Athlete Autobiographies We Would Absolutely Read
Tim Tebow has written a new book.
The quarterback who remains a free agent and who may never again take a meaningful snap during a National Football League game is not yet fading away from the public eye. Tebow has written Shaken: Discovering Your True Identity in the Midst of Life’s Storms, in which Tebow, per Michael Roberts of Westword.com, openly discusses, among other things, his struggles as an NFL QB.
Heading into June 2016, nobody has any real reason to believe Tebow will find himself on an NFL roster at any point in the near future. He hasn't received an opportunity from a club since the Philadelphia Eagles cut him before the start of the 2015 NFL season.
The news that Tebow is responsible for another book led us to ask the following question: Who are some athletes who could, in the right setting, produce fascinating autobiographies?
The rise and fall of Tiger Woods continues to be astonishing to behold. We still don't know for sure if Woods will play in a tournament this year, but even the biggest Tiger fans out there should not expect Woods to ever again be the greatest player in the world. Who better to write about the downfall of Woods' career, one that began on a fateful November night, than the man himself?
Conor McGregor is arguably the most interesting man in mixed martial arts. LeBron James could write multiple books about the past 15 years of his life. Freddy Adu and Ryan Leaf are two athletes who never reached superstar status for different reasons.
Any of these athletes could, in the right settings and with the proper publicity, write books that would fly off of shelves and be downloaded onto mobile devices.
Sports fans have one request regarding such autobiographies: The athletes must be open and honest. Nobody wants to read something resembling a press release. There's no point. Be truthful, be funny at times, and tell the stories fans want to read.
We'll repay you by opening our wallets to read your books.
Vince McMahon
1 of 10
"But Vince McMahon isn't even a real athlete," some cynics out there probably responded upon getting to this portion of the piece.
Please. Go back and watch the matches McMahon had during his in-ring World Wrestling Entertainment career. Relive the bumps McMahon took before you lash out at anybody who refers to McMahon as an athlete. Besides, have you seen McMahon lately? That guy is shredded and probably in better shape than you.
McMahon's abilities in the ring and/or how much he can bench are not, of course, why he is included in this list of must-read autobiographies. McMahon built an empire, one that grew far beyond the professional wrestling industry and one that will likely affect the sports world long after McMahon leaves this earth.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is essentially WWE but with real fights. Television specials that feature backstories and two fighters talking trash about each other to hype a fight, and competitors calling out other fighters following a big win. You don't really believe those running the UFC happened to fall into these ideas, right?
Did McMahon believe, back in the 1990s, that UFC would grow into what the company is today? Could McMahon have bought the UFC two decades ago and well before it was worth over $1 billion? McMahon's true thoughts and feelings on the maturation of MMA and the UFC should interest anybody who has followed combat sports since the 1990s.
How bad did things really get for McMahon and the WWE in the 1990s when World Championship Wrestling became so popular in 1996? What, if anything, would McMahon do differently if he could go back to the spring of 2001 when he bought WCW? Is McMahon really so competitive that he once challenged a WWE writer to an impromptu drag race and then nearly ran that person off of the road, as reported by CagesideSeats.com?
These are some of the topics McMahon could touch upon for a final memoir.
Michael Vick
2 of 10Some out there will never forgive Michael Vick. To those individuals, Vick will always be associated with a dog fighting venture and with alleged acts of cruelty against dogs. That's understandable. Vick did, after all, spend time in prison after pleading guilty and after he put pen to paper on a deal that could have made him over $100 million with the Atlanta Falcons.
Sports fans and other members of society often enjoy a good redemption story. Vick, as far as we know, has been a law-abiding citizen since leaving prison. He also flirted with being an NFL Most Valuable Player candidate while starting for the Philadelphia Eagles in the fall of 2010.
S.L. Price of Sports Illustrated wrote about Vick's comeback for a piece that was published in November 2010. Price asked the following in that article: "Can it be that only hard time, earned by vile acts, made Vick the player he is now? For Vick to touch greatness, did dogs have to die?"
Vick can answer those questions in an autobiography.
