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Scoreboard, Baby: A Story of College Football, Crime, and Complicity
The adjectives associated with the University of Washington’s 2000 football season—mystical, magical, miraculous—changed when Ken Armstrong and Nick Perry’s four-part exposé of the 2000 Huskies hit the newspaper “explosive . . . chilling” ( Sports Illustrated ), “blistering” ( Baltimore Sun ), “shocking . . . appalling” ( Tacoma News Tribune ), “astounding” (ESPN), “jaw-dropping” ( Orlando Sentinel ).
Now, in Scoreboard, Baby , Armstrong and Perry go behind the scenes of the Huskies’ Cinderella story to reveal a timeless morality tale about the price of obsession, the creep of fanaticism, and the ways in which a community can lose even when its team wins. The authors unearth the true story from firsthand interviews and thousands of pages of the forensic report on a bloody fingerprint; the notes of a detective investigating allegations of rape; confidential memoranda of prosecutors; and the criminal records of the dozen-plus players arrested that year with scant mention in the newspapers and minimal consequences in the courts. The statement of a judge, sentencing one player to thirty days in jail, says it “to be served after football season.”
Now, in Scoreboard, Baby , Armstrong and Perry go behind the scenes of the Huskies’ Cinderella story to reveal a timeless morality tale about the price of obsession, the creep of fanaticism, and the ways in which a community can lose even when its team wins. The authors unearth the true story from firsthand interviews and thousands of pages of the forensic report on a bloody fingerprint; the notes of a detective investigating allegations of rape; confidential memoranda of prosecutors; and the criminal records of the dozen-plus players arrested that year with scant mention in the newspapers and minimal consequences in the courts. The statement of a judge, sentencing one player to thirty days in jail, says it “to be served after football season.”
400 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2010
34 people are currently reading
602 people want to read
About the author
Ken Armstrong
19 books19 followersKen Armstrong, who joined ProPublica in 2017, previously worked at The Marshall Project and Chicago Tribune, where his work helped prompt the Illinois governor to suspend executions and empty death row. His first book, Scoreboard, Baby, with Nick Perry, won the Edgar Allan Poe Award for non-fiction. He has been the McGraw Professor of Writing at Princeton and a Nieman Fellow at Harvard.
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June 18, 2011
This is an excellent piece of investigative journalism (who knew that still even existed?) about the University of Washington's football program. The corruption was wide spread, involved university officials, law enforcement and even judges. Hard to fathom - yet we see what is apparently going to OSU currently - and we should not be surprised. It is about money . . . all about money. Any character weaknesses a coach, the staff or players possess will be tested to the nth degree in these big time programs. So, if you think that your favorite school and program is safe . . . think again. It is not that money is the root of all evil - no it is the LOVE of money that is the root of all evil.
The head football coach, Rick Neuheisel was corrupt, seriously corrupt. He would not discipline or even bench the linebacker Jeremiah Pharms. Neuheisel knew this man was in trouble with the law, or the superstar tight end Jerramy Stevens, who was accused of raping a sorority girl (no charges were filed). He left the University of Colorado at the end of the 1998 season; his replacement, in turn, was vilified in Chicago for having departed Northwestern . . . that being one Gary Barnett.
His fan support continued unabated until he started losing. Funny how that works. Turn a blind eye while you win and fire him when he loses . . . you fill in the name of the coach.
The head football coach, Rick Neuheisel was corrupt, seriously corrupt. He would not discipline or even bench the linebacker Jeremiah Pharms. Neuheisel knew this man was in trouble with the law, or the superstar tight end Jerramy Stevens, who was accused of raping a sorority girl (no charges were filed). He left the University of Colorado at the end of the 1998 season; his replacement, in turn, was vilified in Chicago for having departed Northwestern . . . that being one Gary Barnett.
His fan support continued unabated until he started losing. Funny how that works. Turn a blind eye while you win and fire him when he loses . . . you fill in the name of the coach.
December 30, 2023
It shouldn’t surprise anyone who isn’t in an athletic program, but colleges tend to favor athletics over academics. But what “Scoreboard, Baby” shows is the disgusting and frankly evil lengths that the University of Washington was willing to go to in order to cover their athletes crimes up for the sake of “good football.” The book is full of villains: rapist, robbers and abusers. Yet, Washington seemed to prop them up as pariahs on campus because they played well.
Overall, Armstrong and Perry did a fantastic job of telling the story of all those involved. They highlight the massive issues still facing both sports journalism and the persecution of celebrities in America. Quotes are used well, with the data not getting to complex until it begins to describe games. The novel is well written and flows easy, only requiring breaks once you get fed up with the societal problems not being fixed. While the books not perfect, it’s a good read for fans of journalism and criminal justice looking for an interesting look at the darker side of football.
Overall, Armstrong and Perry did a fantastic job of telling the story of all those involved. They highlight the massive issues still facing both sports journalism and the persecution of celebrities in America. Quotes are used well, with the data not getting to complex until it begins to describe games. The novel is well written and flows easy, only requiring breaks once you get fed up with the societal problems not being fixed. While the books not perfect, it’s a good read for fans of journalism and criminal justice looking for an interesting look at the darker side of football.
June 22, 2011
"Scoreboard, Baby" takes a provocative look at the underbelly of a big-money college football program and the lengths to which coaches, administrators, local media and police will go to protect their "student-athletes."
Ken Armstrong chronicles the University of Washington's 2000 football season, when officials at many levels of local authority disregarded the arrests of dozens of football players during the Huskies' campaign for the prestigious Rose Bowl.
A chilling, compelling confluence of sports, business and society, "Scoreboard, Baby" is investigative journalism at its finest. A must-read for sports fans in light of the current scandals pervading college athletics.
Ken Armstrong chronicles the University of Washington's 2000 football season, when officials at many levels of local authority disregarded the arrests of dozens of football players during the Huskies' campaign for the prestigious Rose Bowl.
A chilling, compelling confluence of sports, business and society, "Scoreboard, Baby" is investigative journalism at its finest. A must-read for sports fans in light of the current scandals pervading college athletics.
May 29, 2024
Centers on University of Washington's 2000 football season, but the implications for other years and the historical background are examined as well. Sad, slow wheels of justice! The scoreboard obviously was given priority over education, justice, and ethics.
Great writing. Excellent research and source documentation.
Great writing. Excellent research and source documentation.
