Join Amazon Prime and ship Two-Day for free and Overnight for $3.99. Already a member? Sign in.
God Save the Fan and over 300,000 other books are available for Amazon Kindle – Amazon’s new wireless reading device. Learn more

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
More Buying Choices
79 used & new from $0.58

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
God Save the Fan: How Preening Sportscasters, Athletes Who Speak in the Third Person, and the Occasional Convicted Quarterback Have Taken the Fun Out of Sports (And How We Can Get It Back)
 
 
Start reading God Save the Fan on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don’t have a Kindle? Get yours here.
 
  

God Save the Fan: How Preening Sportscasters, Athletes Who Speak in the Third Person, and the Occasional Convicted Quarterback Have Taken the Fun Out of Sports (And How We Can Get It Back) (Hardcover)

by Will Leitch (Author)
Key Phrases: sideline reporter, fantasy team, fantasy sports, Super Bowl, New York, World Series (more...)
3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (31 customer reviews)

List Price: $24.95
Price: $20.71 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $4.24 (17%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Want it delivered Monday, July 20? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
36 new from $1.75 43 used from $0.58
Also Available in: List Price: Our Price: Other Offers:
Kindle Edition (Kindle Book) $9.99
Paperback (Reprint) $14.99 $11.69 45 used & new from $5.91

Frequently Bought Together

God Save the Fan: How Preening Sportscasters, Athletes Who Speak in the Third Person, and the Occasional Convicted Quarterback Have Taken the Fun Out of Sports (And How We Can Get It Back) + Men with Balls: The Professional Athlete's Handbook + Boys Will Be Boys: The Glory Days and Party Nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty
Price For All Three: $51.98

Show availability and shipping details


Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Boys Will Be Boys: The Glory Days and Party Nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty

Boys Will Be Boys: The Glory Days and Party Nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty

by Jeff Pearlman
4.3 out of 5 stars (51)  $19.72
Baseball Prospectus 2008: The Essential Guide to the 2008 Baseball Season

Baseball Prospectus 2008: The Essential Guide to the 2008 Baseball Season

by Steven Goldman
4.3 out of 5 stars (18)  $10.61
Baseball Prospectus 2009: The Essential Guide to the 2009 Baseball Season

Baseball Prospectus 2009: The Essential Guide to the 2009 Baseball Season

by Christina Kahrl
3.8 out of 5 stars (20)  $9.91
FreeDarko presents The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac: Styles, Stats, and Stars in Today's Game

FreeDarko presents The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac: Styles, Stats, and Stars in Today's Game

by Bethlehem Shoals
4.7 out of 5 stars (27)  $15.64
Outliers: The Story of Success

Outliers: The Story of Success

by Malcolm Gladwell
4.1 out of 5 stars (624)  $15.39
Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
In his third book, Leitch, the founding editor of the sports blog Deadspin.com, offers a collection of passionate, original essays about the good (fantasy football; the saga of the once promising pitcher Rick Ankiel) and the bad (ESPN, which he compares to the Imperial Forces from Star Wars; sports reporters' misguided attempts to become patriotic after 9/11) of sports, and how fans can navigate through the mess to enjoy the games and themselves. If we all realized that, hey, we don't need to listen to these idiots on television screaming at us... they'd be out of a job, Leitch writes in the introduction. The book sometimes strays off course from its stated purpose—memories of Leitch's popular blog subjects (Barbaro, Ohio TV reporter Carl Monday) and a host of cheeky sports glossaries are unnecessary and only disrupt the book's fervor. However, Leitch (who has also written for Playboy and New York) nicely balances potent humor with sharp and sometimes vicious insight without lapsing into clichés. He manages to be an astute sports critic while maintaining his enthusiasm as a fan, making his book an entertaining and enlightening read for anyone who roots for the home team a little too hard. (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review
"If the truth is to be found in humor - and it is - then let Will Leitch lead our people’s revolution. He’s everything that’s right and funny and true in American sports." -- Jeff MacGregor, Sports Illustrated special contributor and author of Sunday Money

"The funniest sports book I have ever read. Yeah, as a member of the mainstream media I should probably despise Will Leitch. But God Saves the Fan is an uproarious, painful, pointed, skittish manifesto on all that’s warped in the world of Lucious Pusey." -- Jeff Pearlman, New York Times bestselling author of The Bad Guys Won!

