Customer Reviews

Covert: My Years Infiltrating the Mob

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This autobiography of current NBA referee Bob Delaney commences on April 18, 1999 at America West Arena in Phoenix Arizona. As Bob was going through his normal last minute pre-game rituals, he heard a voice from the crowd yelling "Hey Bob!"... "Hey Bob!" Delaney was now in his second decade of refereeing NBA games, and as a veteran he had developed a second skin, or an emotional armor if you will, against hecklers. NBA ref's, just like umpires in baseball learned to simply ignore the boo's and the catcall's that inevitably came with the territory. He'd heard them all: "Hey ref, get it right for once!"... "Hey ref, eat me!"... "Hey ref, your fly's open!"... "Hey ref, you suck!"... "Hey ref, don't quit your day job!"... And one of his personal favorites that rated high on the creativity chart: "Hey Delaney, I've seen better referees at the Foot Locker!" Bob had trained himself not to look at hecklers because that would only encourage them and possibly add fuel to the fire. Then the same voice from the stands yelled: "ALAMO TRUCKING!" All of a sudden every muscle in Bob's body tightened. This fan had information no average fan could possibly have. Delaney's pulse started to race and a prior lifetime of "shadowy" thunder rumbled in his head. Then the same voice yelled: "ALAMO!" Bob looked to the stands into the mega-expensive courtside seats, and the fan is yelling "ALAMO! ALAMO!" Bob looked straight at him and at first had no idea who the fan was, but "ALAMO TRUCKING" was "a loaded reference to a time almost a quarter century before, and a place nearly three thousand miles away on the New Jersey waterfront."

"Bob... it's me... Pat from ALAMO." Then the name, the face, the place and time, all came together in Delaney's hidden memory, unlocking the combination to his secret inner vault. It was Pat Kelly. Bob hadn't seen Pat for over twenty years. Not since the time Pat and Delaney had been in Federal Court testifying against the mob. Pat had entered the Witness Protection Program. Bob Delaney, had been a New Jersey State Trooper, who had given up his name, his identity, and his entire life, to go undercover as Bobby Covert, to infiltrate organized crime for almost three years as part of "PROJECT ALPHA", and had just come out of "DEEP COVER". There are two ways to go undercover in law enforcement: The first is where you go undercover but you still live at home with your family. The second is termed "DEEP COVER", and that's where you not only go undercover, but you give up all ties to your family, friends, and life as you knew it. Bob Delaney went into deep cover in 1975.

Bob arranged for someone to pass a note to Pat at halftime of the game, telling him to meet him after the game. From their reunion after the game the story flashes back to Bob's life story which begins in New Jersey where Bob was the son of a high ranking New Jersey State Trooper Officer. Bob came from a strong Irish family and they lived in a close knit Italian neighborhood. Bob was an All-State basketball player in high school and he also played two years at Jersey City State College. He was a good player at his level but he knew he couldn't go any higher, so when there was an opening in the State Trooper's he applied and was accepted. In a very short period of time Bob impressed the right people and was asked if he wanted to be part of "PROJECT ALPHA" even though it meant "DEEP COVER" and his entire life as he knew it would change. Bob, overflowing with patriotism said yes! The first thing Bob and the other members of the group did was set up a real-live trucking company, and named it Alamo Trucking. The Fed's had a slick wheeler-dealer who they had the goods on by the name of Pat Kelly, and gave him an option of working with "PROJECT ALPHA" or going to prison. Based on the beginning of this review the potential reader already knows the choice Pat made. The rest of the story is a harrowing, amazing, definition of stress and inner fortitude, that along with undying patriotism, is what makes up Delaney's entire DNA. Without giving away any more of this classic episode in crime fighting, that can easily be discussed under the same topic as "DONNIE BRASCO" (Donnie went into "DEEP COVER" for six years, the longest in FBI history.), it should be noted that the busload of high ranking organized crime arrests that resulted from "ALPHA PROJECT" made America a safer place to live. The reader will also find of utmost interest the "withdrawal" symptoms and post traumatic problems with Bob's entire personality and lifestyle once the assignment was completed. I highly recommend this book and must also complement the author's writing style that utilizes everyday jargon and terminology. The storytelling comes across like you're just sitting around having a conversation with an everyday "Jersey-Guy" which Bob Delaney certainly is.

