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re: The Best Years of His Life, SI Article by John Ed Bradley
Posted on 4/13/16 at 9:04 am to pjm318
Posted on 4/13/16 at 9:04 am to pjm318
The interesting part of the book was the behind the scenes of the Charlie Mac era of LSU football. I couldn't identify with the way he felt post LSU, but it was good that he came around and went to see coach Mac before he died.
0
Posted on 4/13/16 at 9:19 am to moon
Cholly Mac on his death bed still upset about that bogus facemask call in the USC game!
Posted on 4/13/16 at 9:27 am to bee Rye
quote:I think most folks expected the book to be about LSU football, and it's not. JEB is a fantastic writer. The book is full of raw emotion that readers seeking a football story don't want to hear.
to each is own. I thought it was 200 pages of whiny bitch
Posted on 4/13/16 at 9:32 am to The Eric
quote:
I read this book. He came across as very whiney and like it was some huge burden to be a former LSU tiger.
Good writer but it rubbed me the wrong way
Agree with this. He seemed to never get over his career ending, never even took a shot at the pros. Was kind of a downer, but an interesting perspective.
Definitely loved LSU but a glass half empty mindset regarding his time here instead of appreciating being a part of it and moving on.
Posted on 4/13/16 at 9:39 am to moon
Love the book, John Ed is a great writer. People in this thread are oversimplifying the message of the book greatly by saying it's just "sad" or "whining" ...
Posted on 4/13/16 at 9:41 am to moon
I read "It Never Rains in Tiger Stadium". I did not like it. He seemed depressed, saddened, and a little angry about his college experience and time at LSU.
Posted on 4/13/16 at 11:06 am to LMfan
quote:
Love the book, John Ed is a great writer. People in this thread are oversimplifying the message of the book greatly by saying it's just "sad" or "whining" ...
Well hey, you have to understand, the most challenging academic literature some of these guys have read are the articles in Maxim on how to pick up women.
Posted on 4/13/16 at 12:05 pm to timlan2057
(no message)
This post was edited on 4/13/16 at 12:06 pm
Posted on 4/13/16 at 1:13 pm to GarmischTiger
quote:
I think most folks expected the book to be about LSU football, and it's not. JEB is a fantastic writer. The book is full of raw emotion that readers seeking a football story don't want to hear.
I think this is right. I loved it, mostly because the way John Ed feels about his time at LSU is the same way I feel about my time at LSU. John Ed just took it harder. A lot harder.
Posted on 4/13/16 at 4:09 pm to Cold Cous Cous
quote:
It ends for everybody. It ends for the pro who makes $5 million a year and has his face on magazine covers and his name in the record books. It ends for the kid on the high school team who never comes off the bench except to congratulate his teammates as they file past him on their way to the Gatorade bucket.
I can speak from experience that having practiced, and trained, and played for 20 years , and then no longer having that routine, or the instant friendships that come from teammates, definitely is depressing. While my college athletics career was on the baseball field and not football, it is the same feeling. I was depressed for a while; I rarely talk to my old teammates. I found an outlet for that depression by coaching, then umpiring, and now by watching my kids play. I can see them enjoying themselves as I used to and I find peace in that; but a part of me will always long to be back on the field, for one last inning. However, as my quote above says... it ends for everybody.
Is he whiny? No. Is he truthful? Absolutely. I enjoyed the book. I've read it multiple times. I don't think Bradley resents his time at LSU. In fact as the thread suggest, they were the "best years of his life."
Posted on 4/13/16 at 4:17 pm to jimlsu1
quote:
I may be wrong but I believe that was the first EVER night game on ESPN.
Was at that game also but it was not televised by ESPN or anyone else as for as I know. ESPN did not begin play-back(they had no rights to live college football broadcasts until 1984 or so.)until '80 or '81.
Posted on 4/14/16 at 2:01 pm to RANDY44
I just realized that my Dad was Robert DeLee's (TE, #43) coach in High School.
I'll have to get the book. I've been meaning to pick it up.
I'll have to get the book. I've been meaning to pick it up.
Posted on 4/14/16 at 3:46 pm to moon
I really liked his book. There were times his depression was tough to read, but it was such an interesting read. College isn't forever and one day you leave and move on. That reality has to be especially hard for a football player. A certain innocence is lost when you leave college that no matter how hard you try you can never get it back. Good read.
I always get goosebumps when I read his quotes about being on the bus before USC or staring into the sky and realizing in Baton Rouge it was Saturday night.
I always get goosebumps when I read his quotes about being on the bus before USC or staring into the sky and realizing in Baton Rouge it was Saturday night.
Posted on 4/14/16 at 5:02 pm to LSUrme
Had he bragged about his successes after the football field and ignored the truth, it would have been a lesser book.
Posted on 4/14/16 at 5:17 pm to madddoggydawg
quote:
Had he bragged about his successes after the football field and ignored the truth, it would have been a lesser book.
Yeah, he was WAPO editor Ben Bradlee's favorite staff writer when he worked for the Post.
Posted on 4/15/16 at 9:15 am to Jim Rockford
The USC game was televised by a local LA station but they were in a closed in press box so it does not capture the real noise
LINK
It felt like we were going to win that game and should have but the 3-0 Bama loss was totally different. It was a lot like the national championship 21-0 loss except cold and rainy. We never came close to scoring.
LINK
It felt like we were going to win that game and should have but the 3-0 Bama loss was totally different. It was a lot like the national championship 21-0 loss except cold and rainy. We never came close to scoring.
This post was edited on 4/15/16 at 9:17 am
Posted on 4/15/16 at 11:07 am to SaturdayTraditions
quote:
I can speak from experience that having practiced, and trained, and played for 20 years , and then no longer having that routine, or the instant friendships that come from teammates, definitely is depressing. While my college athletics career was on the baseball field and not football, it is the same feeling. I was depressed for a while; I rarely talk to my old teammates. I found an outlet for that depression by coaching, then umpiring, and now by watching my kids play. I can see them enjoying themselves as I used to and I find peace in that; but a part of me will always long to be back on the field, for one last inning. However, as my quote above says... it ends for everybody.
My favorite sports memory was seeing YA Tittle introduced at an ole miss game in Tiger Stadium. Everyone left the field except YA. He turned and watched the teams line up on the opposite end of the field. You could tell YA was screaming inside: I'm ready, wait for me!
This post was edited on 4/15/16 at 11:11 am
Posted on 4/15/16 at 11:09 am to moon
I remember his book being interesting. Wasn't the best book I've ever read but it was a long time ago that I read it. I'll have to read it again.
Posted on 4/15/16 at 12:07 pm to TigerFanInSouthland
Like others in this thread, I found it a bit whiney.
I do understand what it's like to have to walk away from something, but this guy was born on first base and being a LSU football player moved him to second...
I do understand what it's like to have to walk away from something, but this guy was born on first base and being a LSU football player moved him to second...
Posted on 4/15/16 at 5:46 pm to vl100butch
quote:
born on first base
What does that mean?
John Ed Bradley was the son of a public high school coach/teacher.
It's not like he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth like many of the frat rats I met in college.
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