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The King of Sports: Why Football Must Be Reformed
Gridiron football is the king of sports – it's the biggest game in the strongest and richest country in the world. In The King of Sports, Easterbrook tells the full story of how football became so deeply ingrained in American culture. Both good and bad, he examines its impact on American society.
The King of Sports explores these and many other
* The real harm done by concussions (it's not to NFL players).
* The real way in which college football players are exploited (it's not by not being paid).
* The way football helps American colleges (it's not bowl revenue) and American cities (it's not Super Bowl wins).
* What happens to players who are used up and thrown away (it's not pretty).
* The hidden scandal of the NFL (it's worse than you think).
Using his year-long exclusive insider access to the Virginia Tech football program, where Frank Beamer has compiled the most victories of any active NFL or major-college head coach while also graduating players, Easterbrook shows how one big university "does football right." Then he reports on what's wrong with football at the youth, high school, college and professional levels. Easterbrook holds up examples of coaches and programs who put the athletes first and still win; he presents solutions to these issues and many more, showing a clear path forward for the sport as a whole.
The King of Sports explores these and many other
* The real harm done by concussions (it's not to NFL players).
* The real way in which college football players are exploited (it's not by not being paid).
* The way football helps American colleges (it's not bowl revenue) and American cities (it's not Super Bowl wins).
* What happens to players who are used up and thrown away (it's not pretty).
* The hidden scandal of the NFL (it's worse than you think).
Using his year-long exclusive insider access to the Virginia Tech football program, where Frank Beamer has compiled the most victories of any active NFL or major-college head coach while also graduating players, Easterbrook shows how one big university "does football right." Then he reports on what's wrong with football at the youth, high school, college and professional levels. Easterbrook holds up examples of coaches and programs who put the athletes first and still win; he presents solutions to these issues and many more, showing a clear path forward for the sport as a whole.
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
29 people are currently reading
486 people want to read
About the author
Gregg Easterbrook
21 books72 followersI was born in Buffalo, New York and have lived there plus Boston, Brussels, Chicago, Colorado, Pakistan and Washington, D.C. My wife is a State Department official, which accounts for the globe-trotting. We have three children, boys born in 1989 and 1995 and a girl born in 1990.
I’ve published three literary novels, nine nonfiction books, with a tenth nonfiction book coming September 2021. The nonfiction is all over the map – economics, theology, psychological, environmental policy. If I had my writing career to do over again, I suppose I would have focused on a single genre, which makes commercial success more likely. Then again, I’ve always written about whatever was on my mind, and feel fortunate to have had that opportunity.
I am proud of my novels, which have gotten great reviews but not otherwise been noticed by the world. I hope someday that will change. Novel #4 is completed for 2022 publication.
I have been associated with The Atlantic Monthly as a staff writer, national correspondent or contributing editor. I have also written extensively for the Washington Monthly, the New Republic, the New York Times, Reuters and the Los Angeles Times.
My quirky football-and-society column Tuesday Morning Quarterback is on hiatus after an 18-year run. I may revive TMQ in the future. Right now the Internet environment is too toxic for any form of quality writing. I have retreated to books. Which is a good place to be!
I’ve published three literary novels, nine nonfiction books, with a tenth nonfiction book coming September 2021. The nonfiction is all over the map – economics, theology, psychological, environmental policy. If I had my writing career to do over again, I suppose I would have focused on a single genre, which makes commercial success more likely. Then again, I’ve always written about whatever was on my mind, and feel fortunate to have had that opportunity.
I am proud of my novels, which have gotten great reviews but not otherwise been noticed by the world. I hope someday that will change. Novel #4 is completed for 2022 publication.
I have been associated with The Atlantic Monthly as a staff writer, national correspondent or contributing editor. I have also written extensively for the Washington Monthly, the New Republic, the New York Times, Reuters and the Los Angeles Times.
My quirky football-and-society column Tuesday Morning Quarterback is on hiatus after an 18-year run. I may revive TMQ in the future. Right now the Internet environment is too toxic for any form of quality writing. I have retreated to books. Which is a good place to be!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
January 2, 2014
In "The King of Sports," Easterbrook tries to do for college football a little of what Friday Night Lights did for High School Ball. But Easterbrook also has a wider evaluation of football in America in mind. I think it's pretty clear Easterbrook enjoys football, and he gives it some props, but much of what he has to say are criticisms. I'd give the book four stars for the writing alone, but I couldn't agree with all of Easterbrook's comments about the problems with football. In many cases I felt he overstated the problems and at times he was criticizing football for being like every other kind of 'choice' that individuals might make in their lives. One thing he does well, though, is lay out the issues that come with football being such a big money sport. I tended to agree with him pretty strongly on most of his points on this issue.
As far as big college programs go, Easterbrook holds up Virginia Tech as pretty much a paragon of how a football program ought to be run, and lavishes pretty strong criticism on USC, Ohio State, Alabama, and LSU. All in all, I read through it pretty quickly because I was interested in what he had to say. It definitely held my interest and was well written.
As far as big college programs go, Easterbrook holds up Virginia Tech as pretty much a paragon of how a football program ought to be run, and lavishes pretty strong criticism on USC, Ohio State, Alabama, and LSU. All in all, I read through it pretty quickly because I was interested in what he had to say. It definitely held my interest and was well written.
November 3, 2013
So, I was raised in a non-football family in a not really big college football town (though I was raised with two sports-crazy brothers, and have visited my fair share of sports hall of fames) and then I went to an all women's college without a football team (naturally). By the time I got to Syracuse, I felt like the passion people had for football was like another language I found interesting, but would never be fluent in.
That being said, I wish real football fans would read this. Easterbrook is clearly someone who cares about the sport of football, he is clearly a fan. The reforms he suggests throughout the book are mostly modest to anyone not crazed by the idea that their team (and only their team) be constant winners. At the college level, Easterbrook is most concerned with graduation rates, which are abominably low. Many coaches instead feed college players with NFL dreams at the expense of classwork and diplomas, even knowing the NFL odds are slim. Two things could be done that would have little effect on the games fans love (or the money the schools are able to generate) while placing value on the education these students should be receiving - factoring graduation rates (of the football team) into BCS rankings (thereby providing coaches with a real incentive to mandate players keep their grades up), and allowing NCAA Scholarships to be for 6 years (five years of eligibility and an extra year to fix grades and graduate if necessary, especially if the NFL has not come calling). Those two things largely leave the largess of boosters and coaches out of it while making things better for the players, those who ultimately, we should care about.
At the professional level, I can not believe that the NFL is allowed to run itself as a non-profit organization. A very distinction that mocks that term. Certainly, I think that fact should be announced at the beginning of every NFL game. More than that, team owners are allowed to extort states and cities for tax money to build stadiums - hundreds of millions of dollars - of which they pay back nothing (or next to nothing) and keep all of the money from ticket sales, concessions and merchandising. At the same time, states are cutting funding to education and social programs that could do some real good, while football team owners with billions of dollars sit back on their wealth. Certainly taxing the NFL - which can we all agree is a FOR PROFIT organization - seems like the least we could do in the general betterment of society.
Perhaps it would be too much to ask for all of us to take a step back and gain some perspective about the sport of football. Could we all just remember for two seconds that every game has a winner and a loser, and if your team happens to be the loser it might not be cause to call for the coaches head (and his buyout) on a silver platter? Maybe? Would that be too much?