January 19, 2018
I thought Scoreboard Baby was overall a pretty good book. I think the detective work the authors did to compile such a thorough report was quite impressive. The book dives into the Washington huskies incredible football season, but is meant to reveal the crime and illegal activity that went on behind the scenes. The authors did a great job showing how local authorities turned a blind eye to the football team because of there importance to the sport, and how crimes ranging from sexual assault and shooting a drug dealer can all go away by just being a part of the huskies.
April 2, 2014
Story is good, but becomes repetitive. Feels like the same things happen over and over again with this team who then faced no consequences. It is a good accounting of the story and Ken Armstrong is a good speaker (came to campus in fall). Just had to slug through the second half of the book.
January 12, 2018
An investigation into the costs and consequences (or lack thereof) of a win at all costs philosophy.
January 11, 2018
Scoreboard, Baby: A Story of College Football, Crime, and Complicity by Ken Armstrong and Nick Perry is a story written about the University of Washington 2000 football team. This story brings up the issue in all of college’s elite sports the obsession to win can bring the worst out of school. When they should be doing one thing they do the other. Outlined in this book, it talks about separate occasions of arrests of football players who committed crimes and got away without punishment. The beginning of the story highlights a case about the star tight end on the football team who allegedly drugged and raped a sorority girl at the university. Then it goes into a situation where a player continuously beat his wife and didn’t get kicked off the team. And then it goes into a drug-related shooting. This tragically true story puts forth the issues of special treatment and bending of the law for this nations college athletes.
Scoreboard, Baby: A Story of College Football, Crime, and Complicity by Ken Armstrong and Nick Perry should be read because of the writing qualities and the detail written by the authors. After reading this book, the conclusion that this book is not worth reading was thrown aside. This book was a very robust and definitely worthwhile to read. The entire theme of this book was to show the dark sides of elite college football programs in the country. It also had the themes of criminology and politics. It shows you the process that athletes go through when they are convicted of a crime. Anything from letting an under qualified student into a school because they have athletic ability to getting away with sexual-assault. The author set a tone early on in the book to show as many things possible that happened that were unacceptable for student-athletes to do. They did a superb job of keeping this tone throughout the book. One part that made this book so much better than it already is was the ability for the authors to be so detailed and dig up as much evidence as they did. This really showed when the author’s described the events that happened in the story. These two authors, a part of the Seattle Times Newspaper, had the resources available to find every detail about every story. They didn’t leave out anything. They brought up all the players, coaches, prosecutors, judges, and boosters that helped cover up complex crimes so their football team wouldn’t lose one of their players for a game. An example of this portrayed in the book was that a judge placed a thirty day jail period to a player but said the time doesn’t start until after the season ends. This book is a very good example of investigative journalism.
The book had very detailed parts and they made sure that they stuck to their theme of digging up all the dirty details that questioned the process that the University of Washington went through to make these decisions. The authors wrote in the epilogue how bad reputable this season was for the school. The author’s wrote, "Proved to be the beginning of the end. That mystical, magical season exposed a community's collective complicity and twisted values. That mystical, magical season dissolved into decline and ruin" (Armstrong and Perry 317). This quote shows the side that the authors took on this topic. They clearly were against all the laws and restrictions that they threw aside and ignored just so they could have a “good” football season. It truly shows the poor quality of disciplinary actions of this university regarding criminal activity. Another quote that the authors incorporated in the story that pertains to the overall theme of the book is: “At least two dozen players on Washington’s 2000 football team were arrested or charged with some crime while at UW. But rarely did they miss playing time. This had become the story of college football” (Armstrong and Perry 92). This quote shows that all of college football is being looked at as they are above the law. Also, this just shows again how excellent and extensive their research was to conclude this.
The book Scoreboard, Baby: A Story of College Football, Crime, and Complicity by Ken Armstrong and Nick Perry is a must read for football fans and criminal writing fans because of the detailed quality writing that the author’s incorporated into the story. This book changed my whole view point on college football as a whole. It is unfair to the rest of society that these athletes get let off the hook easier than others. In addition, this makes me question if any disciplinary actions were made towards these athletes. Overall, this book is a read that can interest many people.
Scoreboard, Baby: A Story of College Football, Crime, and Complicity by Ken Armstrong and Nick Perry should be read because of the writing qualities and the detail written by the authors. After reading this book, the conclusion that this book is not worth reading was thrown aside. This book was a very robust and definitely worthwhile to read. The entire theme of this book was to show the dark sides of elite college football programs in the country. It also had the themes of criminology and politics. It shows you the process that athletes go through when they are convicted of a crime. Anything from letting an under qualified student into a school because they have athletic ability to getting away with sexual-assault. The author set a tone early on in the book to show as many things possible that happened that were unacceptable for student-athletes to do. They did a superb job of keeping this tone throughout the book. One part that made this book so much better than it already is was the ability for the authors to be so detailed and dig up as much evidence as they did. This really showed when the author’s described the events that happened in the story. These two authors, a part of the Seattle Times Newspaper, had the resources available to find every detail about every story. They didn’t leave out anything. They brought up all the players, coaches, prosecutors, judges, and boosters that helped cover up complex crimes so their football team wouldn’t lose one of their players for a game. An example of this portrayed in the book was that a judge placed a thirty day jail period to a player but said the time doesn’t start until after the season ends. This book is a very good example of investigative journalism.
The book had very detailed parts and they made sure that they stuck to their theme of digging up all the dirty details that questioned the process that the University of Washington went through to make these decisions. The authors wrote in the epilogue how bad reputable this season was for the school. The author’s wrote, "Proved to be the beginning of the end. That mystical, magical season exposed a community's collective complicity and twisted values. That mystical, magical season dissolved into decline and ruin" (Armstrong and Perry 317). This quote shows the side that the authors took on this topic. They clearly were against all the laws and restrictions that they threw aside and ignored just so they could have a “good” football season. It truly shows the poor quality of disciplinary actions of this university regarding criminal activity. Another quote that the authors incorporated in the story that pertains to the overall theme of the book is: “At least two dozen players on Washington’s 2000 football team were arrested or charged with some crime while at UW. But rarely did they miss playing time. This had become the story of college football” (Armstrong and Perry 92). This quote shows that all of college football is being looked at as they are above the law. Also, this just shows again how excellent and extensive their research was to conclude this.
The book Scoreboard, Baby: A Story of College Football, Crime, and Complicity by Ken Armstrong and Nick Perry is a must read for football fans and criminal writing fans because of the detailed quality writing that the author’s incorporated into the story. This book changed my whole view point on college football as a whole. It is unfair to the rest of society that these athletes get let off the hook easier than others. In addition, this makes me question if any disciplinary actions were made towards these athletes. Overall, this book is a read that can interest many people.
