Frank Deford's "Over Time" memoir

[Joe Lapointe]

I am planning to use Frank Deford's new memoir "Over Time" in both my sports journalism classes this semester, one at N.Y.U., the other at Rutgers. What is the overall opinion of the book?

 

[blacktitleist]

Enjoyed it immensely. I grew up reading Deford in SI, so it was a must read for me over the summer.

Despite a couple of errors in discovered (Dream Team beating Algeria (Angola) in the first game in Barcelona, Dwyane Wade's named being spelled incorrectly (Dwayne), I loved it.

Especially enjoyed the recollection of his days at "The National" and all the great stuff he discussed about Arthur Ashe.

 

[Versatile]

What do you expect your class to get out of the book, aside from what it used to be like to be the best sports writer in the world?

 

[mocheeks10]

Generally liked it, especially the stuff about Arthur Ashe.

And as noted earlier, there is that Angola/Algeria error.

 

[LanceyHoward]

I bought the book because of my awe over the features Deford wrote in SI in the 70's and 80's. But all that happened before your students were born and I am not sure if they can relate to Deford's body of work through this book.

The book was OK but Deford does not write about himself as well as he writes about others. I am not sure what lessons students would draw from the book. He does not discuss the craft of writing.

If I was going to assign something by Deford is there an anthology you could use of his best features from SI?

 

[Huggy]

The World's Tallest Midget is a great DeFord anthology.

 

[Pencil Dick]

The World's Tallest Midget is a great DeFord anthology.

I'll second this recommendation.

 

[Riptide]

The World's Tallest Midget is a great DeFord anthology.

I'll second this recommendation.

Thanks. I just got it for $4 at Amazon.

 

[T&C]

I expected more personal Deford so was disappointed by Over Time. In addition to The World's Tallest Midget, The Best of Frank Deford published in 2000 collects his work in the 1990s including NPR Morning Edition commentaries.

 

[SockPuppet]

While The National was a great experience for those involved. However, DeFord's Grand Plan was a disaster and it yanked some pretty good folks off of some staffs and they never got back. I always thought DeFord had no clue about how newspapers, sports and this country. He based The National on foreign countries' national sports papers. Also, these days when I see him on HBO he looks like an old gigilo.

 

[Versatile]

While The National was a great experience for those involved. However, DeFord's Grand Plan was a disaster and it yanked some pretty good folks off of some staffs and they never got back. I always thought DeFord had no clue about how newspapers, sports and this country. He based The National on foreign countries' national sports papers. Also, these days when I see him on HBO he looks like an old gigilo.

Was there a single reporter or editor who went to The National Sports Daily and ended up five years later in a worse place than they previously had been? It seems as though it launched many careers.

 

[BillyT]

I am planning to use Frank Deford's new memoir "Over Time" in both my sports journalism classes this semester, one at N.Y.U., the other at Rutgers. What is the overall opinion of the book?

What did you think when you read it?

What's your purpose in using this particular book over others?

Just curious.

I would use BASW.

 

[Joe Lapointe]

I found it to be a breezy read by one of the best in the business. I'm trying to show students the differences in sportswriting between now and the recent past. The Deford / Sports Illustrated model was the state of the art. They elevated the craft. In a previous class, I used Paul Gallico's "Farewell to Sport" from 1937 and some of the students found that a little too dusty. The course I'm teaching is not a history course but it should have some history in it so the students realize where we've come from before trying to figure out where we're going. But there will be at least five books.

 

[BillyT]

I found it to be a breezy read by one of the best in the business. I'm trying to show students the differences in sportswriting between now and the recent past. The Deford / Sports Illustrated model was the state of the art. They elevated the craft. In a previous class, I used Paul Gallico's "Farewell to Sport" from 1937 and some of the students found that a little too dusty. The course I'm teaching is not a history course but it should have some history in it so the students realize where we've come from before trying to figure out where we're going. But there will be at least five books.

OK, sounds good.

 

[Joe Lapointe]

Oh, one more thing: I WILL use BASW (Best American Sports Writing). That's one of the five books. I'm also assigning R.A. Dickey's autobiography as a foundation for a unit that will cover at least a week.