December 21, 2013
Gregg Easterbrook has written some great articles on ESPN and other sites. His writing there is often witty, logical, and highly entertaining, though often a bit long-winded.
This book takes only the last attribute. There's 300 pages here, but the conclusions are apparently 10 pages in. The rest is excessive repetition. When an author repeats the same sentences, replacing only the name of a team and a number in each, it's pretty apparent that the medium is just wrong.
Sadly I really don't think this book is for anyone. If you believe the NFL and NCAA are rigged social structures that take advantage of players to enrich a small number of powerful people, then this will simply tell you that very thing, over and over. If you don't believe that, then I strongly doubt you can be convinced (or have much interest in being so convinced).
This book takes only the last attribute. There's 300 pages here, but the conclusions are apparently 10 pages in. The rest is excessive repetition. When an author repeats the same sentences, replacing only the name of a team and a number in each, it's pretty apparent that the medium is just wrong.
Sadly I really don't think this book is for anyone. If you believe the NFL and NCAA are rigged social structures that take advantage of players to enrich a small number of powerful people, then this will simply tell you that very thing, over and over. If you don't believe that, then I strongly doubt you can be convinced (or have much interest in being so convinced).
August 23, 2013
The King of Sports, Football's Impact on America is an attempt to point out the massive amounts of corruption and hypocrisy that daily receive a pass, because of America's obsession with football, at all levels of the game. This work investigates and describes, in heavy detail, the health and safety, financial malfeasance and corruption of mission that are undergone at the high school, college and professional level by America's favorite sport. The reader is frankly, overwhelmed with the data and description, in at times rambling and example heavy book.
The author, Gregg Easterbrook, who has written for years for publications like The Atlantic and ESPN.com is certainly a fan of the game, and loves how athletics, properly used, are tools for character development, self discipline, exposing especially the young to a wider world, and for being one of the few outlets commonly accepted today that brings a real sense of civic cohesion. He has been a youth coach and active participate in the college recruiting process as well. So he does have not only the observational skills of a journalist, but the ability to understand how the game works on the inside.
I am largely sympathetic with Easterbrook's main points: football has become an unhealthy obsession in the nation, and we are taking massive risks with health and safety of youth, twisting educational opportunities into corrupt incentives for school pride and aggrandizement and abusing civic pride in professional sports into an excuse to pump an increasingly corrupt organization like the NFL. His most convicting comments, again largely in agreement with his main points, are from Super Bowl winning coach, Tong Dungy and a Virginia Tech player.
While I am largely in agreement with Easterbrook's thesis, this book can overwhelm the reader with the massive amount of data, and be quite rambling at times. I remain unsure if this book will convince anyone not already convinced of the sport's problems. The organization of this book does leave some to be desired. He did have tremendous amount of access to the Virginia Tech football program, a team that Easterbrook believes does things the right way, and he spends most of the text overwhelming showing how the sport, at different levels, is abusing the public trust.
The Virginia Tech sections of the books, especially the lengthy section on the 2012 Sugar Bowl, are hard to fit into a book that hits the game with negativity over and over. I understand Easterbrook wants to show a 'good' program, but it is hard to make sense if he wants to have a retelling of Virginia Tech's 2011 season, or critique the negative aspects of the game.
His real thesis chapter, the third from the end, really should have been at the beginning of the work. His reforms that he suggests, which he hopes return the balance of emphasis back to education and civic responsibility do make sense, though probably won't be enacted by today's public. Still, as a book that collates all the abuses and cultural negative influence of today's football, this book should be read.
The author, Gregg Easterbrook, who has written for years for publications like The Atlantic and ESPN.com is certainly a fan of the game, and loves how athletics, properly used, are tools for character development, self discipline, exposing especially the young to a wider world, and for being one of the few outlets commonly accepted today that brings a real sense of civic cohesion. He has been a youth coach and active participate in the college recruiting process as well. So he does have not only the observational skills of a journalist, but the ability to understand how the game works on the inside.
I am largely sympathetic with Easterbrook's main points: football has become an unhealthy obsession in the nation, and we are taking massive risks with health and safety of youth, twisting educational opportunities into corrupt incentives for school pride and aggrandizement and abusing civic pride in professional sports into an excuse to pump an increasingly corrupt organization like the NFL. His most convicting comments, again largely in agreement with his main points, are from Super Bowl winning coach, Tong Dungy and a Virginia Tech player.
While I am largely in agreement with Easterbrook's thesis, this book can overwhelm the reader with the massive amount of data, and be quite rambling at times. I remain unsure if this book will convince anyone not already convinced of the sport's problems. The organization of this book does leave some to be desired. He did have tremendous amount of access to the Virginia Tech football program, a team that Easterbrook believes does things the right way, and he spends most of the text overwhelming showing how the sport, at different levels, is abusing the public trust.
The Virginia Tech sections of the books, especially the lengthy section on the 2012 Sugar Bowl, are hard to fit into a book that hits the game with negativity over and over. I understand Easterbrook wants to show a 'good' program, but it is hard to make sense if he wants to have a retelling of Virginia Tech's 2011 season, or critique the negative aspects of the game.
His real thesis chapter, the third from the end, really should have been at the beginning of the work. His reforms that he suggests, which he hopes return the balance of emphasis back to education and civic responsibility do make sense, though probably won't be enacted by today's public. Still, as a book that collates all the abuses and cultural negative influence of today's football, this book should be read.
September 10, 2013
If you're a fan of Easterbrook's Tuesday Morning Quarterback on ESPN.com, then you're going to be very familiar with _The King Of Sports_. You know that he's going to jump around from topic to topic, he's going to (too-frequently) inject his political views in places where they don't belong, and he's going to suggest reforms in places where they could be used. If you take these three habits, and extend them to 300+ pages rather than a website, you have this book. Therefore, it succeeds and fails in the same ways.
Easterbrook produces here a wide-ranging, comprehensive look at the sociological, anthropological, and economic influences of football on American society, and of American society on football. Some of the chapters, therefore, are truly enlightening; for instance, his observations on the growing size of football players and inside looks into the 'elite showcase' recruiting culture were truly enlightening. Some, however, are more obvious (the fact that some good football players do not succeed in life is pedestrian and similar to every other area of elite performance...if you did interviews with every kid in your HS honor band or math bowl, I daresay you'd find the same stories), and the chapter on "What a Sport Says About America" is nonsensical liberal speculation.
Thankfully, Easterbrook does not avoid suggesting solutions. And, again, these are hit-and-miss. Better helmets and pads are a great idea for younger students, and six-year scholarships for football and men's basketball players are a great idea (although Title IX would never allow it), but suggesting a graduation rate component to college ranking systems is Pollyanna-ish.
In the end, I initially gave the book three stars for being disjointed and brilliant at the same time. But I added one simply because I'm still finding myself considering many of his points, and a book that makes me think for this long should be read by more people. But I also imagine that the average reading may find this muddied beyond recognition. If you're willing to wrestle with his ideas and reject the ones that don't follow, by all means pick this up. If you're not, it may be more trouble than it's worth.
Easterbrook produces here a wide-ranging, comprehensive look at the sociological, anthropological, and economic influences of football on American society, and of American society on football. Some of the chapters, therefore, are truly enlightening; for instance, his observations on the growing size of football players and inside looks into the 'elite showcase' recruiting culture were truly enlightening. Some, however, are more obvious (the fact that some good football players do not succeed in life is pedestrian and similar to every other area of elite performance...if you did interviews with every kid in your HS honor band or math bowl, I daresay you'd find the same stories), and the chapter on "What a Sport Says About America" is nonsensical liberal speculation.