This is the book that you can't put down, the one that you read all night long just to find out what's going to happen next. The words leap off the pages as if the events are actually unfolding before your eyes. It is gripping, the best combination of wonderful story and natural story-teller. It's a must-read. Get it today!

Honestly, couldn't put "Covert" down ! Fast paced, intriguing, and with a happy ending, although my heart was in my mouth for a good part of it ! Writing was consistently superior...all in all, an A+ book!

A young New Jersey State Trooper, author Bob Delaney, goes deep undercover in order to infiltrate organized crime at it's highest and lowest level. A true and gritty story that will keep the reader captivated throughout the entire book. Not only does Delaney give a true and closeup look at the mob, but relates how it affected him after working three years undercover. You don't have to be crime drama buff to enjoy this book. It's for everyone. A fantastic read.

From childhood on, we all make choices in our lives, some inconsequential, others life-altering. Some of us, depending on what we're made of, make choices that are tough on ourselves but that benefit others. Often, the people who make these kinds of choices are labeled heroes.

Enter Bob Delaney. From early on, his love of family and friends and his respect for the law molded him into a person capable of self-sacrifice. A successful career as a law-enforcement officer was laid out before him, and that is unselfish enough. But Delaney took it further than that, going undercover at great physical and emotional expense to put "bad guys" behind bars. Once this complicated and dangerous deed was accomplished, no one could have blamed Delaney for going into hiding and living the rest of his life in the shadows of fear. Instead, Delaney chose to step into the limelight of professional sports and live life to its fullest.

Covert tells the amazing story of a heroic man who would claim to be anything but a hero. In Delaney's mind, he did a job that needed doing. In Delaney's world, good people fight on the side of good. It's as simple as that.

Covert is a great, thrilling read. But it's more than just a book about true crime or sports; it's a human drama. Delaney and co-author Dave Scheiber of the St. Petersburg Times create a ride that will keep you turning the pages from the time you pick up the book -- and ultimately uplift you.

To judge a man, you first have to walk in his shoes. In Delaney's case, these are big shoes to fill.

-- Jim Melvin, author of The Death Wizard Chronicles, a six-book epic fantasy

I am usually the first person to love a mystery or a Mob story, but this is textbook.

I was intrigued by the title and the jacket of the book, but by the 4th chapter or so, it was the same ole-same ole. I was getting kind of tired of the "I'm with the MOB, don't you wish you were" attitude and the "I can't get over the MOB attitude" of the book. I realize that the people who really go through this are seriously emotionally disturbed, but we're not interested as readers.

We want to see the insides of the MOB. That's interesting. I like when I find out what happens to the people that he got so attached to. It's human interest. Please do more of that and less of the play-by-play of the MOB interactions.

Liked the book. Just some suggestions for making it better in a future release.

Entertaining read. His story is quite remarkable. You don't come across someone who has his life experiences very often. I would recommend this book very highly.

Great book by an author who has lived a diversified life, from under cover state trooper to NBA referee. Bob Delaney is a special guy who exposes the mob for the exploitative, amoral group of criminals they are.

Delaney tells a serious story with humor and a style that keeps the reader turning pages. I recommend this book to everyone interested in criminal justice or just a good nonfiction read.

Reading Bobby's book was riveting. Quite honestly, if the source had been made anonymous, it would have been too good of a book to be true. Instead, what we get is hard, no nonsense, mob life history. There's nothing I can say here without spoiling the book, but if you liked "The Departed", you'll love this book. One part I enjoyed the most was the story about a brief run-in at an NBA game that Delaney was refereeing. He recognized the old acquaintance as one that went into the witness relocation program, and there the guy was, 20+ years later, sitting in front row seats, in a nationally televised NBA game. Stories like that brought a smile to my face, and are used as breaks to soften the tense undercover work described in the rest of the book.

The first part of "Covert: My Years Infiltrating the Mob" is an incredible account of NBA Ref Bob Delaney's life as an undercover state trooper living the life as a wise guy in New Jersey. It was unbelievable, at times poignant and definitely suspenseful. The story transitions to Trooper Delaney's exit from "The Life", his feelings of guilt and betrayal, and how he deals with the specter of violence & retribution that he faces as a public figure. Intriguing. Recommended read.