 

[LanceyHoward]

I found it to be a breezy read by one of the best in the business. I'm trying to show students the differences in sportswriting between now and the recent past. The Deford / Sports Illustrated model was the state of the art. They elevated the craft. In a previous class, I used Paul Gallico's "Farewell to Sport" from 1937 and some of the students found that a little too dusty. The course I'm teaching is not a history course but it should have some history in it so the students realize where we've come from before trying to figure out where we're going. But there will be at least five books.

OK, sounds good.

I thought about this some more while I was on the cross trainer on the gym. I agree the Deford autobiography is a breezy read. But I think that the Best Sportswriting of the Century could offer a nice view of the changes in styles over time. And if I remember correctly David Halberstam's forward offers a really good explanation of the changes that Deford's autobiography does not.

 

[Versatile]

Oh, one more thing: I WILL use BASW (Best American Sports Writing). That's one of the five books. I'm also assigning R.A. Dickey's autobiography as a foundation for a unit that will cover at least a week.

Do you really think students will read a book that's covered in one week of class? You better assign a test if you want them to even buy and skim it.

 

[Norrin Radd]

Lapointe's plans for his sports journalism class remind me of Indiana Jones' description of his father. To paraphrase:

"He's a professor of sports journalism. The one the students hope they DON'T get."

Using Deford's autobiography to illustrate the evolution of sports writing? OK, now you've made the students buy a book (one of five, apparently) consisting of what amount to anecdotes of days gone by, people gone by, chronicled by someone whose prime was decades ago in a medium that is falling by the wayside.

You want to illustrate the evolution? Start by having them read Death of a Racehorse. Captures the emotion of sports journalism and the fact that it won't all be watching athletes do amazing things. Also displays a style of writing that is very much of its time. Then move forward from there.

If you insist on tapping Deford, use the SI Vault online archive to find his best work, and distribute that to the students electronically. It's free, and the students will appreciate that not only did you help them avoid spending money on a book, but they'll also know you put forth some effort to do so.

I think that the Best Sportswriting of the Century could offer a nice view of the changes in styles over time. And if I remember correctly David Halberstam's forward offers a really good explanation of the changes that Deford's autobiography does not.

Bingo. Students will understand what makes great sports journalism through consuming these stories. Use the material itself to introduce the ideas you want students to think about. At this point in the evolution of sports journalism, their ideas are much more relevant than Deford's.

Do you really think students will read a book that's covered in one week of class? You better assign a test if you want them to even buy and skim it.

Absolutely. One of five books, and this one will cover "at least a week"? Of, what, 16 weeks? You're asking your students to purchase five books for a single class? Have you considered the fact they have other classes, which will also require a heavy time and money (the price of textbooks is not friendly) commitment?

If I'm them, I pull up Dickey's wikipedia entry and am done with it.

I found it to be a breezy read by one of the best in the business. I'm trying to show students the differences in sportswriting between now and the recent past. The Deford / Sports Illustrated model was the state of the art. They elevated the craft. In a previous class, I used Paul Gallico's "Farewell to Sport" from 1937 and some of the students found that a little too dusty. The course I'm teaching is not a history course but it should have some history in it so the students realize where we've come from before trying to figure out where we're going. But there will be at least five books.

First of all, the "recent past" of the evolution of sports journalism is pretty much the last three or four years. Just in the last decade, styles of writing have changed greatly. Again, if you want to showcase the heyday of SI, by all means. But it's better to do that using the actual articles from their great online archive, instead of asking students to consume the remembrances of someone they would (rightly) perceive as a relic as far as current sports journalism is concerned.

Be aware that students only care so much about "where we were." And they certainly don't care as much as old newspaper men. You spend too much time in the 1960s, you'll lose half the room while the other half go with it because they think there will be an exam. And all will wonder when you're going to teach them how to survive in the current reality.

 

[Versatile]

Cliff's Notes: Consider the tools your students actually want and need, and try to teach those within the context of the effort you can expect from them. Idealism only results in frustration when it comes to teaching.

 

[cyclingwriter]

I actually applaud Joe for trying to push students to think and read some more instead of just watching ESPN and doing "takes." And heck, maybe he teaches a high-level class so these kids want to read Deford, et al.

Now, get off my lawn.