Thankfully, Easterbrook does not avoid suggesting solutions. And, again, these are hit-and-miss. Better helmets and pads are a great idea for younger students, and six-year scholarships for football and men's basketball players are a great idea (although Title IX would never allow it), but suggesting a graduation rate component to college ranking systems is Pollyanna-ish.
In the end, I initially gave the book three stars for being disjointed and brilliant at the same time. But I added one simply because I'm still finding myself considering many of his points, and a book that makes me think for this long should be read by more people. But I also imagine that the average reading may find this muddied beyond recognition. If you're willing to wrestle with his ideas and reject the ones that don't follow, by all means pick this up. If you're not, it may be more trouble than it's worth.
March 27, 2014
The positives: I really liked the chapters that followed the Virginia Tech football program. They were interesting and insightful, and turned out to be a great choice to use for an example of football at its best. I thought the suggestions for reforming football and the cases made for those reforms were thought out and presented well and made a great deal of sense. The chapter that introduced a series of former players and told their "life after football" stories was fascinating to read.
The negatives: The editing of this book was terrible. First of all, I read Easterbrook's football columns on ESPN.com every week during the season, and even in his columns he has a very rambling writing style - he'll repeat the same point three or four times a row, wander off-topic into random tangents, and generally adopts a voice that sounds like your buddy at the sports bar when a hot discussion topic comes up after you've both had a couple of beers. For a weekly column it works fine, but in a 300 page book it gets a little tedious after a while. The editor really should have worked with him to clean that up and make his arguments and presentation of evidence more concise. Second, there are many obvious typos that weren't caught and some very strange stylistic choices - for instance, every "1" in the book is printed as a capital "I", so you sometimes end up with weird-looking sentences like, "When I see those II guys line up on defense...." I found that very distracting.
In sum, I thought this was a worthwhile book to read that raised some interesting questions and treated its subject quite fairly. Unfortunately the horrible editing and sometimes overly-long arguments downgrade it from "essential" reading status for all football fans to just "Worth a look if you're curious" status.
The negatives: The editing of this book was terrible. First of all, I read Easterbrook's football columns on ESPN.com every week during the season, and even in his columns he has a very rambling writing style - he'll repeat the same point three or four times a row, wander off-topic into random tangents, and generally adopts a voice that sounds like your buddy at the sports bar when a hot discussion topic comes up after you've both had a couple of beers. For a weekly column it works fine, but in a 300 page book it gets a little tedious after a while. The editor really should have worked with him to clean that up and make his arguments and presentation of evidence more concise. Second, there are many obvious typos that weren't caught and some very strange stylistic choices - for instance, every "1" in the book is printed as a capital "I", so you sometimes end up with weird-looking sentences like, "When I see those II guys line up on defense...." I found that very distracting.
In sum, I thought this was a worthwhile book to read that raised some interesting questions and treated its subject quite fairly. Unfortunately the horrible editing and sometimes overly-long arguments downgrade it from "essential" reading status for all football fans to just "Worth a look if you're curious" status.
November 29, 2016
“The King of Sports”, written by Author Gregg Easterbrook, explores what goes through the mind of football players on, and off the field. Easterbrook throughout this book recognizes the good about football, but also it’s dark side. I would highly recommend this book for anybody that is willing to read any type of book, it is great for all types of people, including non-athletes.
Easterbrook hits some very touchy subjects that the NFL and the NCAA are afraid of dealing with, such as concussions. He explains the danger of concussions and why the NFL/NCAA need to get more help to create a safer type of helmet that players can use to play without getting into any harm. Another one of those topics actually comes off the field, and what has happened more often than not, it sexual assault against women. Over 30 NFL players in the last 15 years have been accused of this crime, and these players are losing their million dollar jobs for this. But more importantly, they’re making the great game of football look terrible. Although it seems like throughout this book Easterbrook is pointing out all of the bad things about the game, he also points out the upside of football. His biggest main point of why football is “The King of Sports”, is how it impacts this country. He points out that many cities revolve around how their sports teams are doing, mainly football. I mean, for God’s sake the NFL basically owns a day of the week
All in all, “The King of Sports” is a fantastic book and I would strongly recommend it to anyone.
Easterbrook hits some very touchy subjects that the NFL and the NCAA are afraid of dealing with, such as concussions. He explains the danger of concussions and why the NFL/NCAA need to get more help to create a safer type of helmet that players can use to play without getting into any harm. Another one of those topics actually comes off the field, and what has happened more often than not, it sexual assault against women. Over 30 NFL players in the last 15 years have been accused of this crime, and these players are losing their million dollar jobs for this. But more importantly, they’re making the great game of football look terrible. Although it seems like throughout this book Easterbrook is pointing out all of the bad things about the game, he also points out the upside of football. His biggest main point of why football is “The King of Sports”, is how it impacts this country. He points out that many cities revolve around how their sports teams are doing, mainly football. I mean, for God’s sake the NFL basically owns a day of the week
All in all, “The King of Sports” is a fantastic book and I would strongly recommend it to anyone.
October 31, 2013
The title should have been: The King of Sports: what the NCAA and NFL don't want you to know about America's most popular sport.
Felt like the football version of "A People's History of the United States". Easterbrook is trying to be the whistle blower for the parts of football that aren't all sunshine and rainbows, and he does a good job, but it was kind of painful to get through.
I think the main problem with this book was its false promise of giving a complete picture of football's "impact on America". What this book actually is, is actually an expose, which you knew you would be getting a fair amount of going in (especially if you you've ever read Easterbrook's column), but it felt a bit heavy handed, and even preachy at times.
I'm a big fan of Easterbrook's TMQ column on ESPN, but I guess I was hoping for more commentary on the game of football, rather than an endless list of the author's recommendations on how to improve the organizations that administer the sport.
Still, I give Easterbrook credit for talking about a lot of issues the NFL would rather left in the dark, and I suppose he does a good job of raising awareness about issues like how horrible the NCAA is, the harsh realities of the NFL, and the exploitation of the vast majority of football players.
Just don't go into it expecting Friday Night Lights.
Felt like the football version of "A People's History of the United States". Easterbrook is trying to be the whistle blower for the parts of football that aren't all sunshine and rainbows, and he does a good job, but it was kind of painful to get through.
I think the main problem with this book was its false promise of giving a complete picture of football's "impact on America". What this book actually is, is actually an expose, which you knew you would be getting a fair amount of going in (especially if you you've ever read Easterbrook's column), but it felt a bit heavy handed, and even preachy at times.
I'm a big fan of Easterbrook's TMQ column on ESPN, but I guess I was hoping for more commentary on the game of football, rather than an endless list of the author's recommendations on how to improve the organizations that administer the sport.
Still, I give Easterbrook credit for talking about a lot of issues the NFL would rather left in the dark, and I suppose he does a good job of raising awareness about issues like how horrible the NCAA is, the harsh realities of the NFL, and the exploitation of the vast majority of football players.
Just don't go into it expecting Friday Night Lights.
November 6, 2013
If you like football, hate football, or don't care about football, you should read this book. Part of Easterbrook's argument is that football is the best, biggest, king of all sports. That is why this book is important.
If you have ever wondered what baseball was like in the 1940s and 50s, or what boxing was like in the early twentieth century, you will appreciate Easterbrook's careful dissection of football in all its stages (youth, high school, college, and pro). The picture he paints isn't always pretty, but it's the kind of indictment that can only come from someone who loves the sport as much as he does. It is with that love, and rage, that he critiques those who make a living prostituting it.
