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Monday, October 15, 2012

Book Review: The Best of Down Goes Brown

Felix Potvin Wayne Gretzky
The exact moment Down Goes Brown decided to use comedy to ease his pain.
Sean McIndoe, better known as Down Goes Brown, runs the funniest blog on the internet.

Of course, he's long since graduated from being simply a blogger. His work has appeared in The National Post and Grantland; TSN often has him live-blog or tweet through an event, such as the rebroadcast of classic international games; and he is a frequent guest on radio and TV spots (including an episode of The Agenda in which he debated concussions with Ken Dryden).

Now he's gone totally mainstream with his newly published book, The Best of Down Goes Brown.

The book is a collection of the greatest hits from his blog, including the famous "Suspension flow-chart", a secret document that helps determine exactly how long to suspend a player. But it's not just a rehash of his website; the book includes brand new articles that are just as funny as some of the best work he's produced. Really, there are no duds anywhere. He's honestly that funny.


Some of the funniest articles are when Down Goes Brown uses his vast network of spies to steal secret documents from the league's head office, including a Hall of Fame application form or a reproduction of Don Cherry's contract. Down Goes Brown's spies have stolen so many secret documents over the years that surely many Bothans have died to bring us these laughs.

Although himself a Leafs fan, every team is fair game. You can't even be mad as he makes fun of your favourite team because what he's talking about is most likely true (despite being a funny-man, he has a deep knowledge of the game) and done in such a clever way that you can't help but laugh. And don't worry, as a self-deprecating Leafs fan, McIndoe makes sure the Leafs suffer the majority of the no playoffs and terrible goaltending jokes (this means it's okay for you to read, Steve Mason).

Really, if you haven't already been reading Down Goes Brown you need to start immediately. He's razor-sharp, which is painfully clear when reading the jokes he comes up with on Twitter mere seconds after something happens. You might re-read them hours and days after something happens too—his jokes are stolen at a Dane Cookian rate.

The only negative of this book is that there is no way to include some of the hilarious songs/raps Down Goes Brown and Bloge Salming have come up with over the years, such as "The Olympic Song" and "Mama Said Lock You Out". But I guess we'll have to wait for the reprint in 20 years when pop-up hologram technology has been implemented in books... or for someone to wise up and put these in the eBook.

Sure, you can get most of the book's content on his website, but the additional articles make the book more than worth the price. It's the type of gift that would make a perfect stocking stuffer, even if the recipient has never heard of DGB.

The book is available in book stores everywhere and online in paperback and eBook format.

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