The listening time for sports commentator and writer John Feinstein鈥檚 first exclusive audio book 鈥淭he Friends I鈥檝e Made鈥� is listed at four hours and 47 minutes 鈥� and yet, it still feels like it ends too soon.
There has to be one more story with Hall of Fame college basketball coaches Mike Krzyzewski and Tom Izzo, or Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, or golf analyst David Feherty, or tennis commentator Mary Carillo. Feinstein calls them all unique personalities who have become among his closest friends, and his connection and intimacy with them comes through.
鈥淏ecause they all know me as well as they do, I believe they felt comfortable sharing stories with me that maybe they wouldn’t share with somebody else,鈥� Feinstein said. 鈥淓ach of these people is unique. Each has a story to tell that in its own way is unlike anybody else鈥檚 story.鈥�
Over four decades, Feinstein has taken us on journeys of discovery through written word with books on every major sport. Now in an audio format instead of reading, Feinstein鈥檚 interviews with his friends are really conversations and that make it is easy for the listeners to feel like they are joining them at a table.
The stories that come to life in 鈥淭he Friends I鈥檝e Made鈥� flow because of decades of trust between Feinstein and his colleagues. As Feinstein worked on writing books, meaningful relationships developed and each personality featured in 鈥淭he Friends I鈥檝e Made” was part of one of Feinstein鈥檚 previously-written books.
Krzyzewski and Izzo are on the pages of 鈥淎 Season on The Brink,鈥� on Indiana coach Bobby Knight, that served as a launchpad for Feinstein鈥檚 book writing career. Kerr was a player at the University of Arizona when Feinstein was writing 鈥淎 Season Inside.鈥� Carillo was in the tennis book 鈥淗ard Courts鈥� and Feherty was in contention at the 1994 British Open when Feinstein was working on the golf classic 鈥淎 Good Walk Spoiled.鈥�
With earphones on, or ear buds in, listening to an audio book can be a very personal experience, but 鈥淭he Friends I鈥檝e Made鈥� makes listeners want to share what they just heard. There are so many moments when it is hard not to look for someone to nudge and say, 鈥淒id you just hear what Feinstein said.鈥� At least audio books have a rewind function.
For example, as Feinstein shares, it really was John McEnroe (hardly the diplomat in his playing days) telling Mary Carillo to calm down when she was working for ESPN and upset at the network鈥檚 coverage of the 2010 U.S. Open and its failure to mention Serena Williams鈥� verbal assault of a line judge.
鈥淢ary found out the reason that no one was allowed to bring it up and they were not showing any video was because ESPN wanted Serena to work for them during the tournament,鈥� said Feinstein. 鈥淎nd when she heard that, she just said I can’t do this anymore. Mary is a born reporter.鈥�
Listening to 鈥淭he Friends I鈥檝e Made,鈥� it is hard to reconcile that David Feherty is really an introvert. Feherty has surpassed his success as a professional golfer with his work in the television booth. He is a born storyteller and his ability to hold court in locker rooms led to his television career.
鈥淗e does a stand-up routine in theaters called Feherty Off Tour,鈥� said Feinstein. 鈥淚鈥檝e sat with him before he’s gone on stage, and he will tell you that every single time he walks out there he’s terrified 鈥� and yet, when you watch him on stage, you see this genius comedian.鈥�
In 鈥淭he Friends I鈥檝e Made,鈥� Feinstein says he was looking for unique stories to tell, and he certainly found one with Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr. As a player, Kerr won five NBA championship rings 鈥� three with Michal Jordan, who he fought with his first day in practice, and the Chicago Bulls and two with the San Antonio Spurs.
It was an NBA career beyond Kerr鈥檚 wildest imagination, which continues now in charge of the Warriors, where he earned three more championship rings. Through his journey to NBA success, Kerr has carried emotional scars. While Kerr was a freshman at the University of Arizona, his father, then president of the American School of Beirut, was assassinated by members of a Shia Lebanese militia.
鈥淪teve is one of those people (that) when I get through talking to him, I feel a little smarter because I鈥檝e listened,鈥� Feinstein said. 鈥淗e’s very outspoken politically, and needless to say, he has strong feelings about gun control.”
Feinstein also believes a common thread among the people featured in 鈥淭he Friends I鈥檝e Made鈥� is that they are even greater on a personal level than on a professional level. As the men鈥檚 basketball coach at Michigan State, Tom Izzo has a resume brimming with success, including eight Final Four Appearances and one NCAA title.
In 25 seasons with the Spartans, Izzo鈥檚 program has produced 22 NBA draft picks, including guard Cassius Winston, who was selected by the Washington Wizards in the second round of this year鈥檚 draft. Winston was able to flash a bright smile as his NBA goal was achieved because Izzo helped him through the darkest period of his life 鈥� the suicide death of his brother Zachary.
鈥淭om had to start last season trying to figure out a way to not just help Cassius, but his parents and the rest of his family through this horrific tragedy,鈥� said Feinstein. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not one of those things where you can say that it’ll be better next time. It’s a loss that it’s never going to go away.”
As Feinstein notes, many Maryland fans would like 鈥渢o think of Krzyzewski as the devil鈥� because he is the head coach of Duke, but he knows firsthand nothing could further from the truth.
After the Blue Devils beat arch rival North Carolina in a close game in 2006, Krzyzewski still made a point to call Feinstein. An emotionally-drained Feinstein had watched some of that Duke win after a funeral earlier in the day for his father, Martin.
鈥淗e said, ‘I just wanted you to know that when I stepped into the last huddle with 30 seconds to go I looked up at the sky and I said Martin this one’s for you,’鈥� Feinstein said.
鈥淚 didn’t even know how he knew my dad’s name was Martin. He thought after a win like that to take the time to call me figuring I’d still be up not sleeping, to let me know that he was thinking about me. That’s the kind of friend Mike Krzyzewski is, not just to me, but to everyone.”
Feinstein is the author of 42 books, including 鈥淎 Season on The Brink,” and “A Good Walk Spoiled,” both No. 1 New York Times bestsellers.
鈥淭he Friends I鈥檝e Made鈥� is his first book in an audio-only format.
鈥淚 really enjoyed it, and it was because I was just having conversations with people I genuinely like and who I learn from,鈥� said Feinstein. 鈥淚 think there are things in the book that I didn’t know as well as I know these people. I had a list originally of 20 people, and I hope we’ll sell enough copies that I’ll get to go to six through 10 and do another one of these.鈥�
We can only hope 鈥淭he Friends I鈥檝e Made鈥� is the start of many more conversations by John Feinstein. In sports, few have friends like Feinstein, and even fewer can carry a conversation and tell a story like Feinstein.
