My roomate, Monica is dating Scott, who is a voracious reader. Right now, we are both currently reading sport books. He started with Moneyball written by Michael Lewis and I started with A Season on the Brink by John Feinstein. Scott couldn't stop raving about Moneyball and told me I should read it. At first I was a little skeptical because the very first book he recommend I read was "LT: Over the Edge", written by Lawrence Taylor. I started to read that book, but couldn't finish it, I thought it wasn't written very well. Anyway, I had just finished Beer & Circus, so I was looking for something new to read. Moneyball was on the coffee table so I picked it up and looked at it and thought to myself, is this book worth my time? At that same I could've been watching The Simpsons! Well, I started reading it last night and I'm currently on chapter four and the book is exceptional! The insight that is has been providing in baseball is very intriguing. I must say, I'm no baseball expert, I've barely just figured out the rules. This book chronicles the Oakland A's and how they have conisistenly been competitive while having an extremely low-budget for baseball standards. Once I've finished the book, I'll provide a more insightful review.

Beer & Circus wasn't particularly eye-opening, partly because I graduated from college a few years ago and still remember what goes on in college. What I did enjoy about the book is hearing from a Professor's Point of View about college athletics. Also, how they feel it is ruining undergraduate education. This book basically used Big-Time Universities as it's example for proving that universities are providing sub-standard education to it's undergraduates. The universities don't care how much money it puts into athletics as long as the team wins championships...even though many schools lose money even if they win the national championships. Another major part of the book is how the undergraduate parties, on campus, off campus, around the sport teams, etc. He pointed out how much of an undergraduate schedule is based around the universities football or basketball team and less around their education. Obviously, a section was devoted to binge drinking and it's harmful effects. The first few chapters were probably the most interesting about how universities are putting in large amounts of money into the graduate programs and research professors when money is sorely needed for undergraduate teaching. Also, how professors have an incredible disdain to teach to undergraduates was really upsetting. Overall, I would say the first few chapters are probably the most insightful whereas the last part of book that talked about the way undergraduate's "partying" habits were just plain boring. The book seemed to drone on towards the end.

Beer & Circus did a lot comparison between Big-Time Universities and Div. III schools. Basically the difference in emphasis of athletics. What it did fail to cover was the numerous quality small private schools that do compete in Div. I athletics that do have a great emphasis on undergraduate education. The author thought Rice University was a perfect model for undergraduate education, but I would argue that Rice isn't the only who has found the perfect model. Sure, Bucknell University doesn't have the repuation as Rice but there is definetely the feel that undergraduates are important and that the Professors want to teach to them.