February 28, 2021
Before I bought the book Scoreboard, Baby, I had heard about this book and perused it at some odd bookstores. I finally buckled down and bought it on Amazon.
First off, authors Ken Armstrong and Nick Perry thoroughly researched this book and you can look in the Notes section (page 323) and see just how hard these two worked on this book. I am a HUGE football fan and I grew up during the era that this book discusssed, and I have to say that these authors knew what they were talking about.
Second, the main story in this book that really grabbed me and had me thinking in an investigative manner (mentally) for days, was the abuse that the late Curtis Williams put upon his girlfriend Michelle, who was also the mother of his child. I knew Williams was a very good defensive back at the University of Washington back in the late 1990s and in the 2000 season, but it took this book for me to really see that his life was complicated and he had MUCH to do with these complications. The way this book painted him one would come away thinking that Williams was a one-dimensional Neanderthal who was put on this earth strictly to play football. When he was alive, he had major issues with women and what was most important in life.
The Anthony Kelley story was just heartwarming and it really makes me smile to see a fellow Black man educate himself and strive for excellence in his chosen field. His story will make you happy. Oh yeah, read page 307 (paragraph 3) and you will understand how deep and intelligent Kelley really is.
The Anthony Vontoure story really made me think and it will make you think too. Read the book and it will make you ponder the fact that colleges need to educate themselves more on the current and past behaviors and possible disorders/disabilities of the recruits they sign every year.
Then the Jerramy Stevens saga was just ridiculous. UW and the justice system in Seattle among other places in that state, just kissed his butt because he was a star tight end and a charmer.
In closing, I recommend this book to anyone who wants to further understand the dynamics of a college football program.
First off, authors Ken Armstrong and Nick Perry thoroughly researched this book and you can look in the Notes section (page 323) and see just how hard these two worked on this book. I am a HUGE football fan and I grew up during the era that this book discusssed, and I have to say that these authors knew what they were talking about.
Second, the main story in this book that really grabbed me and had me thinking in an investigative manner (mentally) for days, was the abuse that the late Curtis Williams put upon his girlfriend Michelle, who was also the mother of his child. I knew Williams was a very good defensive back at the University of Washington back in the late 1990s and in the 2000 season, but it took this book for me to really see that his life was complicated and he had MUCH to do with these complications. The way this book painted him one would come away thinking that Williams was a one-dimensional Neanderthal who was put on this earth strictly to play football. When he was alive, he had major issues with women and what was most important in life.
The Anthony Kelley story was just heartwarming and it really makes me smile to see a fellow Black man educate himself and strive for excellence in his chosen field. His story will make you happy. Oh yeah, read page 307 (paragraph 3) and you will understand how deep and intelligent Kelley really is.
The Anthony Vontoure story really made me think and it will make you think too. Read the book and it will make you ponder the fact that colleges need to educate themselves more on the current and past behaviors and possible disorders/disabilities of the recruits they sign every year.
Then the Jerramy Stevens saga was just ridiculous. UW and the justice system in Seattle among other places in that state, just kissed his butt because he was a star tight end and a charmer.
In closing, I recommend this book to anyone who wants to further understand the dynamics of a college football program.
September 23, 2024
I purposely decided to read this book as I went back to WA for a Husky game. Yikes. As a lifelong UW Husky fan, this was a tough pill to swallow. I knew of some of the crimes discussed in this book and my sister was at UW during this time so it was interesting to hear some of her interactions with a few of the players referenced. Made me so glad that her interactions with these violent criminals were few and far between. And it definitely makes me look less fondly on those years of football success. I already was appalled by Jerramy Stevens propensity for violence from some of the stories during college but also events post-college. Dang though this book just adds to my disgust for his behaviors. It also really frustrates me how we put athletes, but especially football players, on a pedestal and look the other way when they engage in behaviors that quite frankly are criminal. You had a player shoot and nearly kill someone, another player who violently raped a student and whose good friend/teammate and good friend's girlfriend helped cover it up, yet another player who beat the crap out of his partner several times and other instances as well. Yet none of them were held accountable during their tenure on the Husky football team. Disgusting. I'm still also really curious how this book about a very specific group of athletes attending school in Seattle ended up in a Wisconsin public library as I doubt anyone other than Husky fans would seek this book out to read. But I am glad I did as it was well researched by investigative reporters and is important to share the truth about this team's character, even if it dampens my feelings some about the collective UW football program legacy.
August 7, 2017
I enjoyed the plot twists, and I loved how the two authors mixed crime with something so basic such as college football. I have read a lot of other reviews on Scoreboard, Baby, and I agree with many others in the sense that this book eventually became a bit repetitive. Other than that, a person who enjoys hearing about rape cases, prosecutors, and football will love Scoreboard, Baby. Armstrong & Perry discovered that the players on the 2000 UWashington team were actually under an investigating involving domestic violence, rape, burglary, and putting a bullet through a drug dealer.
Their team's best player was accused of raping a girl named Marie. Another team member was caught in a case in which he robbed and shot a drug dealer. Then, a different player had struggled with different mental illnesses, and for the cherry on top of the cake, another player used to beat his wife, and we don't know if he still does.
Some parts of this book are hard core. I had to put the book down to process what was going on, but I am obsessed with this kind of 'edge of your seat' writing. Ken Armstrong really took this true story and made it readable for both genders, ages 13+ I give it a 4/5 stars!
Their team's best player was accused of raping a girl named Marie. Another team member was caught in a case in which he robbed and shot a drug dealer. Then, a different player had struggled with different mental illnesses, and for the cherry on top of the cake, another player used to beat his wife, and we don't know if he still does.
Some parts of this book are hard core. I had to put the book down to process what was going on, but I am obsessed with this kind of 'edge of your seat' writing. Ken Armstrong really took this true story and made it readable for both genders, ages 13+ I give it a 4/5 stars!
August 13, 2022
I love college football, those that know me know how much I enjoy the game. The pageantry, the game, almost everything about it captivates me. Almost is the key word there. This book takes one singular football program in the late 90s and early 2000s and feeds you the whole thing. Truthfully, there is a lot of exposing, but amongst that, you find hope, you find success, but what you truly find is yourself taking a step back. It’s easy to look at young men playing a sport and idolizing them for their athletic abilities. But what happens when those same individuals use that to their advantage to hurt and neglect others? What shall we do then? In this book, you find yourself wondering just how common this was, and why it took so long for it to be exposed. No matter the individual, no one is free to do as they please, and no one is free of consequence for their actions, and yet you see all of those things transpire in a few short years. I still love the game of college football, but my view on how we all see it has changed. No matter what, right is right, wrong is wrong. And just because you can throw and catch a ball doesn’t mean you can escape the reality of your actions. Highly recommend, and makes me want to find another program to dive deep on.
