Losing Isn’t Everything: The Untold Stories and Hidden Lessons Behind the Toughest Losses in Sports History

Winning is often considered all that matters in sports, but the aftermath of defeat can be equally important according to Menefee, host of Fox’s NFL Sunday, and sportswriter Arkush. Menefee stresses the various aspects of losing and examines the moment when a life or a career unravels, often played out on a big stage with the unfortunate loser unable to recover from the event. He expertly interviews a group of former players and coaches on the critical outcomes of competition, including the 1986 World Series, in which the Boston Red Sox lifted the Bambino curse; the defenseless Cleveland Cavaliers’ Craig Ehlo facing Chicago Bulls icon Michael Jordan in the 1989 NBA finals; Colts kicker Lou Michaels’s missed kicks against Namath’s Jets in the 1969 Super Bowl; the cocaine scandal faced by Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington in 2009; and track favorite Mary Decker taking a spill at the 1984 Olympics. Richly illustrated, Menefee’s thoughtful account of loss in sports mirrors the real world. (Nov.)