Michael Arkush – författare

A refreshing and thought-provoking look at athletes whose legacies have been reduced to one defining moment of defeat—those on the flip side of an epic triumph—and what their experiences can teach us about competition, life, and the human spirit.Every sports fan recalls with amazing accuracy a pivotal winning moment involving a favorite team or player—Henry Aaron hitting his 715th home run to pass Babe Ruth; Christian Laettner''s famous buzzer beating shot in the NCAA tournament for Duke. Yet lost are the stories on the other side of these history-making moments, the athletes who experienced not transcendent glory but crushing disappointment: the cornerback who missed the tackle on the big touchdown; the relief pitcher who lost the series; the world-record holding Olympian who fell on the ice.In Losing Isn''t Everything, famed sportscaster Curt Menefee, joined by bestselling writer Michael Arkush, examines a range of signature "disappointments" from the wide world of sports, interviewing the subject at the heart of each loss and uncovering what it means—months, years, or decades later—to be associated with failure. While history is written by the victorious, Menefee argues that these moments when an athlete has fallen short are equally valuable to sports history, offering deep insights into the individuals who suffered them and about humanity itself.Telling the losing stories behind such famous moments as the Patriots'' Rodney Harrison guarding the Giants'' David Tyree during the "Helmet Catch" in Super Bowl XLII, Mary Decker''s fall in the 1984 Olympic 1500m, and Craig Ehlo who gave up "The Shot" to Michael Jordan in the 1989 NBA playoffs, Menefee examines the legacy of the hardest loses, revealing the unique path that athletes have to walk after they lose on their sport''s biggest stage. Shedding new light some of the most accepted scapegoat stories in the sports cannon, he also revisits both the Baltimore Colts'' loss to the Jets in Super Bowl III, as well as the Red Sox loss in the 1986 World Series, showing why, despite years of humiliation, it might not be all Bill Buckner''s fault.Illustrated with sixteen pages of color photos, this considered and compassionate study offers invaluable lessons about pain, resilience, disappointment, remorse, and acceptance that can help us look at our lives and ourselves in a profound new way.

Advance Praise"The Fight of the Century brings back memories of a different and troubled time both in sports and in our country. It is vividly reported and a perfect example of the old saying that the genius is in the details."--John Feinstein"The Fight of the Century just floats like a butterfly and sings like a canary. Arkush recaptures the period of the late ''60s when America was in a quandary about Vietnam, Ali''s refusal to be drafted, about Smokin'' Joe Frazier''s claim on the heavyweight title, and the amazing build-up to this great fight. I saw the fight and remember the intensity in Madison Square Garden; people were fainting in the aisles. The electricity of that fight buzzes through this book."--Phil Jackson"Ali-Frazier I was the greatest sports event I ever saw or ever expect to see. With his landscape portrait of the men and their times, Michael Arkush takes us again to that historic moment in Madison Square Garden when two of boxing''s proudest warriors began their blood feud."--Dave Kindred, author of Sound and Fury: Two Powerful Lives, One Fateful Friendship"Arkush not only gives us the inside story on one of the century''s signature sporting events, he frames it politically and socially. I was there, and now I know much more about what happened. This is flesh and blood and history."--Robert Lipsyte"The Fight of the Century transcends the mere sports story. In Michael Arkush''s capable hands, this classic duel and its surrounding pressures and personalities show us where we have been as a society and where we are going. It is a story that truly stands for a place and time. It is a fully engrossing read."--Michael Connelly, #1 New York Times bestselling author"Never is a long time, but there''ll never be another cosmic boxing event like Ali-Frazier I. Michael Arkush brings alive that melodrama with all its political-social implications, wheeling and dealing, hyping and hitting."--Larry Merchant, author and boxing commentator"A richly detailed history of Ali and Frazier''s first big fight and the social and political forces at play. A great read."--Ron Shelton, director of Bull Durham and Tin Cup

So, who’s the best of 'em all? Tiger Woods? Jack Nicklaus? Bobby Jones? Ben Hogan? Golf fans will disagree until the end of time, but one thing is certain: For well over 100 years, the sport has provided its share of spectacular careers and indelible moments. And what about fan favorites such as Phil Mickelson, Nancy Lopez, and Lee Trevino? Where do they rank on the list? Or modern players like Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Jordan Spieth, Nelly Korda, and Justin Thomas. Did they make the final cut—and if so, where?In a joyride through golf history itself, New York Times bestselling author Michael Arkush establishes a ranking system that places a heavy emphasis on the game’s major championships and profiles the most accomplished and impactful golfers ever—men and women, known and unknown. Arkush captures the flair, as well as the flaws, of athletes who are intensely competitive, funny, peculiar, or larger-than-life. Crafted from hundreds of interviews and longtime relationships developed over a quarter century, The Golf 100 is an immensely entertaining read.

So, who’s the best of 'em all? Tiger Woods? Jack Nicklaus? Bobby Jones? Ben Hogan? Golf fans will disagree until the end of time, but one thing is certain: For well over 100 years, the sport has provided its share of spectacular careers and indelible moments. And what about fan favorites such as Phil Mickelson, Nancy Lopez, and Lee Trevino? Where do they rank on the list? Or modern players like Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Jordan Spieth, Nelly Korda, and Justin Thomas. Did they make the final cut—and if so, where?In a joyride through golf history itself, New York Times bestselling author Michael Arkush establishes a ranking system that places a heavy emphasis on the game’s major championships and profiles the most accomplished and impactful golfers ever—men and women, known and unknown. Arkush captures the flair, as well as the flaws, of athletes who are intensely competitive, funny, peculiar, or larger-than-life. Crafted from hundreds of interviews and longtime relationships developed over a quarter century, The Golf 100 is an immensely entertaining read.

A collection of memories of people who knew Payne Stewart best, I Remember Payne Stewart captures the legacy of a faithful man, loving husband and father, and great golf champion whose life was cut short by a tragic airplane accident. Testimonials come from fellow PGA Tour pros, relatives, college buddies, golf reporters, and others.

In Against the Grain , Bill Courtney shares his convictions on the fundamental tenets of character, commitment, service, leadership, civility, and others that, in his decades of success as an entrepreneur and educator, have proven to be the keys to a winning and meaningful life and career. Each chapter tells the story of one of these tenets through compelling anecdotes of the colourful characters in Bill's life, leading to a deeper understand of the meaning of each and how to employee these fundamentals in all aspects of one's life. Against the Grain intertwines inspiring and thought-provoking anecdotes, lessons, and amazing real life examples. Bill's passion for us all to reconsider our own approach to life and constantly improve upon it comes across on every page.