Of particular interest is Easterbrook's study of Frank Beamer and the Virginia Tech program, an example of how to do it the right way.
If you have ever wondered what baseball was like in the 1940s and 50s, or what boxing was like in the early twentieth century, you will appreciate Easterbrook's careful dissection of football in all its stages (youth, high school, college, and pro). The picture he paints isn't always pretty, but it's the kind of indictment that can only come from someone who loves the sport as much as he does. It is with that love, and rage, that he critiques those who make a living prostituting it.
Of particular interest is Easterbrook's study of Frank Beamer and the Virginia Tech program, an example of how to do it the right way.
December 14, 2014
This book is basically two parts - a hagiography of the Virginia Tech football program (seriously, it's a little embarrassing), and a series of chapters on problems with football (concussions, crazy NFL tax breaks because the NFL is technically a nonprofit!, unrealistic expectations for high school/college players, various football showcase scams), and then concludes with a series of sensible-sounding reforms that will never happen.
I quit football this year, mostly for the concussion/pain reasons, and while the optimism of the book made me think twice about it, I kinda doubt anything significant will change.
The book itself is a little long-winded but it's an interesting read.
I quit football this year, mostly for the concussion/pain reasons, and while the optimism of the book made me think twice about it, I kinda doubt anything significant will change.
The book itself is a little long-winded but it's an interesting read.
October 14, 2013
Gregg Easterbrook writes one of my favorite weekly football columns, and it focuses on more than just football.
But in this book, which is an extrapolation of many themes he has written about in his column, he focuses solely on football and on how the sport has good and bad issues.
The bad? Everything from concussion health issues to public money for private stadia. If you're a fan of the sport, you'll want to pick this book up and read it.
But in this book, which is an extrapolation of many themes he has written about in his column, he focuses solely on football and on how the sport has good and bad issues.
The bad? Everything from concussion health issues to public money for private stadia. If you're a fan of the sport, you'll want to pick this book up and read it.
December 15, 2018
A marvelous book exposing the many hypocrisies of football, from pee wee through the NFL. Who can imagine the National Football League as a non-profit organization?
Much of the book deals with the ever-growing crisis of concussions in football. Easterbrook has some ideas on how the dangers could be diminished.
With a focus on a positive college football program, Virginia Tech under Frank Beamer, Easterbrook tells us of how college education is being sacrificed for wins and possible but unlikely future glory.
There is an old saying that football doesn’t develop character, it reveals character. I saw a disturbing example of that during the second weekend in December 2018 during the Pennsylvania High School football finals in Hershey. The games were marred by numerous unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, often in imitation of NFL antics.
Football can be a positive influence,but as played and organized now, it is becoming less so.
A very important book.
Four stars waxing
Much of the book deals with the ever-growing crisis of concussions in football. Easterbrook has some ideas on how the dangers could be diminished.
With a focus on a positive college football program, Virginia Tech under Frank Beamer, Easterbrook tells us of how college education is being sacrificed for wins and possible but unlikely future glory.
There is an old saying that football doesn’t develop character, it reveals character. I saw a disturbing example of that during the second weekend in December 2018 during the Pennsylvania High School football finals in Hershey. The games were marred by numerous unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, often in imitation of NFL antics.
Football can be a positive influence,but as played and organized now, it is becoming less so.
A very important book.
Four stars waxing
July 20, 2021
This was a challenging read as a football fan. It's a story that won't be well publicized by the major sports networks due to its pulling back the curtain on some topics that are a bit taboo. Academic issues with football, injuries, concussions, and many other subjects. The author did an excellent job, and it was really nice to see he got access to the Virginia Tech program for a season to take down the story of how a top tier college football program should be run, promoting academics and athletics (bringing the students back into the "student athlete" term). It was a fantastic read that I recommend all football fans give a look through, at least to get more perspective on issues beyond the glamor that the NCAA and NFL would rather the public focus on.
March 24, 2020
An interesting read about the ills of football. Lots of economic data on the use of public money for both college and pro teams and owners. Two large points are the injuries and lack of medical coverage and preventive measures and the lack of colleges (NCAA) making a shame of education progress and graduation rates.
The saddest comment is that 10 years after the book was written, the problems are not only still there but are worst.
the book is well written and easy to read but it repeats many points in the discussion.
The saddest comment is that 10 years after the book was written, the problems are not only still there but are worst.
the book is well written and easy to read but it repeats many points in the discussion.
June 6, 2022
The King of Sports by Gregg Easterbrook is a story of football's impact on America. The story is about Frank Beamer and how he fell in love with football. Football is the most-watched sport in America and inspires many people to become athletes. A golden line from the book is: ¨Football does not intend to send young people the wrong messages about overeating and popping pills. But wrong messages result.¨ (Easterbrook 198)
June 5, 2018
Gregg Easterbrook provides some great detail backed up by stats on how football helps and hurts those who play it and how the NFL and NCAA/colleges are failing to protect and help out those that help them. Ultimately though, Gregg's writing style lends itself more to smaller formats.
January 28, 2020
The book primarily focuses on the problems of football and why it is perceived as dangerous so it's only a book to read if you are interested with the problems in football.
November 9, 2014
Gregg Easterbrook is probably best known for his Tuesday Morning Quarterback column (TMQ) that he writes currently for ESPN.com. As a matter of disclosure, I read that column regularly. I enjoy Mr. Easterbrook’s writing style immensely. He has a unique sense of humor and he’s not afraid to call out bad behavior in football (especially in the NFL). However, that column includes frequent side-trips into politics, science, and popular culture. This book dispenses with those distractions and jumps right into the heart of the matter: the current state of football in America.
You didn’t realize how much of the NFL is funded by public tax funds? All to support billionaire team owners at the expense of the public? You’ll learn about it here. Think the concussion issue is an NFL problem? Mr. Easterbrook looks at concussions, not from the perspective of the professional players, but from the local high school level, and even down to Pop Warner, where children crash into each other on the field, even while their bodies (and their skulls in particular) or not even close to fully developed. Should football dominate a high school career for the emerging athlete? The author asks whether the trend to playing high-school football all year round is really in the interest of the students, or is it leading to teenagers who are less well-rounded because all they did was play or practice football constantly instead of experiencing other aspects of life?
Good questions all, but the largest portion of the book is devoted to college football, where “football factories” rule and getting an education runs a distant second. Why don’t these colleges demand their student-athletes go to class and keep a respectable GPA? Most college athletes won’t be able to go pro, but if the program is set up deny them the education as well, what do they end up with as they go out into the adult world? Why are coaches rarely punished for violating NCAA rules, but players violating even the most minor ones (that they may not even understand) are hunted down with extreme prejudice? Why does college tuition from everyday students go towards the football program, yet students can’t even step foot in the state-of-the-art training facilities their money helped pay for?
Is the NCAA completely blinded by money?
Maybe the most interesting, and cautionary chapter for parents, is where the author explores the idea that football has taken on a cult status. Sounds silly, right? I took this picture today in one of the giant windows at Macy’s on State Street in Chicago’s loop. (Sorry, the pictures on my blog. It's a huge Hugo Boss fragrance banner.)
How much do you suppose that cost Hugo Boss? They thought it was worth the cost to associate themselves with the NFL over a MEN’S PERFUME (let’s call it what it is). The NFL has an official smell! Never mind that I’m pretty sure the official scent of football is sweat and urine… (Look it up.)
