In this bold, irreverent collection, Bay Area sportswriter Pete Elman has assembled 49 of his articles, originally published in the Ultimate Sports Guide’s Sports Today online magazine and for the Oakland Athletics Fan Coalition.

This incisive and often humorous book features some of the teams and individuals who have brought so much joy, controversy, passion and pain to the landscape of pro sports. With a nod to the outspoken scribes that have preceded him, Mr. Elman pulls no punches in describing the topical issues that have seized our imaginations along the way.

ORIGIN

In 2014 I met Christopher Weills, longtime publisher of the Ultimate Sports Guide, on the treadmill at the Berkeley YMCA, and he asked me if I was interested in writing articles for his publication as well as his weekly e-mail blast, Sports Today.  So I began composing regular screeds, which for a while were called Outlaw's Outtakes. (“Outlaw” is Christopher’s nickname for me.)  How could I say "No?"

In the eight years I have been writing pieces for Sports Today it has been a joy to work with Christopher and see my articles in print, and get so much positive feedback from the readers. I hope you enjoy these occasionally irreverent, sometimes rambling, always opinionated takes on the world of sports and its role in society.

REVIEWS

“Pete Elman’s writing probes the brain, clutches the heart, and grips the reader with its wide array of wisdom, tenderness, humor and haymakers. His new book of personal articles will require overtime reading, for it’s hard to put down…”
— Dave Newhouse, legendary Oakland Tribune sports journalist, author of 19 books

“A must read…an in-depth look into stories that come from all avenues of professional sports.”
— Andy Dolich, sports executive for 50 years in the NFL, NBA, MLB & NHL

FOREWORD CHAPTER EXCERPT

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