The Bad Guys Won! by Jeff Pearlman
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Book Reviews of The Bad Guys Won!
Book Review: Wonderful Read on a Great Team filled with Bad People
Summary: 5 Stars
As a lifelong Cincinnati Reds fan, my hatred of the 1986 Mets began during that season with a game on July 22, which was covered in the book, when then-Mets third baseman Ray Knight sucker punched Eric Davis, after a hard slide into third base. It was clear even then that this was a team you did not want to take to Sunday Mass.
Remarkably, in between the drugs, womanizing, copious consumption of alcohol, animal mutilation, gambling, and barroom brawls, the '86 Mets were able to play good enough baseball to win a World Series championship. And it was not just that they won, but how they won that made this team so memorable. First, by defeating the Houston Astros in dramatic fashion to win the NLCS, and then the Boston Red Sox in what has to be one of the greatest World Series ever played, especially Game 6. When you read Parlman's account, it is amazing this team did not fold under the pressures so many of its players inflicted upon themselves. Of course, they did not collapse, in spite of themselves, and they won simply because they were that good of a team.
You also wonder how great this team could have been had so many of its players not self destructed. It is a question we will never know the answer to, but we know what happened in 1986, and Pearlman's in-depth coverage of the Mets that year gives a baseball fan useful insights into this troubled team's foibles and complexities.
Book Review: Comprehensive history for diehard Met fans
Summary: 5 Stars
If you consider yourself a Met fan, you absolutely MUST read this book. Although I lived through every exhilarating and incredible moment of the Mets' 1986 season and post-season, I--like most fans--was unaware of most of what was going on off the field. Pearlman tells the warts-and-all story (and trust me, there are a lot of warts) of the individual players and the team as a whole. His unflinching drive to tell the truth about the 1986 Mets helps him create a compelling and three-dimensional tale of passion, arrogance, stupidity, and triumph. Pearlman obviously likes his subject, but he doesn't let his feelings get in the way of telling the truth--this is the complete story, from George Foster's unfounded accusations of managerial racism to Ray Knight's redemption and ultimate rejection. Reading this book made me want to re-watch the entire 1986 post-season--the insights Pearlman supplies will help you understand why the 1986 NY Mets' World Series victory was the most stirring and amazing victory in sports history--and no, that's not hyperbole.Book Review: If you want to know as much as possible about the 1986 Mets, the only thing better than this book is a time-travel machine
Summary: 5 Stars
Several minor gripes come into my mind after reading this book, but in all honesty they fade before the author's very good work. You are *there*, in the clubhouse, next to both Hernandez and Teufel. You witness the partying, the drive, the personalities. Make no mistake, this book is much less a commentary of the season's game-by-game athletic achievements and much more a study of the clashing psychological and sociological factors at work within the Mets roster. Most importantly, Gooden and Strawberry are larger-than-life - the seeds of their (later) downfall are clearly shown. If you want to know as much as possible about the 1986 Mets, the only thing better than this book is a time-travel machine. Yes, it's that good, that detailed and that lively.Book Review: Captures The 1986 Mets Season Quite Well
Summary: 5 Stars
I would describe myself as a casual baseball fan. Definitely not a Mets fan. The author, writes vividly. He gets right to the nitty gritty. Whether he's describing some of the offensive obnoxious personalities and activities of many of that teams players or whether he's recounting the play action of key games. He traces back to the buildup of the team and then its dismantlement. Many good anecdotes about Mets as well as competitors. Read about Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry,Gary Carter,Keith Hernandez,Lenny Dykstra,Mookie Wilson,Ray Knight,George Foster,Wally Backman and such opponents as Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens and Houston Astro pitcher Mike Scott who seemed to totally dominate them. I enjoyed this and found it to be a quick fun read.Book Review: Thanks for the memories. . .
Summary: 5 Stars
In his finest work since exposing John Rocker for the dope that he is, Jeff Pearlman helps baseball fans recall one of the most entertaining teams (both on and off the field) in baseball history.
1986 Mets were World Series Champions and partying champions. They were as much dirtbag as they were lovable and Pearlman does an excellent job of showing us both sides.
Doc, Darryl, Keith and Gary "Ivory Soap" Carter all comeback to life in this absolutely entertaining stroll down memory lane.
5 Stars for Mets fans, 4 stars for baseball fans.