A long time ago I read a book by Rich Eisen called Total Access. Eisen happens to anchor a show on the NFL Network called NFL Total Access. I imagine that the NFL Network offered Rich Eisen a bonus if his book served as a sales pitch for the NFL Network. If so, he certainly earned it. A central theme of the book is how awesome the NFL is and how great it is to be on a show that shows off how awesome the NFL is.
That aside, I genuinely like Eisen. I haven't seen his NFL Network show, but he was a great Sportscenter anchor and he's been great on a few podcasts where I've heard him. I like his energy and his ability to make you seem like your friend as you listen to him. Those qualities of his come out in this book, as well. He writes breezily and is entertaining as he describes the fascinating 24/7/365 activity of the NFL world.
The one big problem with this book, though, is that as much as Eisen is my friendly tour guide to the nonstop world of the NFL, he's a tour guide who is constantly reminding me that while I get to observe the goings-on at the NFL, he gets to live them. Instead of simply telling me about the continuous stream of NFL events that happen each year, he makes himself the subject of them, as if we're reading the book to first hear about how awesome Rich Eisen is and second to hear how awesome the NFL is. For example, all players at the NFL combine get timed running the 40-yard-dash. It must be an exciting event for the viewers and stressful for the performers, but how Eisen chooses to report on this is go on and on and on about getting to go to the combine and running the 40-yard dash in a full suit and dress shoes. He gets to do that because he works for the NFL and you don't.
It's a fun read, but won't make you want to hang out with Rich Eisen anymore.