May 27, 2015
Before writing an opinion on this book, I should disclose that I attended the U during the period of time outlined in this book and personally knew several people mentioned. In fact, I knew or interacted with just about every person in this book other than the rape victim, her friends, witnesses, and the investigator. I even met Norm Maleng the year all of this came to head, and let's just say my view of him today is a lot less than it was back then. I've never had the experience of literally knowing all the players in a book, and probably never will again - and that means my opinion of the book is likely skewed to the positive.
It seems remarkable that so many outrageous things were happening in one place at one time the way they were in 1999-2001. I had read a lot of it in the Seattle papers well after the fact. As a student-athlete, what I saw and noticed was not much more than the general public; we were all in the dark until much later. In that sense, I think it would be somewhat inappropriate to really flay UW and their athletic department based solely on the indiscretions and illegal behaviors outlined in the book. However, it does a great job of detailing those activities and how the football program, judges, and prosecutors looked the other way, presumably because it was highly skilled athletes in question.
This book, while detailing the flip side to the storied Rose Bowl season of 2000-2001, is certainly entertaining in its own right, should really cause the reader to take a step back and ponder the implications for greater society. Do we truly have our priorities straight? This book and myself would both argue a resounding NO.
I'm very much conflicted here. I benefited from the system demonized here. Without the winning tradition, the money pouring in from sponsors and alumni, I would not have had the chances nor the experiences that I had. That's a pretty big bias. To prove my point, once the fallout had really taken root and the economy tanked, UW cut my program, all the while paying assistant coaches unprecedented salaries. One program brings money in, the other doesn't.
The most notable missing footnote to this book is Jerramy Stevens more recent life. After this book was written, he went on to leave the NFL and then married another UW star during this era, Hope Solo. Immediately, legal issues, domestic violence, and tabloid reports began to stir up the same way they did 15 years prior. It's sort of sad. Jerramy was always nice to me, but frankly, the man is severely flawed. I would hope some day, when the testosterone simmers down a bit, that he's able to grow up some.
I found Rick Neuheisel to always be friendly and up for a conversation, which I had several during his tenure at UW. I was just a nameless nobody. It says a lot that he took his position seriously and by that I mean carrying the torch as the leader of everyone in the athletic department. The sad thing is that he always looked for ways to eek out small advantages which were likely meaningless in the grand scheme of things. What was left was his slimy tarnished image. He got fired, ultimately, for betting large amounts on the NCAA basketball brackets - something that many people in his pay grade do all the time. He meant no ill-will. He wasn't influencing anything. There really was no harm to anyone, except that it broke the rules. He knew it. I know it. We all know it. He used my friend's interpretation that betting a dollar on NCAA brackets was basically okay as his defense for betting a much larger amount and doing so openly (as opposed to say roommates wagering a buck among themselves).
When you step back and consider the egregious moral failings in this book, wagering even a thousand (and I've never read the exact amount wagered so I'm guessing there) on a bracket is truly nothing. It shouldn't really be a violation; but of all the things when you're pulling down $1.5 and one of the highest paid in your profession, is it really too much to ask for that person to abstain from a sports wager? I don't think so. I think almost all of us would take that trade off.
In the end, he dragged someone that I considered a friend through the mud to save his ass. I don't appreciate that and it really left me sour. That's the taste he left with all of us at UW, which is unfortunate.
I really believe our greater society has a problem with sports, and this book touches on that. It's fun and all, and there are surely benefits (learning teamwork, goal achievement, discipline, leadership, health, fitness, etc) but they've gained a place too high in importance. At the end of the book, the author quotes one fan as saying UW is known for football and education, and that if something isn't done, it will only be known for education. What's so bad about that?
Football itself is highly exploitative. An extreme example of this is Curtis Williams who gave his life, as despicable a person as he was, to it and it took it all from him. What the book doesn't discuss is how much of Curtis' behavior was due to the almost assured brain injuries that he had sustained throughout his life as a player. The exploitation is highest in college. The players play basically for free, their revenues pay for other sports, provide jobs for the entire athletic department (though often times, the programs can drain from the general fund), and in return they often get life long injuries. And we all cheer them on and pay for more of it. Meanwhile, as the recent UNC scandal would indicate, academic standards are called into question because of this perverse semi-professional set-up.
The only thing worse than the academic standards being called into question is that the rule of law is called into question. Without the rule of law, we are finished as a culture and finished as a nation.
Look no further than this book. It's a perfect illustration of the shattered lives and the wreckage left by misplaced morals and priorities.
5 stars, easily.
It seems remarkable that so many outrageous things were happening in one place at one time the way they were in 1999-2001. I had read a lot of it in the Seattle papers well after the fact. As a student-athlete, what I saw and noticed was not much more than the general public; we were all in the dark until much later. In that sense, I think it would be somewhat inappropriate to really flay UW and their athletic department based solely on the indiscretions and illegal behaviors outlined in the book. However, it does a great job of detailing those activities and how the football program, judges, and prosecutors looked the other way, presumably because it was highly skilled athletes in question.
This book, while detailing the flip side to the storied Rose Bowl season of 2000-2001, is certainly entertaining in its own right, should really cause the reader to take a step back and ponder the implications for greater society. Do we truly have our priorities straight? This book and myself would both argue a resounding NO.
I'm very much conflicted here. I benefited from the system demonized here. Without the winning tradition, the money pouring in from sponsors and alumni, I would not have had the chances nor the experiences that I had. That's a pretty big bias. To prove my point, once the fallout had really taken root and the economy tanked, UW cut my program, all the while paying assistant coaches unprecedented salaries. One program brings money in, the other doesn't.
The most notable missing footnote to this book is Jerramy Stevens more recent life. After this book was written, he went on to leave the NFL and then married another UW star during this era, Hope Solo. Immediately, legal issues, domestic violence, and tabloid reports began to stir up the same way they did 15 years prior. It's sort of sad. Jerramy was always nice to me, but frankly, the man is severely flawed. I would hope some day, when the testosterone simmers down a bit, that he's able to grow up some.
