Bacon's labor of not-love paying off

Submitted by UMQuadz05 on

This got a brief mention in the I haz it thread, but bears repeating here: Three and Out is selling really, really well.

# Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
#44 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) 
#1 in Books > Sports > Coaching > Football (American)
#1 in Books > Sports > Football (American)
#1 in Books > Nonfiction > Education /
 

UMAmaizinBlue

October 25th, 2011 at 10:17 AM ^

Was asking me last night why I was so excited about the book, and one of the reasons was because of Bacon's sacrifices throughout the process. I think I may have convinced her to possibly think about maybe reading it (perhaps). Regardless, she was very impressed with Bacon's belief in this work, as am I, and I'm very happy to see him getting the support from fans and football enthusiasts.

BlueLotCrew

October 25th, 2011 at 5:50 PM ^

We need a book about Brandon... "Go the F#&k back to Dominoes... Dave Brandon and 3 years destroying Michigan football and taking credit for "Innovating" it with things like night games and terrible uniforms that other schools have been doing for 10 years".  The title is a bit lengthy and needs some work. Please help.

 

FWIW: I love the night games, and the UTL jerseys. I find it troubling that a failure in the business world was able to buy the AD position at UM and then take credit for things that are no-brainers in today's CFB environment.

laxalum

October 25th, 2011 at 10:07 AM ^

Bacon loves Michigan.  Anyone who knows him knows that.  I'm glad to see that he wrote the truth as he saw it, and not some sugar-coated version.  Can't wait to read it.  Ordered mine today.

Cope

October 25th, 2011 at 10:13 AM ^

and Bacon's put a lot of work into it. I'm certainly excited to read it. Given the response above and previous posters' comments about Bacon, it appears mgoblog is unanimously in support of him.

I wonder if the book turns out as negative press and hurts our program in any way, if that support will change...

Probably won't matter, but the thought crossed my mind.

NMU Blue

October 25th, 2011 at 12:08 PM ^

That way, Brian and Mgoblog get some love/credit from the ad agencies for directing people there.  This is a great site that most of us spend a lot of time on.  The best part is that it is free.  The ads help keep it that way.  If you buy the book through Barnes and Noble, but got to their site by using a link from Mgoblog, he still gets the credit.

JeepinBen

October 25th, 2011 at 10:19 AM ^

In a previous Q&A he mentioned that he got only about 1 years salary advancement from the publishing house, which means he was relatively unemployed for 2 years +writing time. He mentioned in the Q&A that he put his life savings into the book.

IMO for shining a light in the dark corners of the program that everyone needed to see he deserves every penny

brn2build

October 25th, 2011 at 10:24 AM ^

I Amazon pre-ordered it (wasn't able to make it to the Chicago pre-release events), and can't wait for it to show up today.  The discussions about it here have made it highly anticipated to me.

bronxblue

October 25th, 2011 at 10:31 AM ^

Good for Bacon. It's a well-written book (so far), and he has always been a fair reporter and a good writer. I know that this will probably cost him at the University, but it is a story that everyone needs to read.

Hannibal.

October 25th, 2011 at 10:33 AM ^

I had a feeling that Bacon would reap a big reward financially. This sounds like an excellent book and I think that it will have a reach far beyond just Michigan fans.

True Blue Grit

October 25th, 2011 at 10:37 AM ^

another rah-rah book about Michigan football.  He probably made a few enemies in writing this book and it will cost him (he joked the other day on the air about driving in a zig-zag pattern wherever he goes).   Maybe out of all of this, the Michigan football community learned some hard lessons that we'll avoid in the future.  So far with Coach Hoke, things seem to be going much better. 

Mercury Hayes

October 25th, 2011 at 10:40 AM ^

I do most of my reading online these days, but I purchased a copy.

It's the first book I've bought since "Death to the BCS" by Dan Wetzel. Can't wait to get it in the mail today. I'm glad I could support someone who was able to turn up what really happened the past few years.

medals

October 25th, 2011 at 10:56 AM ^

I don't understand the deep concern about Bacon being black-balled by the University on the academic side.  I know that we can all point to the Schembechler firing of Frieder and say that loyalty is the most important attribute at UofM, but I don't believe that transfers over to the academia side.  I think that Michigan WANTS to have "controversial" professors who challenge authority, shake things up, etc.  It makes kids want to attend Michigan and learn from challenging, thought-provoking professors.  I guess this is unique in that Bacon kind-of straddles both the academic and sports world at Michigan, but I don't see this as playing out like it did with Frieder.  My guess is that Bacon stays right where he is as long as he wants to stay at Michigan.  To shun him for reporting the truth would be silly fergodssakes. 

BJNavarre

October 25th, 2011 at 11:21 AM ^

I agree. It would be a PR disaster if the University dropped Bacon. The guy won the Golden Apple award in 2009, I imagine the faculty would not be too happy for the University to drop one of their best instructors just for writing a book critical of the athletic department.

M-Wolverine

October 25th, 2011 at 6:43 PM ^

Most popular professor when I was in school was in the psych department (Westin?) and seemed to win every year, but they didn't tenure him (for a variety of reasons, depending on who you believe, from research to jealousy). The PR may stop them, but being popular with students won't.

El Jeffe

October 25th, 2011 at 4:57 PM ^

Cosign. I have never written a single review for amazon.com before, but definitely will for this. It is possible I will use the following analogy:

Three and Out : Sports Literature :: Rosenberg's book : a suppurating ass boil

Haven't really decided yet, tho.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

October 25th, 2011 at 11:09 AM ^

It struck me what Bacon said about Michigan fans being very receptive to a book like this, vice fans of a program like OSU or Alabama probably trying to burn the writer's house down if anything like this ever came out about their program.

I wonder if that would be true if Bo were still alive and played a role in this, but nevertheless, I think it speaks well of the fanbase in general in a unique way.

Yostal

October 25th, 2011 at 1:20 PM ^

Many of us may not like what will be said or what we will learn in this book, but we will read it, not some rubbernecking at a car wreck, but because in knowing the truth, or at least something a little closer to the truth than what we knew, we'll reach a little bit greater sense of understanding.  If you cannot deal with the truth of the things you love, you need to reexamine your own life.

allintime23

October 25th, 2011 at 12:24 PM ^

Why? It's a great book. It's not one sided at all. You'd be surprised. It focuses a lot on Bo and how losing him really hurt us all. From the coaches , the AD's to the fans. I read it in two days. Sure it's tough to relive those painful years and games but in a way I found closure.

Wolverine96

October 25th, 2011 at 3:27 PM ^

FYI, they were nearly sold out of Three and Out at the Barnes and Noble in Northville.  The clerks were very confused over why this book was flying off the shelves. 

WolverineDAH

October 25th, 2011 at 8:53 PM ^

can't think of anyone I'd more describe as a Michigan Man than JUB. Willing to tell it like it is at great cost (do you think LC,I DB or RR will ask him out for a coffee or beer anytime soon?). Tells it straight and then tells us (the fanbase) he believes enough in us to be able to hear it, handle it, and adapt moving forward to be better because of what he's been able to share.

Go Blue. Go John. God Bleed the Wolverines.

that is all...