Book Review: Cracked Open by Paul James
by Benjamin Massey on Feb 17, 2012 12:30 PM PST
in Diversions
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Cracked Open
Paul James
self-published, eBook only, February 2012
$9.99 (Smashwords, Amazon Kindle)
In Canadian soccer, Paul James is as controversial as anyone. He's never kept his opinions about anyone to himself. So it's not surprising that James indiscriminately goes on the attack in Cracked Open, his equal-parts soccer memoir and harrowing personal tale of drug addiction. In fact, it would have been more surprising if he hadn't.
All the same, James's venom is staggering. When he writes a short article in The Globe & Mail calling for Dwayne De Rosario to leave Toronto FC, that's one thing: in book length, with James calling out players who didn't commit to his teams and executives who didn't support him and would-be friends who betrayed his trust, it's overwhelming. One minute James is relating a gritty story of trying to overcome his crack cocaine problem, and the next he's trying to settle an old score.
This book is an extraordinary thing. Self-published online by James, this is raw in the best sense of the word. James lashes out at, none-too-gently, an entire who's who of Canadian soccer: Stephen Hart, Jason de Vos, Julian de Guzman, Ali Gerba, Chris Pozniak, Tam Nsaliwa, Dwayne De Rosario, Bob Lenarduzzi, just to pick the ones you've heard of. That's not counting foreigners who spent time in Canada like John Carver and Tommy Soehn, or figures from the past like Kevan Pipe. He takes shots at the Voyageurs, Canada's national supporters' group, as an organization (and a few individuals). And woe betide anyone who is too aggressive about the 1987 Merlion Cup.
What I think James wanted was a memoir detailing his spiral into drug addiction, his fight to get out of it, and his opinions on how society's mistakes make an addict's problems so hard to recover from. What we got was a bit of that and a tonne of vitriol and old score-settling as James takes his hatchet to anybody who's gotten in his way over thirty years in high-level soccer. For Canadian soccer fans it's almost an essential read, but that doesn't mean James comes off well.
I'll start by picking nits: this is a self-published ebook and it shows. Editing mistakes crop up; spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, and moments where I think his passion got ahead of his prudence. Annoyingly, James has picked up the habit of quoting, verbatim, long tracts of dialogue from years ago: conversations that I can't imagine he recorded. It's one thing when he's quoting a speech that he made, which is usually the case, but at times he quotes others and I wonder if their memories of those exact words will match James's.
However, even with the lack of editing the book mostly works. It is lively, and engaging. Most of James's previous writing experience has been in sports journalism but his writing holds up over long-form too. This book, almost uniquely in its genre, is eminently readable, if not necessarily for the reasons James intended.
In an interview as part of his podcast series on Red Nation Online, James calls this "a personal story about somebody that just so happened to live their life through the soccer industry". I realize that James is trying to make very important points about addiction, and how it's a disease rather than a personal failing, but I think most people who read this book will be downloading it for James's soccer story rather than his personal one (for a book titled Cracked Open, James surprises by devoting most of the space to soccer). The book reads like a soccer story involving addiction rather than vice-versa.
Most of the time, when James is speaking of his addiction and the roots of it, it reads well. He takes responsibility for his own failings in that department and speaks candidly. His final chapter, where he talks about what he thinks society must do to help addicts like him, is good stuff and I wish he'd explored it at more length. At the end of the day the vast majority of this book, both intellectually and in word count, is a remarkable soccer memoir.
One minute, James is battling with low self-esteem, bemoaning his physical appearance, talking about thumping children who made fun of him. The next he's back at old Canadian U-20 tournaments, calling out players or criticizing fans who went onto the Voyageurs board and wanted his scalp. He refers to five-year-old Facebook groups accusing him of ruining Canadian soccer, dwells on message board posts that are more than a decade old. It's so uneven: the story which opens the book of a horrible drug encounter is intense, but a later chapter on an unfortunate encounter with GO Transit staff is an embarrassing, poorly-written distraction. And, even as an adult, he still wants to thump these people.
