You guys must be bigger fans than I am of Sampras. I do want to hear about his big matches, but at this stage of 2008, I could care less how he played Edberg, Becker, Courier, et. al. It's ancient history. These books, I feel, are better when the player offers info about his interactions with these players. For while I don't really care about the nuances of Becker's game at this point, I'd like to see some input into what kind of relationships these players had.

We told a great story in "Break Point" where Vince said Sampras had this pretty coarse side of him. He remembers Sampras telling a joke at the 1995 Davis Cup about when does a married man start having sex again. I won't say the punch line here, but it was pretty funny. Unfortunately, Vince pulled it in the final stages of the book, but these kind of stories--what these players were like behind-the-scenes--to me is the far more interesting side of a player's book when he writes it many years after his playing career is over.

You're right that a sports book is much better when the player is still active. An active player has to deal with the players that he wrote about which makes for an interesting event when they compete. The best book I ever read about politics was Mayor by Ed Koch and it was a special book because he wrote it while he was mayor. All the people he wrote about were still alive and kicking. If he had written the book after he left poliics no one would know who most of the people were.

 

No offense Dan, but maybe Sampras told Bodo millions of great stories about interacting with other players and they withheld them for the same you reason you and Spadea withheld some of his great tales of the tour  Lawyers and publishers get in the way sometimes

Exactly HL - you never know what was in the original draft and had to be taken out. Also, I thought Dan did a great job with Break Point so I am not knocking it just that a book by Vince - or any player of his stature - has to include more anecdotes about other players simply because his career achievements are not on the level of a Sampras. So Vince can't write about his rivalries with Agassi, Becker, Edberg, etc. because he didn't have that kind of career.

It's like if Superman wrote an autobiography he is obviously the central figure in the book and is obligated to write about his biggest battles as Superman, but if Jimmy Olsen comes out with "The Jimmy Olsen Story" obviously it's got to be filled with anecdotes about Superman, Lois Lane, Lex Luther, etc. because on his own Jimmy Olsen's career is not nearly as accomplished. That's not to say there isn't interest or that it can't be engaging reading from an ancillary character's perspective (see Tom Stoppard's  "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead" - one of my all-time favorite quotes "Eternity's a terrible thought. I mean, where's it all going to end?" - where he kind of flips the script on Hamlet it telling the story from the perspective of two bit players in Shakespeare's play) but still if you buy a book by Pete Sampras or John McEnroe or Andre Agassi isn't there an implied understanding that they're gonna give you their view on their career peaks and valleys and their top rivals? I mean even if Sampras did fill it with more locker room anecdotes (and from what I've always been told he was never a guy who hung around in the locker room all that much so he probably doesn't have too much of that stuff anyway), a publisher's likely going to hand it right back and say "We want stories about winning Wimbledon, about playing Agassi at the Open, about trying to hold onto the #1 ranking, etc." It's like going to see the Stones in concert: there's an implied understanding they're gonna play at least 10 of their biggest hits as that's what the audience demands. 

As for the Vinko point about writing that type of book while still being active or in their primes, how many players have done that?  For a variety of reasons - time being one of them - it's tough to do. Also, I don't buy into the idea that it's dated because some of the matches are 10 years or older. I still think Handful of Summers is the best book on tennis I've read, it still holds up today and that's about written about tennis played in the 1960s, or in baseball "Boys Of Summer" is about a time 50+ years ago, etc.

Jim Bouton was still active when Ball Four was issued. Bowie Kuhn hauled him in to the commissioner's office and demanded a retraction. Bouton laughed all the way to the bank. Thanks to stuffed shirt Bowie, his book got a ton of publicity. Ball Four is still the best book about baseball ever written. It is almost forty years old and you can still read it so it proves both points-it's great when the player is active and it's still great when he has retired. Not too many authors  can say that.  

