The Sportsman

by JONES, DHANIGROTENSTEIN, JONATHAN

• ISBN13: 9781609611118
• ISBN10: 160961111X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-06-07
• Publisher: Rodale Books

Summary

Now in his 11th season in the NFL, Dhani Jones has had an unusually long career for a football player. Just a few years ago, however, Dhani thought his playing days were over. Cut by the Eagles and the Saints, he was at a professional crossroads. When the Bengals called, though, he was more than ready and in the best shape of his life. And for that, he credits his off-season. The Sportsmanfollows Dhani's discovery that the parts of his life that, to many, seemed to be distractions including an off-season TV show that sent him around the world to learn and compete in other sportsactually served to cross-train him in ways he'd never imagined, enabling him to become more grounded, globally aware, and, most surprisingly, a much better football player. Part travelogue, part workout guide, partZen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance,The Sportsmanis an invigorating account of Dhani's global sporting adventures and the lessons he has learned along the way. From dragon boat racing in Singapore to carrying 300-pound rocks in Iceland to biking in Italy, Dhani's adventures taught him to be tougher, smarter, and stronger than ever.The Sportsmanis a reminder that by connecting to the world through its people and customs and the spirit of competition, we empower ourselves in ways that can surpass our craziest expectations.

Author Biography

DHANI JONES is defensive captain for the Cincinnati Bengals and the host of his own show, Dhani Tackles the Globe, on the Travel Channel. He also hosts In the Zone with Dhani Jones, a regular TV segment for WKRC, Cincinnati’s local CBS affiliate.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. xi
The Sportsman	p. xiii
Laying Tracks
Dhani Makalani (Potomac)	p. 3
Be the Outlier	p. 11
"NSATIBL" (Ann Arbor)	p. 13
Looking the Part	p. 23
Pitching Tents and Tying Knots (New York)	p. 24
The Bow Tie	p. 28
A Good Vanilla is a Great Ice Cream	p. 30
Foundation	p. 32
The "D-Word" (Philadelphia)	p. 36
Dancing in the Streets	p. 43
The Feel-Good Space	p. 44
Sucking it the F*** Up	p. 46
You've Got to Suffer	p. 51
Survival Mode	p. 53
Wishing, Not Wanting	p. 58
Tackling the Globe
Disorganized Chaos (England)	p. 67
Move Slowly Down the Hill	p. 79
Organizing Chaos (Ireland)	p. 81
Washing My Clothes in the Sink	p. 89
Getting into the Ring (Thailand)	p. 90
Optimus Prime Ain't Shit without Bumblebee	p. 99
Mastering the Routine (Singapore)	p. 100
The Apeshit Switch	p. 104
Eating Sawdust (Switzerland)	p. 105
Black Man	p. l13
Expectations vs. Reality (Spain)	p. 115
Learning to Talk about It	p. 121
Back to Camp	p. 123
Iterations	p. 126
Yes, I Can Swim (Australia)	p. 127
Mr. Snake (Cambodia)	p. 133
Brotherhood	p. 140
The 18th Man (New Zealand)	p. 142
The Travelling Circus	p. 148
Ice Country (Russia)	p. 149
Cincinnati, Part One	p. 155
Back to Africa (Senegal)	p. 156
Give Yourself Some (Extra) Credit	p. 166
No Problem for Jon Pail (Iceland)	p. 167
A Selfless, Self-Centered Egotist	p. 173
Tre Amici (Italy)	p. 174
Modes of ExpressiOn	p. 180
City of Artists (Croatia)	p. 182
The Ties That Bind	p. 189
High Passion (Scotland)	p. 190
Even Buffaloes Have to Nap	p. 196
Everyt'ing Criss (Jamaica)	p. 198
Cincinnati, Part Two	p. 204
The Perfect Woman	p. 207
It Takes All Types (Brazil)	p. 209
Life is Complicated, Sports Are Simple	p. 216
Small Steps (South Africa)	p. 217
Can't Fight Life	p. 223
Fantasy vs. Reality (Mexico)	p. 225
Connections	p. 236
Mountains Don't Lie (Nepal)	p. 238
A Note from Don Yee, Agent	p. 247
The 11th Floor	p. 248
Acknowledgments	p. 251
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