Book Reviews and More: Ultimate Scoring Machine I Was Jerry Rice - Gordon Korman

Ultimate Scoring Machine I was Jerry Rice:

Monday Night Football Club Book 5

Hyperion Books for Children

ISBN 9780786812707

ISBN 0786812702

Ultimate Scoring Machine I Was Jerry Rice - Gordon Korman - Monday Night Football Club Book 5

This book was originally published in 1998, with four different editions publishing that year under a variety of imprints. It is the fifth in a series of 6 volumes. I was really surprised by the volumes in this series and have been greatly enjoying the ones I have read to date.

I set the goal of reading all his books about 2020. I am down to 8 of his books after finishing this volume. I have completed all the stand alone books and at least 2 in each series. Not counting omnibus editions I believe that as of the summer of 2025 Korman has published 109 books. With each that I read I am entertained and often challenged, and some like this book and series are just great fun. My son, who is 17 often, reads these books to me or with me, and he still loves them.

The description of this volume states:

“Football Fever!

Nothing can stop Nick from trading places with a pro player for the Tokyo Bowl—not even Chuck, the football-hating counselor at “Camp Flag-on-the-Play.” Meanwhile, Coleman and Elliot are determined to see Nick's exploits on their forbidden mini-TV. Chaos reigns when Nick trades places with high-scoring wide receiver Jerry Rice a full day before the game. While Nick wanders around Tokyo without a clue, Jerry Rice takes charge of making sure Cabin 8 wins every event in the camp’s field day. Camp Flagler Bay will never be the same...”

The inside cover of the book has a letter from Jerry Rice:

“Welcome to the Monday Night Football Club!

I’ve caught more passes than anyone in NFL history, but it’s a real thrill to be featured in this very cool book! In Ultimate Scoring Machine, Nick Lighter wears a magic football jersey and turns into me. I didn’t have a magic jersey to turn into a member of the San Francisco 49ers. I just needed a lot of hard work.

I’ve had a lot of great teammates, just like Coleman and Elliot are for Nick. My numbers wouldn’t mean a thing if I hadn’t helped my team. Great quarterbacks such as Steve Young and Joe Montana have made it easy for me. Great blocking by many teammates—too many to mention by name—has helped me to add yardage and touchdowns. And without wonderful coaches while I was growing up, I wouldn’t have learned how to play. It takes teamwork to make a person into a winner. It also takes teamwork to be a success in life.

Of course, being part of a team is also a lot of fun! There’s nothing like celebrating a victory with your teammates.

So enjoy this NFL adventure with Nick and his pals.

Go 49ers!”

The chapters in this volume are:

Warning: No Football

Broccoli Duty

The World’s Itchiest Sweater

It’s Raining Money

A Million Percent

Totally Delirious

Rice on Rice

Number Eighty Takes a Penalty

The Most Dangerous Sight in Football

Striking Distance

I Love You, Man!

Sudden Death

That NFL Thrill

At the end of the book are some bonus sections:

The Official Monday Night Football Club Story of Jerry Rice... Simply the Best

Rice’s Best

Rice By The Numbers

The Jerry Rice Foundation

I did not highlighted any passage while reading this volume. I said it in my first review of a book in this series I and state it again, I am a much bigger fan of the CFL than the NFL, I could never really get into the four downs and smaller field and balls. But I follow sports enough to know the names and personalities; I just wish Korman had done a book in this series on Warren Moon, which could have had a CFL crossover element. Though reading the first 5 in this was like a throwback to conversations in high school about the games the night before.

This was a really fun story. This time we get one swap but it goes over a whole day and night, and into the next day. The three friends and their crazy football plays, are at camp, and their counsellor is a self proclaimed recovering football addict. It is the preseason and the Monday Night Football Club have brought a portable TV, and enough batters to choke a hippopotamus. But at every term their counsellor is a buzz kill. First confiscating their football, then declaring no football in any way, shape or form, and finally even snatching the TV. But his best laid plans cannot stop these three and their magic football jersey.

It is sort of a sports themed Freaky Friday. Yet again I could hardly put it down. It really is a great pity this book and series are out of print! I really enjoyed this volume, and the previous four and look forward to reading the final installment.

Another great read from Korman’s masterful pen.

Books by Gordon Korman:

MacDonald Hall Series:

This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall (1978)

Go Jump in the Pool (1979)

Beware the Fish! (1980)

The Wizzle War (1982)

(formerly The War With Mr. Wizzle)

The Zucchini Warriors (1988)

Light’s Camera, Disaster (1991)

(aka Macdonald Hall Goes Hollywood)

The Jokes on Us (1995)