Sunday, July 12, 2020

Review of "You Ought To Do a Story About Me"

While the title of this book is certainly attention-grabbing, what drew me into choosing this book was that I remembered Jackie Wallace as a defensive back for my favorite football team, the Minnesota Vikings.  I recalled him playing later for the Colts and Rams and wondered whatever happened to him.  This book answers that question, and it's a very good read.  Here is my review of "You Ought To Do a Story About Me"


Title/Author:
“You Ought To Do a Story About Me: Addiction, An Unlikely Friendship and the Endless Quest for Redemption” by Ted Jackson

Tags:
Football (American), professional, biography, drugs, Vikings, Colts, Rams

Publish date:
August 25, 2020

Length:
336 pages

Rating:
4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:
It is not unusual for professional athletes to encounter hard times after their playing careers end. This book that tells the story of Jackie Wallace, a former NFL defensive back with the Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Colts and Los Angeles Rams is a little different in the telling of the story of former star athlete who encounters tough times, recovers and falls back again in a seemingly never-ending cycle.

What makes this story about Wallace written by photojournalist Ted Jackson different is that Jackson shows genuine concern for Wallace long after finding him sleeping under a highway overpass in New Orleans in 1990. Those photos along with the story written by another journalist brought attention to Wallace’s plight. Some would have just left the story there, but not Jackson.  For more than twenty-five years, Jackson would attempt to reach Wallace to find out what he is doing, how is his recovery from drug addiction going and if he has any future plans.  Sometimes the reunion between the two men was heartwarming, other times it was heart-wrenching as Wallace fell into the pattern of recovery and remission back into drug addiction. 

Wallace’s football career is recapped in nice fashion, especially when one considers that Jackson isn’t a sportswriter.  Wallace was originally a quarterback, but switched to defensive back when it was realized he had a better chance to obtain a football scholarship at that position, which was awarded to him by the University of Arizona.  From there, he spent seven years in the NFL and played in three Super Bowls between 1973 and 1980.  However, that isn’t the main subject of the book as the reader is taken along the journey Jackson takes to follow Wallace after that chance encounter in New Orleans. 

Speaking of that city, there is plenty of material on New Orleans history, culture and politics as well as Jackson worked many years for the city’s daily newspaper.  Everything from the Jim Crow era to Hurricane Katrina is covered and while long, it does play an important part in the book to frame the story of Wallace, who despite seeming to have recovered from his addiction and found a good life in Baltimore in the early 2000’s, kept slipping and ended up back in New Orleans.

Through the entire time, Jackson paints a tough but sympathetic portrait of Wallace, neither criticizing him too much nor attempting to make the reader feel sorry for him.  It is just a very good story of addiction, recovery and friendship that will keep readers engrossed.  One doesn’t have to be a football fan or remember Jackie Wallace’s career to enjoy this book.

I wish to thank Dey Street Books for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
                                                                             
Book Format Read:
E-book (Kindle)                                                                                                                               

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