There's a world of difference in Jim Bouton's status in baseball and Pete Samprs' in tennis. Yes, that is one of the best baseball books ever written, but again he was not a top, top pitcher. It's not like a Koufax, Gibson, Seaver or Clemens writing a book at their peak. IMO, it's not as comparable because he wasn't an elite pitcher. It would have to be something like a Kobe or a Tom Brady writing a tell-all right now - star players at their peaks - Bouton was not a star but played with them so that's my point about tell all - you see it more when it's a lesser player dispensing on star players you don't see many star players doing tell alls at their peak.

Yes, RP, you're correct in saying a lesser-stature player can be more explicit in his comments than a star player, but it doesn't have to be so. Also, who do you think is going to sell more books, Bouton or Sampras? We're talking about a lesser sport here in tennis compared to baseball. Ball Four sold something like 5 million copies, it was one of the biggest if not the biggest-selling sports book along with golf books and Dennis Rodman's first book.

Do you know the Blake book that was on the New York Times best-seller book sold like 35,000 copies. Sampras will be lucky if he sells 100,000 copies. Ball Four was a phenomenon and you could put Seaver, Clemens and Gibson book altogether in sales and they wouldn't rival Ball Four.

Redhead:

   That's right and Bouton's book was a landmark book. I'm not knocking it at all. Simply saying you rarely see a star athlete at his peak writing a tell-all. Yes, it doesn't have to be so, I'm saying that's the way it is (more often that not) and yes Ball Four sold a lot more in part because there is no comparison - in this country - between baseball and tennis popularity (look the Yankees alone draw 3 million + annually) and in part because that book shattered the mold in that Bouton took you inside the lockerroom, the bars, the hotels, etc. and revealed a world that had not been exposed previously in that way. Actually, if you go back and re-read it today (and I have not recently re-read it) I would guess it may seem somewhat tame in today's baseball culture of roids, infidelity, amphetamines, corked bats, etc. but absolutely it was ahead of its time. I would think if Sampras does any sort of sustained promotion his book should sell 100,000, but yes you are absolutely right tennis books traditionally do not sell very well.
 

Jim Bouton did catch a break when old stuffed shirt Bowie Kuhn called him in for the meeting. Bowie was like a PR man for the book, except he didn't realize it. Bouton also did a lot of promotion. He called his publisher and demanded that they get that book into stores while it was red hot. If Pete is doing any promotion for his book he is doing it very quietly. He should be booked on every talk show and be at book signings at each stop of the US Open Series and he should have been at Wimbledon. Borg was there and he is not even promoting a book although he probably made some good contacts for his clothing line. Pete also ought to have his own youtube channel and web site to promote the book. If you rely on your publisher to sell a tennis book, forget about it ever selling well. They're too busy promoting those romance novels you see people on the beach reading. They won't get off their butts for a tennis book.  

Books are forgotten very quickly so if Pete doesn't want his book in the remainder bin soon he better get busy.

Vinko, If Pete added all the stuff you want him to add, such as chapters on all his opponents (I'm not sure how many people would get all hot and excited reading about Pete played Thomas Muster) and added a DVD to the book, it would not be Pete's book. It would be one of those Bud Collins encyclopedias and it would cost $75.00. Remember, Pete is a tennis player, not a media guy like Bud Collins. Pete could not care less about some Don Budge match vs. Baron Von Gotfried in 1938. Athletes like Pete don't give a hoot about that stuff.

As for Ball Four, that is the gold standard of sports books. I just reread it for the first time in about 20 years. The beginning is fantastic. He starts of by writing "I am 30 years old and I have a dream that I am pitching in the world series..."  This beginning to the book is so brilliant and original that it just sucks you right into the rest of the book. But don't expect a similar book from Pete. Bouton was a marginal baseball player 35 years ago. Pete was a supernova in an individual sport. The closes thing to Ball Four that you can get in tennis is a DVd that Geoff Grant  made a few years ago. It is really fantastic.    

The Yankees banned Jim Bouton from the old timer games for decades but when they learned that his daughter had died from being hit by a drunk driver they ended the feud and had Michael Kay introduce him to the crowd at an old timer's day at Yankee Stadium. It was right up there with Lou Gehrig saying I'm the luckiest man on the face of the earth and Babe Ruth saying that he felt as bad as his voice sounded at his final farewell to Yankee fans. Ball Four is the best book ever on baseball. Bouton really was a pretty good pitcher until he burned out his arm. He had a 21 win season and an 18 win season before his arm went dead.