It’s important to remember that Gregg Easterbrook loves football. He watches more games than most of us. He coaches it. He writes about it. In the book he details positive aspects of the sport, from health and fitness, to camaraderie and character building. But if you’ve read his column, you know that he’s asked the tough questions about the sport for years now. He’s questioned player safety at all levels and looked critically at the NCAA. He doesn’t advocate paying student-athletes, but he does advocate making sure they have the best chance at a college degree. He makes compelling arguments for reforms that would not reduce the excitement of the game in any way and would protect youth players. And, of course, he’s not shy about telling state leaders to stop throwing public money at private team owners.
Of course, books are rarely perfect. Mr. Easterbrook occasionally makes unexpected associations without any particular reasoning, such as blaming video games for lack of maturity in young men (sorry, I played video games as a kid but I still experienced life outside of them). And he seems to have a disconnect between what a kid’s life is like in a city versus kids in rural areas. Also, he writes his chapters like he writes his column, in relatively short sections. It’s an odd, almost staccato narrative structure at times.
Very small complaints, though. Gregg Easterbrook continues to shine a light on the dark corners of America’s favorite sport. Not because he dislikes it, but because he thinks it could be better than it is after the Friday night lights are turned off.
If you’re one of those readers who cries a little bit after the Super Bowl because TMQ stops until the next season, owning this book will help you through it. It’s like inviting Gregg Easterbrook over for dinner and shooting the breeze about your favorite sport, only to wake up in the morning and find he’s still there, sitting on your couch, watching your television, and eating your Cheerios
You didn’t realize how much of the NFL is funded by public tax funds? All to support billionaire team owners at the expense of the public? You’ll learn about it here. Think the concussion issue is an NFL problem? Mr. Easterbrook looks at concussions, not from the perspective of the professional players, but from the local high school level, and even down to Pop Warner, where children crash into each other on the field, even while their bodies (and their skulls in particular) or not even close to fully developed. Should football dominate a high school career for the emerging athlete? The author asks whether the trend to playing high-school football all year round is really in the interest of the students, or is it leading to teenagers who are less well-rounded because all they did was play or practice football constantly instead of experiencing other aspects of life?
Good questions all, but the largest portion of the book is devoted to college football, where “football factories” rule and getting an education runs a distant second. Why don’t these colleges demand their student-athletes go to class and keep a respectable GPA? Most college athletes won’t be able to go pro, but if the program is set up deny them the education as well, what do they end up with as they go out into the adult world? Why are coaches rarely punished for violating NCAA rules, but players violating even the most minor ones (that they may not even understand) are hunted down with extreme prejudice? Why does college tuition from everyday students go towards the football program, yet students can’t even step foot in the state-of-the-art training facilities their money helped pay for?
Is the NCAA completely blinded by money?
Maybe the most interesting, and cautionary chapter for parents, is where the author explores the idea that football has taken on a cult status. Sounds silly, right? I took this picture today in one of the giant windows at Macy’s on State Street in Chicago’s loop. (Sorry, the pictures on my blog. It's a huge Hugo Boss fragrance banner.)
How much do you suppose that cost Hugo Boss? They thought it was worth the cost to associate themselves with the NFL over a MEN’S PERFUME (let’s call it what it is). The NFL has an official smell! Never mind that I’m pretty sure the official scent of football is sweat and urine… (Look it up.)
It’s important to remember that Gregg Easterbrook loves football. He watches more games than most of us. He coaches it. He writes about it. In the book he details positive aspects of the sport, from health and fitness, to camaraderie and character building. But if you’ve read his column, you know that he’s asked the tough questions about the sport for years now. He’s questioned player safety at all levels and looked critically at the NCAA. He doesn’t advocate paying student-athletes, but he does advocate making sure they have the best chance at a college degree. He makes compelling arguments for reforms that would not reduce the excitement of the game in any way and would protect youth players. And, of course, he’s not shy about telling state leaders to stop throwing public money at private team owners.
Of course, books are rarely perfect. Mr. Easterbrook occasionally makes unexpected associations without any particular reasoning, such as blaming video games for lack of maturity in young men (sorry, I played video games as a kid but I still experienced life outside of them). And he seems to have a disconnect between what a kid’s life is like in a city versus kids in rural areas. Also, he writes his chapters like he writes his column, in relatively short sections. It’s an odd, almost staccato narrative structure at times.
Very small complaints, though. Gregg Easterbrook continues to shine a light on the dark corners of America’s favorite sport. Not because he dislikes it, but because he thinks it could be better than it is after the Friday night lights are turned off.
If you’re one of those readers who cries a little bit after the Super Bowl because TMQ stops until the next season, owning this book will help you through it. It’s like inviting Gregg Easterbrook over for dinner and shooting the breeze about your favorite sport, only to wake up in the morning and find he’s still there, sitting on your couch, watching your television, and eating your Cheerios
November 11, 2013
Easterbrook's somewhat meandering work is a fascinating look at the dark underbelly of football culture in the United States. It's clear that Easterbrook is a fan of the game but not of the business of football, and is trying to reconcile the two. He is clearly particularly incensed by what he sees as the corrupting influence of football money on education, both at the college and high school level, and the rather cavalier attitudes taken by those running football programs at those levels towards the education their athletes are supposed to be receiving as well as what kind of future those athletes may have if they don't make it to the bigs or even if they do but are OOF (out of football) within the 3-4 years that is the norm.
But it is not all a muckracking screed - when it comes to concussion risk, Easterbrook cites other activities (like riding a bicycle) that present comparable risks, and noting that some of the high-profile casualties of head trauma (like Junior Seau) may have had more complicated stories than just mental illness brought on by repeated imapct. And he obviously has a very favorable overall view of the Virginia Tech football program as one that has managed to maintain a degree of integrity despite the amount of financial gain that could be realized from running the program with the same cavalier attitude towards integrity and player welfare as some of the other big programs.
Where the book gets a bit weak is when Easterbrook presents conjectures or implications as facts. A few come to mind immediately. He suggests that football's popularity is partially because the advances of the women's rights movement have reduced the number of male-only places. This ignores the existence of the female football fan, who exist in numbers too large to be cavalierly waved away. He also points out that some of the football powerhouse states are in places where slavery not only existed, but was especially harsh (like Florida and Louisiana), suggesting a correlation that football (where mostly black players are coached by mostly white coaches) is kind of a modernized form of slavery. But there may be a simpler explanation that poverty in those places may be more associated with open spaces than Northern inner city poverty, to say nothing of the fact that the climate may be more conducive to year-round training in the South than in the North.
Still, those are relatively minor points. I highly recommend this book to fans and critics. Nonfans probably won't get as much out of it.
But it is not all a muckracking screed - when it comes to concussion risk, Easterbrook cites other activities (like riding a bicycle) that present comparable risks, and noting that some of the high-profile casualties of head trauma (like Junior Seau) may have had more complicated stories than just mental illness brought on by repeated imapct. And he obviously has a very favorable overall view of the Virginia Tech football program as one that has managed to maintain a degree of integrity despite the amount of financial gain that could be realized from running the program with the same cavalier attitude towards integrity and player welfare as some of the other big programs.