It is easy to forget Vick was a massive superstar before his life changed in 2007. He was an athlete featured in ads such as "The Michael Vick Experience." One has to imagine Vick realized he could lose everything because of certain off-field activities. Why, then, didn't Vick walk away well before he found himself behind bars?
To his credit, he worked hard to repair his reputation during the second portion of his NFL career. He became an activist who has spoken out against animal fighting and animal cruelty. Vick also wrote Finally Free, an autobiography that was heavily criticized by LZ Granderson of ESPN.com largely because of the book's title.
Vick began writing that book when he was still in prison and before he was in the twilight of his playing days. Vick turns 36 years old this summer, and he is currently without an NFL home. Vick's journeys from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows and then back to an NFL starting lineup should be told by an older and wiser version of the man who can, at some point in the future, look back and appreciate all that happened from his early days as a star college QB to the last snaps of his pro career.
Freddy Adu
3 of 10Freddy Adu was placed in a soda commercial alongside soccer legend Pele when Adu was 14 years old.
Think about that, and then think about what you were doing when you were 14 years old. Maybe you were trying to get better at Mario Kart. Perhaps you were going on first dates. Adu, meanwhile, was being compared to Pele and was seen as the future of a national team belonging to a country that still hasn't fully embraced soccer 12 years after Adu signed for Major League Soccer club D.C. United.
Looking back, what Adu went through as a young teenager was not only unfair. It was cruel.
Adu, of course, never became the next Pele. He has not matched achievements accomplished by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar, Gareth Bale or even Landon Donovan. After leaving the North American top flight, the former prodigy bounced around from club to club en route to becoming a journeyman. Adu eventually made his way to teams casual fans never knew existed before returning to the States and joining the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the North American Soccer League.
Adu will be 27 years old in the summer of 2016, and he should, theoretically, be entering his physical prime. The tale of Adu's career isn't finished, and thus he should not yet pen his autobiography. There will, however, come a time after he retires when Adu will be able to adequately reflect on all that went right and the many things that went wrong from his days as a teenage superstar to his becoming a "whatever happened to that guy" story.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Barry Bonds
4 of 10
Some athletes are seemingly destined for greatness. That was the case with Barry Bonds even from a young age. The son of accomplished hitter Bobby Bonds and the godson of all-time great Willie Mays, Barry Bonds showed in the early days of his career while with the Pittsburgh Pirates that he could, in his own right, be a special talent.
Nobody, however, could have envisioned back in the mid-1980s what type of legacy Barry Bonds would leave behind him.
Bonds is the Major League Baseball home run king per the numbers. Nobody, to date, has hit more career home runs, and Bonds also holds the record for the most home runs hit in a single season. There will always be some who refuse to acknowledge Bonds' achievements, however, because of his supposed ties with performance-enhancing drugs.
An autobiography could be the perfect forum for Bonds to tell his side of the story.
Regardless of what you think about allegations made about Bonds over the years, nobody can deny that he was a brilliant hitter during his career. Any young player currently on the roster of the Miami Marlins would do well to do whatever possible to learn from Bonds, who is serving as a hitting coach for the team.
As impressive as it is, Bonds' baseball mind is not what makes the former slugger's potentially writing an autobiography so intriguing.
Bonds, you may remember, was cleared of all wrongdoing regarding the BALCO scandal and obstruction of justice charges. That alone may be reason enough for Bonds to pass on writing an autobiography. Then again, maybe Bonds told the truth from the first day he was accused of using PEDs. In that case, an autobiography could serve as Bonds' final attempt to prove his innocence to the numerous baseball fans who view him as a cheater.
Either way, the public would eat up a book written by Bonds.
Conor McGregor
5 of 10
What the heck is Conor McGregor thinking?
You're not alone if that thought has entered your mind in 2016. McGregor began the year as the undisputed UFC featherweight champion, a title McGregor still holds as of May 25. Since the start of 2016, McGregor lost a welterweight fight to Nate Diaz that McGregor probably shouldn't have accepted in the first place, took to Twitter to retire from the UFC, ended that retirement via his official Facebook page and may or may not be working on putting together a superfight versus boxer Floyd Mayweather.
