I have to apologize to Erica and to my loyal readers. I received a copy of GAMEFACE before the Christmas Holiday and as with all good intentions, life, well, it got in the way.

So, finally, I've had some "downtime" in a life full of obligations and responsibilities.

I vowed to finish GAMEFACE and so I did, I took a drive, all by my lonesome, on a beautiful and warm Northern California day to Stinson Beach .

And then, finally, I was able to sit back and read this book in total relaxation.

Ladies, if you've felt like the oddball in your group because you live and breathe sports, then welcome to the world of the passionate female fan.

This book is a gift to you. A book you can relate to in a way no other book on sports or the female fan has ever done before. There are lots of books for women on parenting, on relationships, on cooking and on fashion, but when have you ever read a book that explains open wheel racing?

Most of the books I've read by or for the female fan are retreads of what others have written before. This one is different. First you have got to love the title, well at least the Kick-Ass part. Yeah, that's right, kick-ass.

Kick-Ass because the chapters range from Sports Sex Scandals, to Drugs and Cheating, Oh My!

If you're one of those sports fans who has yet to "get" what makes NASCAR fans so crazy about their guys and cars, then you might have an epiphany of sorts when you read That's Racin!.

I also loved the section on Sports and Fashion. Who'd of thunk that there is a guy who is so obsessed with uniforms that he has devoted a site to everything about uniforms?

That's right; Paul Lucas has a site, www.UniWatchBlog.com with up to the minute news on everything Uni!
Damn that's fascinating.

There are other great chapters in this book, items you are unlikely to find anywhere else, "As the Swag Turns", "You Talkin' To Me?!"

Erica wrote this book with the help and insight of her pal Chris De Benedetti, a man, yes that's right. Balance is the key to including chapters on sex scandals and gameface grub.

Run; don't walk to the bookstore for your copy.

This book is a keeper.

Buy GameFace here

About Erica Boeke:

Erica lives in New York City but loves the San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Steelers. In fact, she plans to name her furst child, boy or girl, Franco Harris Boeke.is the co-author of "Gameface

I had the pleasure of interviewing Erica by phone on January 27, 2009.
Erica and I found ourselves very much at ease sharing our views on sports.
Erica and I saw eye to eye on many things but what is truly special and sets Erica apart from most female fans is her ability to capture those feelings in her writing.

Erica doesn't believe that stats are the be-all and end-all in her world of sports, neither do I. Erica and I also agreed that the world of sports continues to miss the boat when it comes to marketing to the female fan, especially when it comes to team apparel.
Pink?! Not a chance in hell! Dump the Pink!

Chicks love drama, they root for underdogs and they let their hearts overrule their head.
We have memories of sharing sports moments with our dads and brothers.

Read Erica's Comments on HuffingtonPost - The Changing Face of the Game

"While we might not be obsessed with memorization, female fans are more concerned with the emotional side of sports. When I reflect back on my favorite sports memory, it involves who I watched the game with (my dad) ... the amazing array of stomach-ache-causing food we ate (too many to list) ... the great music that was playing ("We are Family") ... the summer breeze at the ballpark ... my first glimpse of my favorite player of all time (Willie Stargell) ... and the thrill of victory (back when the Pittsburgh Pirates were good). Not one of those memories involves the stats that Willie (or Dave Parker or Omar Moreno or Bill Madlock or Phil Garner) racked up."

"So guys, as you look around in the stands and at the sports bar, don't be threatened by the growing number of female fans surrounding you. And don't worry; we're really not trying to force our way into your club. We're forming a club of our own."

I urge all sports fans, male or female, to read this book. You will find yourself traveling into a world we thought only we lived in.

Not true.