Where the book gets a bit weak is when Easterbrook presents conjectures or implications as facts. A few come to mind immediately. He suggests that football's popularity is partially because the advances of the women's rights movement have reduced the number of male-only places. This ignores the existence of the female football fan, who exist in numbers too large to be cavalierly waved away. He also points out that some of the football powerhouse states are in places where slavery not only existed, but was especially harsh (like Florida and Louisiana), suggesting a correlation that football (where mostly black players are coached by mostly white coaches) is kind of a modernized form of slavery. But there may be a simpler explanation that poverty in those places may be more associated with open spaces than Northern inner city poverty, to say nothing of the fact that the climate may be more conducive to year-round training in the South than in the North.
Still, those are relatively minor points. I highly recommend this book to fans and critics. Nonfans probably won't get as much out of it.
December 31, 2014
I enjoy Gregg Easterbrook's TMQ column, written for ESPN, very much. He has opinions that make you think, and he gives his thoughts on a broad range of subjects: Sports, science, movies, politics, culture, and more. TMQ is really worth reading if you want to give your thoughts a bit of additional range.
This book was good. I liked it. But unlike his column, the book has (spoliers) football as its singular focus. His data is well researched, and I stand on his side of nearly all of his opinions and recommendations for the sport. As a reader of his column, I like the variety he presents every week: It's like going to a conversational smorgasbord. After 200 pages, the book began to drone, and I began to skim. Without the typical jump from different subject to different subject that Gregg presents in his column, it became monotonous. That was a shame.
As a side note: I played football through high school, and was a varsity football official for several years. I've seen the craziness of both parents and coaches at the youth level, and HS coaches who should probably not be coaches of ANY sport. I can see the liability issue looming for football.
In my opinion, football won't die from the top. It'll die from the bottom. Child is injured severely in a game. Coaches, team, opponent, officials, and league get named in a lawsuit. League cannot support its legal fees, liability insurance, damages, etc. and is forced to fold. As feeder programs die, HS programs will thin, and slowly football will fade - unless it is reformed.
I officiate boys lacrosse as well. It is a finesse sport - a blend of hockey, soccer, and basketball - and crazy size and speed are not needed to excel. Liability was the issue that was heard regarding why more HSs did not offer the sport. Now, youth clubs are popping up all over, an more HS programs are being added. There are clear, defined penalties for head contact, and the brutality of football hits is rarely seen. Watch out football, lacrosse is right behind you.
This book was good. I liked it. But unlike his column, the book has (spoliers) football as its singular focus. His data is well researched, and I stand on his side of nearly all of his opinions and recommendations for the sport. As a reader of his column, I like the variety he presents every week: It's like going to a conversational smorgasbord. After 200 pages, the book began to drone, and I began to skim. Without the typical jump from different subject to different subject that Gregg presents in his column, it became monotonous. That was a shame.
As a side note: I played football through high school, and was a varsity football official for several years. I've seen the craziness of both parents and coaches at the youth level, and HS coaches who should probably not be coaches of ANY sport. I can see the liability issue looming for football.
In my opinion, football won't die from the top. It'll die from the bottom. Child is injured severely in a game. Coaches, team, opponent, officials, and league get named in a lawsuit. League cannot support its legal fees, liability insurance, damages, etc. and is forced to fold. As feeder programs die, HS programs will thin, and slowly football will fade - unless it is reformed.
I officiate boys lacrosse as well. It is a finesse sport - a blend of hockey, soccer, and basketball - and crazy size and speed are not needed to excel. Liability was the issue that was heard regarding why more HSs did not offer the sport. Now, youth clubs are popping up all over, an more HS programs are being added. There are clear, defined penalties for head contact, and the brutality of football hits is rarely seen. Watch out football, lacrosse is right behind you.
November 11, 2015
There's no doubt about it: the premise of this book is great as there is clearly a lot of messed up stuff when it comes to football in the US. It also opens very strongly with examples of good and bad college football programs, Virginia Tech being the poster child for "good" and almost any other college football powerhouse filling out the "bad" side of the ledger. In this section of the book, Easterbrook is methodical and detailed in contrasting the way things should be and the way that they are at most schools.
The problems come after that, with chapter after chapter of plausible but poorly argued and unsubstantiated assertions about the negative impacts of football upon the US. There is, for instance, a long discussion of the impact that huge football players have on the health of the nation's children. Early in the chapter, Easterbrook throws out a hypothesis that glorifying 300+ pound NFL linemen serves to tell American youth that being fat is OK or even desirable, thus causing the obesity epidemic. Unfortunately, he presents zero evidence of this connection and in fact glibly closes the chapter with something to the effect of "Even children who don't watch football have become heavier on average in recent years so increased consumption of fast food and sugary drinks is perhaps mostly to blame... but showing heavy linemen succeeding in the NFL every Sunday certainly hasn't helped." These are the types of ideas that should be pursued by an author writing a book with this premise but when no provable connection pans out, they should be cut to make the book tighter and more consistent.
There are a lot of strong points in this book and it is worth reading for the contrasts between good and bad college football programs. Just be prepared for a lot of unsatisfying assertions.
The problems come after that, with chapter after chapter of plausible but poorly argued and unsubstantiated assertions about the negative impacts of football upon the US. There is, for instance, a long discussion of the impact that huge football players have on the health of the nation's children. Early in the chapter, Easterbrook throws out a hypothesis that glorifying 300+ pound NFL linemen serves to tell American youth that being fat is OK or even desirable, thus causing the obesity epidemic. Unfortunately, he presents zero evidence of this connection and in fact glibly closes the chapter with something to the effect of "Even children who don't watch football have become heavier on average in recent years so increased consumption of fast food and sugary drinks is perhaps mostly to blame... but showing heavy linemen succeeding in the NFL every Sunday certainly hasn't helped." These are the types of ideas that should be pursued by an author writing a book with this premise but when no provable connection pans out, they should be cut to make the book tighter and more consistent.
There are a lot of strong points in this book and it is worth reading for the contrasts between good and bad college football programs. Just be prepared for a lot of unsatisfying assertions.
June 24, 2014
A fascinating critique of America's fraught relationship with football. It helps to be a fan of the sport, but I don't think it's a must - this book is less about the game itself, and more about the institutions that have grown around it as money has started pouring in at all levels from prime time TV revenue.
Among the topics covered are the NFL's tax free status (!!!!!!!!!!), taxpayer subsidies for stadia whose profits are then kept by billionaire team owners, and the resistance to even common-sense safety reforms in the name of "keeping the game exciting".
For me the most heartbreaking part of the book was the description of how talented, impressionable, often economically disadvantaged young men are pressured and lied to by cynical adults to take enormous physical risks and neglect their educations for what is essentially a lottery ticket's chance of making big money in the NFL. The fact that this lie is perpetrated to kids who could otherwise be the first in their family to graduate from college feels almost criminal.
This book wouldn't be interesting if it were written by someone who didn't like or care about football. This author is clearly passionate about the game and wants it to be in a better place. He bookends the depressing statistics and anecdotes with a description of the football program at Virginia Tech, where academic and ethical standards are kept high, the "win at all cost" mentality is generally absent, and yet VT continues to be a top college program. I'm docking a star for some of the more tenuous charges the author lays at football's door (eg. the obesity of linemen is driving obesity in society at large), but overall I enjoyed and learned a lot of new things from the book.
Among the topics covered are the NFL's tax free status (!!!!!!!!!!), taxpayer subsidies for stadia whose profits are then kept by billionaire team owners, and the resistance to even common-sense safety reforms in the name of "keeping the game exciting".