The year isn't even half over yet.
McGregor is rarely shy when a camera and microphone are put in front of him. There is, however, a difference between McGregor cutting a "promo" on a fight leading up to a UFC show and McGregor sitting down years after the fact and writing about this portion of his career.
It is difficult to predict what would be in a future McGregor autobiography because his story still has many twists and turns ahead. Will McGregor defend his UFC title at any point? Is he done at featherweight, and what made him make that decision if that is the case? Why would McGregor tease a fight with Mayweather when there are so many hurdles standing in the way of such an event, as detailed by Deadspin's Daniel Roberts?
There will eventually come a time when McGregor will no longer be one of the biggest names in MMA. When McGregor reaches that point and when he can no longer benefit from selling himself as a fighter is when he should write his autobiography and explain all that happened from his rise up the ranks in the UFC up through the spring of 2016 and his power struggle versus UFC boss Dana White.
Then again, Conor, there is no time like the present.
Jamie Vardy
6 of 10
Nobody should blame Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy for cashing in on his fame and writing an autobiography that will be released before the end of 2016. Vardy began the 2015-16 Premier League season as an unknown commodity among casual fans, but he will enter the summer of 2016 as one of the top goal scorers in the English top flight and a reason Leicester shocked the football world and won the league title.
Vardy's popularity may never be higher. It makes sense that he and his personal team would strike while the iron his hot.
The story of Vardy's career is, as things stand today, incredible. Sheffield United gave up on Vardy when he was a teenager. As a 20-year-old, Vardy played while wearing an electronic tag after he received a conviction for assault. Vardy and current Tottenham Hotspur forward Harry Kane both spent time on the Leicester bench before they proved themselves to their clubs.
Still, there could be more in a future Vardy autobiography.
Vardy, now 29 years old, will represent England at the 2016 European Championship. Per Neil Fissler of Express.co.uk, Vardy could be a summer target for multiple clubs, including Chelsea and Manchester United. Vardy could, however, choose to remain with Leicester as the Foxes prepare to defend their league title and also make their debut in the Champions League.
In many ways, Vardy's top-flight career is just getting started. That, more so than anything else, is why a Vardy autobiography seeing the light of day later this year feels rushed. It will hopefully be a great read, one that makes for an ideal Christmas present for the football fan in your life.
We just hope Vardy releases a sequel once he hangs up his boots for good.
Eli Manning
7 of 10
Eli Manning is more interesting than Peyton Manning.
There, I said it.
Peyton, Eli's older brother, retired in 2016 as, statistically speaking, the greatest regular-season QB in NFL history. Both brothers are two-time Super Bowl champions, but it is Peyton and not Eli who holds over a dozen major NFL records and who will be a consensus first-ballot inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Peyton continues to be featured in national TV commercials. Peyton may follow in the footsteps of John Elway and one day run an NFL franchise.
What about Eli?
Eli isn't a fantasy football marvel who toys with setting records during his physical prime. The two-time Super Bowl MVP who has two championship-winning drives on his resume is, instead, sometimes mocked because of his facial expressions. Eli is not perceived as the most popular player in the NFL. In the eyes of some, he will never be able to emerge from Peyton's shadow.
Being Peyton's brother alone offers enough material for an autobiography, not that having a last name is all that is interesting about Eli.
The saga that ended with Eli making the move from the San Diego Chargers to the New York Giants on the first night of the 2004 NFL draft. Learning from and then eventually replacing Kurt Warner. Being booed off the field at the Meadowlands just a few months before winning the first of two Super Bowl titles. His relationships with Plaxico Burress, Tom Coughlin, Tiki Barber, Brandon Jacobs, Odell Beckham and, of course, Peyton.
What football fan wouldn't want to read an Eli autobiography?
LeBron James
8 of 10
Imagine growing up as LeBron James.
Imagine first being featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a 17-year-old. Think what it would feel like to be known as "The Chosen One" before your 18th birthday. Consider the stress you would feel if you were expected to be the sports savior of your local city as an 18-year-old first playing in the National Basketball Association.
