dreamers Who Reinvented Basketball
- By: Jack McCallum
- Narrated by: Jack McCallum
- Length: 11 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Golden Days, acclaimed sports journalist Jack McCallum uses these two teams - the Jerry West/Wilt Chamberlain/Elgin Baylor Lakers and the Stephen Curry/Kevin Durant/Draymond Green Warriors - to trace the dynamic history of the National Basketball Association, which for much of the last half century has marched memorably through the state of California. Tying together the two strands of McCallum's story is Hall of Famer West, the ferociously competitive Laker guard who later became one of the key architects of the Warriors.
-
-
Very interesting and fun to read
- By Joe on 06-12-18
By: Jack McCallum
-
Three Ring Circus
- Kobe, Shaq, Phil and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty
- By: Jeff Pearlman
- Narrated by: Brian Hutchison
- Length: 16 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the history of modern sport, there have never been two high-level teammates who loathed each other the way Shaquille O’Neal loathed Kobe Bryant and Kobe Bryant loathed Shaquille O’Neal. From public sniping and sparring, to physical altercations and the repeated threats of trade, it was warfare. And yet, despite eight years of infighting and hostility, by turns mediated and encouraged by coach Phil Jackson, the Shaq-Kobe duo resulted in one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history.
-
-
Ok I've finished it and have more thoughts
- By Bobby S on 09-24-20
By: Jeff Pearlman
-
The QB
- The Making of Modern Quarterbacks
- By: Bruce Feldman
- Narrated by: Corey M. Snow
- Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The QB tells the story of the interlocking paths of the most fascinating characters involved in this secretive world, examining how advanced analysis has taken root in football. Manziel's portrait is the most intimate look at him yet, detailing all his talents and antics. In The QB, the stories of these men illustrate how high the stakes of the quarterback's game really are, taking readers on a compelling journey into the heart of America's beloved game.
-
-
Interesting and entertaining
- By R. Koehler on 02-25-15
By: Bruce Feldman
-
Funky
- My Defiant Path Through the Wild World of Combat Sports
- By: Ben Askren
- Narrated by: Ben Askren
- Length: 5 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the most dominant college wrestlers in history, Ben Askren became a folk hero during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, before going on to become a multiple time MMA champion and one of the sport's biggest stars. Here, in Funky, this record-breaking wrestler and polarizing UFC fighter shares how he came to dominate opponents while blazing a trail through competitors in unprecedented ways. Not blessed with natural athleticism, he revolutionized folkstyle wrestling by innovating his own technique, which earned him the famous nickname, "Funky."
-
-
Ben sounds sedated
- By Michael J on 12-16-22
By: Ben Askren
-
From Darkness to Dynasty
- The First 40 Years of the New England Patriots
- By: Jerry Thornton
- Narrated by: Chris Andrew Ciulla
- Length: 13 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From Darkness to Dynasty tells the unlikely history of the New England Patriots as it has never been told before. From their humble beginnings as a team bought with rainy-day money by a man who had no idea what he was doing, to the fateful season that saw them win their first Super Bowl, Jerry Thornton shares the wild, humiliating, unbelievable, and wonderful stories that comprised the first 40 years of what would ultimately become the most dominant franchise in NFL history.
-
-
great narration, great book
- By BenRias on 01-25-18
By: Jerry Thornton
-
Scribe
- My Life in Sports
- By: Bob Ryan
- Narrated by: Bob Ryan
- Length: 11 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ever since he joined the sports department of the Boston Globe in 1968, sports enthusiasts have been blessed with the writing and reporting of Bob Ryan. Tony Kornheiser calls him the "quintessential American sportswriter". For the past 25 years, he has also been a regular on various ESPN shows, especially The Sports Reporters, spreading his knowledge and enthusiasm for sports of all kinds.
-
-
No my idea of a memoir
- By Michael Friedman on 12-19-14
By: Bob Ryan
-
A Giant Win
- Inside the New York Giants' Historic Upset over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII
- By: Tom Coughlin, Greg Hanlon - contributor, Eli Manning - foreword
- Narrated by: Donald Corren, Tom Coughlin
- Length: 6 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In A Giant Win, Coach Tom Coughlin reveals the intricacies of football, sharing details only a coach would know. He also details relationships with some of the most iconic players from the Giants, including Eli Manning and Michael Strahan. A Giant Win provides a frame for Coach Coughlin to discuss his life in football—including his years with the Giants as an assistant coach in the late 1980s and 1990, when he helped win a Super Bowl working under Hall of Fame Head Coach Bill Parcells and alongside the coach he’d oppose in Super Bowl XLII: Bill Belichick.
-
-
Love Coach Coughlin Story
- By Alison on 02-29-24
By: Tom Coughlin, and others
-
From the Outside
- My Journey Through Life and the Game I Love
- By: Ray Allen, Michael Arkush
- Narrated by: J.D. Jackson
- Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The record-holding two-time National Basketball Association champion reflects on his work ethic, his on-the-court friendships and rivalries, the great teams he's played for, and what it takes to have a long and successful career in this thoughtful, in-depth memoir. Playing in the NBA for 18 years, Ray Allen won championships with the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat and entered the record books as the original king of the three-point shot. Known as one of the hardest-working and highest-achieving players in NBA history, he was legendary for his sharp shooting.
-
-
It wasn't bad, but I thought it would be better
- By Amazon Customer on 07-30-18
By: Ray Allen, and others
-
Boys Among Men
- How the Prep-to-Pro Generation Redefined the NBA and Sparked a Basketball Revolution
- By: Jonathan Abrams
- Narrated by: Mirron Willis
- Length: 11 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Kevin Garnett shocked the world by announcing that he would not be attending college - as young basketball prodigies were expected to do - but instead would enter the 1995 NBA draft directly from high school, he blazed a trail for a generation of teenage basketball players to head straight for the pros. That trend would continue until the NBA instituted an age limit in 2005, requiring all players to attend college or another developmental program for at least one year.
-
-
Bad pronunciation
- By K. Spearman on 07-03-16
By: Jonathan Abrams
-
Pistol
- The Life of Pete Maravich
- By: Mark Kriegel
- Narrated by: Lloyd James
- Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Pistol is more than the biography of a ballplayer. It's the stuff of classic novels: the story of a boy transformed by his father's dream and the cost of that dream. Even as Pete Maravich became Pistol Pete, a basketball icon for baby boomers, all the Maraviches paid a price. Now acclaimed author Mark Kriegel has brilliantly captured the saga of an American family: its rise, its apparent ruin, and, finally, its redemption.
-
-
Extremely Good!
- By steve on 12-12-12
By: Mark Kriegel