Customer Reviews

Chocolate Thunder: The Uncensored Life and Time of Darryl Dawkins

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Chocolate Thunder is a light hearted bio on the fast and wild times of Darryl Dawkins. Whereas Darryl's bio is fairly comprehensive, one most surely understand who this is comming from. Darryl certainly was not the most disciplined player on the Earth or even Lovetron. In other words, I question some of the motives and biases of Mr. Dawkins.

Nonetheless, the read is very entertaining if a bit crass in spots. I love reading about his dunking exploits. Its interesting how such a wild and crazy basketball player like Darryl Dawkins eventually became a respected coach in the USBL and the IBA. I guess Darryl Dawkins has mellowed a bit with age.

Nonetheless, this is strong on entertainment value.

I just wanted to say that I have read this book in one day thought it was great. If you ever get to meet Darryl how he and Charley have written the book is how Darryl is in person. Darryl was honest about all the crazy things he did in the past and were he is heading for the future. IT is really great to read how a person truly grows up after the age 18 and really does not hit adulthood until later in life. Great book and Great Read.

As a 14-year old I was surprised that there was as much corruption in the 70's and 80's as there is now. I was always told that all they did was play ball and do their job. Now, I know that's not true. The Darryl Dawkins Autobiography was very interesting and appalling. It seems like he exaggerated a lot but the stories of childhood and manhood were very funny even though it seemed more like fiction. Once you start reading you won't be able to put it down.I reccomend it.

This book proves that there was and is a lot more to Darryl Dawkins than just smashing backboards. His candid account of life in the NBA of the 70s and 80s, with its drug use, partying, and thinly veiled racism, is sure to raise some eyebrows in league headquarters. Darryl does name a few names, but his most shocking stories are about his own excesses. Just as interesting is what Darryl has been up to since he left the NBA, including a brief stint with the Globetrotters, several years playing in Italy, and the beginnings of a coaching career. A fascinating account of a groundbreaking career.

If you want an entertaining look at Darryl Dawkins and basketball, this is a good choice to read. Dawkins takes the reader on a fast-paced, fun ride through the many stops on his roller-coaster career. This is not to say thet Dawkins isn't honest about the sometimes painful truth. He does admit some less-than-flattering things, but mostly he just glosses over his own weaknesses or shortcomings. Given his history and reputation, this was pretty much expected.
Dawkins does succeed in shedding some light on some interesting teams and people. He also shows some serious insight and reflection at various times of the book, just not nearly enough times.

props to "CHOCOLATE THUNDER" for telling it like it is from the Hood to the HARDWOOD. the way the League Portrays things you would believe in things Being all colorLess&whatnot.but this Book Breaks things down&Puts alot of things into Perspective.I enjoyed reading things&also it took me back.

Though Dawkins didn't have the most immortal NBA career, he does have the insights and understanding of the game to write a potentially powerhouse book. He deserves his place in history as the league's original entertainer and showman, and he did have a stone classic moment when he shattered the backboard to smithereens during a monster dunk. Dawkins is both smart enough and funny enough to understand the workings of the game while taking its dark side with a grain of salt. Thus he has great insights into the drug culture in pro sports, racial politics in the NBA of the 70's, the lowdown practices of agents and owners, and poor coaching. He also has many fascinating and illuminating things to say about the current state of the NBA, with its focus on promotion and superstardom rather than the fundamentals of solid team ball.

Darryl's great insights into these matters could have been the basis for a solid and powerful book of sports commentary. But here, the wisdom merely pops up occasionally in the midst of a funny but unremarkable bio about sex and partying, trash talking (though I did love the crack "Dennis Rodman's elevator didn't stop at the top floor"), and especially too much complaining about how referees mistreated him. Meanwhile, who knows what "professional" writer Charley Rosen was doing. We can't expect Dawkins to be a flawless writer, but having a supposed professional on board should have resulted in a book with more credibility. While Darryl's life story can be a fun read, I suggest that he write another book that sticks with commentary and criticism of modern basketball, because he knows what he's talking about. That book would be as powerful as one of his dunks. [~doomsdayer520~]

This tell-all biography is completely factual and brutally honest. Dawkins holds back on nothing and captivates the reader while telling about sex, drugs and racism in the NBA during his career. It's a very fast and easy read. I highly reccomend it (great for the beach !!)

DAWKINS TELLS THE STORY OF HIS LIFE IN THIS EASY TO READ TALE. I FOUND HIM TO BE FUNNY, CANDID AND INTERESTING. HE USES A LOT OF WORDS AND TERMS THAT MAY NOT BE FOR ANYONE UNDER 18. DAWKINS WAS PURE POWER FOR THE 76ERS DURING HIS CAREER WITH THEM. HE COULD BREAK BACKBOARDS AND SHATTER THE GLASS AROUND THEM. HE WAS STRONG AS A BULL BUT GOT IN FOUL TROUBLE VERY OFTEN. HE CAME TO THE PROS STRAIGHT FROM HIGH SCHOOL. VERY UNUSUAL FOR THE TIMES. HIS LIFE OFF THE COURT IS MORE INTERESTING THAN ON. HIS VARIOUS ADDICTIONS TO ALCOHOL, DRUGS AND SEX HURT HIS PLAY WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE THAN IT WAS. I LIKE THIS BOOK BUT BE AWARE OF THE LANGUAGE AND SEX TERMS.

In basketball, the most important play is the slam dunk. Darryl Dawkins shattered at least two backboards during games in his NBA career via the slam dunk. So it is reasonable to call him the greatest basketball player who ever lived.
Nobody knows how many backboards Dawkins has shattered in community centers and church gymnasiums throughout the world. But I would guess that it's in the hundreds. To my knowledge, Michael Jordan has never shattered a backboard.

During the peak of his career, Dawkins was a real prankster. While he was on the road with the 76ers, he would break curfew and sneak into the local community centers in the middle of the night and shatter their backboards, leaving funny notes at the front desk saying stuff like, "backboard needs repair" and "broken glass on gym floor." He was a really funny and creative basketball player.

This book tells the whole story.