A Few Seconds of Panic
A Few Seconds of Panic is a nonfiction first-person narrative by Stefan Fatsis, published in 2008. The book chronicles Fatsis, a professional 43-year-old sportswriter working for The Wall Street Journal, and his attempt to play in the National Football League.[1] Along the way, he relates the personal stories and struggles that professional football players face in the league.[2] After some setbacks, Fatsis eventually finds some success as a backup placekicker for the Denver Broncos.[3][4][5] The book's title comes from Jason Elam's description of being a kicker as "hours and hours of boredom surrounded by a few seconds of panic."[6]
| Author | Stefan Fatsis |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Sportswriting |
| Published | 2008 |
A Few Seconds of Panic has been compared to George Plimpton's Paper Lion, a 1966 book wherein the author joins the Detroit Lions as a backup quarterback.[7][8][9]
Featured persons edit
Kickers edit
Other players edit
Coaches and staff edit
See also edit
- Gonzo journalism
- I Was a Toronto Blue Jay – a similar account of sportswriter Tom Verducci joining the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball for spring training in 2005.[10]
- Word Freak – Fatsis's previous book, a look into the world of competitive Scrabble
References edit
- ^ "Sportswriter Puts NFL Dream Into Action". NPR. 2008-07-15. Retrieved 2012-08-16.
- ^ Elejalde, Alexia. "Featured Articles From The Chicago Tribune". Archives.chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2012-08-16.
- ^ "Dove Valley Days: Aug. 8". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2012-08-16.
- ^ "Uprights Citizen – ESPN The Magazine". Sports.espn.go.com. 2011-04-04. Retrieved 2012-08-16.
- ^ "Chat with author Stefan Fatsis". SportsNation – ESPN. Espn.go.com. Retrieved 2012-08-16.
- ^ Contact Leitch: Comment (2007-09-10). "Inside Jason Elam's Incredible Kick". Deadspin.com. Retrieved 2012-08-16.
- ^ "Stefan Fatsis: Inside a Player's Mind | People & Politics". Washingtonian. 2008-07-01. Retrieved 2012-08-16.
- ^ "A few seconds of panic: a journalist's experience of high-performance sport". The Sports Factor – ABC Radio National (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). Abc.net.au. 2009-01-23. Retrieved 2012-08-16.
- ^ Watson, Tom (2008-07-03). "A Few Seconds of Panic: A 5-foot-8, 170-pound, 43-year-old Sportswriter Plays in the NFL". Bookreporter.com. Retrieved 2012-08-16.
- ^ Verducci, Tom (March 14, 2005). "I Was a Toronto Blue Jay". Sports Illustrated.