As an author, Bonnie-Jill Laflin’s book “In a League of Her Own: Celebrating Female Firsts in Sports” was published in February and explores the stories of 19 impactful women in sports, including Billie Jean King, Danica Patrick, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Laila Ali, Jeanie Buss, and Mary Lou Retton. Now available for purchase, Laflin’s book explores the sobering realities women face in the sports world and the many obstacles they had to overcome on the path to success.
Laflin is a trailblazing sports broadcaster, TV personality, author, and philanthropist. She is the first and only female NBA scout, holding the front office executive position with the Los Angeles Lakers, Bonnie-Jill holds many “firsts” throughout her prolific career. She’s the first woman to dance at a professional level for three teams, in two sports, starting with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, and moving to the NFL for both the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys. She is the first female to be awarded six championship rings in two professional sports, earning a Super Bowl ring during her time cheering for the 49ers, and five NBA championship rings as an executive with the Lakers. Bonnie-Jill adds a new “first” to her repertoire as co-host of the brand-new “Women’s Western Sports Roundup” on the Cowgirl Channel.
Beyond her accomplishments in sports, Bonnie-Jill ventured into the world of broadcasting, bringing her knowledge and enthusiasm to the airwaves, reporting for various high-profile networks, including ESPN, NBA TV, NBC/NBC Sports, NFL Films, Westwood One, CBS, E!, BBC Sports, SiriusXM, NFR Live, and Fox Sports.
From Jim Lampley, HBO’s ringside face and voice of boxing, comes a first-person, blow-by-blow account of the evolution of sports television chock full of famous names, history-making events, and never-before-told stories from the world of sports.
Jim Lampley’s story is a 50-year travelog of an unlikely career that catalogs the evolution of sports television—from his emergence as the first sideline reporter, through hosting and covering 14 Olympics, to working with all major sports networks.
It Happened! charts Jim’s notable career, with highlights including:
Becoming the first live reporter on the sideline of a nationally televised college football game
Following in the footsteps of Jim McKay as host on ABC’s Wide World of Sports and Howard Cosell as halftime host for ABC’s Monday Night Football
Partnering with ABC, CBS, NBC, Turner, and HBO
Ascending to host of HBO’s Wimbledon weekday telecasts
Reaching “icon” status as the 30-year face and voice of HBO World Championship Boxing
Learn how Jim’s brilliance as an announcer and his revolutionary nature led to innovations in sportscasting, three sports Emmys, and induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Personal anecdotes and hard-earned lessons combine as Jim digs deep and shares celebrity stories from the upper echelons of superstar athletes and Hollywood hotshots, but also offers an introspective look at his personal life and trials. It Happened! tells it all.
Sports collector, now author, Lou Vigliotti, joins Rick This week.
Vigliotti is a retired financial executive with over 40 years in the financial services industry. For over 30 years he has been collecting various sports related items with an emphasis on autographed sports memorabilia.
From Lou:
Have you ever wondered why people are fascinated by sports icons and obtaining their autograph? Well, I did as well, until I realized it can become a hobby and a challenge. What started as sports card collecting eventually led to collecting autographed sports memorabilia. “Collective Dream” are the anecdotes of one man’s quest to obtain the autographs of some of the greatest sports figures in history. Creative outreach, camera mishaps, rule infractions are all part of the Dream. Along the way, you will learn highlights and statistics of some of these sport icons.
Lou grew up in the small town of Lewis Run, Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania holding a B.S. degree in Business Administration. He has held various board of director positions and now is a consultant to various financial services companies. He lives in Florida and Maryland and enjoys spending time with his family, traveling and continues to be involved in sports memorabilia collecting.
See more at: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1977279732/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1977279732&linkCode=as2&tag=amz024b-20
What people have to say about the book
“I always read a writers material before I decide to meet with them. I decided to meet with Jon Rineman. That should tell you everything you need to know. Case closed. Enjoy the book.”
– Jay Leno
“This book brings together three of my favorite pastimes: playing “what if?”; the NBA; and Jon Rineman’s comedy! A delightful read!”
– Gary Gulman, Star of The Great Depresh
“As some who has spent two decades working in sports media, I believe the two keys to success are the ability to entertain and teach. Jon does both of those things in this book. He is one of the most talented writers I know, and certainly the most passionate basketball fan I know. Give a talented writer something they are passionate about and the result is what we have here in the pages that follow.”
