Is this the GOAT sports feature?

[Carlkolchak]

Over the years I have received some surprise praises and compliments from readers and also Biofile interview subjects. Here are a few samples…
Hello,
Just spent the morning reading trough your biofiles page and enjoyed it tremendously….what a way to while away half a day. With the Ipad age its even more interesting as I was able to wiki more deeply into say Jack Dempsey, and then go back and continue exploring for other interesting people, even the ones I thought I didn't like.
What you do is important and will last,
Thanks and Regards,
–Eric Thomason
"…And thanks again for your interest in featuring her in your column, which is great by the way and always gives you a glimpse into the other side of the hockey players and personalities we all follow." –Tom Bartsiokas
"I really do hope someday you'll write a book on Pacquiao, Scoop. I can't explain it but your journalism style provides a breath of fresh air to an otherwise beaten and rehash topics by other sports journalists. Maybe because of your biofile approach that reveals a little bit something under the athlete's skin, which provides pleasurable reading." –Elvin Ventucillo
"You ask great questions." — Chris Evert, Tennis Hall of Famer
"These are great questions." –George Foreman, Former Heavyweight champion
'That's the most interesting interview I ever did." –Richard Williams, Tennis coach
"That's the best interview I ever did. You can put that in there too." –Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh Steelers
"That's actually the best interview I ever did." — Brian Lee, Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman
"Biofiles are like gold for young readers." –Mal Whitfield, former US Olympic gold medalist in track & field in a letter to Olympian Magazine.

********************


The Biofile: John McEnroe By Scoop Malinowski

Status: American sports icon and TV tennis analyst.

DOB: February 16, 1959 In: Wiesbaden, Germany
Childhood Heroes: "Joe Namath, Rod Laver, Mickey Mantle."
Early Tennis Memory: "Playing Tommy Buford - the tournament director's son - in a 12 & under in Tennessee. I won 6-3, 6-2 in three and a half hours. After he started moonballing me."
Favorite Movies: "One Flew Over The Cuckoos' Nest, On The Waterfront, Rebel Without A Cause."
Musical Tastes: "Rock, blues, guitar, Rolling Stones."
Pre-Match Feeling: "Be prepared. In condition. Have a number of different game plans. For me, it's preparation to be ready to play. To be ready right at the beginning. It's actually going back to basics. Making sure you have things in order. I used to take little cards out - very basic things. I might look at to keep my mind focused...ball toss, to keep the wrist firm on the volley."
First Job: "Paperboy for the local Queens paper. Don't remember the name actually. You stumped me [smiles]."
First Car: "Early 1970's orange Ford Pinto. Cost me $100, sold it for $50."
Favorite Meal: "I'm pretty flexible actually. But I think Italian is my favorite. Pasta. But I eat everything."
Favorite Breakfast Cereal: "Wheaties. Not that I'll be on the cover real soon or anything. I don't know if I deserve to give to them that, but Breakfast of Champions."
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: "Cookies 'n cream."

Funny Tennis Memory: "I guess playing Nastase at the U.S. Open (1979). Funny now, when I look back on it. It wasn't funny at the time. Just having the referee default him and then have (the umpire) thrown out of the chair, and someone else come out. And people throwing stuff on the court and it was just complete chaos [smiles]. That's sort of the way I liked it, so it was fun [laughs]."
Greatest Sports Moment: "I don't think I could pick one. It's a combination of the obvious - Wimbledon, Davis Cup and The Open. The basics. (Your favorite wins?) Connors in '84 at Wimbledon, I felt like it all came together, I mean he didn't play his best, but I felt like that year and particularly that match it all came together. In '92 a very emotional time for me at Davis Cup final when we played Switzerland, (I was) in the process of going through my separation and subsequent divorce from my first wife, very difficult emotionally for me to even be there, but probably to me is the greatest team ever assembled: Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Pete Sampras and myself. Pete and I played doubles, and we were down two sets to love, and I try to rally Pete to get him going so something good could happen. And it did, and we turned it around and ended up winning in five sets. Pete, he may not admit this, but he hugged me and he told me he loved me [smiles]."
Most Painful Moment: "Losing the French in '84. That definitely was. I was totally outplaying Lendl on clay. Up two sets to love. And I let my emotions slip away from me. Cost me the match (6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 5-7, 5-7 - Lendl's first major). It turned around his career. He won six or seven (actually eight) majors. What I did was make someone I basically despised, a great champion."
Favorite Athletes To Watch: "Anybody. One is Agassi - for many reasons. I always enjoy watching Andre play. The intensity of Nadal. The talent of Federer - I think he's ready to go on and become the greatest player in the history of the game. I like the quality of the show. The intensity of Lleyton Hewitt - he reminds me of Jimmy Connors. Andy Roddick - he has a personality. He enjoys being out there. The key - to me - it's the energy of the crowd. And how into it the players are. Because a lot of guys can play. The key is to bring something extra to the match. And so I'll give you a lot of guys who can fill the bill. But you've got to fill it. Not enough people are doing that - to make a lot of exciting matches. That separates the people that people want to see and the people that are just good tennis players."

