Jim Tunney, motivational speaker, leadership skills and more

Sports

101 Stories of Insight, Inspiration

and Laughter from the World of Sports

Jack Canfield

Mark Victor Hansen,

Mark & Chrissy Donnelly

Jim Tunney

“Sports is life with the volume turned up.” That opening quote sets the scene for Chicken Soup for the Sports Fan's Soul. Sports is a universal language which, like music and a smile, has the power to transform us, amplify our emotions and connect us to the universal need to strive, to go for that winning moment.

Through stories that are true and true-to-life, Chicken Soup for the Sports Fan’s Soul presents a wonderful panorama. These powerful and personal stories are written athletes (Steve Young, Bill Bradley, Dan Fouts, Rafer Johnson, Monica Seles and others); coaches (Pat Riley, Tom Flores, John Wooden and others); sportscasters and writers (Jim Nantz, Lesley Visser, Roy Firestone, Rick Reilly and others); and everyday athletes from backyards, local parks and school gyms. Collectively, the stories present a view of life that could come only from the heart of sports and deliver a lasting insight into the biggest game of all — the game of life.

An example

The stories in Chicken Soup for the Sports Fan’s Soul show that often one small moment holds an important lesson that applies to the rest of life, as in Joe Theismann’s story about Joe Montana, “The Good Side of Fear:”

I had the chance to sit down at the Silverdome in New Orleans with Joe Montana before he went onto the field with the San Francisco 49ers against Denver in Super Bowl XXIV (1989). We didn’t know it then, but this would be Joe’s last Super Bowl, his fourth championship and yet another high point in one of the most remarkable careers not just in pro football, but in all of sports.

Joe seemed restless. He had already won everything there is in this game – the respect of teammates and opponents, coaches and owners, and especially the fans – plus all the awards: multiple League Most Valuable Player awards (MVPs), Super Bowls and Super Bowl MVPs.

I said, “Joe, you can’t possibly be scared.”

What he said to me is, I believe, the key to his success and the reason I consider him the greatest quarterback of all time. He said, “If you’re not afraid of losing, then losing means nothing.”

Every time Joe Montana stepped on the field, he was scared. That element of fear kept him sharp through his entire career. If we want to be at our best, we need that same element of fear burning inside of us. It sharpens the focus, keeps the edge.

Sports builds character, confidence and self-reliance, teaching us to be humble in victory and gracious in defeat, and inspiring the will to overcome great odds. Chicken Soup for the Sports Fan’s Soul conveys this and more by getting up-close and personal to the commitment, resilience and sheer elation that are integral to sports. Its message is to live full out in the biggest arena of all – Life.

Available at local bookstores, or click here to order online.

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