I found Rick Neuheisel to always be friendly and up for a conversation, which I had several during his tenure at UW. I was just a nameless nobody. It says a lot that he took his position seriously and by that I mean carrying the torch as the leader of everyone in the athletic department. The sad thing is that he always looked for ways to eek out small advantages which were likely meaningless in the grand scheme of things. What was left was his slimy tarnished image. He got fired, ultimately, for betting large amounts on the NCAA basketball brackets - something that many people in his pay grade do all the time. He meant no ill-will. He wasn't influencing anything. There really was no harm to anyone, except that it broke the rules. He knew it. I know it. We all know it. He used my friend's interpretation that betting a dollar on NCAA brackets was basically okay as his defense for betting a much larger amount and doing so openly (as opposed to say roommates wagering a buck among themselves).
When you step back and consider the egregious moral failings in this book, wagering even a thousand (and I've never read the exact amount wagered so I'm guessing there) on a bracket is truly nothing. It shouldn't really be a violation; but of all the things when you're pulling down $1.5 and one of the highest paid in your profession, is it really too much to ask for that person to abstain from a sports wager? I don't think so. I think almost all of us would take that trade off.
In the end, he dragged someone that I considered a friend through the mud to save his ass. I don't appreciate that and it really left me sour. That's the taste he left with all of us at UW, which is unfortunate.
I really believe our greater society has a problem with sports, and this book touches on that. It's fun and all, and there are surely benefits (learning teamwork, goal achievement, discipline, leadership, health, fitness, etc) but they've gained a place too high in importance. At the end of the book, the author quotes one fan as saying UW is known for football and education, and that if something isn't done, it will only be known for education. What's so bad about that?
Football itself is highly exploitative. An extreme example of this is Curtis Williams who gave his life, as despicable a person as he was, to it and it took it all from him. What the book doesn't discuss is how much of Curtis' behavior was due to the almost assured brain injuries that he had sustained throughout his life as a player. The exploitation is highest in college. The players play basically for free, their revenues pay for other sports, provide jobs for the entire athletic department (though often times, the programs can drain from the general fund), and in return they often get life long injuries. And we all cheer them on and pay for more of it. Meanwhile, as the recent UNC scandal would indicate, academic standards are called into question because of this perverse semi-professional set-up.
The only thing worse than the academic standards being called into question is that the rule of law is called into question. Without the rule of law, we are finished as a culture and finished as a nation.
Look no further than this book. It's a perfect illustration of the shattered lives and the wreckage left by misplaced morals and priorities.
5 stars, easily.
December 12, 2017
A very enlightening investigation into the mania and attitudes of players and fans of college football in the US. It illustrates how fanatical people can be over activities or interests which they have and the lengths they will go to in order to support or promote those interests. It leads one to wonder how much this could apply to other areas of life such as politics, religion and other core aspects of our current lives.
Even though I'm not an avid follower of any sport, this was a book well worth reading.
Even though I'm not an avid follower of any sport, this was a book well worth reading.
January 20, 2025
Well written and thought provoking
It is clear a lot of research and effort went into this book. I have long appreciated some of the issues surrounding college football and this book went into great detail covering one team in one period of time. The writing is excellent and all of the people written about come to life in great messy detail, the good and bad. I highly recommend this book…
It is clear a lot of research and effort went into this book. I have long appreciated some of the issues surrounding college football and this book went into great detail covering one team in one period of time. The writing is excellent and all of the people written about come to life in great messy detail, the good and bad. I highly recommend this book…
April 22, 2025
If you weren't mad about college football, or maybe all college sports, before, you will be by the end of reading this book. Written clearly by journalists, the story of the national champion UW Huskies (2000) exposes the coverup, manipulation, and simple ignoring of crimes of several players on the team. Shame on the players, coaches, the university, the fans, law enforcement, judges for their involvement in this.
It's a good read. It will make you angry.
It's a good read. It will make you angry.
July 27, 2018
This book was very interesting. It was an insane read because of everything that happened and even the adults of the college and law enforcement were in on it. That show how much corruption and greed can take over and this was all about money and it shows what people will do to get money.
January 29, 2020
This book delves into the dark side of college sports. Reading this made me physically uncomfortable at times seeing the trauma people were put through and how it was unacknowledged so as not to put a damper on football season. Such an important book and well worth the read.
June 6, 2017
Very well written and documented. It should not come as a shock, but unfortunately still is eye opening, the systematic cover ups that occur to protect certain individuals.
March 19, 2020
Very good but VERY disturbing!
September 14, 2015
Telling the game-by-game story of the 2000 University of Washington Huskies via the brutal crimes of three of its players - the rapist, the armed robber and the wife-beater - and a head coach incapable of providing discipline or honesty, Armstrong and Perry's angry, moralistic, powerful and well-referenced book details so much of what is wrong with the top ranks of 'amateur' American football.
That one of those three (wife-beater Curtis Williams) died at 24, some eighteen months after being paralysed on the field and turned into a tragic hero for public consumption, is handled with sensitivity but never mawkishness. His friend and teammate, the mentally ill Anthony Vontoure, who at 17 smashed a man's head in with a rock in an ugly street brawl, died in an altercation with Police at just 22. Both were already 'troubled' before joining the team but the university, and coach Rick Neuheisel's soft and/or non-existent approach to discipline could only have made things worse.
For armed robber and star defensive player Jeremiah Pharms, the lack of official will extended far beyond the campus boundaries. Despite compelling forensic evidence (both DNA and fingerprint) the authorities dithered forever about whether to charge him with shooting a drug dealer. In fact, just long enough for their decision to no longer affect the Huskies potential on-field fortunes. Funny how that works.
As for the alleged rapist Jerammy Stevens, he went on to play in the NFL, having never faced charges for his crime (the aftermath of which for the victim and her family is brilliantly described by the authors). Finally paying out to settle a civil suit after the authorities declined to press charges, much to the disgust of many who worked on the case, he managed to ruin his own professional playing career anyway. A first round draft pick, he played for several years but consistently underperformed and, based on this book, seems to have been incapable of starting a car without first being drunk.
Like Williams, Vontoure and Pharms (and a few others referenced in passing) the main lesson Stevens seems to have learned from being a standout high school and college athlete is that the normal rules of society just don't apply so you may as well break them as much as you like. Is it really any wonder that so many criminals play in the NFL?
Wisely, Armstrong and Perry include the story of linebacker Anthony Kelley. A poor student scraping by academically (not quite but rules are made to be ignored, aren't they?) but a fairly gifted player, he finds greater fulfilment in education and helping others. Of course, theextraordinary things he does are publicised and spun by the university and it's athletic department for their own ends but after reading the rest of the book, who would expect anything else?
