Live Chat to talk with Fatsis about his Training Camp Book

[theAPAOps5]

Stefan Fatsis sent me a link about a live Chat about his book. If you guys want to chat live at 3pm EDT here is the link:

http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=22363

Might want to ask him about how Foxy was viewed by his fellow CB's since Wolf is spreading crap about him.

Just wanted to give you a heads up.

[Rock Chalk]

Yeah, give the guy more publicity. Thats a good idea.

[theAPAOps5]

Just posting the link. Lots of people had questions.

[telluride]

Don't help that guy promote his book. He's proven to be biased -- little more than a Stephen Glass or Jason Blair of the sporting world.

[theAPAOps5]

Well if no one is interested the thread will die. He was kind enough to answer my emails to him so I posted the link.

[thumpc]

Thanks for the link.

[RaiderH8r]

Thanks for the link.

I don't get the hating on the book. If you think it is poorly written that's one thing but the biased thing, I just don't know where that's coming from. Unless you're saying he was enamored with Jake, Nate Jackson, Elam and some of the other Broncos.

And yeah, I read his deadspin piece. That was more schtick than anything in my mind. But, whatever, some people are too easily butthurt.

[LonghornBronco]

I'm only about half way through the book but it seems like he is getting sympathetic to the "Hardship" those millionairs are going through.

[RaiderH8r]

Originally Posted by LonghornBronco

I'm only about half way through the book but it seems like he is getting sympathetic to the "Hardship" those millionairs are going through.

And that's fine. I think it's easy to forget they're millionaires when you're bunked with a bunch of them in a Holiday Inn. More than that, especially when you begin to realize what 2 a days really means in terms of wear, tear, and pain. Those of us who played football tend not to have as much sympathy.

[sfatsis]

Originally Posted by telluride

Don't help that guy promote his book. He's proven to be biased -- little more than a Stephen Glass or Jason Blair of the sporting world.

I really don't mind when people disagree with something I've written. But you've just used my name alongside two of the most discredited journalists of our time.

So please share with me and the other readers of this forum any examples of fictions or falsehoods in my book about my summer with the Broncos or in anything else I've written in my 20-plus year career.

Thanks.

Stefan

[colonelbeef]

Nice. This should be interesting. Glad to see a writer not afraid to take on his critics.

I do have a question for you Mr. Fatsis- do you think perhaps in retrospect that you allowed your personal affinity/relationship with Jake Plummer to flavor your criticisms of Jay Cutler a bit more than was necessary regarding his leadership abilities? You seem to have taken a backhanded swipe at a player who is still essentially in the beginning of his career, usually those types of criticisms are leveled at QB's who have been in the league a few years at least.

[MileHighMagic]

Enjoyed the book, Stefan. Thx!

Are you still a fan of the Broncos? Do you follow the team even though there are a lot of new faces since your TC days?

[Dagmar]

Originally Posted by sfatsis

I really don't mind when people disagree with something I've written. But you've just used my name alongside two of the most discredited journalists of our time.

So please share with me and the other readers of this forum any examples of fictions or falsehoods in my book about my summer with the Broncos or in anything else I've written in my 20-plus year career.

Thanks.

Stefan

Excellent book sir this one and "Next Man Up" are my favorite sports books, fascinating stuff.

[MOCRUSH]

Stefan,

Just because Glass and Blair are among the more discredited members of the herd does not mean the rest of you get a free pass. Claiming the title of journalist makes you a suspect at best. Shoot us a link to an archive of your work and we'll do a little vetting if you like.

[RaiderH8r]

Originally Posted by MOCRUSH

Stefan,

Just because Glass and Blair are among the more discredited members of the herd does not mean the rest of you get a free pass. Claiming the title of journalist makes you a suspect at best. Shoot us a link to an archive of your work and we'll do a little vetting if you like.

I read his book and there was nothing there to suggest that any of it was fabricated or falsified and there's been no such accusation out of the Broncos organization.

