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Why My Wife Thinks I'm an Idiot: The Life and Times of a Sportscaster Dad [Hardcover]

Mike Greenberg
3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)


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Book Description

March 7, 2006
Meet Mike Greenberg, the popular host of ESPN Radio’s Mike and Mike in the Morning, the highest-rated drive-time sports talk show on the dial. To his three-million-plus listeners, Greeny is the guy who’s equally as comfortable dissecting zone defenses as he is discussing cashmere sweaters. He’s been to Super Bowls and World Series, All-Star Games and Final Fours. He’s interviewed Michael Jordan, Joe Montana, and Wayne Gretzky. He gets paid to enthuse about sports, which means he’s the envy of most men in America.
This is the hilarious, sometimes touching, and endlessly entertaining debut of one of America’s fastest-rising sportscasters, a wry and revealing look at one man’s good-hearted but mistake-prone attempt to grow up before his children do. Marriage, fatherhood, manhood, fame, athletes, crazed aunts with gambling problems, the true significance of sports, the worst possible thing to say in a room full of pregnant women–no topic is beyond his reach. But don’t take our word on it, read what Greeny has to say about:
• Dating: “People who reminisce fondly about dating are blocking out all the disasters and focusing only on the few great nights. If that is all you choose to remember, fine. But be aware that no experience is without good moments. I’m sure during the sacking of Rome there were a few decent nights; maybe they put on a play.”
• Life on the road:
“Wife + television = no sleep.”
“No wife + no television = no sleep.”
“Wife + no television = sleep.”
“No wife + television = porn.”
• Keeping things in perspective: “Never assume you know more than the guy in the camouflage tux.”
• And, of course, marriage: “All of us are married to women who think we’re idiots.”
Whether he’s talking trash on the radio or talking dirty diapers over a fancy dinner, Greeny’s determined to reconcile two halves of a whole. So if your enthusiasm has ever been curbed, or you’re feeling remote without the remote, or you’re just wondering what exactly goes on in a guy’s brain, Why My Wife Thinks I’m an Idiot will be a source of comfort and unadulterated laughter.


Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

SportsCenter and ESPN Radio mainstay Greenberg wanted to be a journalist, but changed his mind when he was asked, while working at a smalltown newspaper, to interview the mother of a high school valedictorian who had just tragically died. Greenberg moved on to covering sports and never looked back, believing there's nothing better than "investing everything into something that means absolutely nothing." Indeed, his book resembles Seinfeld, with its lightly humorous yet serious renditions of everyday minutiae. Divided into transcripts from some of Greenberg's radio monologues and journal entries about his family life, the book is another entry in the Men Are from Mars... school of sociological observation. Greenberg's viewpoint on the opposite sex essentially involves his subtitle: describing the things he does that make his wife treat him like an idiot. There's plenty of good material in this alone, as well as in some sidesplitting, borscht belt–style material about his gambling-addicted aunt Ada. Unfortunately, the slightly pompous but desperately charming Greenberg also feels the need to fill readers in on such matters as why he doesn't like going to the supermarket and what designer labels he's wearing.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Greenberg is half of the Mike and Mike in the Morning sports-chat radio show on ESPN radio and is also an occasional anchor and reporter on the same network's SportsCenter TV program. On the air, he is funny, literate, and obviously well read far beyond the narrow borders of sports. Here, examining his public life in the context of his roles as father and husband, he exhibits the same sensibilities that make him an engaging on-air presence. He tackles the inherent absurdity of his job--chatting about sports in a complex, ever-more-troubling world--but also about the perks of his quasi fame and the joy he extracts from his work. It's nice to read about a lucky sports guy who knows he is lucky and unabashedly celebrates it. He also takes many of the things he has observed in a life dominated by sports and explains how he is applying them to the raising of his daughter. There are anecdotes galore that will keep fans reading and laughing. Expect fairly strong demand for this one, especially where Greenberg's morning radio show is available. Wes Lukowsky
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Villard; First Edition edition (March 7, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1400064384
  • ISBN-13: 978-1400064380
  • Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #906,588 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
27 of 32 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining book about parenting and marriage March 20, 2006
Format:Hardcover
I really enjoy listening to Mike Greenberg on the radio and looked forward to reading this book quite a bit. I enjoyed it thoroughly, though it was not exactly what I expected.

The book consists of journal entries he wrote while struggling through some difficult times in his life, mostly revolving around his wife and children. He is very open about his personal life and his feelings about the people that populate it. I found myself often thinking, "He's going to get in trouble when his wife/aunt/neighbor reads this." And I can't help wondering if he did!

This book, I think, is more geared toward parents-to-be and married couples than to hard-core sports fans. There is some discussion of sports, but it is more in the sense of how it affects his personal life. Still, the book is entertaining, Greenberg writes well, and I had a hard time putting it down.

This is a good read for "Mike and Mike" fans, but be prepared to learn a lot more about Greeny's wife and kids than about his radio show and Golic.
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20 of 24 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars A tale of two Greenies.... June 5, 2006
Format:Hardcover
As an avid sports fan that listens to Mike & Mike show, I found myself hooked on the witty banter both bring to the radio. I found myself agreeing with Greeny on many different issues but also was happy to have someone representing the 'every man' point of view in dealing with sports. Greeny is not the former player turned sportscaster and that was something most listeners could relate to. It was with these thougths in mind that I looked forward to reading his new book. This is not the Mike Greenberg I know...

