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Once in a Lifetime: The Incredible Story of the New York Cosmos Paperback – May 11, 2006

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Gavin Newsham (Author)
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Gavin Newsham (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars 11 customer reviews
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Atlantic Books (May 11, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1843543753
  • ISBN-13: 978-1843543756
  • Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.9 x 7.7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,761,420 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 starsAnd hopefully, it's only once.
By SportingBlue on June 9, 2007
Format: Paperback
I've now seen the documentary and read the book, and this is a story that is both fascinating and familiar to sports fans. The film sort of centers around the dream of Steve Ross, president of what became Warner Communications and the Cosmos. It paints him as a selfless and daring pioneer who was desperate to make soccer big in this country. To an extent, he really was that. The book is less charitable to his behavior, painting him as a poor sport who brought Warner to its knees. Ross partied on the company's dime, looked like a playboy genius, fouled things up with a few bad decisions, and got out with an enormous bank account. Hey, wouldn't we all love to do that? Except it cost thousands of people at Warner and Atari their jobs. Many American soccer players' dreams of playing in their domestic pro league were crushed. I hope Major League Soccer executives read this as their bible, and don't let history repeat itself. In the end, you have to feel sorry for the fans and players, who hoped in vain their success would last forever. But those few good years were pretty sweet, and it was entertaining to learn what happened behind the scenes after years of wondering.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 starsGreat Story!!!
By Howard Wexler on November 30, 2006
Format: Paperback
ESPN Classic has been playing the movie made of this book. The two complement each other perfectly.

The story is of the NY Cosmos, a star-laden team that flamed in the late 70s and early 80s. They routinely drew sellout crowds to Giants Stadium, led by such stars as Pele, Beckenbauer, Chinaglia, Alberto. Then a few years later, the team (and the league) disappeared. But what a ride, a hysterical story that is told quite well by Newsham. He interviewed many people (except Pele who reportedly wanted big $$$).

Book is weighed down by Newsham talking about what was happening in the country and world at the time.

But the story is so good. Even if you are NOT a soccer fan, and I am not, it is worth reading.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 starslike the NASL--both great and truly delusional
By Brian Maitland on November 4, 2011
Format: Kindle Edition
Don't get me wrong this is a fantastic read but the errors and misinterpretations just got to me in certain parts. You know, when all you see on the back jacket is a single review by Kirkus Reviews, you are usually in trouble. This is no different.

So just to give you an example of misinterpretation the author goes on about the "impromptu parties and BBQs" at the big 77,691 in attendance FtL Strikers game vs. the Cosmos. What he refers to is actually tailgating and that was already well established at American sporting events esp. football (NY Giants and NY Jets games to get local on that score) but also at Cosmos games. I mean, it can't really be impromptu if you haul a BBQ set in your car to the game, can it?

Factually (and I'll probably bore some of you with this), here are just a few examples where he got it all wrong. Claimed Dallas folded in 1981 (p. 201) but it was actually in '82 which he does mention 13 pages later. So there's a weird contradiction. Also, there were 21 (not 20) teams in '81 (4 folded and one new one, the Calgary Boomers, was added).

Another part, he went on about Cosmos' defender Jeff Durgan stopping vaunted Dallas striker Klaus Toppmuller (well, he was no Karl-Heinz Granitza with only 7 goals all season).

The stuff on Steve Ross and Warner Bros. involvement, the players' off-field activities, the intrigue signing Pele, etc., are spot on. I have no idea why he devoted time to Cruyff playing three exhibition games with the Cosmos as it seems only Europeans find that of interest. Loads of "stars" drop in and play exhibition games over here. It barely registered really among NASL fans.

Also, hate to tell the guy but Edmonton is not in "America" (p. 252).Read more ›
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 starsOnce in a Lifetime Book
By David Oh on April 13, 2013
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
I loved reading about the behind the scenes stories that made the New York Cosmos such an exceptional NASL organisation. As a young kid, I remember when the NASL was still around. Unfortunately, after the 1981 season, the NASL faced financial challenges. I wish that all the soccer leagues would merge with the current NASL right now just as the AFL and NFL merged into one league making the NFL we enjoy today. In 1980, the Seattle Sounders had their best regular season. Every time the New Cosmos came to play them, I knew that they were special. I certainly hope that the Cosmos can come back to the level of prominence they had from the 1970s to the early 1980s.
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4.0 out of 5 starsA nostalgic glimpse at an iconic football club.
By GG on June 10, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
There really should be more books like this about football, books that give us a glimpse of the beautiful game during a golden era that is long-gone. Many followers of the game will be familiar to varying degrees with the original New York Cosmos because of the great players that once played for them (e.g. Pele and Franz Beckenbauer) but relatively few of us have had the opportunity to delve into the actual history of the club, its rapid rise and its tragic decline and fall, as well as all the characters that formed part of the club - its founders, staff, players, managers etc. I was particularly fascinated by the story of Giorgio Chinaglia, so beloved by the fans of S.S. Lazio, and his impact (positive or otherwise) on the Cosmos. One reviewer complained of the author's regular mention of events outside of football that were taking place during the years that this book covers, but I feel that this actually adds to the appeal of the book as it provides context. This book is after all a historical account of not only a football club, but of the era to which it belonged.
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