– Justin Termine, Host of NBA Today on SiriusXM Radio
Plot:
In 1986, the Boston Celtics were basketball’s gold standard – NBA Champions and owners of the second pick in that year’s draft. From Jon Rineman (writer for The Tonight Show, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, WWE) The Garden’s Always Greener explores a timeline where the good times rolled, thanks to a charismatic rookie who changed everything. From one player saving Tupac to stopping O.J. to another’s unlikely billions as a coffee magnate, it is a complete reimagining of the late-80s and 90s – with traces of 11/22/63, Forrest Gump, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. A hilarious, uplifting must-read for Gen Xers, Millennials, and fans of all ages.
Based on a computer simulation (with a story crafted around it), the book includes everything from narrative to historic rosters to Playoff brackets, as well as imagined newspaper clippings, talk show transcripts, and sitcom pages. If you are a fan of NBA tomes such as The Jordan Rules and When The Game Was War, documentaries such as The Last Dance, or HBO’s Winning Time, you’ll love this reimagined glance at what could’ve been during the NBA’s Golden Era of the 1980s and 90s.
Jon dedicated the book to his late father, who passed after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. Jon is donating from his profits to the Alzheimer’s Association.
From Jon Rineman (writer for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, The Tonight Show, WWE) comes the Amazon #1 New Release The Garden’s Always Greener: Another NBA Timeline. On June 14, 2024, the book reached #1 on Amazon for Professional Basketball (Kindle) and #8 for Professional Basketball (Books).
In 1986, the Boston Celtics were basketball’s gold standard – NBA Champions and owners of the second pick in that year’s draft. The Garden’s Always Greener explores a timeline where the good times rolled, thanks to a charismatic rookie who changes everything.
In this timeline, a role-player inadvertently stops O.J. and saves Tupac, the surviving Beatles (attempt to) reunite, and Michael Jordan struggles to win. Meanwhile, a mysterious creature looks on from the hallowed Boston Garden rafters at this epic melding of Forrest Gump and Curb Your Enthusiasm which also features the likes of Shaq, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, Red Auerbach, and Rick Pitino. A must-read for Gen Xers, Millennials, and fans of all ages.
MORE BACKGROUND: The basis for the story is an NBA2K video game simulation Jon ran during COVID-19 lockdown back in 2020-21. Once complete, Jon revisited the results (which remained untouched) and used that as a prompt to compose a comedic narrative. (Additional research into other NBA “what ifs” of the 1980s & 90s was incorporated.)
NOTE: Jon dedicated the book to his late father, who passed after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. Jon is donating from his profits to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Edward Rahill’s fascination with endurance road racing was sparked as a young boy tuned into the iconic 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans. Born and bred in Western New York and an alumnus of the University of Notre Dame, Rahill carved out a successful career in the energy sector. As CFO of ITC Holdings and later as the Founder, President, and CEO of GridLiance, a Blackstone Company sold in 2021, Rahill showcased his leadership and innovation. Yet, ever faithful to his philosophy of life, upon completing this book, Rahill already has his sights set on his next exciting venture.
Edward Rahill holds a place in the annals of history as the cross-continental endurance road race record holder, boasting the fastest time in a competitive road race stretching from Boston to San Diego. His debut novel, One Mile at a Time, is more than a chronicle of this thrilling feat. It’s a tribute to a promise made to his grandmother — that his children’s generation would finally shatter the cycle of broken dreams. With its publication, Rahill’s commitment has beautifully come to life.
Currently residing in Atlanta, Georgia, Rahill is a record holder, a successful businessman, and a proud father of four adult children. His story is one of grit, endurance, and the power of dreaming big — his story leaves readers captivated and inspired.
Part group biography, part cultural history, Strong Like Her delves into the fascinating stories of our muscular foremothers. From the first female Olympian (who entered the chariot race through a loophole) to the circus stars who could lift their husbands above their heads and make it look like “a little light housework with a feather duster,” these brave and brawny women paved the way for the generations to follow.
Filled with Sophy Holland’s beautiful portraits of some of today’s most awe-inspiring athletes, including Peloton instructor Robin Arzón, bodybuilder Dana Linn Bailey, powerlifter Meg Gallagher, celebrity fitness trainer Jen Widerstrom, CrossFit enthusiast Lindy Barber, WNBA vet Holly Rilinger, climber Margo Hayes, and many more, Strong Like Her is “a love letter to muscles and the women who rock them so gloriously” (Shape).
Haley Shapley is an award-winning journalist whose writing has appeared in SELF, Teen Vogue, American Way, Shape, Sierra, and the Telegraph. An Olympics superfan and exercise enthusiast, Shapley has cycled 206 miles from Seattle to Portland, summited the highest glaciated peak in the continental U.S., competed in a bodybuilding show, and run a marathon. She lives in Seattle.
