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Rating: 
Summary: A story of a wonderful man and the life he lived...
Review: Dick Schaap (may he rest in peace)had speant his life writing about teh stories of other people. Finally, he got to sit down and look back on those memories while sharing them with anyone who reads this. Many people have said this book is one giant ego. How can you not like this book if you are a sports fan. Schaap takes you through all of his wonderful memories and tells you all about the people he knew. For half a century he did this, don't rag on him for finally writing his own autobiography. He always put others before himself, and now he is finally sharing a life time of memories in one book. I for one thought this book was great and i can't understand how someone could put this title to shame.
Rating: 
Summary: Ego, ego, ego
Review: Dick Schaap has forgotten more about sports than I will ever know. He knows everybody from A to Z. Any sports junkie would enjoy this book. We can live out our sports interviews though the eyes of Dick Schaap. Get well Dick, I miss you the ESPN's the SportsReporters..
Rating: 
Summary: Six Degrees of Dick Schaap
Review: Dick Schaap knew everyone, and everyone knew Dick Schaap. For further proof, one need only scroll down to the bottom of [amazon.com's] page about "Flashing Before My Eyes", to the section which reads: "Customers who bought titles by Dick Schaap also bought titles by these authors". There, you'll find the names Don Zimmer and Mike Lupica (two other recent sports autobiographies)... as well as Mario Batali, and J.K. Rowling. Clearly this was a man with distinct crossover appeal.I regret that I cam to read "Flashing Before My Eyes" only after Mr. Schaap's untimely passing at the end of 2001, for it had been on my Wish List since its original publication date. "Flashing" is a witty, urbane read, a book you can polish off in a couple of hours and yet one whose anecdotes will remain with you for quite some time. Schaap's nature was to listen and observe, and after a half-century of journalism, he collected anecdotes about everyone from Bill Clinton to Bill Lee, Bob Knight to Bobby Kennedy, from Norman Mailer to Reggie Jackson. Along the way are some terrific insights into writing and the state of journalism today, but never once will you feel as if you've been bashed over the head with the author's personal opinions. It's easy for a longtime sports figure to turn his autobiography into a political manifesto (after reading Nolan Ryan's book, I was surprised to learn that he wasn't running for office), but like Don Zimmer's book, Schaap's is remarkably issue-free and hatchet-free, wry but never bitter. He was a terrific observer, who saw everything but kvetched about little. And yet, you still get into Schaap's head and understand what he was really thinking at all times. He walked that fine line remarkable well. If nothing else, read this book for the stories. The most revealing moments are the chapters on the Watts riots, Bobby Kennedy, and gay Olympic decathlete Tom Waddell. My favorite quote is from Reggie Jackson, as I once heard Schaap relate on ESPN Classic... "The magnitude of me". If Dick Schaap hadn't been so modest and self-deprecating, that line could well have been this book's title.
Rating:
Summary: An Icon in Sports Writing
Review: Dick Schaap was the Forrest Gump of sports. Always around fascinating personalities from the 50s to 2001, Dick Schaap had the reputation as quite the name dropper. And he acknowledges this participating in the joke early on. This book is an accumulation of anecdotes from his life. His early life and how he gravitates to sports journalism is quite interesting with many great stories of the writers he worked with like Jimmy Breslin and Thomas Wolfe. Then, he spends some time on well-known sports personalities. This was the weakest part of the book for me as he retells stories that further the reputation of already known figures. But the last third of the book turns into classic Dick Schaap with story after story written with his dry wit. I would strongly recommend this book if you have interest in sports or pop culture from the 60s on.
Rating:
Summary: An Icon in Sports Writing
Review: Dick Schaap was the Forrest Gump of sports. Always around fascinating personalities from the 50s to 2001, Dick Schaap had the reputation as quite the name dropper. And he acknowledges this participating in the joke early on. This book is an accumulation of anecdotes from his life. His early life and how he gravitates to sports journalism is quite interesting with many great stories of the writers he worked with like Jimmy Breslin and Thomas Wolfe. Then, he spends some time on well-known sports personalities. This was the weakest part of the book for me as he retells stories that further the reputation of already known figures. But the last third of the book turns into classic Dick Schaap with story after story written with his dry wit. I would strongly recommend this book if you have interest in sports or pop culture from the 60s on.
Rating:
Summary: Schaap is the ultimate storyteller
Review: I have to say that I thought this book was absolutley amazing. Not only was it funny and well written, but Dick Schapp has an uncanny way of giving you an unofficial history lesson while name-dropping the entire way. I think he has lived a unique and amazing life and the entire time I was reading I was inspired and dissapointed. I was inspired by Schapp's work ethic and attitude, and by the awesome people he was able to encounter, but I was also frustrated knowing that when I am a sportswriter in his position, I will not be able to work in the same sports world Schapp did. The Muhammad Ali's and the Jim Brown's and the Joe DiMaggio's of the world are gone now. It is a great read even if you aren't a sports fan. I recomend this to anyone who likes to laugh and enjoys excellent writting. My only regret is I will never get to meet the man himself. Though, I am sure he is mingling and name dropping in Heaven right now.
Rating:
Summary: Role-Model
Review: I have to say that I thought this book was absolutley amazing. Not only was it funny and well written, but Dick Schapp has an uncanny way of giving you an unofficial history lesson while name-dropping the entire way. I think he has lived a unique and amazing life and the entire time I was reading I was inspired and dissapointed. I was inspired by Schapp's work ethic and attitude, and by the awesome people he was able to encounter, but I was also frustrated knowing that when I am a sportswriter in his position, I will not be able to work in the same sports world Schapp did. The Muhammad Ali's and the Jim Brown's and the Joe DiMaggio's of the world are gone now. It is a great read even if you aren't a sports fan. I recomend this to anyone who likes to laugh and enjoys excellent writting. My only regret is I will never get to meet the man himself. Though, I am sure he is mingling and name dropping in Heaven right now.
Rating:
Summary: Schaap is the ultimate storyteller
Review: Reading this book literally changed my life. I changed my major in college to journalism when i read this account of Schaap's life and his work. This book is a must read for sports lovers, people who enjoy great stories and people who love great writing.
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