Bookshelf: How Does ESPN Come Off In "Those Guys Have All The Fun?"

BROADCASTING & CABLE's Ben Grossman writes ESPN "really doesn't come away looking that bad in the grand scheme of things" in JIM MILLER and TOM SHALES' book, "THOSE GUYS HAVE ALL THE FUN: INSIDE THE WORLD OF ESPN." While there was "plenty of rehashing of well-known stories of staffers behaving badly, as a whole the behavior is unremarkable when put in perspective." The most "tabloid-friendly of the stories were simple first-person retellings of previously reported events." There still were "some interesting take-aways," including a "reminder of the size of egos of people like JIM GRAY." Former ESPN Exec VP/Programming & Production MARK SHAPIRO "also comes across as in no need of a confidence boost," and CHRIS BERMAN "predictably has a couple of moments of incredibly inflated self-worth" (BROADCASTING & CABLE, 6/6 issue). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Tim Marchman wrote "relatively minor controversies get a lot of space, such as ESPN's occasional unwillingness to cover stories that reflect badly on corporate partners." Additionally, "relatively little attention is given to the conflicts inherent in a network being the largest promoter of sports, the most powerful partner of sports leagues and the largest journalistic shop covering them." Marchman added if there is "any surprise on offer" in the book, it is "just how deeply ESPN's success is rooted in its awfulness" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 6/4).

FROM THE PAGES OF THE TIMES: In N.Y., Richard Sandomir reviews the book, "THE CAPTAIN: THE JOURNEY OF DEREK JETER," and notes author IAN O'CONNOR "rarely elevates his material beyond a narrative about Jeter's greatness as a man and player." Sandomir: "A straightforward storyteller, he gods up his subject without irony, detachment or recognition of the hyperbole that comes with so much positive testimony. The literary bromance can be breathless." Sandomir adds O'Connor's "open loathing" of Yankees 3B ALEX RODRIGUEZ is "as difficult to accept as his adoration of Jeter" (N.Y. TIMES SUNDAY BOOK REVIEW, 6/5). Also in N.Y., Bill Scheft reviews both JEROME CHARYN's book "JOE DIMAGGIO: THE LONG VIGIL," and MARK KURLANSKY's book, "HANK GREENBERG: THE HERO WHO DIDN'T WANT TO BE ONE." Scheft writes Kurlansky's "scholarly slice of Hank Greenberg is always winning," while Charyn's "earnest attempt to restore Joe DiMaggio to his former untouchable perch falls in the final innings" (N.Y. TIMES SUNDAY BOOK REVIEW, 6/5).

ON THE SHELF: YAHOO SPORTS' Kevin Iole noted former boxer SUGAR RAY LEONARD wrote "THE BIG FIGHT: MY LIFE IN AND OUT OF THE RING" out of a "desire to lift a burden from his own back." Leonard: "I finally got to a point in my life where I wanted to be totally transparent with my family, my wife, my kids and let go of that burden of pain that I carried inside of my chest for so long" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 6/8)....Eagles QB MICHAEL VICK has written his autobiography, "MICHAEL VICK: FINALLY FREE," due out July 27. The book, co-written by former Charlotte Observer reporters CHARLES CHANDLER and BRETT HONEYCUTT and with a foreword by NBC NFL analyst TONY DUNGY, traces Vick's "life and faith from his youth in Virginia to Virginia Tech, the Atlanta Falcons, prison and then the Eagles" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 6/7)....In N.Y., Mike Vaccaro reviewed former NBAer CHRIS HERREN's book "BASKETBALL JUNKIE," co-authored by Providence Journal columnist BILL REYNOLDS. Vaccaro wrote though he is "not much for tell-alls or as-told-tos," the book is "as worthwhile a read as you will find this summer" (N.Y. POST, 6/5).