There are some legitimate questions that arise from the book for the author but your assertions related to this particular book are baseless and without merit in my eyes.

[RaiderH8r]

Originally Posted by Rusty Shackleford

Excellent book sir this one and "Next Man Up" are my favorite sports books, fascinating stuff.

Next Man Up is next up on my list of books. I have it on the way as we speak and look forward to reading it.

[theAPAOps5]

Originally Posted by MOCRUSH

Stefan,

Just because Glass and Blair are among the more discredited members of the herd does not mean the rest of you get a free pass. Claiming the title of journalist makes you a suspect at best. Shoot us a link to an archive of your work and we'll do a little vetting if you like.

we'll do a little vetting. Don't be an ass. The team is aware of the contents of the book and there is nothing fabricated. Telluride is upset because of another article written not the book. While it was controversial it has nothing to do with the book.

Go to the library and check out the book if you are curious.

[Dagmar]

Right, is telluride "Brett from LA"?

[telluride]

Originally Posted by ApaOps5

we'll do a little vetting. Don't be an ass. The team is aware of the contents of the book and there is nothing fabricated. Telluride is upset because of another article written not the book.

Apa is correct. It was the Deadspin piece that pissed me off. Fatsis did a nifty little drive-by smearing of Cutler's dad, apparently in an attempt to make himself look clever and insightful.

I have a long takedown about this in my original post on the topic, but here's the short version. All writers betray their subjects. They tailor scenes and withhold information and shift emphasis and nuance in service of the narrative that they've decided to sell. Cutler and his father obviously did not fit the narrative that Fatsis wanted, and he decided to kneecap them. That's nonfiction of the Joe McGinnis school. Clever writers use context or the lack thereof to lie, and while such untruths are not as flashy as the lies of a Glass or a Blair, they are lies nonetheless.

But I don't want to get into an editorial roundelay on this topic, which would only bump this thread and give Fatsis his undeserved publicity.

[RaiderH8r]

Originally Posted by telluride

Apa is correct. It was the Deadspin piece that pissed me off. Fatsis did a nifty little drive-by smearing of Cutler's dad, apparently in an attempt to make himself look clever and insightful.

I have a long takedown about this in my original post on the topic, but here's the short version. All writers betray their subjects. They tailor scenes and withhold information and shift emphasis and nuance in service of the narrative that they've decided to sell. Cutler and his father obviously did not fit the narrative that Fatsis wanted, and he decided to kneecap them. That's nonfiction of the Joe McGinnis school. Clever writers use context or the lack thereof to lie, and while such untruths are not as flashy as the lies of a Glass or a Blair, they are lies nonetheless.

But I don't want to get into an editorial roundelay on this topic, which would only bump this thread and give Fatsis his undeserved publicity.

So why ever bother picking up a book or reading a newspaper?

[DomCasual]

Originally Posted by RaiderH8r

So why ever bother picking up a book or reading a newspaper?

I think this book should be pulled from all the libraries in Alaska.

I'm just saying.

[SouthStndJunkie]

I just finished up the book and thought it was a very good read.

Pretty unique perspective into the culture of an NFL team from the top to the bottom.

I was very surprised that he was granted that much access to an NFL team and doubly surprised it was the Broncos that gave it to him.

The chronicles of Todd Sauerbrun cracked me up....he sounds like quite the character.

[jayman_37]

Alright I understand that everyone is offended because he said that Jay Cutler isn't that nice of a guy or that his dad seems to have a big head, but come on he is a professional athlete and if you have spent a lot of time with big time athletes they all have a sense of arrogance to them because they have been told how great they are from a young age, it would happen to most people.

[SonOfLe-loLang]

Originally Posted by Rusty Shackleford

Right, is telluride "Brett from LA"?

haha no, I'm Brett from LA actually....

But i will say i thoroughly enjoyed Fatsis's book and don't get why people discredit his journalistic abilities. He just seems not to like Jay all that much!

[thumpc]

So, did we miss that chat?