This week’s interview is with Jeff Pearlman, a columnist for ESPN.com’s Page 2 and author of the new book Boys Will Be Boys: The Glory Days and Party Nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty.
In his new book, Pearlman delves deep into the on-and-off-field issues that surrounded America’s team during the '90s. His coverage of the Cowboys through countless interviews with players and personnel intimately documents the achievements and controversy surrounding the team that won three Super Bowls in four years.
With an emphasis on Michael Irvin, the relationships between owner Jerry Jones and head coaches Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer, and a variety of eccentric and bizarre stories, Boys Will Be Boys is one of the most entertaining sports books I have ever read and one that will have you re-reading passages in disbelief of what you just read.
Pearlman is also the author of the New York Times Bestseller The Bad Guys Won! which documents the ’86 Mets, as well as Love Me, Hate Me, a book about Barry Bonds. To learn more about Jeff Pearlman you can visit his Web site, where you can find more information about his works, links to articles, and his blog.
Enjoy the interview!
--Max
MT: Hi Jeff, thanks for speaking with me today.
JP: Hey how’s it going? Thanks for having me.
MT: To start out could you give us a bit about your background, where you grew up, went to college, what you majored in, how you got into journalism?
JP: I was born in Mahopac, NY, which is about an hour north of the City. My first journalism experience was as the sports editor of my high school newspaper, The Beaverton. And as a track and cross country geek, I saw it as a way to get a little attention. I wrote stories like “Cheerleading is Stupid” because I knew the cheerleaders would yell at me, and that was as close as I could get.
Actually I have a true story from high school; it’s really embarrassing but I like telling it. There was a girl that I had a huge crush on who was the keyboardist for a rock band at my high school. So I told the editor that I should do a huge profile on her for the paper.
I remember being really nervous when I called her up. I think I was a Senior in high school at the time, and I’d never kissed a girl, never went on a date, you know, just a geek.
Anyways, I called her up and lied to her. I told her that my Dad gave me money for having a big story, her profile story, in the student newspaper, and that I needed her to go out with me for the story. And she uh, she totally shot me down.
MT: [laughs] No way, you’re kidding me!?! That is cold!
JP: The funny thing is that I did a story a couple years ago, it never ran anywhere, about tracking down girls I had crushes on to find out if I could have acted any differently so that I would have gotten better results.
I found the girl and invited her to go apple picking. We’re both married with kids, so both our families went apple picking together. And that day I asked her, “Did I have any shot at all?” And she goes, “Absolutely zero.”
MT: [laughs] Well at least she was honest...
JP: [laughs] Yeah right. Anyways, that was high school. From there, I went to the University of Delaware and I wrote for my college paper, as sports editor and then editor.
MT: And what did you major in while at UDel?
JP: I was a History major with a minor in Sociology. We had a really good college paper, and I was pretty much the standard controversial college-student columnist that would write stuff to piss off the fraternities and rip the administration, stuff like that. It was a great experience, and I had a couple of internships during my college summers.
After college, I was hired as a food and fashion writer for The Tennessean. That was my first job. I didn’t know anything about food or fashion, but I had interned there, and I guess they liked me and that was the only thing they had, so that was my first job.
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about 1 month ago
Solid article Max. Wow, Jeff Pearlman! Some great insight on how to become a serious sports writer, great read.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Dave. He gives some great advice, straight and to the point....Report, Report, Report!
about 1 month ago
Awesome interview. I really liked his advice of "Make the extra call, find unique ways to look at something. When you cover a game don’t just go to the pitcher who won, go to the back-up catcher and ask him about the pitcher’s background. Find different people to talk to." It is always interesting to get others opinions about a topic.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Jeff, it's true you normally wouldn't think to take that route for a story but his book provides a great example of how he does it.
about 1 month ago
That was great. I'm surprised George Foster was his favorite Met though, his Mets book seemed to be pretty down on him.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks David...really? Hmm it's on my to read list, did you enjoy it?
about 1 month ago
Great interview Max.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Marcus, glad you liked it!
about 1 month ago
Excellent job, Max. Very interesting stuff and great tips!
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Andrew, glad you were able to take away from the interview.
about 1 month ago
Great interview, Max. Also those banner ads for the interview series sure do look nice... ;)
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Ben. I couldn't agree more, I think the black and white really captures it...
about 1 month ago
Max, it was probably one of the best books I've read. I've read it twice the last two years. I hate the Cowboys and really would have no interest in reading about their glory days but the Bad Guys won was so well written I'm going to give it a shot.
from about 1 month ago
I would def recommend it, extremely entertaining, and it really shows another side of the team, from the players, to coaches, to JJ. I think you'll enjoy it.
about 1 month ago
Cool interview. I like his system of research.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Dan...yeah, very interesting method.
about 1 month ago
Jeff sure isn't afraid to tell it like it is. That's what I love about him and his writing.
