Always By My Side

I just finished reading Always By My Side by Jim Nantz. I've always admired Nantz for his calm professional manner but never knew why until this book. He has the kind of integrity that my dad always believed in and it shows in his work.

He always enjoyed a great relationship with his dad and would often seek his advice and counseling. Of course being the great dad that he was his advice would always involve making Jim analyze the situation to be able to make his own decision.

The official book description is "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." It is much more than that as it tells you how he got there from childhood through college. His interaction with other people from Freddy Couples to George H.W. Bush show how his life was shaped. You'll read stories that will make you laugh out loud and stories that will make you tear up. You'll recognize all the legends of golf, basketball, and football that he was able to meet, interview, and befriend over the years.

Some would say everything has gone right for him and his rise to the top of his profession was easy but when you read his story you see the struggles of dealing with his father's Alzheimer's. Unfortunately his dad was unable to be with him for this trifecta of broadcasting history so his accomplishment was somewhat bittersweet. It is a grim reminder for some of us but should serve as notice to others how quickly time passes.

As for any negatives about the book, it jumps around a lot while telling the story. I recognize that in a biographical tale of more recent events historical facts will put things in proper context but some of the "flash backs" lacked this connection. In my opinion it would be easier to read if events were more chronological.

Even so this book is a great read that I would recommend to anyone even if they are not a big sports fan since it is really more about father/son relationships than sports.

I'm Just Saying - Lots of fun but keep the hanky handy.