Overall, this is an excellent piece of investigative sports journalism. But it's not without it's weaknesses. By focusing (Kelley aside) on the team's miscreants and scumbags, the overwhelming majority, from an overall roster of more than a hundred, largely ignored. Quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo was the Rose Bowl MVP and arguably the team's most important player but he's relegated, as someone who's presumably a decent human being, to a bit part. And his 'miraculous' return from an in-game injury at the Rose Bowl after a few minutes with a team doctor referenced as 'Dr Feelgood' is a tantalising, frustrating glimpse at something referenced in passing later about the Washington softball squad - a team-led and sanctioned abuse of painkillers - that is simply never really explored.
And it's not as if Washington was the only university whose star players were criminals, or gave gifted athletes an easy ride academically (I wonder how useful they found all that Swahili tuition in later life), or disregarded players' long term health in pursuit of a few extra wins a year. And in their lengthy account of the Rose Bowl itself, the authors' distaste for the game's sheer commercialism leads them to go on and on about it, almost to the point of being distracting.
It may fall just short of being a classic, but Scoreboard, Baby is still eye-opening, convincing, even darkly funny at times, and at others a surprisingly emotional read.
That one of those three (wife-beater Curtis Williams) died at 24, some eighteen months after being paralysed on the field and turned into a tragic hero for public consumption, is handled with sensitivity but never mawkishness. His friend and teammate, the mentally ill Anthony Vontoure, who at 17 smashed a man's head in with a rock in an ugly street brawl, died in an altercation with Police at just 22. Both were already 'troubled' before joining the team but the university, and coach Rick Neuheisel's soft and/or non-existent approach to discipline could only have made things worse.
For armed robber and star defensive player Jeremiah Pharms, the lack of official will extended far beyond the campus boundaries. Despite compelling forensic evidence (both DNA and fingerprint) the authorities dithered forever about whether to charge him with shooting a drug dealer. In fact, just long enough for their decision to no longer affect the Huskies potential on-field fortunes. Funny how that works.
As for the alleged rapist Jerammy Stevens, he went on to play in the NFL, having never faced charges for his crime (the aftermath of which for the victim and her family is brilliantly described by the authors). Finally paying out to settle a civil suit after the authorities declined to press charges, much to the disgust of many who worked on the case, he managed to ruin his own professional playing career anyway. A first round draft pick, he played for several years but consistently underperformed and, based on this book, seems to have been incapable of starting a car without first being drunk.
Like Williams, Vontoure and Pharms (and a few others referenced in passing) the main lesson Stevens seems to have learned from being a standout high school and college athlete is that the normal rules of society just don't apply so you may as well break them as much as you like. Is it really any wonder that so many criminals play in the NFL?
Wisely, Armstrong and Perry include the story of linebacker Anthony Kelley. A poor student scraping by academically (not quite but rules are made to be ignored, aren't they?) but a fairly gifted player, he finds greater fulfilment in education and helping others. Of course, theextraordinary things he does are publicised and spun by the university and it's athletic department for their own ends but after reading the rest of the book, who would expect anything else?
Overall, this is an excellent piece of investigative sports journalism. But it's not without it's weaknesses. By focusing (Kelley aside) on the team's miscreants and scumbags, the overwhelming majority, from an overall roster of more than a hundred, largely ignored. Quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo was the Rose Bowl MVP and arguably the team's most important player but he's relegated, as someone who's presumably a decent human being, to a bit part. And his 'miraculous' return from an in-game injury at the Rose Bowl after a few minutes with a team doctor referenced as 'Dr Feelgood' is a tantalising, frustrating glimpse at something referenced in passing later about the Washington softball squad - a team-led and sanctioned abuse of painkillers - that is simply never really explored.
And it's not as if Washington was the only university whose star players were criminals, or gave gifted athletes an easy ride academically (I wonder how useful they found all that Swahili tuition in later life), or disregarded players' long term health in pursuit of a few extra wins a year. And in their lengthy account of the Rose Bowl itself, the authors' distaste for the game's sheer commercialism leads them to go on and on about it, almost to the point of being distracting.
It may fall just short of being a classic, but Scoreboard, Baby is still eye-opening, convincing, even darkly funny at times, and at others a surprisingly emotional read.
November 23, 2016
Authors Ken Armstrong and Nick Perry make it their mission to bring all the crimes of the Washington Huskies college football team to light. “‘Washington has been put on a pedestal’” (Armstrong and Perry 77), Wil Beck, a player on an opposing team once said and that’s what the authors were trying to prove to the readers. They told the stories of tight-ends facing felony charges, linebackers that couldn’t keep up their grades, line backers facing criminal charges, players that couldn’t keep it together and players that turned to drugs. All these stories had one thing in common- the players were never brought to justice. And even if they did make it to court, their punishments were never severe. Judges would write in their orders, “‘to be served after football season” (Armstrong and Perry 2). The authors draw the conclusion that coaches and teams go through great lengths to keep their star players.
I’m not much of a fan of college football, but I found this book interesting anyway. I never realized people would idolize players so much that they’d excuse them from the law. I agreed with the points the authors were trying to make. So many people didn’t face the right consequences for their actions and they deserved so much more punishment than they received. One player sexually assaulted a girl, destroyed her life and was never brought to justice. The book was a bit confusing since it told many stories at the same time and jumped back and forth between them from chapter to chapter. For example, chapters 2, 7 and 11 talked about Jerramy Stevens and a girl who the authors decided to call Marie for privacy purposes. Also there were a lot of characters to keep track of. Although there’s a cast list in the front of the book, it didn’t talk about every character. I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone who doesn’t want to have to keep a running list of all the characters and descriptions about each. Everyone is talked about with their last name, so after a while, names like Mudd, Magan, Maleng, McCormick and Mark get hard to differentiate. You start to forget who’s who. I also would recommend this book to anyone who likes reading the facts, but at the same time I wouldn’t recommend the book to anyone who doesn’t like reading vivid descriptions. The authors don’t hold anything back and sometimes it gets very gruesome. While on the topic of writing style, the Armstrong and Perry had a very unique writing style. Each chapter is the result from a collection of interviews and police records. They use a third person point of view almost, shifting between the perspectives of all different people. For example, readers can see what the drug dealer in the first chapter is thinking, and then what the narcotics officer that finds him in his apartment is wondering. That was a very fascinating thing to read. All in all, this book had its ups and downs but I enjoyed it.