If Pete Sampras would give him a call I bet he would show him how to promote a book. Pete needs to get moving quickly if he wants to sell his book because if he waits any longer it will be in the used book bin quickly.  My plan for Pete is to get on any talk show he can book. Even if it is a ten watt station in Fresno, those shows sell books. He needs to have a booth at each stop on the US Open series. John Daley does it in golf. He needs a youtube and web site and he has to update them every day. Pete may be new to publishing but he should know by know that your publisher doesn't lift a finger for anyone not named Stephen King, John Grisham, or Tom Clancy.

vinko,

It's not true to say that the publisher doesn't lift a finger to sell a book. In all three books I've written, the publisher has set up signings and gotten tv and radio interviews. If you really want to sell a lot of books, the author or sports celebrity has to step up and make it to those signings. Not many athletes are good at promoting books, but the one's that are (remember Dennis Rodman dressing up in a wedding gown for a signing in Chicago?) really maximize their book signings.

Vince was supposed to do signings at the Ace Collectibles booth in Cincy this coming week, but he had to pull out of the event with an oblique muscle pull. We are doing a signing at the US Open on Aug. 25th at 7 pm at the Barnes and Noble in Fresh Meadows, Queens, right near the Open. We're also doing a Beat Vince Spadea day at a club in Westchester, New York. Any player can serve a game against Vince, starting with a 30-love lead, if they win the game, will give them or anyone they want a 10-minute tennis lesson. If they lose, they have to buy the book with Vince signing it for $25.

I haven't seen  much  of Pete promoting  the  book. Aside from  the ads at  TW there  doesn't  seem to be  much of  campaign. Maybe it's Pete and  not the publisher  but  they  really  need to start  something or  the book will disappear. When  Jose Canseco  had  his  books  out, despite  being out of  baseball and having a questionable reputation  he was everywhere. He was booked  on Letterman and all kinds  of shows. If  someone  who admits loading up  on steroids can  get booked,  you'd  think someone with an upright reputation who is scandal free like Pete could get booked too.

Vinko, You can't expect a ghost written autobiography by Pete Sampras to sell like Jose Canseco's book. First baseball is called "The national pasttime". I have never heard of anyone, including even Bud Collins, refer to tennis as the "national pasttime". Jose Canseco, for better or worse, is far better known to the general public than Pete Sampras. Heck more people have heard of Ivan Rodriguez than Ivan Lendl. I note parenthically that the baseball Rodriguez is known as "Pudge", something Ivan does not have to worry about. And Canseco, in his book, was making incredible allegations about guys like Roger Clemons. I am sorry to say that not as many people care about Petr Korda's alleged use of steroids 20 years ago than care about Roger Clemons more recent alleged use of steroids. And Canseco is telling revelations about his relationship with Madonna. Do you think that providing tidbits about life in Tampa with Delanah would grab the public imagination?

The only tennis player who could write a big selling autobiography is Andre Agassi. Andre was a true phenomenon, although I don't think Andre will want to write about his match with Benjamin Becker. That would keep the masses up all night!

And if Pete threw in all the add ons that you want him to give away with the book such as a CD ROM, the book would cost $100.00  .   

I have another  way for Pete to promote the book. During US Open week they  could put up a court at Bryant Park. They put up an ice rink  each winter so  there shouldn't  be an objection to a  temporary  tennis court.   He  could  invite  the public to  hit a few  a few  balls with him. He probably  could  get McEnroe  to show  up too.  The media would  cover it and  it  would  be worth a million bucks of  publicity. Pete  could arrange for a photographer or videographer to come and include a  video  of  each person  hitting with him with the books they  purchase.

Rachel Ray does cooking  shows and they draw loads  of people and  many of them buy her cookbooks. It's  the perfect  model  for Pete. Once the Open is  over tennis won't  be in  the  news for  months so he  better move  fast.