The chapter on the 1987 Merlion Cup, Canada's most serious match-fixing scandal, is worth the ten dollars alone to anybody interested in Canadian soccer history. The Merlion Cup scandal is often forgotten these days but James looks back with a passionate but revealing eye. The legacy of the bribe in Singapore follow James throughout the text and he's defensive about it, although when it comes time to write about his role in the events James at least goes into detail, fingering one player as the ringleader while denying that he did anything wrong.
James firebombs his bridges. Fans, players, ex-players, coaches, bureaucrats, nobody is safe from his poison pen. It's enjoyable but doesn't make one sympathetic for the more heart-wrenching parts of James's story. He enjoys little "toldya so!" moments, like when he says he resigned from coaching the Canadian U-20 team because Holger Osieck favoured forward Wyn Belotte and he preferred Rob Friend at the 2001 Jeux de Francophonie. At every turn, Paul is right and his critics are wrong.
I actually agree with much of what he has to say, both about some individuals and about Canada's soccer philosophy. There's no doubt that, in his U-20 coaching days, James dealt with his share of me-first egomaniacs. When he bemoans the shortage of character in the national program from top to bottom he's not wrong. But the truth is that James doesn't come off any less self-absorbed: it takes two for a clash of egos. His aggression against anyone who struck him the wrong way, by the end of the book, had me less confident even when I agreed with him: you wonder where the problem is are when one person is constantly at the centre of such a storm.
The book comes off as indiscriminately resentful. Ex-players, such as former Canadian international Tam Nsaliwa, have already made headlines lashing out at what James has said and I'm sure that's the tip of the iceberg. It is one bitter man's memoir, one side of a long, complicated story. It's an important perspective on a Canadian soccer team that shaped today's national team and a disquieting glimpse at the psyche of the man who shaped it. If you're interested in the recent history of Canadian soccer, I intensely recommend it. I'm just not sure it's the kind of recommendation Paul James will want.
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Thank you.
Great review. I may have to read this. See you at Centennial.
Heh. Indeed. Man, I need an editor. Thank you.
Manager at Vancouver Whitecaps and western Canadian soccer website Eighty Six Forever and infrequently-posting flunky at Edmonton Oilers blog The Copper & Blue.
by Benjamin Massey on Feb 20, 2012 10:26 AM PST up reply actions
book review
Hello Ben,
In regards to your book review of Cracked Open it is important for me to balance some of the points you make.
Firstly, it will be valuable to the readers here to know you have been one of many regular critics of mine as a part of the Voyageur soccer forum. So readers should note from the start that there is reason for bias in your reporting.
As an alternative readers may want to check out Amazon.com reviews.
In regards to your comments please note the following:
1. Book has been edited in the US using American lexicon – happy to see you acknowledge your editing errors.
2. The reason I have not kept my opinions to myself in regards to Canadian soccer and some of the people in it is that we need in Canada to be direct and forthright with our comments particularly when people use the ethos of talking behind backs, undermining colleagues, the careless use of slander, or a myriad of other undesirable methods to get ahead.
3. Quoting verbatim? I have a diary of my coaching days and especially the most important meetings and happenings – I have plenty of information – you have not grasped I was fanatical as a coach because I had to be. I am sure if I have misquoted others to their detriment they will be in contact soon.
4. Your assertion that I deny I did anything wrong in the Singapore episode is LIBELLOUS and is where you as a reviewer and as a part of the Voyageurs forum have gotten yourself into what we call in England a “pickle”. You need to re-read Cracked Open.
5. “Told ya so moments”…..no just factual to what were my circumstances. it appears you as the reader are perturbed by my being correct in the outcome.
6. Tam has come out lashing at many things in Canadian soccer and has unfortunately used my ill health as a catalyst for his writings. In my opinion he needs to recognize he is the cause and effect of his movement away from playing for Canada. I always selected Tam when he was available to play for the U20’s during my tenure as coach.
7. The tip of the iceberg? Have received many understanding emails/comments from players I have coached from England, the US and Canada who include Justin Thompson and Chris Pozniak who I mention in the book only as a reference to what moments effected my health and mind.
8. The names you reference at the beginning as me lashing out to are a part of my personal story. If I wrote with a poisoned pen i would have revealed Tom, Dick, and Harry, the former player who received more monies than his teammates, along with many other instances of turmoil within our industry over the years. I had an out of country independent filter process to weed out what was relevant to my health, addiction, and what was pertinent to the story.
