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  The Rise & Fall of ECW

  Thom Loverro

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  Independent wrestling promotions were once the norm all across the country. However, with the rise of World Wrestling Entertainment and the creation of World Championship Wrestling -- out of three Southern promotions -- the possibility of an independent succeeding grew fainter and fainter. As the nineties began, independents were looking for creative ways to survive. In the East, several banded together to share cost and talent; they were known as Eastern Championship Wrestling. Based out of a warehouse in Philadelphia that stored parade floats and hosted bingo, this promotion seemed doomed to be just one more ninety-day wonder. When they hired a brash New Yorker, Paul Heyman, he warned Eastern Championship Wrestling that the job was just temporary. He would come in, shake up a lot of the wrestlers, and then leave. But what Heyman did redefined professional wrestling in the nineties. What he created was a company that dared to push the boundaries of sports entertainment. What he created became Extreme Championship Wrestling.  As the person responsible for booking -- who was going to wrestle and who was going to win -- Heyman dared to break with tradition. Rather than relying on local talent and down-and-out veterans to draw in crowds, he created new characters and story lines that would appeal to the core wrestling fans: eighteen- to twenty-four- year-old men. Paul also realized that to persuade them to come, you had to get their interest and keep it. You had to offer the fans more than just the match. ECW became known for the interview, the shoot. Heyman got to know each wrestler's style, and in their interviews he would encourage them to speak from their hearts. When it came to the matches, ECW broke even farther from the mainstream. Tables, ladders, chairs, barbed wire, and even frying pans were used with abandon. Wrestlers not wanting to be topped put their bodies on the line, taking ever greater risks, daring to jump, leap, and fall from places never tried before. ECW matches became the stuff of legend.  Word spread as savvy wrestling fans began talking about the promotion and exchanging tapes. To keep the buzz building, wrestlers used the age-old trick of taunting the fans, and ECW fans responded in kind. By including the fans in the shows, ECW attracted a rabid, cult-like following that is still going strong today.  For nearly a decade, ECW redefined professional wrestling with a reckless, brutal, death-defying, and often bloody style that became synonymous with "hardcore." Through extensive interviews with former ECW talent and management -- Paul Heyman, Mick Foley, Tazz, Tommy Dreamer, Rob Van Dam, and many more -- The Rise & Fall of ECW reveals what made this upstart company from Philadelphia great -- and what ultimately led to its demise.

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  It's Not Just About the Ribbons...

  Jane Savoie

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  Over 15 years ago, Jane Savoie wrote the first book to recognize the importance of training the mind and shaping attitude in order to achieve higher levels of riding skill than ever imagined. Riders who benefited from the lessons in That Winning Feeling! clamored for more, and Savoie responded with her fabulous follow-up book, It's Not Just About the Ribbons.Once again, Savoie shares the tools and ideas for self-improvement that she has used, not only to help herself deal with challenges, but her students—who range from Olympic contenders to intermediate riders—as well. Full of shining examples of the success of Savoie's methods of dealing with riding's—and life's—challenges, this book is essential for anyone who is passionate about horses but may be struggling, at some level or other, with negative emotions and frustration from slow development of riding skills. All readers will find that, with Savoie's contagious enthusiasm along for the ride, they too can make changes more easily and playfully while better enjoying every moment with their horses.

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  Ultimate Paddling Adventures -...

  Eugene Buchanan, Jason Smith,...

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  Ultimate Paddling Adventures takes you on a thrilling tour around the world's best paddling spots – from the frozen expanses of Alaska to the tropical rivers of South America. Explore the rivers and seas of Europe and visit the stunning waters of the Far East, Australasia and the Pacific. There are exciting adventures that will appeal to everyone from novice to expert. Stunning, full-page photographs put you at the heart of the action, while inspirational descriptions allow you to dream of being there. It's perfect for planning your next paddling adventure, or alternatively allows you to indulge in some armchair paddling in places to which only the most adventurous will go. From a leisurely SUP in a breathtaking Swedish archipelago, where you can stay in the King of Sweden's bed (for free!), to an adrenaline-fuelled whitewater kayak down Chile's Inferno Canyon, this book has it all. This includes gentle lakes and rivers, crashing surf, dramatic coasts and the oceans beyond them. All types of paddle craft are included from canoes and kayaks to SUP boards and packraft. Every continent is covered, so expect to find places you've paddled alongside those you never knew existed. Each entry is accompanied by useful information such as the experience required, how to get there and what else to do once you are there. Discover where you will paddle next – in reality or in your imagination.

