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Sports have dominated the headlines this summer thanks to the Olympic Games in Paris. Fans watched as the world’s greatest raced, fought, and played across the most popular events, including the 100 meters, javelin, 10,000 meters, and boxing. Legends were born against a beautiful Parisian backdrop, with many young and previously unknown men and women becoming household names. Did you visit France and see the medals presented to the proud athletes? Perhaps you enjoyed the show from the comfort of your home, soaking up the television coverage.
Team USA ended the Summer Olympic Games as the dominant force, topping the medals table following an impressive effort. The athletes benefited from the best training and millions of dollars in support before stepping onto the track in Paris and showing their skills. The Stars and Stripes captured a total of 126 medals, including 40 golds, 44 silvers, and 42 bronze, finishing clear of China with 91 medals and Japan’s return of 45. Team USA started as favorites at the top California betting sites and the athletes deserve credit for delivering on the big stage.
Wheels in motion
Now that the dust has settled on Paris 2024, the wheels are in motion for the next installment, which comes from Los Angeles in 2028. Training has already begun, with athletes dreaming of a place at the next games, where they’ll get the chance to build on Team USA’s success in Europe. Four years of dreaming and hard work will produce champions at LA28, and we can’t wait to see the results.
With sports dominating the TV coverage, newspaper headlines, and website space, it got us thinking about our favorite sporting authors. The latest article published on our popular pages highlights the stars of sports who have also become best-selling authors. From a fiery American tennis legend to the queen of combat sports, there’s plenty to get through.
Let’s squeeze one last bit out of the summer by suggesting some interesting reads for sports lovers. We hope to inspire your next purchase or educate readers on some multi-talented athletes.
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Andre Agassi
It was a busy summer for American tennis sensation and Grand Slam winner Andre Agassi, who appeared on our screens at the Wimbledon Championships and the Olympic Games. Agassi is a real favorite in tennis circles, but he’s also a talented writer who penned his memoir, Open, which was published and hit shelves in 2009. As you might’ve guessed, Andre’s book tells all, and he isn’t a man known for holding back or keeping his emotions in check.
What we liked about Open was that it’s not a sports autobiography that focuses on the great man’s many achievements. Instead, Andre is open and honest about his vulnerabilities, telling the reader in great detail about the emotional and psychological problems that plagued his younger years. From an often complicated and strained relationship with his father to struggles with fame, Agassi is raw. Just like his time on the court, his writing is brave and direct. Tennis fans will love it, but Open is a great read for anyone wishing to learn more about Agassi behind the lens.
Ronda Rousey
Ronda Rousey is the biggest name in female combat sports. She was a huge hit in the world of mixed martial arts, where she won various titles before exploding onto the scene when signing with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Despite competing in a time when female fighting was much less popular than it is today, Ronda became a global sensation through hard work, clever marketing, and impressive knockout wins. She then moved to professional wrestling, becoming a feared warrior in WWE.
Her book, entitled My Fight/Your Fight, was released in 2015 and quickly became a big seller. The book does much more than track her success, from winning a judo medal at the Olympic Games to dominating the UFC. It serves as a motivational guide to the reader, showing one woman’s sacrifice and battle to be noticed in a male-dominated industry. Ronda documents her struggles through the ranks, both inside and outside of the octagon, shows her discipline, and explains the power of unwavering self-belief.
Phil Jackson
Moving to the world of professional basketball, Phil Jackson is a legendary name in the NBA. Jackson famously coached the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers to several NBA Finals titles throughout his career before becoming a celebrated author. Phil published his book Sacred Hoops: Spiritual Lessons of a Hardwood Warrior in 1995, and it remains as popular and relevant today as it was almost 30 years ago.
Sacred Hoops isn’t your typical basketball autobiography. It blends Buddhism, Native American spirituality, and professional sports. It offers the reader Jackson’s unique take on the importance of proper leadership and teamwork in the pursuit of sporting excellence. Phil’s approach to coaching and man-management was unconventional, to say the least, but it got results, and he oversaw some of the greatest talents and most decorated teams in NBA history. The book explains how he combined mindfulness and meditation with coaching to create winning players and a strong mentality on the court and in the players’ lives.
If you love basketball, you’ll love Sacred Hoops. But this book appeals to more than just sports fans. It shows one man’s bravery in ripping up the script and doing things differently. Although he was met with obstacles at every turn, Jackson had the confidence in his revolutionary ideas to not only make them work but to change sports coaching forever.
Notable mentions
Our content team highly recommends the three books mentioned in this article. Of course, there are many more published best-selling authors with successful backgrounds in professional sports.
Readers may wish to check out The Secrets of My Life by Caitlyn Jenner or On the Line by American tennis sensation Serena Williams. Looking for your football fix ahead of the new NFL season that begins in September? Vince Lombardi’s Run to Daylight is a fascinating read despite being published more than 60 years ago.
The Lit Bitch 