Rating: 
Summary: not bad, but too much sexual harassment angle
Review: I think Freeman's book is a good history of how ESPN became the media giant that it is (I was born in 1982-- i cant imagine life without ESPN), but the book focused WAY too much on the sexual harassment angle, and it bogs down the story.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent
Review: I watch ESPN and I would have never thought that network to be as what the author Michael Freeman describes. Michael Freeman is a talent writer as well as journalist. His writing technique invites you to continue to read-on. The way he describes certain events with so much detail is breath-taking. Although I can't see behind the seens of ESPN, I would have never imagined that network to be discriminatory as he describes. Everything about this book is so life-like, it's so vivid. That's what captures your attention when reading it.Excellent writer, Excellent book. "5 Stars" - Superb! Sign, "A True Fan"
Rating: 
Summary: Very disappointing...
Review: I'd read mixed reviews when Freeman's history first came out, so I wasn't anticipating a great book. Unfortunately, ...ESPN: The Uncensored History... fell fall short of even my rather tempered expectations. A large part of the problem is that ...Uncensored... can't decide whether it is a corporate retrospective or a tell-all expose. Freeman spends the first third of the book on a rather dull detailing of how ESPN was founded, the close calls it encountered in finding financing and trying to stay afloat, and the power struggle that ensued among the founding fathers. Only the principals and their family would find this portion even mildly interesting. As the book progresses, it switches into expose-mode, teasing the reader with hints of scandals behind the scenes. However, even though the author spends page after page dwelling haughtily on the personal foibles of ESPN personnel, particularly focusing on a culture which seemingly encouraged sexual harassment, Freeman mostly avoids naming names, with one very notable exception. Freeman then goes back and forth, between a dry rendering of ESPN's corporate evolution from a backwater independent cable channel to the crown jewel of Disney's purchase of ABC, and a bowdlerized tale of malfeasance among the employees of ESPN. Occasionally, Freeman tries to focus on some of the anchors which the so many viewers have seen so often, but even then, the portraits seem two-dimensional. Other than Mike Tirico, who is portrayed as a Jekyll-and-Hyde family man/sexual predator, and Keith Olbermann, cast as the tortured genius, the sketches of the on-air personalities seem rather hollow. All in all, disappointing, and not worth the time.
Rating:
Summary: Very disappointing...
Review: I'd read mixed reviews when Freeman's history first came out, so I wasn't anticipating a great book. Unfortunately, ...ESPN: The Uncensored History... fell fall short of even my rather tempered expectations. A large part of the problem is that ...Uncensored... can't decide whether it is a corporate retrospective or a tell-all expose. Freeman spends the first third of the book on a rather dull detailing of how ESPN was founded, the close calls it encountered in finding financing and trying to stay afloat, and the power struggle that ensued among the founding fathers. Only the principals and their family would find this portion even mildly interesting. As the book progresses, it switches into expose-mode, teasing the reader with hints of scandals behind the scenes. However, even though the author spends page after page dwelling haughtily on the personal foibles of ESPN personnel, particularly focusing on a culture which seemingly encouraged sexual harassment, Freeman mostly avoids naming names, with one very notable exception. Freeman then goes back and forth, between a dry rendering of ESPN's corporate evolution from a backwater independent cable channel to the crown jewel of Disney's purchase of ABC, and a bowdlerized tale of malfeasance among the employees of ESPN. Occasionally, Freeman tries to focus on some of the anchors which the so many viewers have seen so often, but even then, the portraits seem two-dimensional. Other than Mike Tirico, who is portrayed as a Jekyll-and-Hyde family man/sexual predator, and Keith Olbermann, cast as the tortured genius, the sketches of the on-air personalities seem rather hollow. All in all, disappointing, and not worth the time.
Rating: 
Summary: If you're an ESPN junkie, you'll enjoy it.....
Review: If you have spent years watching nearly every Sportscenter as I have, then you will love learning about the history of the network and its personalities. But to be honest, I thought the early chapters moved slowly and there were ambiguous parts where it was hard to tell what was fact and what was the author's version of the events. I also agree with an earlier review that it is a bit presumptuous to state that certain reporters and anchors are "the best" talent, reporters, etc.... However, like I said, if you can't get enough of the network(s), the magazine, and the Web site, then this is a quick read and an enjoyable one.
Rating:
Summary: Not What I expected
Review: If you want a complete guide to ESPN's history, this book will satisfy for the most part, but it wasn't exactly what you would expect. If you are looking for a book that is more self serving for the likes of Keith Olbermann, than this is definitely that. It takes more of Olbermann's view than any other at the network, and almost seems like a public forum for the former Big Show Co-host. Not bad, but not 5 stars...
Rating:
Summary: Don't Judge A Book By It's Cover
Review: Just because it says "ESPN" on the cover does not mean it is worthy of the same adoration as SportsCenter! Very choppy, not written well, boring at times and confusing by jumping time frames. Worth 2 stars to find out few interesting facts about current staff.
Rating:
Summary: The Gods of Sports
Review: Mike Freeman, one of the New York Times top sports reporters, has written a gem of a book, ESPN: The Uncensored History. Through diligent reporting, Freeman traces the history of the most powerful cable network in the world from its humble beginnings to the 800-pound "mouse" it is today. Along the way he startles the reader with tales of drugs, gambling and sexual harrassment at ESPN, revelations that surely won't make the folks at Disney -- or in Bristol-- very happy. Buy this book; it's a great read.
Rating: 
Summary: missing element
Review: Sex, drugs, and rock n roll all part of the sleepy town of Bristol, CT? You bet! Tales of influential higherups preying on new entry-level women are both compelling and discouraging. The stories about the exploits of the light-eyed editor "Warren G" were extremely interesting. What a chick magnet! I was a bit disappointed that the characters of "Drew", "Camille", and "Eunice" were not fully developed. Production assistants RUN espn! But really, every female who ever worked at ESPN has a story to tell of inappropriateness. Read the book if you think ESPN is a dream job...you'll change your mind.
Rating:
Summary: A must-read for sports junkies, but...
Review: The first half of this book is interesting. It reveals the history of ESPN and is well written. The second half of the book is an amalgam of gossippy information about the internal organization that is ESPN. It may be interesting for some to read about personality tension, the plight of low level employees, and sexual harassment at ESPN. Yet, unfortunately, personality tensions, bad conditions for workers, abuse of power and sexual harassment are characteristic of many organizations. Abuse of power and sexual harassment needs to be discussed no matter where it prevails. However, I thought much of the second half of the book was a thatched collection of episodes that may have been "uncensored" but did not contribute to a unique history of ESPN. Therefore, I think the title of the book is misleading and thematically, after the first section, the book loses its ostensible focus.
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