I’m not much of a fan of college football, but I found this book interesting anyway. I never realized people would idolize players so much that they’d excuse them from the law. I agreed with the points the authors were trying to make. So many people didn’t face the right consequences for their actions and they deserved so much more punishment than they received. One player sexually assaulted a girl, destroyed her life and was never brought to justice. The book was a bit confusing since it told many stories at the same time and jumped back and forth between them from chapter to chapter. For example, chapters 2, 7 and 11 talked about Jerramy Stevens and a girl who the authors decided to call Marie for privacy purposes. Also there were a lot of characters to keep track of. Although there’s a cast list in the front of the book, it didn’t talk about every character. I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone who doesn’t want to have to keep a running list of all the characters and descriptions about each. Everyone is talked about with their last name, so after a while, names like Mudd, Magan, Maleng, McCormick and Mark get hard to differentiate. You start to forget who’s who. I also would recommend this book to anyone who likes reading the facts, but at the same time I wouldn’t recommend the book to anyone who doesn’t like reading vivid descriptions. The authors don’t hold anything back and sometimes it gets very gruesome. While on the topic of writing style, the Armstrong and Perry had a very unique writing style. Each chapter is the result from a collection of interviews and police records. They use a third person point of view almost, shifting between the perspectives of all different people. For example, readers can see what the drug dealer in the first chapter is thinking, and then what the narcotics officer that finds him in his apartment is wondering. That was a very fascinating thing to read. All in all, this book had its ups and downs but I enjoyed it.
December 25, 2019
Where to begin. As a lifelong husky fan who was a bit too young to really remember these events as they happened, I can't lie, I was genuinely devastated after I finished this book. How could there have been so many people willing to protect players from punishment for such awful actions? How could the fans have been so hell bent on wanting their team to win that they were totally okay with ignoring the actions of some of the players if it meant winning. The letters fans wrote to the president of UW and others in charge were a disgusting example of how if you're a star sports player the rules/laws need not apply to you. By the end I was ready to swear off college football (and I'm a huge fan) but luckily after some reflection and tracking down some things the players on the team who were did absolutely nothing wrong and how much this story affected them because it did make it seem that the whole team was bad when in reality it was a very small number of players. That excuses nothing, the "bad seeds" should have never been allowed to get away with the things they did, but one thing I realized was that as much as they failed the people they hurt, they were also failed by the coaches and legal system who taught them the rules don't apply to them and every single player who wasn't punished back then, eventually ended up in jail or dead. So I caution this is not a light read, but is still today incredibly relevant as these types of things have only become more prevalent. Players, coaches, athletic directors, and fans, everyone involved in any way with college football players need to read this book and hopefully learn what I saw which was protecting these players serves no one well. The victims get no justice, the players continue to push the limits until eventually their lives are in ruin because they were always told the rules don't apply to them, but they do eventually and when that happens it's too late, the coaches get caught and fired and the university's name gets dragged through the mud when it comes out (and it always does eventually).
April 28, 2017
Outstanding work by Seattle reporters Armstrong and Perry. Likely a compilation of newspaper reports, judiciously augmented and edited to read like a Tarrentino screenplay. Narrative weaves in and out between events surrounding athletes and administrators on the 2000 Washington Husky football team. The public story is a magical season that led to a 2001 Rose Bowl victory over Purdue. The less-publicized story involves the brush-ins with the criminal justice system involving several of the Husky student-athletes. Equally enthralling are the politics that led to the hiring and firing of head coaches and administrators in the 1990s and subsequent decade at the university. Recurring themes are the pressures to win at all costs, rising salaries of coaches, ethically challenging decisions regarding punishment and discipline of student-athletes, and the triumphs and tragedies involving all involved. Quick read for anyone interested in collegiate athletics and with a knowledge of events in college football around the early 2000s. Leaves the impression that college football and athletics are deeply flawed in regards to how athletes are used to satisfy the whims of boosters and the local public. Disappointing in that the book provides no immediate solutions to resolve the crisis of morality. Armstrong and Perry have the benefit of being there at the time the events happen are able to wrap up the story with events over the following 10 years. Well-researched and documented. Perhaps a bit heavy-handed…the events surround the lives of a dozen or so Huskies of the full roster of 107 over the 2000 season. Doesn't not present itself as an attempt to balance the good with the bad with exception of the success of a couple student-athletes during and after college. Certainly worth the read for anyone interested in working collegiate athletics.
November 16, 2011
This Edgar winner for True Crime is a riveting, sprawling account of the University of Washington's football team, the crimes committed by some of its players, the complicity of the University, the justice system and the press in covering them up - and, in a larger sense, the rot that pervades the heart of the college football system in general. Think of a Shakespeare tragedy set on the gridiron and you're not far off.
Despite the cast of characters in the front, it can be a little hard to keep track, and Armstrong's story doesn't follow anything close to a straight line - one moment he's talking about the pre-college life of a player, the next he's talking about a Rose Bowl game 20 years ago or all the men who ever coached at the UW, or something else. You have to be prepared to roam. And you have to be prepared to read play-by-play descriptions of games (or skip over a lot of pages). But you don't have to love football, or even like it, to appreciate this meticulously researched look under the rock of one of America's favorite institutions.
Although I think the book is excellent, I give it four stars instead of five for a few reasons. The first is idiosyncratic: I don't love football. If you do, you'd probably add a star right off the bat (so to speak). Second, I got a little tired of Armstrong's rather breathless writing style, which would work better in the sports pages than over 300 pages of relatively small print. But he's very literate (as he points out many sportswriters are). Third, he seems sometimes to lose focus, wandering into a more general indictment of college football (it turns its back on players when they pursue academics) or pursuing long arcs involving interesting characters even when they have nothing to do with "crime and complicity."
Despite the cast of characters in the front, it can be a little hard to keep track, and Armstrong's story doesn't follow anything close to a straight line - one moment he's talking about the pre-college life of a player, the next he's talking about a Rose Bowl game 20 years ago or all the men who ever coached at the UW, or something else. You have to be prepared to roam. And you have to be prepared to read play-by-play descriptions of games (or skip over a lot of pages). But you don't have to love football, or even like it, to appreciate this meticulously researched look under the rock of one of America's favorite institutions.
Although I think the book is excellent, I give it four stars instead of five for a few reasons. The first is idiosyncratic: I don't love football. If you do, you'd probably add a star right off the bat (so to speak). Second, I got a little tired of Armstrong's rather breathless writing style, which would work better in the sports pages than over 300 pages of relatively small print. But he's very literate (as he points out many sportswriters are). Third, he seems sometimes to lose focus, wandering into a more general indictment of college football (it turns its back on players when they pursue academics) or pursuing long arcs involving interesting characters even when they have nothing to do with "crime and complicity."
