   | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 09/01/2018 It’s no simple thing to explain being clutch. The term itself falls short of fully capturing the intangible quality of the moment—or sequence of moments—that it describes. The best way to explain is to show, which is what author Doeden does in this compendium of sporting highlights. He reviews upsets, comebacks, epic chokes, and memorable last-minute heroics, before examining the science and psychology of being clutch, such as it is. The book is heavily skewed to American sports, with a couple of European mentions. Player profiles and anecdotes that don’t quite fall into those categories are listed in side boxes, such as a 1982 college football game that ended with a receiver plowing into the opposing team’s band, which had entered the end zone for a premature celebration. There is a nice balance of recent glories and legendary triumphs, so even casual sports fans might be familiar with some of the events mentioned. While there is no consensus on clutch, there is plenty for fans to consider and debate. - Copyright 2018 Booklist. School Library Journal - 09/01/2018 Gr 7 Up—Doeden covers the most epic upsets, comebacks, and finishes to happen in sports history, ranging from the horse named Upset beating Man o' War in 1919 to David Tyree's helmet catch in Super Bowl XLII to Michael Jordan's legendary Flu Game in the 1997 NBA Finals. Doeden organizes the chapters by the type of performance: upsets, comebacks, chokes, clutch performances, and the theory behind clutch performers. In each chapter, the events are listed in chronological order (1919–2018) in suspenseful detail, though there is little transition between sporting events. Iconic photos have been chosen to accompany many entries (Brandi Chastain's celebration of her game-winning goal in the Women's World Cup, for example). Each entry, rather than going too far in-depth, acts as more of a snapshot, giving readers just enough information to make them want more followed by a back matter that can satisfy much of that need. While Doeden does a fair job of covering all different sports and teams, football and the New England Patriots earn more coverage than most. The factual nature of the content, supported by a good amount of back matter, makes this an appropriate choice for school reports. VERDICT A solid purchase for those lacking an up-to-date sports encyclopedia-style item.—Kerri Williams, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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