Customer Reviews

If I Don't Six

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a disturbing, unsettling novel, one which will not make friends with those who believe in the myth of the All-American boy and the notion that collegiate athletics are populated by "student-athletes." Indeed, If I Don't Six compels the reader to examine not only the financial corruption of collegiate football, but it forces the reader to sadly ponder the corruption of many young men who prostate themselves at the altar of mind-numbingly dumb coaches. Anti-intellectualism and body-breaking comepte for attention in this tightly written and fatalistic novel. As I approached the conclusion, I marveled that the author lived to speak about his experiences, rueful of the enormous costs he has paid.

I finished Elwood Reid's novel more than two weeks ago and its events and characters are still very much with me. On the surface the novel is a depiction of big time football at Michigan, and the main character's stoical rejection of its values, but its themes run much deeper than that. Reid captures the male world anywhere, regardless of milieu--high school, sports, or business--a place where the smashing of egos goes on until a hierarchy is determined. The book is wonderfully felt and alive, its scenes tangible, poignant, funny, and terrifying; and in the main character's refusal to be tackled and kept down by the world around him, the novel rises into a kind of heroism as real as it is remarkable.

"Sports Books" as a genre leave a great deal to be desired, both in the writers' delivery and the subject's depth. "Six" is one of those trancendent efforts done a disservice by being lumped in the sports category. With writing succeeding on its own merits, I was doubly entertained by the characters, recognized from my own Pac 10 locker room experiences by different names but similar social retardation. The best I can say after reading this book is that, pushing 40 years old, I feel less regret for "thinking too much", college football's greatest sin. Is Reid accurate in his portrayal? Unfortunately, very. It really is that bad in places, though the unthinkable behavior is necessarily more condensed here. However, one should realize that football programs reflect their leadership and institutional standards to SOME extent. A John Robinson or a Lou Holtz will enforce standards well above what you read about here. A fine book, though not for the squeemish. Most importantly, if you're an ex-player, or a participant as we speak, you owe yourself a look at these pages to see if you recognize yourself.

Elwood Reid gives a great description of the recruiting process, spring practices, coaches and college life at a Big 10 university. It also deals with other life issues like young love, good friends, etc. I enjoyed this book very much and hope to see more from this very talented author. I found out about this book by default while listening to WQAM 560 AM in Miami one day and Mr. Reid was on telling about his newest piece and how he, too, played ball for Michigan. He has been there, writes from a knowledgable point of view and this book should really keep your interest from cover to cover. If you like football, loved college life and parties, then you'll enjoy it, too. It brought back memories.

This book was dissapointing to me for several reasons. The most evident of which was its lack of realism. Coaches constantly were either swearing at or hitting players. Every collision ended in blood, broken bones, etc. Now I am aware that coaches establish discipline and that football is a violent game. But if the game were as this author describes it, who would want to play it? Unfortunately, this author's description is way off base. To be fair, this book is Fiction, so it is the author's right to "liven up" a story in order to make it more entertaining for the reader. But his use of real college teams leads one to believe that the story has a certain element of reality, which this book did not have. I was shocked to see how many of the other reviewers finished this book and believe they now have a better insight on Div. 1 football and men's behavior in general. If you want a real look at life as a Division 1 football player, try Ken Denlinger's (For the Glory). If you want fantasy, I will give you my copy of this book. I don't have a use for it.

Elwood Reid's "If I Don't Six," written in a good imitation of Hemingway's spare prose, is the tale of a bright but immature eighteen-year-old's encounter with Big Time college football. His concerns the Big Question,"What shall I do with my life?" Can he endure the rigors of Michigan football to keep a full-ride scholarship as a ticket out of Cleveland, or will he return and begin "loading Hilos into trucks" for a living? Reid's story is less an expose of the rough, physically punishing regimes of an offensive lineman, than it is a tale of his inner struggles and less-than-enlightened behavior. He seems to gravitate toward team members who resembles characters from the film "Animal House." When he joins another team member in stealing items from the team equipment room, his actions are perhaps meant to reveal to us his ambivalent feelings about playing football; instead, what comes across is the considerable self-destructive streak that compromises his "ticket out." Reid's book is not an indictment of college football, however he may have intended it. "If I Don't Six" is yet another coming-of-age novel, another story of a young man's journey toward maturity, complete with the many irrational detours that occur along the way.

Besides the good look at college football life, this book didn't do much else for me. The love story didn't grab me, and I couldn't keep track of all the different characters. However, once again, it did provide a quality look at what life must be like as a college football player. I'm kind of glad I wasn't one.

For someone who never played football in High School or College, I was totally mesmerized by the depiction of Division I football. He paints a clear and consise picture of the hardships that each one of the characters experienced during their tumultuous first year. Gripping!!!! Hard to put down!!!!!! Any others thoughts from anyone of you, please email me.

To put it simply. An honest and sober story of life in college sports with an ending that sent chills down my spine. I had to read this one twice because it moved me so much. READ IT.

reid has produced an excellent recount of his football past in fictional form. his tales of hazing and football comraderie are terrific as well as his depiction of the neanderthal coaches that inspire it. his story particularly sheds light on the everpresent battle between athletic glory and permanent physical injury and the mental torture it inspires. i encourage all sports fans to read this book and high school football stars should also take note. this is the best book on football i have read since "friday night lights."