Now, imagine all of that being a cakewalk compared to what James went through in the summer of 2010.
James has already written an autobiography. Shooting Stars tells the story about James and his high school teammates, and it is a solid read for those who want to learn more about James' life before he became an international superstar and an all-time great NBA player.
That book deserves a follow-up, one that begins with James' rookie year as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
An updated James autobiography could be broken down into three different parts. James could start out by detailing his first stint with the Cavs, what it felt like to lose the NBA Finals for the first time, when he knew for sure that he was leaving Cleveland to join the Miami Heat, and his reactions to becoming a public enemy in the eyes of Cleveland sports fans.
The second part could be all about James' time with the Heat. The book would, in this scenario, then end with James' describing his triumphant return to Northeast Ohio.
Best of all about this autobiography? The events for the closing chapters haven't yet occurred. Does James end the supposed "Cleveland Curse" and bring a championship to the city? Is there any scenario where James once again leaves the Cavs and breaks the hearts of Cleveland fans? How does his career end?
The LeBron James Story: As Told by LeBron James.
We'd love to read it.
Tiger Woods
9 of 10
A Tiger Woods autobiography released seven years ago would have been somewhat boring. Much of Woods' career up through the summer of 2009 played out in the public eye. Woods was a prodigy as a young golfer, he was even better than advertised as a pro, and he was on his way to being recognized as maybe the greatest player ever.
Yawn.
That all changed in November 2009. It was then when Woods was involved in a single-vehicle accident, which began the downfall of Woods' personal reputation and pro legend. Before the end of that year, Woods admitted that he had been unfaithful in his marriage, and fans were left wondering if Woods would ever again be the player of old.
He wasn't.
Woods made a return to the sport, and he eventually won multiple tournaments. He has not, however, won a major since 2008. The events of the fall of 2009 are now part of Woods' past, but so are the physical tools that made Woods such a dominant figure.
Woods' body began betraying him even before his extramarital affairs became public. A bad shoulder, a ruptured ACL and three back operations are just a few of the health issues Woods has dealt with since 2006.
According to Irish Golf Desk's Brian Keogh (h/t Fox Sports' Nick Schwartz), former pro and current golf commentator David Feherty recently suggested that he believes Woods' back issues may keep Woods from ever returning.
An honest autobiography written by Woods would read like the script for a reality television show. He could include everything from historic sporting achievements to tales of how Woods spent portions of his wealth to his affairs.
Writing that book may prove to be the final act of Woods' amazing career.
Ryan Leaf
10 of 10An autobiography written by former NFL QB Ryan Leaf would be both interesting and sad.
Diehard football fans know the story of Leaf. Peyton Manning was the first pick of the 1998 NFL draft, and Leaf fell to the San Diego Chargers at No. 2. Peter King of Sports Illustrated wrote in April of that year that a six-man panel consulted by King all ranked Manning ahead of Leaf, but King also wrote that "both Manning and Leaf should develop into at least good NFL starters."
Whoops.
Leaf was a disaster on and off the field during his three seasons with the Chargers. He never found a long-term home with any other NFL franchise, and he retired in 2002. Leaf had numerous run-ins with the law following his NFL career, and he has also struggled with substance abuse.
Leaf wrote 596 Switch: The Improbable Journey from The Palouse to Pasadena, which was released in the fall of 2011. That book is not an in-depth autobiography, and thus it leaves readers hoping to learn more about Leaf's professional and personal struggles wanting more.
Why now? Why, after all of these years, would anybody want to read Leaf's autobiography?
Because it seems as if Leaf is (finally) in a good place, mentally and emotionally speaking, to write it.
Leaf, per Kevin Armstrong of New York Daily News, has worked hard to rebuild his life, and the former first-round pick now shares his story with others who struggle with addiction issues. He has not, however, completely forgotten about football. Leaf told sports personalities such as Dan Patrick earlier this year that he reached out to troubled former Cleveland Browns QB Johnny Manziel.
Fans may remember Leaf as a draft bust—and for good reason. The hope is that Leaf's story will have a happy ending. Perhaps an autobiography written by Leaf could change or even save somebody's life.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
