The amazing and blessed life of popular ESPN reporter and correspondent for College GameDay, Marty Smith, whose mission in this thoughtful and funny memoir is to return fans to the true soul of sports in this country.
You know Marty right? The guy during College GameDay hanging off the back of a pickup truck while zooming around the Clemson athletic facilities. The guy who visits Nick Saban's lake house and somehow gets Coach to jump in the lake. The guy who sits down with Dale Jr. at Daytona to talk through tears about his miraculous return to racing. The guy who interviews Tiger Woods, Tim Tebow, Peyton Manning and Jimmie Johnson — the guy who gets paid to live the fantasy of every sports fan in America.
Never Settle is the funny but oh, it's true story of how Marty got here, and a revealing look at his journey. Never Settle includes all the best stories and behind-the-scenes moments from Marty's wild life, covering topics including: college football, racing, fathers and sons, how sports can bring us together, and how it all goes back to growing up on a farm and playing high school ball in Pearisburg, Virginia.
ISBN-13: 9781538733011
Media Type: Paperback
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: 08-04-2020
Pages: 272
Product Dimensions: 5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.90(d)
Marty Smith is one of ESPN's most popular and recognized reporters and hosts who currently covers a variety of sports including college football, basketball, both the NFL and NBA, NASCAR and others. Smith's features and reporting are often seen on ESPN platforms including SportsCenter and ESPN.com. Smith, who joined ESPN in 2006, launched his own show Marty Smith's America in August 2017 on ESPN2. Smith also co-hosts the popular radio show Marty and McGee on ESPN Radio.
From 2007-2014, Smith was ESPN's lead NASCAR reporter for both SportsCenter and the former NASCAR Now program. Prior to joining ESPN, Smith was a senior writer for NASCAR.com. A Radford University graduate, Smith covered sports for daily newspapers in Roanoke and Lynchburg, Va., before joining NASCAR.com.
Table of Contents
Foreword Eric Church ix
Preface xiii
1 Jump! 1
2 Just Trust Me 6
3 We're Not Gonna Do That 19
Interlude: Exile 23
4 Olivia 25
5 Define Your Own Life 32
Poem: "Beach Girl" 42
6 Keep Your Money 44
7 Dirty 'Merica 56
8 Girl Power 61
Poem: "The Middle" 77
9 Forever Friday 79
10 Sam, You There? 95
Interlude: You'ns 106
11 Gifted 108
12 Father Time 114
Poem: "Out Like That" 123
13 Be Yourself 126
Interlude: Bust 135
14 Workin' Hard to Get My Fill 138
Interlude: Muriel Plays Piano 142
15 Chess Lessons 145
16 Hunter 153
Poem: "Old" 169
17 Be a Light 171
18 I love you, L 181
19 Always Dreaming 184
Poem: "Innocence" 188
20 Boston. Stronger. 190
21 Wally World 202
Interlude: Bomb Squad 208
22 Do as I Do 210
Poem: "Cut & Paste" 224
23 May We Ever Aspire 225
24 Never Settle 237
Acknowledgments 251
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