For me the most heartbreaking part of the book was the description of how talented, impressionable, often economically disadvantaged young men are pressured and lied to by cynical adults to take enormous physical risks and neglect their educations for what is essentially a lottery ticket's chance of making big money in the NFL. The fact that this lie is perpetrated to kids who could otherwise be the first in their family to graduate from college feels almost criminal.
This book wouldn't be interesting if it were written by someone who didn't like or care about football. This author is clearly passionate about the game and wants it to be in a better place. He bookends the depressing statistics and anecdotes with a description of the football program at Virginia Tech, where academic and ethical standards are kept high, the "win at all cost" mentality is generally absent, and yet VT continues to be a top college program. I'm docking a star for some of the more tenuous charges the author lays at football's door (eg. the obesity of linemen is driving obesity in society at large), but overall I enjoyed and learned a lot of new things from the book.
October 30, 2015
as a long-time reader of his Tuesday Morning Quarterback column, I was very pleased to see this in the library. Much, much different writing style from the column, though. Not nearly as much injection of his sense of humor. Different content, too, though some overlap. He does very little analysis in the book of games, tactics, etc.
Instead, he directs his forceful style of argument, and thorough research methods, at longstanding problems with the sport, notably corrupting influence on education at big-time-football-program colleges and health effects of painkiller abuse and especially of concussions.
Seemingly sensible proposals for reform, though I must say as a college teacher I'm less impressed than he is with the definitiveness of "graduation rate" as a marker of academic seriousness of a school in total or in regard to its football players in particular. It's important, sure, but it's influenced by a number of factors tangential to whether the school takes academics seriously (esp. family finances), and if we make it the sole marker of success and apply contingencies to that success (e.g., his proposal to weigh graduation rates in national football rankings) I fear that the corruption will just flow downstream resulting in even more phony courses and grades as revealed in U. North Carolina scandal a year or so ago.
Brackets the general analysis/discussion with in-depth, you-are-there coverage of one season at Virginia Tech, in which his objectivity seemed to fade a bit -- coach Beamer can do no wrong, Michael Vick was mean to dogs but not people so that's not so bad, etc. etc.
Instead, he directs his forceful style of argument, and thorough research methods, at longstanding problems with the sport, notably corrupting influence on education at big-time-football-program colleges and health effects of painkiller abuse and especially of concussions.
Seemingly sensible proposals for reform, though I must say as a college teacher I'm less impressed than he is with the definitiveness of "graduation rate" as a marker of academic seriousness of a school in total or in regard to its football players in particular. It's important, sure, but it's influenced by a number of factors tangential to whether the school takes academics seriously (esp. family finances), and if we make it the sole marker of success and apply contingencies to that success (e.g., his proposal to weigh graduation rates in national football rankings) I fear that the corruption will just flow downstream resulting in even more phony courses and grades as revealed in U. North Carolina scandal a year or so ago.
Brackets the general analysis/discussion with in-depth, you-are-there coverage of one season at Virginia Tech, in which his objectivity seemed to fade a bit -- coach Beamer can do no wrong, Michael Vick was mean to dogs but not people so that's not so bad, etc. etc.
February 24, 2016
Football is like sausage. You don't want to see how it's made. Sickening, the way the millionaire and billionaire owners and executives running the pro and college teams exploit the public and the under-compensated college athletes.
Easterbrook addresses most of these issues, and it's impressive. I was not aware, for example, that most major universities charge all students an "activities fee" of about $500 per year which is then redirected to the athletic department to give the football team extra money to work with.
He starts with a couple of chapters on the Virginia Tech football team, showing how they get a lot of stuff right. He explains how Frank Beamer and his group does a lot of things better than the vast majority of schools.
This book starts off strong. The first half is outstanding. It tails off in the second half, where some of the arguments are clumsy. In one chapter he lists a whole bunch of can't-miss prospects who washed out, but it doesn't really seem like those sad stories can be laid at the feet of the NFL, college programs or "the system". At some point, the player himself must take some responsibility.
Definitely worth a look for all football fans (well, unless you want to continue living in a cloud and just cheering on your team).
Proofing is very poor. I didn't try to write them all down, but there's an error about every 5 pages. Cam Newton is called an "MPV". There's one sentence in which Merril Hoge and Cris Collinsworth appear as Merrill and Chris. But this is a worthy effort overall.
Easterbrook addresses most of these issues, and it's impressive. I was not aware, for example, that most major universities charge all students an "activities fee" of about $500 per year which is then redirected to the athletic department to give the football team extra money to work with.
He starts with a couple of chapters on the Virginia Tech football team, showing how they get a lot of stuff right. He explains how Frank Beamer and his group does a lot of things better than the vast majority of schools.
This book starts off strong. The first half is outstanding. It tails off in the second half, where some of the arguments are clumsy. In one chapter he lists a whole bunch of can't-miss prospects who washed out, but it doesn't really seem like those sad stories can be laid at the feet of the NFL, college programs or "the system". At some point, the player himself must take some responsibility.
Definitely worth a look for all football fans (well, unless you want to continue living in a cloud and just cheering on your team).
Proofing is very poor. I didn't try to write them all down, but there's an error about every 5 pages. Cam Newton is called an "MPV". There's one sentence in which Merril Hoge and Cris Collinsworth appear as Merrill and Chris. But this is a worthy effort overall.
March 7, 2014
Gregg Easterbrook has written a great book with some very valuable insight on what really goes on in the NFL and what really goes on that the public doesn't see. The King of Sports follows what actually goes on in the NFL.
Many things in the NFL happen that people overlook or never realize. Things that may shock many people and make some mad and angry about it. The King of Sports shows that many NCAA teams don't really follow many of the set rules. They think they can do what they want and break the rules and still not get in trouble. But it also shows that some teams, like Virginia Tech prides themselves on doing the right thing and making sure they do what they're told. They do this to keep their players on the right path. They know that most of their players will not make it into the NFL and that football will ultimately not be their life. So they make sure their players focus on school too. They proved that you can have good students and good players by winning and being the National Champions.
If you enjoy football or even politics for that matter, you'll love reading The King of Sports, it'll be perfect for you. It really informs you on what really is happening in sports today. I thought this book was very well written and had a lot of good information that kept you interested and engaged the entire time. The lesson in this book is never to cheat. Always do the right thing and good things will happen to you in return.
Many things in the NFL happen that people overlook or never realize. Things that may shock many people and make some mad and angry about it. The King of Sports shows that many NCAA teams don't really follow many of the set rules. They think they can do what they want and break the rules and still not get in trouble. But it also shows that some teams, like Virginia Tech prides themselves on doing the right thing and making sure they do what they're told. They do this to keep their players on the right path. They know that most of their players will not make it into the NFL and that football will ultimately not be their life. So they make sure their players focus on school too. They proved that you can have good students and good players by winning and being the National Champions.
If you enjoy football or even politics for that matter, you'll love reading The King of Sports, it'll be perfect for you. It really informs you on what really is happening in sports today. I thought this book was very well written and had a lot of good information that kept you interested and engaged the entire time. The lesson in this book is never to cheat. Always do the right thing and good things will happen to you in return.
