The Mad Dog 100: The Greatest Sports Arguments of All Time

Having listened to Chris Russo since he was on little WMCA radio and watching him move on to WFAN, I was curious to see his writing prowess since his on-the-air vocabulary gets a bit jumbled sometimes. This is what I like about him, he seems down to earth and more like the callers to his show than other big ego radio talk show hosts. I decided to make the plunge and actually bought two items (the other is a great video for Little League parents called: "Backyard Baseball Drills"). The beauty of this book is that Russo writes the way he speaks. It will never make Oprah's recommended list but some of the arguments are real just like when I was a kid, discussing Mays vs Mantle. My favorite was the Dimaggio-Williams debate. This is a nice read that you can put down and pick up whenever, be it in the "can" or on the beach. Recommended!

A long time listener of Mike and the Mad Dog radio, nothing gets me in a better mood driving on weekday afternoons that Mad Dog's high octane, intense viewpoints on everything sports. Needless to say, I was pretty excited when the Mad Dog 100 was released.His book is vintage Mad Dog. Tackling 100 arguments of sports on a surprisingly wide and thorough range of topics, he provides arguments that are reasonable, if not correct (everyone has their own opinion), and presents many hidden factors or facts that fans don't often realize. A few reasons in particular why I liked it...1. Not too technical. An earlier reviewer said that Mad Dog's analysis was "watered down", meaning they only scratched the very basics of a topic. I think this is actually a good thing. Why? I could follow arguments and enjoy the commentary on sports I don't know much about, such as football or track. Going into too much detail will alienate much of the book for many readers, besides it's 300 pages even with basic arguments.2. The hidden factors. I mentioned this before- on seemingly every topic, the Dog brings up relevant facts that the reader (at least I was) wasn't aware of... the "I didn't think of that" kind of fact. For example- the fact that Gherig batted once and took the rest off the day off several times to extend his consecutive games streak, while Ripken's playing every day ofteh hurt his team but occurred because of Ripken's drive for the record are two factors in the streak debate (which was better?) that most non-religious baseball followers don't realize.3. The authority factor. I like the fact that the Mad Dog will admit when he knows little about a sport or topic and won't try to ram an argument down your throat for these (although he will for everything else :)- he won't try to dissect a topic he knows nothing about. Same goes for his time period- Mad Dog states several times he won't comment as critically on players or periods before his time, and I respect him for that. I don't need a guy who's forty five-ish trying to examine the ins and outs of Christy Matheson's game because he wasn't even born yet- Mad Dog understands that.I'll be the first to tell you that Mad Dog isn't right about every topic, and he can be more than a bit stubborn. But reading the book, I fully realized how smart the guy is in sports- even if you think he's wrong, he's going to bring up some aspects of ANY argument you might not have thought of. So enjoy Mad Dog 100, it's a lot of fun for those of us who ponder the great sports arguments and love talking about em...

You know those great ballpark conversations you have with your Dad, or your brother or your best buddy during a pitching change in the sixth inning? That's what this book is like. Russo collects all those arguments that never quite get resolved between two sports fans. The Dog gives his take. He's smart, and sometimes he's even right-except about the salary cap. Then it's your turn. Reading this book (and you won't be able to put it down) is your excuse to pick up the phone and say "Hey, Dad, remember that story you always tell about the tape measure homer that Mickey Mantle hit against Kansas City? Well, I just got this new book and Chris Russo agrees with you that Mickey has more power than anybody. But I've got to still go with Sammy Sosa because..." So buy the book, and then call home.

For anyone who has grown up playing or watching all sports like me- this is a MUST read. Whether you agree with Dog or not,you're on the phone all night with friends argueing the best sports debates of all-time. Being a high school basketball coach, this book will make my 3 hr bus trips & delays in airports be much more enjoyable. The discussions will last for hours. Dog- you put out a bible for sports buffs that not only has plenty of "BARK", but what a "BITE". Great job!! I'll be looking for your next read.

Chris Russo deliveres big time in his first attempt at writing a book. His knowledge and passion for all sports easily shines through. I learned many details that I never knew about some of the sporting worlds' most memorable moments. I also love the format of the book which allows you to browse and read in the order you would like. I have been stuck inside all memorial day weekend and Russo's work got me through it. All Mike & the Mad Dog fans must read this book. Non-listeners should run out and buy it as well. Way to go Mad Dog, not too bad for a Giant fan!