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Library | Call Number | Status |
|---|---|---|
Searching... R.H. Stafford Library (Woodbury) | 921 NANTZ | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
In the bestselling tradition of Big Russ and Me , America’s most visible sports commentator tells the stories of some of the most dramatic moments in American sports and pays tribute to the man who inspired him to pursue his broadcasting dream— his beloved father, who has fallen victim to the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease.
Vividly written in exciting, you-are-there replay, Always by My Side gives readers an insider’s look into an unprecedented sixty-three-day stretch from February to April of 2007 when Jim Nantz became the first broadcaster to call the Super Bowl, the Final Four, and the Masters. Because Nantz was unable to share the voyage with his dad, however, this remarkable journey through America’s premier sporting events took on a bittersweet tinge. Nonetheless, the devoted son felt his father’s presence every step of the way, and used this championship odyssey to celebrate the people, venues, and moments that tapped into all the goodness that his dad—and his dad’s generation— represent.
In recounting the highlights of more than two thrilling decades with CBS Sports, this broadcasting hall of famer recalls the legends of the industry—Dick Enberg, Curt Gowdy, Jim McKay, Chris Schenkel, Pat Summerall, Jack Whitaker, and others—who sparked his imagination and shaped his style.
Always by My Side traces Nantz’s career, from creating his own imaginary studio as a boy to his college days rooming with future PGA Tour golfers Fred Couples and Blaine McCallister to his successful network audition at age twenty-six. Along the way, readers are treated to an array of memories, including Nantz’s special relationship with the former president George H. W. Bush, as well as his friendships with such sports royalty as Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Peyton Manning, Tony Dungy, Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, Mike Krzyzewski, John Wooden, and many others. Poignant stories that explore the theme of fathers and sons who have bonded through a common love of sports complete this sparkling narrative.
Always by My Side promises to be the most cherished Father’s Day gift of the year.
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
In this sentimental look back, Nantz recounts his beloved father¿s descent into illness during his own rise to success in sports broadcasting. Nantz¿s early ambition was to announce sporting events, and he got his start by taking advantage of even the smallest opportunity; his first job was driving Houston Open announcers from the parking lot to the clubhouse. Meanwhile, his jolly, curious and encouraging father was fielding the first symptoms of Alzheimers; sadly, as Nance finds greater recognition within the industry, the man who inspired him becomes more distant. Nantz finds father figures in his friendships with George H.W. Bush and golfer/broadcaster Ken Venturi, and turns up charming stories of others he admires like Tony Dungy, Arnold Palmer and former college roommate Freddie Couples. Though it has a saccharine streak, Nantz¿s on-the-job memoir fulfills his old man¿s vision ("Good people with good stories... To him, that was what sports--and sportsmanship--were all about") with a gentle, anecdote-heavy tour. (May) Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.
Booklist Review
CBS sportscaster Nantz, who has broadcast every major sporting event from the Olympics to the Super Bowl to the Masters, is one of those rare people who defined his professional goals early in life and set about reaching them. While in college in Houston, he worked his way through a series of low-level jobs, all related to broadcasting, and then, with his businessman father serving as mentor, he negotiated his way upstream in an incredibly competitive field. The elder Nantz, who developed Alzheimer's just as Jim was entering the most satisfying stage of his career, has served as a constant benchmark for his son, who approaches his life seemingly armed with one question: What would Dad do? This professional memoir works best when Nantz reflects on memories of his father's irrepressible optimism. When Nantz the elder isn't a presence, the book devolves into a series of anecdotes interesting enough but hardly revelatory about the big events in sports over the last 20 years and the machinations of sports broadcasting. One of Nantz's best qualities as a broadcaster is his ability to fade into the background while emphasizing the action in front of him. That's his approach here, too, and if it works slightly less well in a memoir, it does offer a refreshing change from the typical all-about-me celebrity bio.--Lukowsky, Wes Copyright 2008 Booklist
Library Journal Review
He's been the voice of CBS sports since 1985, but Nantz wishes his dad could still hear him. With a seven-city tour. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