February 26, 2017
I was not surprised at the professional college athlete but I was amazed at how awful it is in our society that worships football (I'm a fan) and makes great players into gods immune to being responsible for vitually anything especially if the player is needed for an important game. Now when I hear things about players "thhey are investigating" I tend to believe they are guilty of some if not most of all the charges. If you are a woman, it's probably better not to go out with a star player unless you really know them. This book tells of Washington players who get away with anything. If police get solid evidence it's almost impossible to prosecute the case and really win. I mean what do you think would happen to most of us if we raped several women, shot a man in the stomach during a robbery, beat on people with weapons including kicking an innocent bystander who lives with permanent damage from the beating? If we're big football stars, many of the judges would, as one did in this book, give you several hours of community service. Eventually after at least a half dozen DUIs, one of which broke through a wall and then partially into the building which was a senior citizens home the police knew he would have to "face the music" but there was one more important game to play. I'm not even counting the hit and run which was proved. Here is a person running around loose who was a serious danger to himself and others. There a no real spoilers in this review. It must be read to see how insane the whole thing gets. Washington University happened to be the college focused on but obviously this happens in virtually all colleges where football reigns king. Excellent yet 3 stars since I felt sick after finishing this thing.
April 10, 2015
True crime reporting book focusing on the football program at the University of Washington in the late 80's-early 90's, especially the 2000 team that won the Rose Bowl. From the outside, the program seemed highly successful, but on the inside, it was rife with corruption, cover-ups, and players with obscene amounts of criminal behavior. I found the illegal behavior and out and out crimes detailed in this book outrageous. Even more so, the way the coaches, administration, local media (with the exception of the authors of this book), judicial system and often the police gave this criminal behavior pass after pass, with very few consequences or penalties. And so the behaviors continued. Here are just some of the documented infractions: speeding, reckless driving, criminal mischief, DUI, hit and run, assault, domestic abuse, marijuana, animal cruelty, theft, robbery, rape, and attempted murder. How many football games do you think these players were suspended for? Virtually none. How many of these players graduated college and/or had a GPA over 2.0? Virtually none. The way this school enabled these athletes and valued football over everything else is disgusting.
What made this book stand out was the detail and documentation. The authors did their research and it shows. Every accusation and charge is backed up and clearly presented, making for a fascinating read. I am not so naive to believe this type of thing isn't happening everywhere in college football. It surely is, to varying degrees and levels of criminality. Really makes one think of college athletics in a different light.
What made this book stand out was the detail and documentation. The authors did their research and it shows. Every accusation and charge is backed up and clearly presented, making for a fascinating read. I am not so naive to believe this type of thing isn't happening everywhere in college football. It surely is, to varying degrees and levels of criminality. Really makes one think of college athletics in a different light.
October 31, 2014
I am not a football fan. I know basically how it works, but a game can’t hold my interest for more than a few minutes. Nevertheless, I have to say Armstrong & Perry write exciting accounts of football games.
This was an extremely good book. I was shocked, SHOCKED, by the ways in which these college football players got a free pass for… anything, apparently. We saw animal maltreatment and neglect, rape, attempted murder, domestic violence, theft, and more lies than anyone could count.
And just flat-out shittiness not only from players, but also coaches, university administrators, and even the actual courts. Many judges are clearly college ball fans. (And don’t have daughters or sisters, either, I guess.)
You think you know this stuff already. Ha! You don’t know the half of it.
There was one happy story. Many football players who would no way have qualified for admission to the University of Washington were admitted under “special circumstances”. Most just blew off any academics and never graduated. One of them—one!—made the most of the academic opportunity and blew off the football instead.
Maybe this book wouldn’t interest everybody. I thought it wouldn’t interest me much, either, but I was so wrong.
This was an extremely good book. I was shocked, SHOCKED, by the ways in which these college football players got a free pass for… anything, apparently. We saw animal maltreatment and neglect, rape, attempted murder, domestic violence, theft, and more lies than anyone could count.
And just flat-out shittiness not only from players, but also coaches, university administrators, and even the actual courts. Many judges are clearly college ball fans. (And don’t have daughters or sisters, either, I guess.)
You think you know this stuff already. Ha! You don’t know the half of it.
There was one happy story. Many football players who would no way have qualified for admission to the University of Washington were admitted under “special circumstances”. Most just blew off any academics and never graduated. One of them—one!—made the most of the academic opportunity and blew off the football instead.
Maybe this book wouldn’t interest everybody. I thought it wouldn’t interest me much, either, but I was so wrong.
August 17, 2012
I guess I shouldn't really be shocked by the content of this book. Everybody knows that college sports is dirty and with the recent Penn State scandal nothing should be surprising. The only thing really surprising is just how aware the media and the coaches and the fans were of all the criminal acts done by the players and how they just accepted it. It made me rethink my role as a ran - if this were my team and I knew about it, would I justify it like they did? And I'm sure every school has these problems - the 2000 Washington team was just ridiculous, though, and the coach was the worst. I can't believe he was still coaching until a year ago.
I like that the authors of the book didn't want me to sympathize with the players. It worked. When one player got critically injured, I just kept thinking, "Karma. Don't beat your wife." I'm also really glad they included Anthony Kelley's story to show how much more important the 'student' aspect of 'student athletes' is and to show that not all the players were scumbags, even if most of them were. A really interesting read for anyone interested in journalism or college sports.
I like that the authors of the book didn't want me to sympathize with the players. It worked. When one player got critically injured, I just kept thinking, "Karma. Don't beat your wife." I'm also really glad they included Anthony Kelley's story to show how much more important the 'student' aspect of 'student athletes' is and to show that not all the players were scumbags, even if most of them were. A really interesting read for anyone interested in journalism or college sports.
June 10, 2011
Wow! Oh wow! I decided to read Scoreboard Baby because of what is going on at Ohio State and the trouble they are in. This book is about the year 2000 football season at the University of Washington.
I didn't think it was going to be this good, but it is!! The stuff these guys got away with because they were football players made the Ohio State stuff look like kid's play. Rape, shooting, drugs, DUI all looked at the other way not only by the school, but the law as well--UNBELIEVABLE! Sad but true. The reporters did an outstanding job of investigating.
This was a real eye opener for me--loved it! If you want to find out the story beyond Saturday college game days, this book is for you.
I didn't think it was going to be this good, but it is!! The stuff these guys got away with because they were football players made the Ohio State stuff look like kid's play. Rape, shooting, drugs, DUI all looked at the other way not only by the school, but the law as well--UNBELIEVABLE! Sad but true. The reporters did an outstanding job of investigating.
This was a real eye opener for me--loved it! If you want to find out the story beyond Saturday college game days, this book is for you.
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