Every year at Christmas time for the past several years, a friend of mine has included in her yearly Christmas card newsletter a list of books she's read over the past year. This year's list had several books on it that I had already read, but Blind Your Ponies caught my eye. Her review was great, saying that it was an amazing story aboout basketball, not ponies, so I looked into it. It was a super deal on my Nook ($1.99 and LendMe), so I downloaded it. It's been on my Nook since before Christmas and it has taken me quite a while to finish it. But, the timing of this read could not have been better.
Blind Your Ponies is about a small town high school basketball team that hasn't won a game in 96 games. It is the classic underdog story and it touched every part of my heart. From the struggle that the coach has reaching these boys (there are only 6 team members, too, which adds to the underdog story), to the struggle each boy has in wanting to play because they love the game, yet not wanting to play for a losing team and being known throughout their school as the losers, to the people who love and support these boys every step of the way, this story just warms your heart. If you need a feel-good story and you happen to like basketball, this story is for you.
I found myself, as I read the last 100 pages tonight, tearing up at times when the boys were giving themselves pep talks and digging deep to find the strength to play on. I never played sports in high school. I just simply lack that competitive spirit while also being the sort of person who would be devastated if it was one of my mistakes that caused a team to lose. As a result, I watched games from the sidelines and never experienced first hand that team spirit that pushes you on or that drive to be the best--the winning team. But, this past basketball season, I saw it and lived it with Emily and The Rams. Her team, a fairly average girls basketball team I'd say, won some and lost some. But, they came out one Sunday and beat a team who at that point had never lost a game. Emily's team was fired up and they worked hard as a team to beat a team who no one thought could be beaten. Emily's team went on to play that team two more times and lost both games. But, they knew that they has beaten them once and that was all that mattered. Her coach was proud and told them so. He never yelled at the girls--he found other ways to reach them. Emily grew so much as a player this year and I can only hope that Coach S. will be around to coach her again next year. It was this real-life connection that I kept coming back to as I read Blind Your Ponies (you are going to have to read the book to uncover the significance of the title...it's too good to spoil). As my heart ached for these boys, who are just good boys with talent and heart, my heart ached for Emily and her team, who wanted so badly to win each and every one of their games. And, as is true of both teams, if heart won games, they both would've been champions.
There are two downsides to this book that I feel compelled to tell you about before you pick it up. One--it is 557 pages of almost pure basketball. Basketball happens to be my favorite sport, so I was OK with that. But, even I found myself skimming the play-by-plays of each and every game, and just reading the final score. Two--the book ends without ever telling us how a few events turn out or even if they are ever resolved. That was a bit disappointing. But, it doesn't cloud the fact that this story was a great one and neither point should deter you from reading this book. They are just points to consider.
I also think that Blind Your Ponies would make an incredible movie, much in the same spirit as Rudy, Miracle, and Hoosiers are great movies. A movie version would also make the play-by-plays a bit more tolerable. And, maybe in movie form we might learn what happens to those characters who are sort of dropped at the end of the book.
So, the bottom line is this: if you are in the mood to read a book that is just going to make you feel good about life and people, read Blind Your Ponies. We all need something to uplift us every now and then and in the month of February, reading this book accomplished this goal for me. I have been reminded that good things can and do happen to good people, that underdogs sometimes come out on top, that love can happen in the unlikeliest of places, and that underneath it all, people are generally good spirited and kind hearted and will give all they can, should someone else need a little kindness.
It also reminded me that I really do want to live in a small town someday. We'll see if that ever happens.
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
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