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Harper (January 22, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0061351784
  • ISBN-13: 978-0061351785
  • Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #245,742 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

    #28 in  Books > Sports > Miscellaneous > Journalism
    #34 in  Books > Sports > Miscellaneous > Sociology of Sports

Inside This Book (learn more)
Browse and search another edition of this book.

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

God Save the Fan: How Preening Sportscasters, Athletes Who Speak in the Third Person, and the Occasional Convicted Quarterback Have Taken the Fun Out of Sports (And How We Can Get It Back)
86% buy the item featured on this page:
God Save the Fan: How Preening Sportscasters, Athletes Who Speak in the Third Person, and the Occasional Convicted Quarterback Have Taken the Fun Out of Sports (And How We Can Get It Back) 3.9 out of 5 stars (31)
$20.71
Men with Balls: The Professional Athlete's Handbook
7% buy
Men with Balls: The Professional Athlete's Handbook 4.3 out of 5 stars (11)
$11.55
FreeDarko presents The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac: Styles, Stats, and Stars in Today's Game
3% buy
FreeDarko presents The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac: Styles, Stats, and Stars in Today's Game 4.7 out of 5 stars (27)
$15.64
Seven Seconds or Less: My Season on the Bench with the Runnin' and Gunnin' Phoenix Suns
2% buy
Seven Seconds or Less: My Season on the Bench with the Runnin' and Gunnin' Phoenix Suns 4.5 out of 5 stars (26)
$9.60

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
Check the boxes next to the tags you consider relevant or enter your own tags in the field below.
(13)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
Help others find this product — tag it for Amazon search
No one has tagged this product for Amazon search yet. Why not be the first to suggest a search for which it should appear?

 

Customer Reviews

31 Reviews
5 star:
 (16)
4 star:
 (3)
3 star:
 (8)
2 star:
 (2)
1 star:
 (2)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.9 out of 5 stars (31 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Funny and accurate take on today's spoiled sports world, April 16, 2008
Will Leitch's book is a nice blend of laugh-out-loud satire, spoofs, and funny truth in the ridiculous, over-priced, ego-maniacal world of sports. The editor of the popular "Deadspin" blog is more than just funny, he's insightful.

I really don't read "Deadspin" very often, but the cover and title of this book -- not the blog -- was what drew me to it. I'm a huge sports fan, but I'm so tired of the overflow of cash and ego that if pro sports ended tomorrow, I wouldn't care. Sadly, Division I college sports now just mirrors professional sports, they're just less honest about the money. I'd wished Leitch would've addressed the greed of college sports, but what the heck, he lives in New York City, the worst college sports city in America. He's a pro guy ... though his take on interviewing a former University of Michigan basketball player was a complete riot.

Fans can be pretty dumb, too, as Leitch points out in his take on Barbaro. The article and hilarious drawing of the horse was very funny.

Some of Leitch's takes don't work -- does Scott Van Pelt's rejection of a date really need to be posted, is that news? Leitch found Van Pelt's phone message "humanizing." I found it boring. But Leitch is more often on target than not. And yeah, Chris Berman's "YWML" episode isn't news either, but if anyone needed to be a victim of "gotcha" journalism, it's Berman, who has become a caricature of himself. Yes, ESPN needed to be taken down a few notches and Leitch is just the guy to do it.

A quick and funny read, I hope Leitch has another book on the way. Will there be a fan revolution? Nah, fans are too emotional and gullible. If the NY Giants said tomorrow that end zone seats were $5,000 apiece, they'd get sold. Will ESPN's egos shrink? Are you kidding me?

Leitch is a little too much of a believer in the fan revolution and not a realist. I see no uprising from fans.

But hey, at least Leitch is trying, and having fun while doing it.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
45 of 58 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars THIS BOOK IS A BAG OF CHEEZY DOODLES, January 22, 2008
I CANNOT BELIEVE SOMEONE PAID WILL LEITCH MONEY TO WRITE A BOOK. I WAS VERY SKEPTICAL. OBVIOUSLY HE JUST PASTED A BUNCH OF OLD DEADSPIN COLUMNS TOGETHER. HOWEVA, AFTER CURLING UP WITH A BAG OF CHEEZY DOODLES, THIS BOOK WAS OUTSTANDING. I AM NEVER WRONG ABOUT ANYTHING.