October 22, 2013
I like football, but I'm not a major fan. I am inclined to believe that all of the major sports have too much money and influence. Gregg Easterbrook covers some positive aspects of this sport, but makes a good case for seeing it as a massive "wolf in sheep's clothing." On the professional level players are asked to basically tear their bodies apart. When they can no longer play, there is very little in the way of medical support for them after they leave the NFL. Meanwhile, those who own the teams rake in money while their teams play in tax-subsidized venues. Income from spin-off enterprises further enriches them. The average fan supports this with his hard-earned funds. At the college level, academics are overlooked in the effort to win football games. Over fifty percent of those playing do not end up with a degree. There are very few spots available for them to play the sport professionally, so they are left with no good way to support themselves when they leave college. The saddest part of this is that the colleges simply overlook this fact--except for a very few football programs which Easterbrook brings to light. It is good to hear about them. This was an interesting look at an area of life that has impact on most of us; without this book, we would never get an inside look at the whole issue. Worth the read!!
April 28, 2014
The NFL is a 10 billion dollar industry. Of the 20 most watched television shows in history, all of them are Super Bowls.
Easterbrook takes a look at a few interesting aspects of football:
1) Concussions. Evidence exists that it may not be that one bell ringing concussion causing hit that creates permanent brain damage, but the accumulation of many smaller head to head contact. Although we feel bad for NFL players who experience brain trauma late in life--Easterbrook feels worse for the high-school kids who have concussions. He feel's the NFL players know the risk and accept the financial reward.
2) Easterbrook suggests eliminating the 3 point stance for defensive lineman to reduce head to head contact at the snap
3) Easterbrook wants guaranteed 6 year scholarships for college football players so they are not "spit out" once their eligibility expires.
4) 1 game suspensions for head to head contact
5) No tackle football until age 13
6) NFL teams must disclose narcotics used and amount by players
A few chapters I skipped. I support his reforms--he feels football better change or it will write its own obituary. From the years we were out of the country 2008-2010; the NFL seemed to be in hyperdrive. Even my Sisters became fans. The players were bigger and faster, the HDTV was clearer, and football had become King.
Easterbrook takes a look at a few interesting aspects of football:
1) Concussions. Evidence exists that it may not be that one bell ringing concussion causing hit that creates permanent brain damage, but the accumulation of many smaller head to head contact. Although we feel bad for NFL players who experience brain trauma late in life--Easterbrook feels worse for the high-school kids who have concussions. He feel's the NFL players know the risk and accept the financial reward.
2) Easterbrook suggests eliminating the 3 point stance for defensive lineman to reduce head to head contact at the snap
3) Easterbrook wants guaranteed 6 year scholarships for college football players so they are not "spit out" once their eligibility expires.
4) 1 game suspensions for head to head contact
5) No tackle football until age 13
6) NFL teams must disclose narcotics used and amount by players
A few chapters I skipped. I support his reforms--he feels football better change or it will write its own obituary. From the years we were out of the country 2008-2010; the NFL seemed to be in hyperdrive. Even my Sisters became fans. The players were bigger and faster, the HDTV was clearer, and football had become King.
July 30, 2014
A decent read which mostly focuses on the "hidden" negative aspects of football: exploitation of blacks, head trauma, year-round football by youths (and it's negative impacts), public subsidies and football's relationship with higher education.
While Easterbrook makes some good points, he often belabors them by repeating page after page of the same thing. The chapters focus on one subject and read like a collection of articles at times, which makes sense since Easterbrook is most well-known for his columns on ESPN's website and in The Atlantic. This is more convenient for him, but less satisfying for the reader as a good portion could be edited / rewritten better to have a better flow.
I also had issue with his credibility on certain subjects. For example, he belabors the outsized finances of NFL Franchises, but talks of the "balance sheet of an NFL team having revenues of..." which makes it clear that he is not financially proficient. Similarly, when talking about powerlifting, he points out that a power clean is a "lift where you snatch the bar off the ground and raise it to your chin." Perhaps he does understand and this is a simple miswording or poor writing.
The book was an appetizer to start getting me excited for the upcoming football season and for that alone, I give it 3 stars.
While Easterbrook makes some good points, he often belabors them by repeating page after page of the same thing. The chapters focus on one subject and read like a collection of articles at times, which makes sense since Easterbrook is most well-known for his columns on ESPN's website and in The Atlantic. This is more convenient for him, but less satisfying for the reader as a good portion could be edited / rewritten better to have a better flow.
I also had issue with his credibility on certain subjects. For example, he belabors the outsized finances of NFL Franchises, but talks of the "balance sheet of an NFL team having revenues of..." which makes it clear that he is not financially proficient. Similarly, when talking about powerlifting, he points out that a power clean is a "lift where you snatch the bar off the ground and raise it to your chin." Perhaps he does understand and this is a simple miswording or poor writing.
The book was an appetizer to start getting me excited for the upcoming football season and for that alone, I give it 3 stars.
November 22, 2014
Most sports books usaully focous on just one really popular person. but the book The King of Sports is differnent than other sports books because of this. This book focuses on how football works and how colleges should still foucus on kids educations.
In the first half of the book it really stresses that colleges should focus more on education for their football players. I was about ready to give up on this book in the first few chapters, but it mentioned Noter Dame. I am a really big Notre Dame fan and this caught my attention. So, I kept up with reading the book and it got really interesting through the rest of the book. The author talked about how if yo do not do good as a coacxh or a player for just one or so games in the pros, you can get fired by the snap of the fingers. This book gave a lot of facts and he interviewed and shadoweed many famous coaches and players to get thier opinions on things.
I recomened this book to people who really like football books and people who like to read facts and statistics. I really enjoyed it because they talked about NotreDame a lot and the fact that he got many different opinions on things instead of just one.
In the first half of the book it really stresses that colleges should focus more on education for their football players. I was about ready to give up on this book in the first few chapters, but it mentioned Noter Dame. I am a really big Notre Dame fan and this caught my attention. So, I kept up with reading the book and it got really interesting through the rest of the book. The author talked about how if yo do not do good as a coacxh or a player for just one or so games in the pros, you can get fired by the snap of the fingers. This book gave a lot of facts and he interviewed and shadoweed many famous coaches and players to get thier opinions on things.
I recomened this book to people who really like football books and people who like to read facts and statistics. I really enjoyed it because they talked about NotreDame a lot and the fact that he got many different opinions on things instead of just one.
December 8, 2015
This book was really great, but there's a lot of numbers involved. it really only talks about the Virginia Tech Football team and some problems that have been going around the NFL. considering that this is a nonfiction book there really isn't a plot its more of just talking about things not describing them as they're happening.
Not only does this book have a lot of numbers but it also has a lot of teams mentioned in it. College and pro teams, some not even related to football. There's a ton of information in this book some that I didn't even know about my favorite teams like the Oregon Ducks and the Pittsburgh Steelers. For Example," Give $10,000 to the Virginia Tech Football program and you'll receive Hokie points, which can be exchanged for the chance to purchase 50-yard-line seats, or for premium parking near the stadium"(Easterbrook 90). Later in the text he mentions how you could do it for any college you choose, but not NFL.
If you like sports and especially football, I recommend this book for you as you will enjoy it and learn many things that you've never known about football or other sports.
Not only does this book have a lot of numbers but it also has a lot of teams mentioned in it. College and pro teams, some not even related to football. There's a ton of information in this book some that I didn't even know about my favorite teams like the Oregon Ducks and the Pittsburgh Steelers. For Example," Give $10,000 to the Virginia Tech Football program and you'll receive Hokie points, which can be exchanged for the chance to purchase 50-yard-line seats, or for premium parking near the stadium"(Easterbrook 90). Later in the text he mentions how you could do it for any college you choose, but not NFL.
If you like sports and especially football, I recommend this book for you as you will enjoy it and learn many things that you've never known about football or other sports.
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