BOOK REVIEW

A few seconds of panic: a 5-foot-8 170 pound 43 year old sports writer plays in the NFL by Stefan Fatsis

In ten words or less: Middle aged sports writer attends NFL training camp.

Review: Fatsis is a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and a commentator on sports for National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered.” He never played football competitively at any level, but had played soccer. He spent a year working out with a strength coach and a kicking coach, while trying to convince an NFL team to let him join their training camp.
In 1966 George Plimpton had written “Paper Lion,” an account of his time with the Detroit Lions training camp. Football has become much more commercial and a big business, and Fatsis was faced with public relations problems, insurance problems, and others. Eventually, the Denver Broncos permitted him to spend 3 months with the team in training camp as a place kicker. He endured twice a day practices, rookie hazing, and risked injury. Much of the book focused on the Bronco’s coach, Mike Shanahan, quarkterback Jake Plummer, Jason Elam, and punter Todd Sauerbrun, who was suspended during preseason for taking performance enhancing drugs.

Why bother? It’s an insider’s view of a pro training camp from someone who is not a player or coach. Fatsis is humorously self-mocking, but respects the players and does not try to pry into their lives. A good book to start off the football season.