In the bestselling tradition of Big Russ and Me, Americaβs 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 dreamβ his beloved father, who has fallen victim to the ravages of Alzheimerβs disease.
Vividly written in exciting, you-are-there replay, Always by My Side gives readers an insiderβs 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 Americaβs premier sporting events took on a bittersweet tinge. Nonetheless, the devoted son felt his fatherβs 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 dadβand his dadβs generationβ represent.
In recounting the highlights of more than two thrilling decades with CBS Sports, this broadcasting hall of famer recalls the legends of the industryβDick Enberg, Curt Gowdy, Jim McKay, Chris Schenkel, Pat Summerall, Jack Whitaker, and othersβwho sparked his imagination and shaped his style.
Always by My Side traces Nantzβs 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 Nantzβs 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 Fatherβs Day gift of the year.
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