When the Game Was Ours | Larry Bird, Earvin Johnson Jr., ...

When the Game Was Ours | Larry Bird, Earvin Johnson Jr., ... | When the Game was Much Better

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	When the Game Was Ours Larry Bird, Earvin Johnson Jr., ... Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009 - 352 pages average customer review:based on 89 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

From the moment these two players took the court on opposing sides, they engaged in a fierce physical and psychological battle. Their uncommonly competitive relationship came to symbolize the most compelling rivalry in the NBA. These were the basketball epics of the 1980s--Celtics vs Lakers, East vs West, physical vs finesse, Old School vs Showtime, even white vs black. Each pushed the other to greatness--together Bird and Johnson collected 8 NBA Championships, and 6 MVP awards and helped save the floundering NBA at its most critical time. When it started they were bitter rivals, but along the way they became lifelong friends. With intimate, fly-on-the-wall detail, When the Game Was Ours transports readers to this electric era of basketball and reveals for the first time the inner workings of two players dead set on besting one another. From the heady days of trading championships to the darker days of injury and illness, we come to understand Larry's obsessive devotion to winning and how his demons drove him on the court. We hear him talk with candor about playing through chronic pain and its truly exacting toll. In Magic we see a young, invincible star struggle with the sting of defeat, not just as a player but as a team leader. We are there the moment he learns he's contracted HIV and hear in his own words how that devastating news impacted his relationships in basketball and beyond. But always, in both cases, we see them prevail. A compelling, up-close-and-personal portrait of basketball's most inimitable duo, When the Game Was Ours is a reevaluation of three decades in counterpoint. It is also a rollicking ride through professional basketball's best times.

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Bird and Magic

When the Game was Ours by Jackie Macmullan is a great sports book. We follow the exploits of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson from high school days up until current times. I am assuming that most folks reading this understand that Bird and Johnson were two of the greatest NBA players ever. They both had outstanding college careers, and the rivalry between the two basically started with the NCAA championship game of 1979 when Magic's Michigan State team beat Bird's Indiana State team to win what is now thought of by millions as March Madness.

The two men came from similar backgrounds, were bitter rivals for years, and gradually developed a respect for each other's talents that grew into a great friendship. We follow Bird through his days as a Boston Celtic and Magic through his time with the Los Angeles Lakers. The several championship series between the two teams were particularly interesting to read about. We also learn about Magic's announcement that he was HIV-positive and the resulting fallout among the other NBA players as well as the general public. I found the behind the scenes information to be particularly interesting. The author gives us a real feel for what it must be like to be part of a professional basketball team.

I highly recommend When the Game was Ours to all basketball and sports fans and also to anyone who has a surface familiarity with Bird and Magic but wants to know more about the two. A very entertaining book to read.

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When the Game was Much Better

I was living in Milwaukee during the start of the Johnson/Bird era and I got to see a number of Lakers and Celtics games. The Bucks were an excellent team as well in the late 70's and early 80's and I truly enjoyed the quality of play in the NBA back then. There was no question that Bird and Magic were in a class by themselves and the NBA benefitted from their style of play. Things have changed since then and I haven't watched an NBA game since Michael Jordan retired for the last time from the Bulls. The brief looks I had while switching channels reinforced my opinion that the NBA game has deteriorated from the standards I had been accustomed to. After reading "When the Games was Ours" I was reminded of those previous high standards. This book brought back a ton of good memories and a lot of additional background about the two players and their teammates.

The book begins with Larry and Earvin in college and their head-on collision at the NCAA championship. We follow their intense rivalry into the NBA and as the author documents their influence on the game. Throughout the book we get constant reminders of their rivalry, respect, and eventual friendship. Some of their comments on each other are downright touching especially considering their determination to beat each other. Author Jack MacMullan covers more than just the games they played. Much is written about the major events in their lives outside the NBA; Barcelona Olympics, coaching jobs, Magic's HIV contraction and his subsequent attempts to return to the NBA, and more. As the book nears the end, we are reminded of their absence from the NBA and the league's not so gradual decline.

"When the Game was Ours" is a story of two men whose quest for excellence elevated all their teammates to new heights. It's a story of two men who understood each other as only they could. Opposites in many ways, they were united in their determination to win. In telling their story, "When the Game was Ours" reads like a continuous fast break. There is an energy to this book that most sports books only strive for. Even in print Magic Johnson and Larry Bird leave the others behind.

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When The Game Was Ours - Bird/Johnson

Being a HUGE Larry Bird fan, this was a MUST HAVE book for me.(I have about EVERY book written about Larry Bird or with him in it). Living in Indiana, I had the opportunity to "follow" Larry thru out his complete basketball career. I had the opportunity to meet John Havlicek in 1968 and (then) became a Celtics fan. I was in "7th Heaven" when Larry was drafted by by them in 1978. I also attended Larry's Annual Golf Classic (down in Terre Haute) for 10 years in a row. Each year having the opportunity to talk with Larry for a little while EACH year. In August , 2000 my son and I got to PLAY 18 holes of golf WITH Larry ! What a thrill ! Larry is a PERFECT Gentleman and a real pleasure to know. I would really like to MEET Magic so I could "complete" my quest to have met the 2 GREASTEST Basketball Players of ALL time. The book,When The Game Was Ours, was a very intresting story of two of the greastest, most competitive players we will ever know.And yes, Larry was enrolled for 24 days at IU , but NEVER stepped foot on the Assembly Hall FLOOR. That "may" have been one of the BEST things to ever happen to Larry , given Bobby Knight's fierce temperment.All in all, a GREAT book !

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classic book

now first of all i still enjoy the nba,however mainly for players, now when these guys laced them up it was must see tv. that to me in the 80's was the last golden era of nba basketball. Magic and Bird brought the league back. i remember watch a few nba finals on tape delay and personally the past few finals could have been that way for, that is another subject for another day. Bird and Magic were like a tv show that went to the big screen and took the creativity even further. watching the lakers and celtics battle in june was always must see tv.

the chess match of speed versus slowed down and styles made each one of these men compelling on the basketball court.

i highly enjoyed the book and i never tire from reading about them. they are two of the all time greats and they both forever changed the game as we know it.

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Magic and Larry

Very interesting reading about the events and behind the scenes stories of two great athletes. Brought back memories of the excitement of some of the games and tournaments. Good to read about the human side of people that we only normally see in the spotlight.

reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

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