Great to learn a little bit more about him, especially since when I e-mailed him it was just about the book. Which by the way was fantastic.
Good job Max
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Nino. Totally agree, very down to earth, honest individual.
about 1 month ago
Another great piece Max. The advice these guys give is much more valuable than what teachers can tell you in school. Keep it up bro.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Rafal. No doubt about it, some really great advice.......stay in school....
about 1 month ago
Great advice that he doesn't get into a ton of detail on about how he kept applying to Sports Illustrated. Find the publication you would love to write for, and stay on its radar throughout your development. From a guy who has been turned down by Sports Illustrated more times than I'd like to recount, I still know that hard work and persistence can get you where you want to be someday.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Aron, well said...persistence...
about 1 month ago
Max - it seems to me that there has got to be more to it than just "report, report, report"................really when you think about it what does that mean - sports is not the police beat...............
i liked what he said about fndng the background smaller player - i can see how that would add some color to the story - a nuance here a nuance ther..................but my bottom line is you have to press these writers to get down to it and really give up the goods - how do you get ahead and establish yourself as a writer with a unique point of view and offer somthing that keeps your audience comng back for more?
anyway obvously really appreciate the b/r intervew series - keep up the good work - cant wait to read next weeks article
from about 1 month ago
Thanks for the cc....i will attempt to dig deeper and get more specifics. Thanks for the support.
about 1 month ago
Max- Great interview and I look forward to more. Keeps the hope alive!
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Brad....keep after it! Don't give up!
about 1 month ago
Great read Max - very informative, even though this writer really doesn't write anything in the sport I follow.. it was very interesting.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks for the kind words Shyam, Jeff offers some great advice to sportswriters, glad you were able to take away from the interview.
about 1 month ago
Thanks for bringing this to us, Max. Good job!
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Bob, your welcome! Any suggestions, let me know...
about 1 month ago
That was a fantastic read.
I'm curious about portfolios/tear-sheets, though. Should the articles I've written on b/r get tossed into a portfolio when I'm applying for jobs?
from about 1 month ago
Sure, why not? Your portfolio should be a collaboration of your best work, and I think many of your B/R articles would qualify....don't you?
about 1 month ago
Wow, great job bro. Nice read.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Yama, glad you liked it...LZ Granderson is up for next week....
about 1 month ago
haha for some reason I liked that Hall and Oates question. I don't know what you were thinking but nice curveball. Nice interview.
from about 1 month ago
Haha thanks Amin....Pearlman's a big H & O fan...
about 1 month ago
Well for Max and Jeff, great job! My brother is a die-hard Cowboys fan so I think I'm sort of obligated, but now more enthused to get him Jeff's book for Christmas. I agree Michael Irvin is an interesting person and he always comes off as a great analyst or an excellent interview.
from about 1 month ago
Should make for a great gift...i think he'll like it
about 1 month ago
Good interview! Have to put these two books on my list.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Ed....both great reads!
about 1 month ago
Max..this was awesome! And you asked great stuff, really engaged him. POTD!
from about 1 month ago
Thanks for the kind words Lisa! Glad you liked it....LZ Granderson slated for next week, stay tuned...
from about 1 month ago
Can you send me a link to remind me? Thanks! :)
about 1 month ago
Great read, Max. Awesome interview, Jeff isn't afraid to tell it like it is. Interesting stuff and some great tips to follow. I have to agree with Lisa as well you asked some great stuff and really engaged him. I applaud his thoroughness in his research it is very important.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Jeff! It was a great interview and I agree that Jeff passed out some great advice. He's a talented writer.
about 1 month ago
Great interview, Max! I love getting the backgrounds of people who have been successful in their field. In college, they used to bring in between four and six active jazz artists per year and we'd play a concert with them. The best part, though, were the master classes, at least when the artist was willing to share their experience and give advice on how they got to where they are. You can tell Jeff is a humble guy, and that's great to see.
Looking forward to the next interview!
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Kris, couldn't agree more, I really like learning about how people got to where they are....absolutely, Jeff's very down to earth, a really cool guy....let me know if you have any suggestions...
about 1 month ago
Great interview! Good example for everyone about being passionate and thorough.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Andy!.....no doubt about it....
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