Bill Simmons' book: are you excited?

[the_Bird]

Bill Simmons would be a lot more interesting if he were a little less in love with, well...  Bill Simmons.  His columns are so much just about himself, which I understand - that's what blogging is all about.  Still, it leads me naturally to get bored, especially since it really feels like he's using the same material over and over and over again.  It's like it's not a Bill Simmons column without a Shawshank and 90210 reference.

I haven't felt that I've missed out on anything by not reading his previous books, and his columns I tend to just skim these days.  Maybe I'll buy the book in a year when they start showing up for $2.98 in the "used" section. 

EDIT: Just found this great quote on someone's review of his Red Sox book (now available for $1.50).

"...so narcissistic, it should come with its own vanity mirror"

Kinda how I feel about Simmons these days.

[Evantime34]

I have already ordered it, I am very excited. I have gotten tired of his recent articles because he is not as pro Boston sports as he was when he first started. However, in this book when he's writing on the history of basketball so he will revisit the Celtics teams of old and the days when Bill Simmons still bled green. I thought his first book was excellent.

[RebusRankin]

I'll pick it up eventually. I've liked some of the excepts on ESPN.

The piece on Portland missing a chance to add Malone and Dantley to their core in 1976 is very interesting.

[Roy Hobbs]

I used to like Simmons.  I think he's really gone down hill lately; it started with the move to LA, and it's been a steady progression.  Some of it has to do with what I know of the guy on a personal level, but most of it has to do with his writing.  His "I'm Celtics Superfan #1, but I actually hate everything about the current Celtics' team" shtick has grown stale.

[Chris]

I used to like Simmons.  I think he's really gone down hill lately; it started with the move to LA, and it's been a steady progression.  Some of it has to do with what I know of the guy on a personal level, but most of it has to do with his writing.  His "I'm Celtics Superfan #1, but I actually hate everything about the current Celtics' team" shtick has grown stale.

Yup.  While I still do like a lot of the stuff he writes (mailbags are still must-read IMO), the columns have been getting closer and closer to Shaugnessy territory IMO.  And the worst part of his new contrarian schtick is that he needs to constantly point out how terrible the media is.  Which I don't necessarily disagree with, but at this point, I would think that he would do something to try to fix it, instead of just complaining, and then starting rumors without backing them up.

[Spilling Green Dye]

I probably won't simply because I have other books I'm trying to find time to read, and 700 pages is generally too many.  But, I think it'd be a good read, especially for those who love history and "what ifs" of the NBA.

Personally I think he's more "informed" than Jackie McMullen, Bob Ryan, or anyone else from the globe.  Jackie's writing (and tv comments) always come off as unoriginal (repeating what she's heard eslewhere), and anytime she talks about Bird/Magic it was just her reminiscing about how fun that time was.  I like breakdowns and analysis.  Jackie's writing was her enjoying her time "with the gang" back then. 

[jimmyt]

preordered the book a while back, hope it comes in time for his book signing in boston on friday. for anyone intrested he is going to be at hurricane oreillys near the garden at 4pm

[Global Celtic]

I live in Portugal and I see this guy as the most entertaining way to keep up with the NBA.

I agree he can be narcisistic, biased, etc... but that's the point! He's unique.
Talent + interest + free time + knowledge. That's Bill Simmons.

[GroverTheClover]

He's become very much like CHB. Yet, I can't stop reading either of them.

[Drucci]

I pre-ordered it and I'm quite excited to receive it.

I'm tired too of his anti-Celtic columns but overall I really enjoy his articles about the NBA. I don't alway agree with him but I really like his writing touch and his sense of humor. The book should be really interesting.

[Rondo2287]

going to pick it up after work.

[mkogav]

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[moiso]

Just ordered the Simmons book and the Magic/Bird book.

[GKC]

http://espn.go.com/espn/feature/index?page=maynestreet/season3

For those of you who like Bill (or even for those who don't), it's a very funny satirical clip of him on Mayne Street today.

I thought it was a good piece

[Bahku]

I guess I'm once again swimmimg against the tide, but I've had enough of Bill to get me through the next eon or two. I've no doubt I'll hear plenty of it through the "trickle-down" process here, the accolades that will surely be showered upon him, and from Bill quoting himself in one column or another. What's the name of the book again? "The Best of B.S."? 

(Fire away)