Customer Reviews

The Best American Sports Writing 2008

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I'm not a big sports fan but I do appreciate good writing and so I look at each year's Best American Sports Writing. The Best American Sports Writing 2006 (The Best American Series) guest edited by Michael Lewis, was outstanding and so I can't help but compare subsequent collections to that one. It contained well-written stories about unusual sports (the Paris-Dakar Rally, women's boxing, gay rodeo) and addressed some serious issues, such as the high incidence of brain injuries mong football players at all levels.

This year's edition, guest edited by William Nack, is not quite as excellent as 2006's, but it's still worth your time. The range of sports is more traditional, with football, baseball, and basketball taking center court. It's overwhelmingly male, with all but one of the stories written by men. This IS your father's sports anthology.

A few entries stand out in the collection. Jeanne Marie Laskas, not usually known for sports writing, profiles the Cincinnati Ben Gals, the cheerleading squad for the pro football team. They're not quite what you'd expect, and it's a great article.

There are two pieces about former pro football players who are suffering from the long-term effects of violent injuries. These stories are disturbing for several reasons. That there should be so many preventable head injuries is one. Football hasn't always been as violent as it is today. Another unsettling aspect of these stories is that well-paid football players become destitute after they become ill. Did they spend all their money and not save any? Or are health care expenses that expensive? Either way, a frightening thought. And finally, the pro football players' union refuses to help the former players. Apparently the union has funds set aside for such events, but is incredibly stingy when it comes to letting go of the money.

Among the other worthwhile entries are two profiles of Bo Jackson, a big enough character to warrant these two side-by-side essays. The profile of Kobe Bryant is also interesting.

All in all, a respectable addition to the Best American Series, especially for traditional sports fans.

The editor, William Nack did a good job of foraging for the best sports stories of the year. I enjoyed it and have adopted the book in my Sports Writing class.