YOURS
STEPHEN A. SMITH
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious look at sports from a fan's perspective, January 26, 2008
Will Leitch looks at almost every aspect of sports, from steroids to drunk quarterbacks, from a fan's perspective. And truthfully, fans take the game a lot less seriously than players or reporters. So when we see something like Roethlisberger pouring tequila down a girl's throat we don't get upset--instead we laugh.

Leitch uses examples like these to show what's wrong with the world of professional sports reporting, and what we can do to reclaim our sports.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
Ad
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Voice of the Common Fan
A few years ago, Will Leitch--a former New York Times reporter--traded his press pass and credibility to start a low-paying, low-profile sports blog called Deadspin. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Sacramento Book Review

3.0 out of 5 stars Too much of a good thing
The best part of "God Save the Fan" may be its introduction, in which the author explains how the mainstream media's suppression of the Michael Vick "Ron Mexico" story helped... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Jason A. Miller

3.0 out of 5 stars Funny but snarky
This blogger will never be confused with the immortals of sports writing such as Jim Murray, Tex Maul or Ray Blount. Read more
Published 10 months ago

3.0 out of 5 stars Hits the Spot, Leaves Wanting More
Being a loyal Deadspin reader for a couple years now, I was excited to get a chance to sit down with Will Leitch's book God Save the Fan and delve through his insights into what... Read more
Published 12 months ago by S. Turner

3.0 out of 5 stars A Primer on a Notorious Blogger
Will Leitch recently gained national fame through an appearance on (Bob) Costas Now and a failed debate on sports blogging with the boorish Buzz Bissinger. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Mr. Richard D. Coreno

2.0 out of 5 stars five wrongs don't make a right
An astute author, editor or publisher knows that while factual errors may mildly tarnish the credibility of a memoir, they can destroy the credibility of an expose'. Read more
Published 14 months ago by W. C. Bonner

3.0 out of 5 stars Blook
I agree with the "blook" description from someone else. Starts off pretty well, but gradually loses steam. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Jerry Graff

1.0 out of 5 stars Poorly written....
This is a poorly written work. It is the "stereotypical work of a blogger" ranting without producing useful information and facts. Read more
Published 14 months ago by J. B. O'Donnell

2.0 out of 5 stars "You're with me, Leather!"[Two-and-a-half out of four stars] Sadly, Will's book is getting more true every day!
A very good cover but the book loses much
steam as it goes, but timely nevertheless!

I give it two-and-a-half stars out of four. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Ricahrd A. Salzer

3.0 out of 5 stars Funny, but frustrating
I'm a fan of Leitch's Deadspin, but this book suffers from what most blogs-to-books do: namely what's funny in doses doesn't quite work over 300 pages. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Aaron Harris

Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
New! See all customer communities, and bookmark your communities to keep track of them.
This product's forum (1 discussion)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
I love DEADSPIN, but is the book worth buying? 1 July 2008
See all discussions...  
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


   


Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)


So You'd Like to...


Look for Similar Items by Category


$15 Off Olay, Pantene, and More

$15 Off Olay, Pantene, and More
This July, enjoy an extra $15 off select skin and hair care from favorite brands such as Olay, Pantene, Secret, and Ivory.

Shop this offer now

 

Best Books of 2008

Best of 2008
Find our top 100 editors' picks as well as customers' favorites in dozens of categories in our Best Books of 2008 Store.
 

A Perfect Cut

Shop for router tables
A router table gives router owners even more options when using the most versatile tool in their workshop.

Shop for router tables now

 

Give Your Rake a Break

Shop for Leaf Blowers
If you need to move a lot of leaves, a handheld or backpack blower helps get the job done quickly.

Shop all blowers

 
Ad

 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.


Where's My Stuff?

Shipping & Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.

Continue shopping: Top Sellers
Free
Free by Chris Anderson
Paranoia
Paranoia by Joseph Finder
My Soul to Lose
My Soul to Lose by Rachel Vincent
Glenn Beck's Common Sense

Conditions of Use | Privacy Notice © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates