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The Best American Sports Writing 2012: The Premier Annual Showcase of Finest Sports Journalism
The Best American Series®
First, Best, and Best-Selling
The Best American series is the premier annual showcase for the country’s finest short fiction and nonfiction. Each volume’s series editor selects notable works from hundreds of magazines, journals, and websites. A special guest editor, a leading writer in the field, then chooses the best twenty or so pieces to publish. This unique system has made the Best American series the most respected — and most popular — of its kind.
The Best American Sports Writing 2012 includes
PAUL SOLOTAROFF JEANNE MARIE LASKAS WELLS TOWER WRIGHT THOMPSON S. L. PRICE DAVE SHEININ JON MOOALLEM and others
First, Best, and Best-Selling
The Best American series is the premier annual showcase for the country’s finest short fiction and nonfiction. Each volume’s series editor selects notable works from hundreds of magazines, journals, and websites. A special guest editor, a leading writer in the field, then chooses the best twenty or so pieces to publish. This unique system has made the Best American series the most respected — and most popular — of its kind.
The Best American Sports Writing 2012 includes
PAUL SOLOTAROFF JEANNE MARIE LASKAS WELLS TOWER WRIGHT THOMPSON S. L. PRICE DAVE SHEININ JON MOOALLEM and others
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
May 14, 2024
Good collection of stories. The best ones:
The Ferocious Life and Tragic Death of a Super Bowl Star by Paul Solotaroff and Rick Telander - the best of the CTE articles in the book.
The People v. Football by Jeanne Marie Laskas - the story of a man trying to continue living with CTE.
The Heart of Football Beats in Aliquippa by S.L. Price - about a small-town football program in Pennsylvania.
Something Went Very Wrong at Toomer’s Corner by Tommy Tomlinson - covering the poisoning of Toomer's trees at Auburn.
The Shame of College Sports by Taylor Branch - the best article in the book. A little dated now that the NIL era is here, but it's a fascinating history of the hypocrisy of the NCAA. Branch is an excellent writer.
Welcome to the Far Eastern Conference by Wells Tower - about Stephon Marbury's second act in China.
There is also an article about the high five and who invented it. The writer makes the case that it was Glenn Burke, but it seems from the story that it was Dusty Baker.
The Ferocious Life and Tragic Death of a Super Bowl Star by Paul Solotaroff and Rick Telander - the best of the CTE articles in the book.
The People v. Football by Jeanne Marie Laskas - the story of a man trying to continue living with CTE.
The Heart of Football Beats in Aliquippa by S.L. Price - about a small-town football program in Pennsylvania.
Something Went Very Wrong at Toomer’s Corner by Tommy Tomlinson - covering the poisoning of Toomer's trees at Auburn.
The Shame of College Sports by Taylor Branch - the best article in the book. A little dated now that the NIL era is here, but it's a fascinating history of the hypocrisy of the NCAA. Branch is an excellent writer.
Welcome to the Far Eastern Conference by Wells Tower - about Stephon Marbury's second act in China.
There is also an article about the high five and who invented it. The writer makes the case that it was Glenn Burke, but it seems from the story that it was Dusty Baker.
December 29, 2012
Overall a good collection of articles about sports...but.
For sports writing to be considered "Great" it usually ends up being emotional. That means that there's a preponderance of profiles about athletes overcoming personal tragedy, adversity and the odds. Not that there's anything wrong with that kind of story, but it does get repetitive.
There are other kinds of articles in here as well, a surprisingly engrossing one about the modern state of Indian Cricket, for example, and some of the adversity stories are truly impressive. I particularly liked the profile of Novak Djokovic and his relationship with his home country of Serbia, and the story of football in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania.
One personal opinion on the editing: Michael Wilbon, sports commentator and co-host of ESPN's Pardon The Interruption, is listed as the guest editor. Of course, that means that he provided the introduction, but I'm left wondering how much involvement he actually had with the rest of the book. Three articles in a row deal with the impact that repeated concussions and other hits to the head in Hockey and Football have had on legendary players in their respective sports. Yet Wilbon's take on this particular subject has long been to say that you can't/shouldn't legislate hits to the head because it isn't football, and keep shouting that until anyone who disagrees with him has gotten bored and left. Considering his stand, I'm truly curious just how much time, if any, he actually spent selecting or even reading these articles.
So all in all, a good collection of sports profiles and think pieces. If you're a fan of great, evocative reporting on actual games and matches, those don't seem to be considered for this kind of book. But if you like profiles, or if you enjoy digging deeper on sports that you wouldn't normally care about (or even think about), then you'll enjoy these offerings greatly.
For sports writing to be considered "Great" it usually ends up being emotional. That means that there's a preponderance of profiles about athletes overcoming personal tragedy, adversity and the odds. Not that there's anything wrong with that kind of story, but it does get repetitive.
There are other kinds of articles in here as well, a surprisingly engrossing one about the modern state of Indian Cricket, for example, and some of the adversity stories are truly impressive. I particularly liked the profile of Novak Djokovic and his relationship with his home country of Serbia, and the story of football in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania.
One personal opinion on the editing: Michael Wilbon, sports commentator and co-host of ESPN's Pardon The Interruption, is listed as the guest editor. Of course, that means that he provided the introduction, but I'm left wondering how much involvement he actually had with the rest of the book. Three articles in a row deal with the impact that repeated concussions and other hits to the head in Hockey and Football have had on legendary players in their respective sports. Yet Wilbon's take on this particular subject has long been to say that you can't/shouldn't legislate hits to the head because it isn't football, and keep shouting that until anyone who disagrees with him has gotten bored and left. Considering his stand, I'm truly curious just how much time, if any, he actually spent selecting or even reading these articles.
So all in all, a good collection of sports profiles and think pieces. If you're a fan of great, evocative reporting on actual games and matches, those don't seem to be considered for this kind of book. But if you like profiles, or if you enjoy digging deeper on sports that you wouldn't normally care about (or even think about), then you'll enjoy these offerings greatly.
March 23, 2013
This is always a crowd pleaser, year after year. This edition has much emphasis on concussion/brain injury related stories and a real obvious lack of Joe Paterno/Penn State stories.
June 11, 2013
The Best American Sports Writing 2012 is an excellently written book. The book provides entertaining sports stories that have occurred in the real world while offering an excellent vocabulary choice and a variety of sentence structures. The tales will have readers relate their real life experiences to some of the ones retold in the book while being easy to read at the same time. The author provides us with the authentic experiences of each headlined story in the book, providing the writer's own experience and factual information that draws readers and sports enthusiasts alike to learn about each story. For example, the story of former NBA All-Star, Allen Iverson, is headlined after his NBA career ended and his chances of resurrecting his legacy were bleak by explaining "He has come to Turkey to resurrect not only his basketball career, but his life" (Stout 44). Stout compiled some of the most captivating stories that epitomize the title of the book.
Stout's purpose in writing this book is to inform the audience of the greatest authentic sports stories of athletes and sportspeople alike. The Best American Sports Writing 2012 offers readers a different side of various sports that a normal fan or follower wouldn't see. Each story varies in length, but they draw the emotion out of the audience, feeling for either the rise, fall, or tragic end to the sportspeople headlining each story. The book changes a person's view on how difficult it is to be involved in the sports industry and the risks people take just to make it there. Each story differs from the other, emitting different emotions and explains each happening in depth using real life testimonials. It will leave an imprint in the mind of the reader because of how close it will hit them to their lives.
The Best American Sports Writing 2012 was extremely captivating and eye-opening. Some of the experiences told about in this book changed my mindset on how athletes have it extremely difficult in this world. For example, with the story of Darrent Williams, a former NFL cornerback who was abruptly murdered on a New Year's night, opened my eyes to see what money can really do to an athlete since "He chose to help a friend in distress-chose to take off the heavy gold chain to do so-and that choice cost him his life. You would not be wrong to say he died from the .40-caliber bullet that tore two jugular veins and opened his carotid artery. Nor would you be wrong to say Darrent Williams died of loyalty" (Stout 55). This is a mere example of how one of the stories captured in this compelling book made me heavily think about the situation at hand. It compels readers alike because of how the stories flow and experiences tie to their personal lives. The book possesses the necessary elements that it needs to be considered one of the greatest nonfiction sports writings in its genre.
The greatest strength of this book is the first story in the book. This chapter is the most interesting because it drew my attention when I knew the story was about my favorite baseball player, Bryce Harper. It drew out my emotions because I could relate to his story and because it showed me how determined he was to reach his goal of playing in the MLB, being one of the hardest workers by showing to his teammates that "He did not bring his brand-new Mercedes, the one indulgence he allowed himself after signing his Nationals contract, but the black Toyota truck with 130,000 miles on it. "That's my work truck," Harper says. "I want everyone to know I'm there for work" (Stout 4) he was selfless and was eager to show he wanted to perfect his baseball skills with his team. His story is somewhat of a boyhood dream turned into a reality and it hooked me from start to finish. I can imagine his life from my eyes as I read each descriptive sentence about his journey and how his parents introduced him into the game that he loved: baseball. This chapter is one of the most heartfelt and true to its roots than any of the other stories in this book.
The greatest weakness of the book is that nothing else can draw the readers into the book except for the sports stories. It dives into some of the sports that people have no interest in and may be tedious for those to read. I found myself skipping one of the chapters because of how unappealing it was for me to read and I felt that it dragged on. Overall, I would recommend this book to one of my friends as long as they are interested in sports. These stories are for those who love sports, and they may be uninteresting to those who are not concerned with these hobbies, but for those who are sports fans will love this collection of nonfiction. Whether the reader is a hardcore sports follower or casual, the stories in the book will change their perspective around the sports industry and become aware of issues there that are currently still a problem. The Best American Sports Writing 2012 is a thought-provoking book that make readers imagine what would happen if something alternate happened to the person instead of reading about what actually happened to them.
August 31, 2019
Not as diverse of a selection as other anthologies in the series but still a good read.
September 27, 2025
Loved this- so interesting to read these 13 years later. A sports time capsule.
August 26, 2018
Good Selection in a Wide-Ranging of Sports
The collection of essays in this book covers a wide-ranging of sports and provides useful informations and portraits. Personal stories mingles with careers descriptions. As I read it almost six years after the release of the book, it gave me some perspective and amazement. The sports fan will not be disappointed.
The collection of essays in this book covers a wide-ranging of sports and provides useful informations and portraits. Personal stories mingles with careers descriptions. As I read it almost six years after the release of the book, it gave me some perspective and amazement. The sports fan will not be disappointed.
April 12, 2013
As is usual with essay collections there are hits and misses along the way. My favorite pieces included a great item on cricket and its place in India, the nightclub death of a Denver Bronco, and the death of Derek Boogard and the impact of fighting in hockey.
Other items included in this collection varied from well written to plain and rather uninteresting. I found most of the bio pieces on current star athletes to be rather rote items without real appeal. The other essays include:
1) A by the numbers piece on Bryce Harper that I found very odd for such an interesting personality.
2) A fine item on the route Allen Iverson took to playing basketball in Turkey.
3) The death of Dave Duerson and brain injury in football. A good item.
4) Another football brain injury piece centered on Fred McNeill. I found this one quite affecting.
5) An uninteresting essay on football in Aliquippa and violence and drugs.
6) The runner Frank Shorter and his abusive father.
7) The possible increase in pain tolerance after surgery for an ultra runner with epilepsy. It's ok.
8) An item on Ron Washington the Texas Rangers manager. Interesting look at an unassuming personality.
9) The story of how a football jersey number was retired for 50 years without anyone knowing why.
10) The death of a hard living sportswriter. OK.
11) The killing of the Auburn University trees by an Alabama fan.
12) The hoax of amateurism and the student athelete
13) Another by the book item on Novak Djokovic the tennis star.
14) Another of the rather rote pieces on a current star athelete, in this case Lionel Messi of soccer (football) fame.
15) Nancy Lieberman coaching mens D-league basketball.
16) Stephon Marbury playing basketball in China.
17) Who started the high five?
Other items included in this collection varied from well written to plain and rather uninteresting. I found most of the bio pieces on current star athletes to be rather rote items without real appeal. The other essays include:
1) A by the numbers piece on Bryce Harper that I found very odd for such an interesting personality.
2) A fine item on the route Allen Iverson took to playing basketball in Turkey.
3) The death of Dave Duerson and brain injury in football. A good item.
4) Another football brain injury piece centered on Fred McNeill. I found this one quite affecting.
5) An uninteresting essay on football in Aliquippa and violence and drugs.
6) The runner Frank Shorter and his abusive father.
7) The possible increase in pain tolerance after surgery for an ultra runner with epilepsy. It's ok.
8) An item on Ron Washington the Texas Rangers manager. Interesting look at an unassuming personality.
9) The story of how a football jersey number was retired for 50 years without anyone knowing why.
10) The death of a hard living sportswriter. OK.
11) The killing of the Auburn University trees by an Alabama fan.
12) The hoax of amateurism and the student athelete
13) Another by the book item on Novak Djokovic the tennis star.
14) Another of the rather rote pieces on a current star athelete, in this case Lionel Messi of soccer (football) fame.
15) Nancy Lieberman coaching mens D-league basketball.
16) Stephon Marbury playing basketball in China.
17) Who started the high five?
November 15, 2013
As I have been reading these past collections of The Best American Series I have had the pleasure of reading some incredible pieces of journalism. The 2012 collection which was edited by Michael Wilbon of Pardon the Interruption fame is one of the best.
As in some other editions the subject of football and concussions is prevalent in a couple of stories. Stories that address the life and death of former Chicago Bear Dave Duerson as well as death of young Denver Broncos star Darrent Williams. Both stories are exemplary even as they offer more questions than answers. Two more stories visit football in the guise of S L Price's visit to Aliquippa, Pennsylvania and The People v Football by Jeanne Marie Laskas. These both are strong stories as well.
2012 was a good year for stories featuring retired or former NBA players as features on Alan Iverson and Stephon Marbury visit them in Turkey and China respectively. Both stories reach a point where you find yourself feeling sympathy for these millionaires. In order to do that the writers deserve great amounts of praise.
Stories featuring Bryce Harper, Nancy Lieberman, and Frank Shorter resonate while Wright Thompson introduces us toe the world of Cricket in Bangladesh, we read the story of the life and death of a hockey enforcer, read about the poisoning of the most famous trees in Alabama and in the best article in the collection is the devastating takedown of the NCAA and it's money machine by Taylor Branch.
This is a better than average collection and with the ever increasing focus on long form journalism these yearly editions become a must read.
As in some other editions the subject of football and concussions is prevalent in a couple of stories. Stories that address the life and death of former Chicago Bear Dave Duerson as well as death of young Denver Broncos star Darrent Williams. Both stories are exemplary even as they offer more questions than answers. Two more stories visit football in the guise of S L Price's visit to Aliquippa, Pennsylvania and The People v Football by Jeanne Marie Laskas. These both are strong stories as well.
2012 was a good year for stories featuring retired or former NBA players as features on Alan Iverson and Stephon Marbury visit them in Turkey and China respectively. Both stories reach a point where you find yourself feeling sympathy for these millionaires. In order to do that the writers deserve great amounts of praise.
Stories featuring Bryce Harper, Nancy Lieberman, and Frank Shorter resonate while Wright Thompson introduces us toe the world of Cricket in Bangladesh, we read the story of the life and death of a hockey enforcer, read about the poisoning of the most famous trees in Alabama and in the best article in the collection is the devastating takedown of the NCAA and it's money machine by Taylor Branch.
This is a better than average collection and with the ever increasing focus on long form journalism these yearly editions become a must read.
January 11, 2013
A slightly uneven but generally appealing anthology of American sports writing from 2012. These are generally extended (15–25 pages) profiles or investigative pieces; a couple pieces run to 40+ pages.
Many of these essays explore the often tragic personal costs of sports, particularly those sports, like football and hockey, where repeated blows to the head are an almost unavoidable feature of the game. Of the three or four essays that dealt with the effects of concussions, "Punched Out, the extended profile of hockey's Derek Boogaard, is the best.
Other pieces point out how sports act as a positive influence, serving as an escape from poverty and abuse. The profiles of Frank Shorter, the famous marathoner who was abused as a child, and of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania's high school football program are both excellent.
My single favorite piece was Taylor Branch's devastating attack on the NCAA, "The Shame of College Sports." It underscores just how cynically the ideal of "amateurism" has been manipulated in college sports, and how the organization that is supposed to represent and protect "student-athletes"—in a bit of Newspeak-like censorship, the NCAA requires that journalists use this label rather than "players"—often does just the opposite.
If I had a complaint about the principle of selection, it is that these essays almost exclusively survey the human or business side of sports. There ought to be a place here for a few pieces that represent the best technical analysis of gameplay, player technique, coaching, or strategy.
Many of these essays explore the often tragic personal costs of sports, particularly those sports, like football and hockey, where repeated blows to the head are an almost unavoidable feature of the game. Of the three or four essays that dealt with the effects of concussions, "Punched Out, the extended profile of hockey's Derek Boogaard, is the best.
Other pieces point out how sports act as a positive influence, serving as an escape from poverty and abuse. The profiles of Frank Shorter, the famous marathoner who was abused as a child, and of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania's high school football program are both excellent.
My single favorite piece was Taylor Branch's devastating attack on the NCAA, "The Shame of College Sports." It underscores just how cynically the ideal of "amateurism" has been manipulated in college sports, and how the organization that is supposed to represent and protect "student-athletes"—in a bit of Newspeak-like censorship, the NCAA requires that journalists use this label rather than "players"—often does just the opposite.
If I had a complaint about the principle of selection, it is that these essays almost exclusively survey the human or business side of sports. There ought to be a place here for a few pieces that represent the best technical analysis of gameplay, player technique, coaching, or strategy.
August 17, 2015
This is another fine collection of sports articles chosen by the editor of this annual series, Glenn Stout and this year's guest editor Michael Wilbon. Some of the highlights of this edition include stories about the secret that compelled Frank Shorter to become a gold medal-winning marathon runner, a little town in Pennsylvania that produces football players as though they were on an assembly line, and the origin of the high five.
These collections are always interesting and frequently more than just about sports and the people who participate in them. Readers who don't want to become involved with or even watch sports will find something appealing in any one of these anthologies. The serious fan will also enjoy revisiting some classic events and finding out about people and activities that are brand new as well.
These collections are always interesting and frequently more than just about sports and the people who participate in them. Readers who don't want to become involved with or even watch sports will find something appealing in any one of these anthologies. The serious fan will also enjoy revisiting some classic events and finding out about people and activities that are brand new as well.
January 7, 2013
"I never went into a race focused on winning. I went in wanting to find out. That was even how I approached the marathon at the Munich Games. When I ran into the stadium and crossed the finish line, my first thought wasn't, My God, I just won an Olympic gold medal! . . . Crossing that finish line in Munich, I told myself, Yes! I got this one right." --Frank Shorter
To me, the two standouts in this collection are "The Shame of College Sports," in which Pulitzer winner Taylor Branch explains how the NCAA is basically a form of colonialism, and "Punched Out," the New York Times account of the life and death of hockey enforcer Derek Boogaard.
To me, the two standouts in this collection are "The Shame of College Sports," in which Pulitzer winner Taylor Branch explains how the NCAA is basically a form of colonialism, and "Punched Out," the New York Times account of the life and death of hockey enforcer Derek Boogaard.
October 27, 2015
This book is like a collection of episodes of ESPN’s Outside the Lines, except without any purpose other than to depress. I only wish they’d ask me to pen a blurb for the jacket: “If you hate sports but you love reading about them, this is the book for you!” I highly recommend The Best American Sports Writing 2012 to anyone who wants to strip sports of everything that is beautiful and majestic and wallow in the worst of it all.
To understand why, check out my detailed review over at http://2bitmonkey.wordpress.com/2012/...
To understand why, check out my detailed review over at http://2bitmonkey.wordpress.com/2012/...
May 7, 2015
How does an NBA player run through $200 million ? And then, to make a living, plays basketball in a Turkish league. The story is in this collection. In another story, Stuart Scott (ESPN) screams, "It isn't football" when the NFL legislates against vicious unnecessary hits. Maybe he should read this book about NFL players suffering early dementia as a result of those vicious hits. This series, as usual, presents the stories-behind-the stories.
April 22, 2013
Really liked some essays, but I was not as interested in others. Several articles focused on the dementia issues related to concussions in football and hockey. There was also an interesting article on the monopoly-like nature of the NCAA. I think this collection of essays could be used by teachers who employ articles of the day to hook uninterested readers, especially young men.
August 18, 2013
Collection of sports stories, which were entertaining to read. One downside to this one was the proportion of stories that included negative things (addiction, death, severe injuries) was particularly high. As a result, what I thought would be a light read ended up being kind of heavy. Most of the stories are well written and interesting, though.
February 12, 2014
Full disclosure: skipped right over the articles from Runners World & the entry about cricket. The articles about concussions were great (the problems of the NFL & NHL are only going to get worse. Allen Iverson and Stephon Marbury's tales of exile to Turkey & China respectively, were excellent and sad.
October 12, 2013
I should stop rating books before I finish reading, but this also is a good one so far. The 5 stories I have read so far are so interesting and touching. Especially Wright Thompson's "Why you should care about crickett..." I totally got chills and goosebumps.
February 11, 2013
2.5 stars.
A generally uninspiring collection. Several stories about sports-related head injuries and their tragic aftermath for the athletes who sustain them.
The best single story was by Wells Tower. Funny and insightful. I'll look for more by that author.
A generally uninspiring collection. Several stories about sports-related head injuries and their tragic aftermath for the athletes who sustain them.
The best single story was by Wells Tower. Funny and insightful. I'll look for more by that author.
April 14, 2013
very enjoyable, much better than The Best American Travel Writing 2012. Being a sports fan is not necessary for most of the pieces as they are about people (who are associated with sports in some way) rather than the sport itself.
Read
August 30, 2013I LOVE this series and am delighted that Sports Writing challenges my expectations. The writers gathered in this volume know what they are talking about, have spent countless hours researching (not just tweeting off-the-cuff)and write with clarity, insight and, at times, eloquence.
January 2, 2018
Always so much in these collections from obscure (to USA sports fans) areas of the sports works like running and cricket. But a worthy collection of stories. Football concussions, sports stars running through money, etc.
September 30, 2015
A fine collection of engaging sports articles from a rich and varied pool of sources. I particularly enjoyed the article on cricket in India. This has been one of the better sports volumes I have read.
October 18, 2012
Another stellar offering from the "Best American" series. Out of all the sports bios that have not been written yet, it's the epic Stephon Marbury saga that I wanna read the most.
January 1, 2013
Wright Thompson's India and Cricket piece stands out, as does the Last One-Eyed Hard Drinking sportswriter
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January 2, 2013These are really finely written articles. Even those pieces I thought I wouldn't be interested in captured my attention.
March 11, 2013
Not as good as the previous year.
April 7, 2013
Another great edition of an extraordinarily reliable series with quite a few harrowing stories about the impact of concussions on aging ex-athletes.
May 13, 2013
Nie oderwałem się nawet od tekstów o krykiecie. Świetne.
January 24, 2014
You think that baseball has problems? Football has problems.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews