Talk Sports like a Pro: 99 Secrets to Becoming a Sports Goddess [Paperback]

Jean M. McCormick (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1999

A crash course in sports discourse--from a former Emmy Award-winning ESPN producer and full-fledged Sports Goddess.

From living rooms to boardrooms, sports has become a second language--and one that women can't afford to misinterpret. Now they can learn about sports without ever watching a game!

Sports Goddess and former ESPN producer Jean McCormick shows women how to score big points with bosses, boyfriends, and all the sports fans in their lives with tips on how to get hip to: * The lingo of football, hockey, basketball, baseball, golf, and even extreme sports * Fun facts about star players--from Michael Jordan to Tiger Woods to Martina Hingis * Where to find sports highlights on television, in print, or on the Internet * How to fill out a pool sheet and read a box score * Why it's okay to complain about major league baseball * How to embrace college basketball's 'March Madness' * Why size doesn't matter in hockey * How to master the Masters golf tournament * And more

"Whether through body language or the English language, everyone needs to talk sports. Once you digest Jean's book, you'll have 99 secrets of your own."--Chris Berman, ABC/ESPN

* Foreword by ESPN sportscaster Chris Fowler
* Afterword by ESPN executive editor John A. Walsh
* The first female Studio Producer for ESPN, author Jean McCormick has won seven Emmy Awards in Sports Television
* Includes quotes and tips from men and women sports broadcast journalists and women who use sports talk in their business lives

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Don't let the subtitle--or Boticelli's Venus-in-the-pocket-of-the-glove on the cover--fool you. Talk Sports Like a Pro may be aimed at women, but every fan at any level of expertise could pick up a few nuggets from its pages. Once it gets beyond absolute basics like, "When you discuss a game, know three things. Who won. Who lost. One key play or fact," Talk Sports Like a Pro becomes a versatile and handy reference.

Take the section on baseball. Its opening pitch covers the least you need to know: there are 162 games in a season, each league is divided into three divisions, and the head coach is called a manager. From there you'll quickly pick up on the kinds of stuff fans like to grouse about--the World Series being played at night, for one; the essentials of the pitcher-hitter confrontation (complete with explanations of important stats like ERA, RBIs, and batting averages); a basic reading list; the names and contributions of important players past and present; why the Red Sox, Cubs, White Sox, and Indians seem cursed; even how to decipher the cuneiform of a box score.

All the major spectator sports (plus extreme sports) are addressed here, though track and field is oddly absent. Still, Jean M. McCormick--a former ESPN producer herself--nicely balances cleverness with information, and seasons her sporting stew with useful insights in the form of short essays from sports' interpretive goddesses--Robin Roberts, Lesley Visser, Summer Sanders--and gods--Chris Berman, Jim Nantz, and Bob Costas--alike. --Jeff Silverman

About the Author

Jean M. McCormick graduated from Wellesley College, with honors, and Harvard Business School. She was the chief researcher at ABC News' "Nightline" for several years. In 1990, she became the first female Studio Producer for ESPN and worked at the popular "SportsCenter" and "SundaySportsDay" shows. In 1992, she became the first Coordinating Producer for "Outside the Lines," ESPN's documentary unit. She received seven Emmy Awards and two Cable Ace Awards during her time at ESPN. She also served as Executive Producer of "CNN/Sports Illustrated" during its start-up phase. Currently, Jean McCormick is a Visiting Research Scholar at Wellesley College. In 1998, she released a study on gender differences in sports knowledge under the auspices of Wellesley's Center for Research on Women.

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Perigee Trade (September 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399525343
• ISBN-13: 978-0399525346
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #720,423 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Masterpiece!, November 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Talk Sports like a Pro: 99 Secrets to Becoming a Sports Goddess (Paperback)

Jean McCormick is a truly amazing woman! She has done almost as much for sports programming on TV as any man and she proves her worth in this book. I can't say enough good things about the book or it's author!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!, August 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Talk Sports like a Pro: 99 Secrets to Becoming a Sports Goddess (Paperback)

McCormick has written a very witty and educational book that has been a pleasure to read. Great Job!