9. It is one bitter mans memoir? No, more to the point it is one mans bitter review of a book called Cracked Open – which, as a byproduct of the Paul James story, shines a mirror on the Canadian Soccer industry.
10. In future years Ben you may well blush at what you have written here – which is devoid of any kind of compassion or balance. As with most things in Canadian soccer it is agenda based – and quite frankly as quoted from Cracked Open – enough is enough!!
Paul James
by PaulJamesSoccer1 on Feb 20, 2012 2:11 PM PST reply actions
Cracked Open
The best part about Cracked Open and Paul’s honest appraisal of his addiction and challenges with coaching for Canada is that finally someone has had the guts to stand up and be honest about the reality of life at the top level in Canada. It’s tough, and anyone who has tried to lead in the CSA has been victim to the same circumstances…another reality, players and coaches don’t always get along especially when the coach has the responsibilty of telling players they have to be better…not usually well received especially when the players have been told they are amazing by others their whole lives.
I appreciate Paul’s honesty, his candid matter of fact appraisal and no holds barred approach is definitely tough on some people but more importantly it promotes awareness of the reality of life as a player and coach. Addiction stories very seldom have positive productive endings, Paul can go forward now and use his past to help others who are dealing with the same pressures. He admits his failings in my opinion and as usual is not afraid to hold others to the same standards! He has stayed true to what he believes and has told the truth about his addiction and the nastiness that surrounded it. I would hope that going forward those in current positions of leadership would do the same. I think the game in Canada and world wide will be the better for it!
by dwight.hornibrook on Feb 21, 2012 1:15 AM PST reply actions
book review
despite what’s written in this review i found it to be incredibly gripping. couldn’t put it down. it’s a fantastic read. im glad Paul exposed Cdn Soccer. call it what you will, bitter or whatever, the fact is the industry is a nightmare and no one cares to do anything about it. so I commend paul for saying something and coming out with his addiction. that’s called having balls the size of watermelons. no matter what approach paul would have taken, the truth is he’d get stick anyway. i appreciate his honesty. buy the book!!!
agree
this was an amazing book. i agree with you chase – no matter what approach paul would have taken he’d get stick anyway! he could have avoided Canadian Soccer and his book would be boring like bob’s and ppl would be complaining there wasn’t any of that in it. Or this way he talks about the dirt and now he’s a a bitter old man. he can’t win. also, the point is that the Cdn soccer industry is a load of horse sh** and Paul happens to have a perspective on it, may I add the right perspective on it! but no, noone wants to deal with it. Instead of looking at what the issues are, people decide to attack him instead. no matter what he says singapore is always held over his head and now you can throw the addiction in as the cherry on top. it’s ridiculous. but it’s irrelevant bc the BOOK IS FANTASTIC. bottom line – dirt sells. i’d rather read this stuff any day than some boring fluff like bob’s book.
i didnt mention...
that’ i think it’s absolutely BRILLIANT that paul writes back in the comment section!
Another Perspective
I appreciate everyone has their point a view and that Paul James’ open and direct approach may not earn him a lot of friends in the Canadian soccer world.
I would like to add a perspective from a person who has had the privilege to know Paul both professionally and personally.
It says much about a mans character and strength that even in his darkest hour he is able to rise above his own personal pain and continue to inspire and influence young players and others to reach their fullest potential.
And it is even more admirable that he is able to make himself vulnerable by sharing his “darkest secrets” with his peers, friends, enemies and the public at large.
Let us rise to the heights that Paul has opened for us and honor a man willing to risk his professional reputation and future career to help insure that others do not need to follow the path he walked.
If the truth be told there are many many more cases like Paul James in the soccer world, sports world and the world at large. Indeed if as individuals we were to be honest we would acknowledge that each of us has our areas of darkness and vulnerability.
Usually we are all too afraid to talk about something that must be faced to offer a brighter future for our youth and to the world at large.
Let us use this opportunity to rally together to find solutions.
I would like to share an article offering another perspective on Paul James and his book Cracked Open…
.http://www.leadersinfootball.com/blog/the-leader/rogan-taylor-naked-football-lunch/
by derek.a.salick on Feb 26, 2012 12:54 PM PST reply actions
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