by Rick Reilly
First published 2020
Rick Telander takes aim at the systematic corruption plaguing major college football programs across America. Originally published in 1989 as The Hundred Yard Lie, this updated edition reveals how the problems Telander identified over three decades ago have persisted and worsened. Multimillionaire coaches prioritize victories over student welfare. Wealthy boosters and athletic department officials show little concern for academic missions. Meanwhile, exploited players, many from impoverished backgrounds, frequently leave universities without degrees or marketable skills, carrying physical injuries and psychological scars that may last lifetimes. Telander examines recent developments like California's Fair Pay to Play Act, which allows college athletes to hire agents for business opportunities. Rick Reilly contributes a new foreword that contextualizes these enduring issues. Telander argues for professionalizing college football and presents concrete solutions to eliminate the systemic corruption that has defined the sport for generations.
Genres: business, politics, sports, non-fiction, academia, american-history
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: social-commentary
Period: 1989, 2020s
288 pages · Hardcover · Sports Publishing