I generally try to avoid non-fiction books while on vacation. Slow reader that I am, an endless stream of facts slows me down even more. I prefer a light, breezy fiction work, that I can steam through at a torrid pace. Then, when vacation is done, I can gloat and say I read five books in five days. But after reading a terrible book by some guy who went to UC Berkley's Boalt School of Law, I had to read something that would be worthwhile.
So, I picked up a biography of Vince Lombardi, When Pride Still Mattered by David Maraniss. The one thing that annoyed me about this book was that the author felt compelled to show off his vocabulary. I am good with words, right? Anyone who can use the word "didactic" in sentence, please raise your hand. There was a multitude of octosyllabic words, which slowed me down even more (and I did not have my dictionary with me). The author's . . . uhm . . . big vocabulary just bothered me because this is a football book. I am sure plenty of football fans read the first ten pages, then put it down, never to pick it up again.
Anyway, I do not want to rant about my limited vocabulary, just wanted to make a point about knowing your audience (and yes, I understand that his audience may be more business big shots and politicians than Freddie the butcher).
Which is the perfect segue to the most interesting fact that I extracted from this book. Granted, the fact took up a mere four sentences in the 500 page book, but it is easy to see why it caught my eye.
Vince is most remembered for his belief in winning being the only thing that matters (I am paraphrasing). Seems to me, the guy would have made a great corporate lawyer. Always going for the jugular, not accepting anything less than the complete and total submission of the opponent. However, Vince was not cut out for the legal career, but it is not as though he did not try. The Great Vince Lombardi went to law school for a semester. And then dropped out.
Apparently, great men learn early on that going to law school is not the correct path for achieving greatness (Sorry Holmes).
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
A Little Light Summer Reading
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2 comments:
Lombardi would have kicked the crap out the bailiffs, then asked the judge, in his booming, distinct, and intense voice, "Would you like to reconsider your ruling on that motion?"
The judge would have crapped his pants, changed his ruling, then used the media to get Lombardi disbarred.
No one could handle Lomardi one on one, except his wife and Paul Hornung.
Of course, I neglected to mention that Lomardi dropped out because of poor grades, but that is beside the point. Your Doctor may have graduated in the bottom 10% of his class, but he is still a Doctor.
Oh, and the other intersting fact I learned is that if Lombardi was not so scared of a Doctor sticking something up his ass, he may not have died so young, and thus, the Super Bowl trophy would not be named after him.
Let that be a lesson to you kids. Don't let the Doc stick things up your ass, because if you die young, a trophy may be named after you.
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