Crackback by Jon Coy - Book Review

The author of this book is Jon Coy and has written many other books, most of which are about sports. Many of his books have been nominated for various awards and including the book I just read, Crackback. This is his first young adult novel that he’s written and has only one other. Even though this is one of his only two young adult novels, it is an excellent one.

                The book Crackback is about a high school football player, Miles Manning, and his struggles as a teenager. This is a pretty spot on novel about how teenage life is in the sense of struggling football, school and a father that always wants more out of you. Miles is always being pushed by his father to be better at football and school. Whenever Miles doesn't do well in football or messes up, he has to put up with his dad when he gets home after dealing with the coaches. He has to push himself harder and harder in football after the starting and secondary quarterbacks are injured and are out of the season. On many different occasions Miles is assigned to ask questions about his parents’ family, which his father hates. Besides struggling with school, his father, his job and trying to get a date to the school dance, his best friend, Jonesy, also in football, is pressuring him to do steroids to get bigger and better at his sport. All of these struggles are things that any high school athlete could go through.

                If I had to rate this book, it would be a ten. I find Crackback such a good novel because so many people can relate their lives, including mine, to Miles’s life. In football, I was always being pressured to be better and stronger by my coaches and friends. Coaches always push us to past our limits like Miles is pushed in football. Having a job, sports, school and relationships are all factors that many students endure at this time in their life like Miles. It can all be very stressful and tough on anyone this age. I also find this novel very good because is basically broken down into a language I can understand, I guess as far as grammar goes. It’s an easy read, but an amazing book as well. The scenery and imagery is that which my age group can relate to. Like, the situations that Miles is put in, everyone my age has also gone through. A major factor in this novel is peer pressure, which I have also endured while in high school. In a few scenes of Crackback, Miles goes to parties with Jonesy and is pressured into drinking. At a earlier time in the novel, Jonesy is pressuring Miles into taking pills to get a “edge” during the game and taking steroids to gain weight because , “Everyone on the team is doing it man and it works.” Both of these situations I have encountered myself and I’m positive other students have as well. Because I can relate to this book in the ways I just listed, I would recommend this book to everyone!

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In a recent article by Sun News entitled, "Kyrie Irving's new 'Uncle Drew' video debuts" by Mary Schmitt Boyer proves why gender roles are not a problem in the "Uncle Drew" Pepsi Commercial. In the process describes a little bit of the background behind the main the character's and who they are.As off now there are 3 commercials with the star Kyrie Irving. 

Mary Schmitt Boyer, writer for Cleveland.com, says, "Former UConn star Maya Moore, now with the WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx, also appeared as "Betty Lou,'' the first woman featured in the series." Maya Moore appears on the Pepsi Commercial proving that both genders are equally favored.Pepsi has 1 out of 3 with a main character as woman.With more commercials to come could potentially have more women. 

Mary Boyer, also writer of the Plan Dealer, states, "Robinson, who was with the Chicago Bulls last season before joining the Denver Nuggets this season... Pepsi MAX & Kyrie Irving Present: Uncle Drew: Chapter 3'' was released online on Monday with Robinson playing "Lights." Robinson is also another one of the main characters on the commercial. All of these main characters are also NBA/WNBA stars. In the commercial, Betty Lou is Lights girl, which shows why main characters are not always men. 

Mary also adds, "In Chapter 3, Uncle Drew shifts from New Jersey to Chicago, where Uncle Drew goes to a jazz bar to track down Lights, who joins up in spite of opposition from Betty Lou, an overprotective woman." During Betty Lou's appearance to the game, she gets told by a few bystanders to get off the court. In the process, she replaces some guy on the team and shows up all the other guys on the court. She shows that women are strong courageous also and don't back down. 

Personally, I think that Pepsi did well in adding a women to the mix. And not making just the main character a guy in the commercials.While maintaining both genders to be shown equally. When she appeared at the scene, all cameras were on her while she played with a bunch of guys. Not to mention she also embarrassed a few by crossing them over. 

Overall, the commercial not only made Pepsi products more public and want people to buy their product, but also showed that women can do things that men do and sometimes even better. Maya Moore did in fact embarrass a few guys in front of cameras and huge crowds.  

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 In a recent article by the New York Times entitled, "The Pepsi Septuagenarian," by Benjamin Hoffman describes the details and behind the scenes of the Pepsi commercial, while raising the awareness of elderly folk. Also showing that one of the three commercials do not favor one gender more than the other. One of the three commercials has a WNBA star featured. 

Despite the fact that Kyrie Irving, rookie NBA star, Point Guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers, shows a split personality in the commercial. Kyrie says, “I’m not even Kyrie Irving anymore, I’m Uncle Drew." "Uncle Drew" is the name of the character in the commercial.  He feels like a different person in the film. Additionally, he is dressed as a old man, with a little make up he looks the part. Although the first commercial favors males, there is women in the background of the film. Women are not hidden from the scenes. 

Background on the commercial, Sam Duboff, member of Pepsi Max brand team says, "Local players were gathered and told that Pepsi Max was filming a documentary on a character named Kevin who they claimed was a youth basketball coach. Other than Irving, Kevin and the player whose injury leads to Uncle Drew entering the game, no one on the court knew that it was actually Irving under the makeup." The basketball star under the makeup was dressed as a elderly man, during the pickup game at the local basketball court. Throughout all the commercials, all the stars/athletes are dress as elder people, showing that you're never too old to play.  

Based on Pepsi Team member, Sam Duboff told the media, "Pepsi signed Irving to a two-year partnership after working with him earlier this year on what was intended to be a one-time video. It was Irving’s youth that inspired the elderly character." Proving once again that one is never too old for the love of the game.Additionally, the commercial was supposedly a one time deal, but saw more potential by later adding a woman to the mix. In doing this, shows both genders and not favoring one gender only. 

Personally, I think that in adding a girl to one of the commercials shows equal gender roles. The main role players are professional basketball players, but in one commercial has a professional girl's basketball player. Proving that one gender is not more important the the other. None of the other men that were playing a pickup game didn't want to let the girl play because they thought she couldn't handle them. And more than likely get pushed around, but the girl not only embarrassed them, but also proved that she could play with the guys. 

Overall, the commercials not only raised the awareness of old folks still being active, but also proved equal gender roles. By allowing a girl to also be starred in the commercial, shows that one gender is better than the other.