Aspiring stand-up comedian and SportsIllustrated.com columnist Steve Hofstetter decided he needed to express his views on the history of sports so he wrote a book about it. In “Balls! An in-your-face look at sports,” Hofstetter breaks down sports, some of which he feels don’t really matter, and describes the type of fans that watch them.

Published by National Lampoon (and from what I read on the back) it is supposed to be hilarious. I’m not saying that it’s not funny; it has its moments, but definitely not stomach aching stuff. Hofstetter’s break down of the three elite sports is well-written, and I laughed here and there. For the average sports fan, you run into some things you didn’t know, a couple interesting facts, but most of it is better suited for a 9 year old kid, or your girlfriend who really wants to learn the roots of sports.

Call me a tough grader. Call me a hard-ass, but in today’s world people are constantly on the internet checking fantasy stats, reading about player’s personal lives, and watching around the clock SportsCenter. They seem to be more concerned with up-to-date stats, rather than polishing up on how hockey started. I just don’t feel like the average sports fan would completely enjoy reading it front to back. If you happen to ride the T, take the bus, or read in the bathroom it’s not a bad buy. Some of the things Hofstetter mentions are debatable and may not be agreeable, but for the most part he does a decent job of mixing comedy with sports.