Baltimore Ravens' favorite books
College and pro post-season football games have put a crimp in my reading time. (I love the commercial that asks a guy: How can you spend nine hours watching football in a weekend? Answer: Skip one of the four games!) I'm not that bad, but I have become better acquainted with my recliner lately.
To honor the Ravens' push for the Super Bowl, I re-read the Sun interviews that asked players to name one book they'd want if stranded on a island. The best response was from Mark Clayton (pictured), he wanted a suspense novel so he could create his own endings with each re-reading. Others were more literal:
Lorenzo Neal and Jason Brown: The Bible
Todd Heap: Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
Brendon Ayanbadejo: The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Willie Anderson: Think Big, Act Small by Jason Jennings
Samari Rolle: The Shack by William P. Young
Jarret Johnson: A Land Remembered by Patrick D. Smith
Sam Koch: Beach Road by James Patterson
Jim Leonhard: The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
Haloti Ngata and Fabian Washington: ESPN magazine (They deserve demerits, but I'm not going to be the one to tell them. Ngata is 6-4, 345 pounds, by the way.)
While she always preferred The Hardy Boys to Nancy Drew, 
Comments
What...no one wants to read "100 Years of Solitude" on a deserted island?
Posted by: Chris | January 6, 2009 7:12 PM
Great choice, Chris. Or maybe a couple of classics from a time when being marooned was a real possibility: Swiss Family Robinson or Robinson Crusoe.
Posted by: Dave | January 7, 2009 10:11 AM
Samari and The Shack, an awesome book on faith that I am sure has helped him and me through those tough times in life.
Posted by: Tom Mulligan | January 7, 2009 10:20 AM
"How to Do Nothing, Not Matter But Still Get Credit" by Joe Flacco
Posted by: Joey Demarcus | January 7, 2009 12:36 PM
Joey, ouch! I will trade the 100 Years of Solitude under Kyle Boller for another just-don't-screw-up, Trent Dilfer-style quarterbacking. Wouldn't you?
Posted by: Dave | January 7, 2009 12:42 PM
Nice call, Mark Clayton! I'm always impressed by people who come up with creative answers to these desert island questions (like on The Office when Dwight said he'd want a medical textbook).
I'd want either the complete works of Shakespeare (long, complex, would seem fresh no matter how many times I read it) or some sort of huge literary anthology (multiple authors would keep me amused longer than one).
Posted by: Clare | January 7, 2009 4:38 PM
I love this! My two favorite things, books and football.
I like the suspense novel as choose your own adventure answer too. I would love to see other football teams' answers.
Posted by: Elizabeth W. | January 7, 2009 6:53 PM