Fanatic

The sport lover's ultimate road trip

When Jim Gorant, a Sports Illustrated staffer and lifelong sports fan, discovered that he had never attended a single one of sports' most iconic events, he wondered, What kind of sports fan am I, anyway? And if he had to pick the top ten, what would those events be? The result was a growing obsession, first with determining the events that should make the list and then with actually attending all of them. A personal challenge quickly evolved into a yearlong journey into the heart of sports.

From the Kentucky Derby to the Super Bowl, from a day game at Wrigley Field to a fortnight at Wimbledon, from the NCAA Final Four to the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field, Gorant takes us along for the ride, evoking the best (and sometimes the worst) sports has to offer. He enters the inner sanctum of NASCAR, watching the decidedly American pomp and circumstance perched atop an RV. He encounters a fire-eating Patriots fan at the Super Bowl. He sees Jack Nicklaus tee off at the azalea-lined Masters for the last time. He walks a fine line between the football rivals Ohio State and Michigan. And in the process he reveals why sports can so affect our lives.

Part adventure, part pilgrimage, Fanatic captures these ten unforgettable sports events in all their color and commotion. The perfect gift for sports enthusiasts, Fanatic is the next best thing to front row seats, and every bit as fun.