If you have spent any time watching or listening to sports media over the past decade, you are more than likely familiar with Colin Cowherd. The former ESPN radio voice, and current host of The Herd on FS1 and Fox Sports Radio, Cowherd has been a dominant voice in sports media for many years. In his first book, You Herd Me!: I’ll Say it if Nobody Else Will, Cowherd takes his voice to paper and conquers many of the common topics he speaks about on his show. If you spend any amount of time listening to his show, it is very easy to hear his voice throughout the book. It’s clear the voice is his.
The book has an unconventional set up and although there do seem to be chapters, they aren’t numbered and don’t follow a cadence. Instead, there are lengthier “rants” regarding different topics Cowherd is passionate about. Breaking each chapter is a full-page quote from the author about a sports topic unrelated to either the chapter before or after the break.
A few examples of his quote page breaks are:
- An NFL team without a good quarterback is like a stripper without a good body.
- ESPN is similar to a big hospital. Journalists are the heart surgeons and talk-show hosts are just the plastic surgeons.
- Two things make smart men stupid. Beautiful women and sports
- New Orleans is crazy. Every time I fly into Louisiana, there’s a layer of fog. I wonder if that’s God’s way of saying, “I don’t know what’s going on down there.”
- USC and Alabama don’t have a story like “Rudy.” They would never have anybody that slow on the roster.
- I have restraint, despite what people think, I didn’t drink or gamble for 16 years. That’s why I’ll never forget my 17th birthday.
While none of these statements are actual chapter topics, it’s a good example of the tone of the rest of the book. Even though the chapters aren’t numbered, they are named and here is a sampling of a few of the more interesting ones:
- Drunk and Stupid: No Way to Go Through a Football Game
- Michael vs. LeBron: Swish or Swoosh?
- Diamonds Aren’t Forever
- Reduction Junction, Love Your Function
- Swing and a Miss, and a Miss, and a Miss
The book is very entertaining and Cowherd doesn’t hold back punches. He says what he believes. You may agree with some things and not on others, but he is blunt and enthralling in his presentation of his feelings and thoughts. The book reads quickly mainly due to the entertainment value Cowherd has throughout. Even on topics you may have never considered, the author presents interesting cases for his thoughts and why something that may seem insignificant at the start has become a focus big enough for a dedicated chapter. If you’re a fan of the show, you will enjoy the book. The opposite is probably true as well.
The 292-page book was published in 2013 by Crown Archetype. The hardcover version retails for $26.00.
Baseball Reflections Rating: 5/5
