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A consumer’s guide to the best and worst of sports media and merchandise. Ground rules: If it can be read, heard, observed, viewed, dialed or downloaded, it’s in play here. One exception: No products will be endorsed.

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What: “Road to Canton.”

Authors: Marcus Allen with Matt Fulks; foreword by Ronnie Lott.

Publisher: Sports Publishing L.L.C.

Price: $24.95.

Marcus Allen’s recent induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame was the crowning achievement of his All-Pro career.

In this book, Allen shares his memories of winning the Heisman Trophy as a USC tailback, the 16 seasons he spent with the Los Angeles Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs, and what it took to go from high school stardom in San Diego to enshrinement at Canton, Ohio.

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The best parts of the book offer glimpses of Allen’s life outside the limelight, including photos with family and friends and his range of interests from music to art. We also learn that before games, he used to sing to himself -- songs such as Curtis Mayfield’s “Keep on Pushing.”

What you won’t find are revelations about his feud with Raider owner Al Davis.

“Al is just a puzzle,” he writes. “He’s incomprehensible. I really can’t find words besides ‘puzzling’ to describe him. I can say that I never understood the guy, and probably never will.”

He acknowledges that some of his Raider memories are bittersweet.

“Football wasn’t as much fun during my last few years with the Raiders,” he said.

“In many ways, that part of the journey makes the Hall of Fame even more rewarding.”

-- Valerie Gutierrez

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