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  There’s No Such Thing as a Bad...

  Titus O’Neil

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  An inspiring story from a humanitarian role model and WWE superstar, known to fans as Titus O’Neil
  		 
  One caring person can change the course of a child’s life — Titus O’Neil knows that first-hand. Growing up, he was repeatedly confronted with negativity. By the time he was a teenager, he figured that he was the bad kid everyone said he was — until an adult looked him in the eye and said, “There is no such thing as a bad kid.” Unfortunately, many children across North America are labeled “bad.” They may have short attention spans, unstable home environments, or learning difficulties. Often, these young people are diagnosed with an emotional or behavioral disorder and placed in special classes. They internalize these labels, and the imposed limitations affect their ability to learn, behave, and fit in. 
  		 
  There’s No Such Thing as a Bad Kid chronicles Titus’s turbulent childhood years as he was helped to shed the label and realize his unique greatness, his value and potential. His remarkable story will provide hope and inspiration to children in similar circumstances and will help guide well-meaning adults in how to pay forward their successes to a generation of disadvantaged children.

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  The Book of Esports - The...

  William Collis

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  Read the definitive guide to the modern world of competitive gaming, and The Official History of Esports™.Almost overnight, esports—or competitive video games—have exploded into the largest entertainment and sporting phenomenon in human history.The Book of Esports answers:· What exactly are esports, and how did they become so popular so quickly?· Why did blockbuster video games like League of Legends, Fortnite and Starcraft succeed?· Where exactly is all this video gaming headed? What is the future of esports?· What do gamers and college students need to know to position themselves for success in the industry?· How do you create a billion-dollar esports business? What strategic choices drive success in the modern gaming industry?· Can video games really get your kid into college? (All expenses paid, of course...)Whether you are a lifelong gamer, a curious Fortnite parent, or a businessperson seeking to understand the marketing opportunities of this multibillion-dollar phenomenon, THE BOOK OF ESPORTS charts the rise of this exciting new industry, for the first time ever crafting a comprehensive overview of esports and its implications for human competition—and even the future of humanity itself.Featuring select interviews from the biggest names in the industry, The Book of Esports weaves tales of trust, betrayal, and superhuman reflexes into predictive frameworks, explaining exactly why our industry looks the way it does, and how all this growth—and more—is inevitable as the divide between man and machine blurs into oblivion.Detailed and accessible, gaming luminary and Harvard MBA William Collis has painstakingly translated esports’ mysteries into a testament for today. Everyone can enjoy The Book of Esports because everyone should enjoy esports.So what are you waiting for? Take the wildest ride into worlds unreal, and discover that true human competition is always just a click away.

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  Kicking Up Dirt - A True Story...

  Ashley Fiolek, Caroline Ryder

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  At nineteen, Ashley Fiolek is already the top female competitor in a tough men's sport: motocross, a form of off-road motorcycle racing that is one of the most competitive and dangerous extreme sports in the world. Since going pro in late 2007, Fiolek has taken gold at the X Games, won the American Women's Motocross Championship twice, and become the first woman in American motocross history to be signed to a factory team—the highest echelon of industry backing. But Fiolek's rise has not come without obstacles. Fiolek was born profoundly deaf, a handicap that makes everyday life difficult—and competition on the track downright dangerous. Originally misdiagnosed as "mildly retarded," she was a painfully shy and introverted child—until her parents introduced her to the world of dirt bikes, which helped her escape the silence in her head and connect with others who shared her passion. She began racing at seven, and as her successes grew through hard work and no small number of broken bones, so did her confidence.Fiolek has never believed her disability should stand in the way of her dreams. Nor has she allowed her gender to limit her career—motocross historically has been a men's sport, but with the love and support of her dirt-obsessed family, including her "Grandpa Motorcycle," her little brother, Kicker, and her dogs, Turbo and Rocco, Ashley has emerged as one of the sport's most talked-about stars, changing the way the entire industry views women. Armed with her extraordinary talent, contagious grin, and deep faith in God, Fiolek continues to venture into unknown territory, relentlessly pushing herself—and women's motocross—to ever-greater heights.Kicking Up Dirt is a remarkable, inspiring tale of a young woman's courage and determination to succeed in the face of truly challenging obstacles.

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