Customer Reviews

The Ovechkin Project: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Hockey's Most Dangerous Player

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

 

 

It is almost laughable that the authors of this book were denied access to Ovechkin and did not even have as much as a single sit-down interview with him. It is deplorable that the publishing company included the phrase "Behind the scenes" in the title. Do not support these clowns, don't buy the book... it belong's in the gossip/tabloid section of your local supermarket.

I'll be perfectly honest about the perspective from which I read this book, and am writing this review - I am a long-time Caps fan (mid 90s, but I'm only 23), a hockey player, someone with heavy Russian roots/ties, and someone who has actually met both Ovechkin and his father on more than one occasion.

This book is a completely biased piece of "let's trash Ovechkin." I couldn't even get through many parts because the bias simply overwhelms any positive aspects that the narrative had to offer.

Most people who know Ovie think he's boisterous, and lives life big. This is true. Are there moments in his life that he could've handled better? Absolutely. But at the same time, few Ovechkin-haters know anything about the culture he's coming from, and the extent to which he lives his life under a magnifying glass, with someone judging every single action, on and off the ice. Despite the large salary, I don't know a soul who would choose to live this way, all the time.

One last thing I'd like to point out is this - what if someone, who had a predisposition to disliking Sidney Crosby wanted to write a "let's trash Crosby" book? Despite the fact that Crosby has been living in North American culture and been groomed under the Canadian spotlight most of his life, I'm sure there would still be many instances you could use to twist the facts, and basically throw him under the bus, as does "The Ovechkin Project." This would be a shame. Even as a Caps fan, we all recognize Crosby is a great player, and from what we've all heard, probably a great guy as well.

Don't buy this piece of trash - read through it at a bookstore if you want to see if I'm exaggerating, but I assure you I'm not. And if you knew Ovie, you'd know I'm right. None of our great game's stars have done anything to be attacked like this.

Don't waste your time. The author has clearly not done any type of objective research on Ovechkin and it's an attempt to degrade the wonderful athlete Ovechkin truly is. It's unfortunate that this even hit shelves - the author must have some personal vendetta against Oveckhin.

The "The Ovechkin Project" isn't necessarily a biography of hockey's most dangerous player, but a thesis on a question that no one asked. The underlying theme of the book is how Ovechkin supposedly changed from the fun-loving, carefree person he was in his rookie season to something different today. To prove their point, authors Damien Cox and Gare Joyce too often make unnecessary and biased assertions, and focus on how frustrated Ovechkin must be because he hasn't yet won a Stanley Cup or Olympic gold medal. The authors also suggest that Ovechkin will come to regret his long term contract with the Capitals because shorter-term ones could have ultimately paid him more. Does anyone think Ovechkin is losing sleep over this?

That's not to say the book completely throws Ovechkin under the bus. Aside from describing some Washington Capitals history and other things that fans would find interesting, the authors interview people who have benefited from Ovechkin's generosity and thoughtfulness. Take away the needless quips and silly claims and the book has the making of a halfway decent look at the Washington Capitals and the arrival of Alex Ovechkin. Capitals Director of Media Relations Nate Ewell says that Cox and Joyce were given access to everyone in the organization but Ovechkin, who opted not to participate. This likely created some bitterness that made the authors tilt the writing in the direction that ultimately earned the book sour reviews, including this one.

When you read this book, you get the feeling that the authors had a predetermined anti-Ovechkin bias. I don't know if it is because Ovechkin is Russian. Or because they don't like Ovechkin's outgoing (and cocky) personality. Or because they are fans of Ovechkin's rival (at least according to the media) Crosby. But there is a definite anti-Ovechkin tone to the book. It is by no means a neutral look at the guy. I really don't get much "behind the scenes" stuff out of it either, as the title claims. This book kind of reminds me of the National Enquirer's style of journalism. Not a book for serious hockey fans, really.

This book was not what I expected. I'm a Penguins fan, but Ovechkin is a player I keep my eye on because he's so talented and interesting. You wouldn't get that from this book.

First of all, the book doesn't appear to have been edited for spelling and grammar, so you'll have to endure a great deal of errors if you do actually get through the book. If you've watched any Caps games (or Pens games--I'll get to that) during the past year or two, you'll learn nothing.

I expected Alex to be portrayed in a good light, but I got the feeling that the authors might be bigger fans of Crosby (Gare Joyce actually wrote a book on Crosby, so it's entirely possible) than Ovi. Almost every description after Alex's struggles to overcome the deaths of those close to him and his journey from Russia to the NHL is one of Alex's apparent failures next to Sid Crosby. Alex goes from being down-to-earth and grateful for all he has to the guy we see on the ice: a greedy show-off, while Sid remains with his head on his shoulders.