Whomever came up with the notion that publishing a bunch of journal postings was a good idea should be fired on the spot. Everything was loosely tied together and most were just ramblings of a man trying to come to grips with his priviledged life. The readers should feel sorry for you because your nanny/maid took the same week off as your wife??!! Suck it up and change a freakin' diaper!

This book is not for fans of the Mike & Mike show, it will ruin the broadcast. Leave the book on the shelf and DO NOT BUY IT FOR THE SPORTS DAD ON FATHER'S DAY. While they can get through it quickly enough, they'll be worse off having read it.
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77 of 102 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars The Male Paris Hilton November 8, 2006
Format:Hardcover
I truly wish I had not read this book. I used to love "Mike and Mike in the Morning," but my view of Greenberg has been so damaged by this superficial, shallow, clueless piece of garbage that I have found myself unable to stomach listening to him anymore.

Greenberg obviously plays up the apparently oxymoronic "metrosexual sportscaster" angle, setting a defensive tone early regarding his abilities to discuss sports despite having fabulous taste in clothing, travel, and fine dining. Fine, this is a play on his on-air persona, no problem.

But when he tries to become "everyman," Greenberg demonstrates that he is as out of touch with the common populace as the athletes he covers are (or as Paris Hilton is, hence the title of this review). This is also why his Seinfeldian approach fails: Seinfeld found the common irritants we all face, whereas Greenberg complains that his wife left him alone for a week to raise his children...with their nanny. Excuse me? Are we supposed to chuckle knowingly that he now has to parent two small children with professional assistance? Sorry Greenberg, most of us would actually be single parents in that situation, not pretending. Similarly, he tells a "funny story" about his son's first word being a curse, but it is set up by sharing that this happened in Aspen, in a chalet with cathedral ceilings and chandeliers ("How do they change the lightbulbs in those things" he wonders increduously, as we all do when vacationing in Aspen in gorgeous chalets). Oh, and what used to be six people is now "three couples, three nannies, and seven children.
... Read more ›
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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars WAY Below expectations May 31, 2006
By DSG
Format:Hardcover
I enjoy the Mike & Mike show and expected to be at least amused by Greenberg's book. Unfortunately for me, my experience was quite the opposite. I walked away feeling annoyed and not the least bit amused. What should be the most important comment -- how well the book is written -- has hardly been mentioned. And probably with good reason: it is horribly written. Awful, really. I don't know if that's more of an indictment of his editors or him. Much as he tries to impress with his stories, he tries to impress with his diction, and it just fails. There even are instances when he's obviously using the wrong word, though it apparently was close enough for Greenberg and his editors. Relatedly, there is absolutely no connection between his premise and the text. Sure, he works in the concept of him being an idiot (as he does at every opportunity now on the show, unfortunately), but if he hadn't used the phrase, I wouldn't know what the book really was supposed to be about. It's a disjointed collection of overplayed stories that aren't even original coupled with radio segments that, having listened to the show since 2000 or so, don't seem like they happened in the way/at the time Greenberg says. It just seemed phony -- the book and, by the end, Greenberg. There's nothing really underpinning the "idiot" concept. His stories have been told by everydad in the states. Unlike other reviewers' experiences, his book has caused me to be less inclined to listen to his radio show, and that's disappointing. He used to come across as genuine, but now he's just slick. A vanilla sportscaster who grew up privileged who writes his memoirs before the age of 40 has to have some level of ego, but the book was dripping with it. Unfortunately, even his ego is boring and fake. A real disappointment.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars just needed
this item was for my wife. she watches mike every morning before work and listens while driving to work. see told me its a great read. as long as she is happy, then no issues.
Published 22 days ago by allen dafoe
3.0 out of 5 stars Funny, if you are a fan!
This book was funny, but you definitely have to be a fan of Mike Greenberg, and understand him. I watch his show every morning, so I can appreciate his wit. Read more
Published 1 month ago by m.james
5.0 out of 5 stars Husband says its the 'best book he's read'
My husband does not read alot...if ever. He watches Mike & Mike in the Morning every day though. I got him this book and he couldn't put it down. Read more
Published 4 months ago by YankeeInNC
5.0 out of 5 stars Dawn
Good book even my husband liked it very very much. I will read it many more times. Again and again.
Published 5 months ago by Dawn LeClair
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Book!
My husband mentioned that he wanted to read this book. I was taken by surprise because he's not much of a bookworm like me. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Pokedot21
1.0 out of 5 stars Not sure who this book is written for
I occasionally catch Mike & Mike on ESPN2 and usually enjoy the show. Since I don't watch the show that often I didn't realize the Greeny was such a diva. Read more
Published on March 14, 2011 by S. Davis
4.0 out of 5 stars A good read
As a female and incurable sports fan, I found myself agreeing with his wife a lot. Bottom line, though, it was fun to read and perfect for my commute on the train. Read more
Published on January 24, 2011 by Trishkabob
5.0 out of 5 stars Charming Book! Teaches Life Lessons
Awesome book! Humorous at times and also teaches life lessons that Mike Greenberg experienced in his years. Very knowledgeable person and very interesting to read. Read more
Published on January 17, 2011 by Robert J. Costino
3.0 out of 5 stars Not What I was Expecting
I've been listening to Greenie and Golic for years so I know the whole schtick. I guess when I bought this book though, I was expecting more insight about the radio program or... Read more
Published on July 23, 2010 by Patrick J. McAdam
2.0 out of 5 stars Well, you get what the title says.
I frequently listen to Mike and Mike in the morning and generally love reading sports autobiographies. However, this was not anything like what I was expecting. Read more
Published on July 21, 2010 by WeArePennState
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