Dave Anderson covers a multitude of sports and covers them well. Aside from an interest in an athlete's skill, Anderson shows more concern for the content of his character. Perhaps because of his intellectual Catholic training in high school and college, Anderson seems preoccupied with whether an athlete evinces an Aristotelian balance in his or her life. Anderson focuses on the golden mean--the athletes he profiles may have too little confidence, such as Jerry Quarry, who felt deep in his heart he could never beat Muhammad Ali; or too much, such as Ron Stander, who believed selected sycophants that he could beat Joe Frazier. The dedicated, serious athlete will first of all have genuine self-knowledge. Thus, Anderson's heroes, including Ali, Joe Namath, and, above all, Joe DiMaggio, have just the right amount of confidence. Such frank confidence is sometimes construed as arrogance by the less Aristotelian minded, however--Ali...