Amazon.ca:Customer reviews: Can I Keep My Jersey?: 11 Teams, 5 Countries, and 4 Years in My Life as a Basketball Vagabond

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From Canada

Brian Maitland

The Truly Int'l Language of Basketball

Reviewed in Canada on February 9, 2009

I think the comparisons t Jim Bouton's "Ball Four" are way off the mark. Although we get inside scoop on basketball players' sex, drugs and religion 'n' roll, it's not quite as mindblowing in the Internet age.

Shirley did do a blog and much of this reads like a blog so I skimmed over a lot of the pages when bored (trust me, a life in pro basketball is not as interesting as you'd think) but the stuff on playing in Russia and back in the States with the Phoenix Suns, Shirley hits his stride.

The best thing about this book is Shirley is the first athlete I've ever heard of to come right out and state the obvious between stupidity and religious conversion go hand in hand. Also, as humorous are Shirley's attempts at dating especially in Europe. What blew my mind was why he had such a tough time finding good food in Spain. I suggest going here: [...] and getting back to me on all that, Mr. Shirley.

Helpful

Gary M

Essential for a basketball fan (or anyone else)

Reviewed in Canada on February 11, 2021

Just a great read.

Paul has a unique voice, and that voice is well-utilized in the creation of this book. A very interesting view of what it is like for a North American to play pro ball in Europe. Experiences handled with wonder and wit.

The descriptions of playing for that great Phoenix team are just...awesome.

Not to pigeonhole this work, but this stands with Loose Balls, Breaks of the Game and the Miracle of St. Anthony as great basketball-related books.

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From other countries

Mr. S. Stirling

quality

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 16, 2009

Verified Purchase

A change of pace from the normal 'season with' type of book - written by a relatively normal person with a detached view of events surrounding him - a must for anyone who likes to get inside any pro team.

Hector Ojeda

Interesantísima visión desde dentro del deporte profesional

Reviewed in Spain on March 5, 2013

Verified Purchase

Sorprendentemente bien escrito, muy interesante visión del autodenominado "peor jugador de la historia de la NBA", un verdadero correcaminos del deporte profesional. Muy divertido.

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Neneche

i loved

Reviewed in France on August 24, 2012

Verified Purchase

i enjoyed reading that book
very nice, very easy to read
j'ai adoré lire ce livre
très facile à lire

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SLOGAN

Gut geschrieben, sehr lustig

Reviewed in Germany on October 26, 2013

Verified Purchase

Kann dieses Buch nur empfehlen, habe die ersten Seiten förmlich schon verschulngen, kann aber noch nicht sagen, ob sich auch das ganze Buch hindurchzieht...

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BVD2112

Just OK.

Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2010

Verified Purchase

I got this after reading comments online by the Sportsguy. Other reviews seemed to either call it 'highbrow" or "sophmoric". I don't see the highbrow part at all. There were some funny moments. His hospital experience description was laugh out loud funny...but admittedly kind of sophmoric I guess. He seemed to repeat himself frequently. Not sure I really understand his basic disgust with the NBA players and how that relates to his burning desire to be one of them.

Overall, it was somewhat entertaining, but I was expecting more.

Ian Laurence Hudson

Don't think too much, just buy it

Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2009

Verified Purchase

Sports autobiographies can be saccharine, overwrought, self-gratifying. Paul Shirley is none of these things. With tongue firmly in cheek, he works his craft with the skill of an anthropologist participant-observer (albeit an extremely tall one). Laughs are had on every page, sometimes to the embarrassment of one reading on a plane or other public setting. You will vividly participate in a life most of us won't ever know: the elite world of professional basketball, from it's lurid underbelly to the glory of the NBA playoffs. Your perspective on many basketball heroes - from Kobe and Shaq to Yao Ming to Steve Nash - will be changed.

Paul Shirley already thinks too much - enough for several people. Don't think; just buy it.

Jorge F.

Amusing and Insightful

Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2010

Verified Purchase

Can I Keep My Jersey gives you insight into the day-in-day-out life of a mediocre professional basketball player. We all know what it's like to be Kobe Bryant (awesome), but what about the third stringer at the end of the bench? This book chronicles Paul Shirley's basketball trek overseas to his eventual NBA big break. Shirley gives the average fan insight into professional basketball the way that Jim Bouton's Ball Four did for baseball and Tim Green's Dark Side of the Game did for football.

Jennifer L Savary

Terrible

Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2021

Verified Purchase

Only finished because I spent the money. The author should complain less and work on getting better as a basketball player. He is very proud about sleeping till 9am but never takes initiative to get up early and practice.

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Can I Keep My Jersey?: 11 Teams, 5 Countries, and 4 Years in My Life as a Basketball Vagabond

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Can I Keep My Jersey?: 11 Teams, 5 Countries, and 4 Years in My Life as a Basketball Vagabond

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From Canada

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Can I Keep My Jersey?: 11 Teams, 5 Countries, and 4 Years in My Life...

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