I get that Ovi and Sid are compared a great deal in hockey, but I've never read a book on Sidney that talks about Alex so much, so that kind of threw me. A lot of the book simply describes games from the last couple of years, including the games from the 2010 Olympics and even the current season. It doesn't actually offer any insight on Alex, and a bunch of quotes I've never seen appeared throughout the book without any sources cited.

If you haven't watched a lick of hockey in the last couple years and want to read a book about how much better Crosby is than Ovechkin, you might like this, but for even the smallest hockey fan, I'd recommend skipping it.

This book has been at the center of a small hurricane of controversy within the Washington Capitals hockey community. The gist of the drama seems to focus around the fact that a) the authors never actually interviewed Alex Ovechkin for this biography, and b) taking issues with their lack of access, the authors spun their tales of Ovechkin more negatively than is actually the truth.

It's not as uneven and Ovie-bashing as one might pick up from some of the press surrounding the books' release. Whatever point the author's are trying to make is unclear and obscure. If you read with this in mind, then the book is an enjoyable overview of his life, his career, and a behind-the-scene peek at what it means to be an NHL superstar.

Ovechkin, in real life and in the book, comes across as a very fun-loving, gregarious and sometimes goofy guy. I think this has been fairly consistent in his time with Washington. Can he be aloof? Definitely. Is it off-putting to some people? No doubt...sometimes.

The authors appeared to be making a point about Ovie and his life as an NHL superstar, but I could never get my hands around it exactly: is he on the decline? Will he never be an A-list sports star celeb? Were the Olympic and Playoff failures and indication that he can't handle this crazy life?

The first half of the book interestingly presents insights into his childhood and the tragedy of his brother's death, which has only been spuriously reported since he joined the NHL (because Ovie doesn't talk about it). The authors detail the role his mother played in his upbringing and even in his adult life, as well as the history of the NHL's role in the warming relationships with the former Russian empire. While detailing Ovechkin's beginnings on ice, the authors lay out how Russian hockey stars are made in the post-cold war country.

One should read the afterward before starting the book. It provides the context around the author's sources. They write that they're indebted to the Capitals organization for supporting their work, despite the fact that Ovechkin wouldn't play along.

An underlying theme of the book is Ovechkin's emergence and growth as a star. Much detail is put into the description of several key games in Ovechkin's life including his failures in last season's Olympics and NHL Playoffs. There's too much play-by-play of his games, and the speculation and "insight" is both questionable and tedious. Granted, it's no fun for a Caps fan to have to relive those lowlights.

It's a quick and enjoyable read for the more factual-appearing elements of the book. One can't help but question what details are skipped, and how different the story might be if Ovechkin (or even his family) had participated.

I received "The Ovechkin Project" as part of the Goodreads First Reads program.

This book was one of the best hockey books I have ever read! It is not only for hockey players but a story about determination and the effects of stardom on a social icon. From the young Alexander that played "Demon" in the stairwell to the mature NHL veteran that seems defeated. His story is an inspiring, yet humbling tale that is similar to the other modern sports stars (i.e. LeBron James). Being able to admire from afar, this biography gives the reader an in-depth look into the "behind the scenes" of Alexander Ovechkin. It is a must read and i recommend The Ovechkin Project to anyone who is interested in sports.

Now, first of, I must admit I'm a Washington Capitals fan and also a fan of Ovechkin. Having said that, I don't think the book was anywhere near as one-sided as the comments have suggested. The book shares how Ovechkin can be fairly boisterous and upbeat and a fan favorite and also how he can say the wrong thing and anger people. There are just some athletes that are divisive and you love or hate them and Ovechkin is at the top of the hockey list and perhaps the top of that list in any sport. The book does spend considerable time on the rivalry with Crosby and much like the Peyton Manning/Tom Brady debate, people have their own view. Some view Crosby as being too "corporate" and "managed" for their taste while others call that "professionalism." Some love Ovechkin's brashness and others don't. (In my mind, the debate has always been largely academic because they play different positions and Crosby has had the benefit of a large number of high draft picks surrounding him due to Pittsburgh's woes during the late 1990s and early 2000s, whereas Ovechkin, like Manning, has had to do more with less. I enjoyed the book because it offered a history of the Caps from their early failures, the Jagr debacle, and how they have built a strong team. Not the greatest sports book ever, but hardly the Ovechkin bashing book it has been portrayed as.

terrible book. it's touted as a "behind-the-scenes," but the author didn't even have a single interview with ovie! And he seems to, for some inexplicable reason, absolutely LOATHE alexander ovechkin. the entire book is an exercise in building ovie up just to tear him down. and it doesn't even work.