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Rating: 
Summary: 2003 Collection Might Be the Best Yet
Review: I've read most of the "Best American Sportswriting" annual collections since the series began back in 1991. The 2003 edition might just be the strongest yet. Guest editor Buzz Bissinger has put together a strong collection of stories that probe beyond the headlines to focus on the place of sports in our society. The book starts out with the awful tale of a former triathlete turned quadroplegic ("Lucky Jim") and rarely loses intesity from there. Other highlights include a profile of the man behind The Chicken ("Fowled Away"), the Washington comeback of Michael Jordan ("Gambling Man), a profile of demolition derby racers ("Appetite for Destruction"), a recount of the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre ("When the Terror Began"), and a sad biographical story ("Bobby Fisher's Pathetic Endgame). All told, there is not a clunker in the mix.Overall, this is a great collection for anyone who loves sports or who simply loves a good story.
Rating: 
Summary: If you want to grow to hate sports just read this book
Review: I've read most of the "Best American Sportswriting" annual collections since the series began back in 1991. The 2003 edition might just be the strongest yet. Guest editor Buzz Bissinger has put together a strong collection of stories that probe beyond the headlines to focus on the place of sports in our society. The book starts out with the awful tale of a former triathlete turned quadroplegic ("Lucky Jim") and rarely loses intesity from there. Other highlights include a profile of the man behind The Chicken ("Fowled Away"), the Washington comeback of Michael Jordan ("Gambling Man), a profile of demolition derby racers ("Appetite for Destruction"), a recount of the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre ("When the Terror Began"), and a sad biographical story ("Bobby Fisher's Pathetic Endgame). All told, there is not a clunker in the mix. Overall, this is a great collection for anyone who loves sports or who simply loves a good story.
Rating:
Summary: If you want to grow to hate sports just read this book
Review: This book presents an incredibly grim view of sports. Is there no good sports writing that actually deals with sport or do writers today only deal with the personalities and the pains of sports? If you want to kill any joy left of sports in your life then open up this book and let these writers open your eyes to everything negative they can find in sports. Even the "uplifting" stories present a world crashing down around people who have only 1 positive outlet in life, the sport they play.
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