Embarrassing Tennis Memory: "Playing the Stockholm Open, semifinal against Anders Jarryd. Late in the third set, there was a line call that didn't look so great. I went ballistic. Called the umpire a jerk. Whacked a ball into the stands. Then smacked a soda can with my racquet, and got soda all over the King of Sweden who was sitting in the front row."
People Qualities Most Admired: "In general, people - it's not easy to go out there and give 100%. And run the risk of losing. I respect that the most in athletes. The guys that go out there and play hard. They don't give up on it. You can't be a loser if you go out there and give it your best. You're a winner if you go out and do that. Most people can't do that, shockingly enough. They find ways to quit. To me, that's the biggest quality. And the other one would be honesty. To be honest."
----------------------------
Scoop's book "Facing McEnroe" is available at amazon for $9.99. McEnroe opponents like Borg, Wilander, Connors, Mayotte, Lend discuss their memories of competing against John McEnroe.

 

[CD Boogie]

no

 

[Carlkolchak]

What is? And do you have the quotes to prove it?

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Nope.

 

[JC]

No chance.

 

[CD Boogie]

Where to start.

Favorite breakfast cereal? Favorite meal? You can't be serious. I'm not saying the answers aren't mildly entertaining, but they're doing all the work.

"I guess playing Nastase at the U.S. Open (1979). Funny now, when I look back on it. It wasn't funny at the time. Just having the referee default him and then have (the umpire) thrown out of the chair, and someone else come out. And people throwing stuff on the court and it was just complete chaos [smiles]. That's sort of the way I liked it, so it was fun [laughs]."

*Cringes*

BTW, it's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and Lendl has an "l" on the end of his name.

 

[Regan MacNeil]

I feel like this is performance art.

 

[Junkie]

Pickle Juice, is that you?

 

[Scout]

I think you have a liberal slant to your questions.

 

[Carlkolchak]

Good enough for the NY Post to steal and imitate for over a decade (Serby). Show me a batter sports feature. Show me better quotes praising it. Thank you.

The BIOFILE Hank Aaron
By Scoop Malinowski
Status: Baseball Hall of Famer. All-time home run king with 755. Currently, Hank is a Senior Vice President with the Atlanta Braves. In addition, he owns several Church's, Popeyes and Krispy Kreme franchises in the Atlanta area. He also operates his foundation (The Henry L. Aaron Chasing The Dream Foundation).
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 190
Born On: February 5, 1934 In: Mobile, Alabama
Childhood Heroes: I don't know if I had that many. Growing up in Mobile, Alabama, you have to realize that there were very few heroes. Black people didn't have heroes back then...only your mother, father and school teacher.
Nickname: 'Hammerin' Hank Aaron.
Hobbies/Interests: Operating my Foundation. I like to fish and play tennis. Tennis is my sport now. After I retired (in 1976), I tried to play on a softball team, but I couldn't hit that big, slow thing. Tennis is a game that makes you feel like you're really playing something. I love every minute of it. (How's your tennis game these days?) Sometimes my forehand is too strong. I have a tendency to hit it out of the ballpark [smiles].
First Job(s): I mowed some yards, picked some potatoes. The best job I ever had was delivering ice. It would come in 25-pound blocks and we had tongs to carry them into the houses.
Childhood Dream: Before Jackie Robinson and blacks started getting into the big leagues, I would have liked to work as a carpenter. I was always good with my hands. I could have made anything I wanted.
Funny Baseball Memory: I remember Satchel Paige sending his infielders to the bench and telling his outfielders to sit down...while he struck out the side with the bases loaded [smiles].
Pre-Game Feeling: Just trying to concentrate and figure out how I was gonna hit the pitcher. I had a unique hitting style. I believe that my style was developed by batting against bottle caps as a kid. I never swung the bat like other power hitters. Most of the great home run hitters - like Mickey Mantle, Reggie Jackson, Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds - hit with their weight on their back foot. But I was the opposite. I had my weight on my front foot. I got my power from lashing out at the last instant with my hands. If you've ever tried to hit a bottle cap, you know that you can't sit back. The way those things dip and float, you've got to jump out and get it. That's the way I've always hit.
Greatest Sports Moment: Well, of course, I had several. Playing baseball for 22 years, I hit a lot of home runs. I did a lot of great things. Naturally, hitting the home run (No. 715) was one of the greatest moments I had. Hitting the home run to break Babe Ruth's record (April 8, 1974 off Al Downing in Atlanta Fulton County Stadium).
Most Painful Moment: I didn't have any.
Favorite Athletes To Watch: I like to watch them all really, because they all have different meanings. Vince Carter. Kobe Bryant. Shaq. (How about in tennis?) Monica Seles. Venus and Serena Williams. Martina Hingis. Pete Sampras. And I guess my all-time favorite would have to be John McEnroe. I respect pro tennis players as much as any athletes for their conditioning and mental toughness. Also, the Cleveland Browns. I live and die with the Browns. Before I got my satellite dish, I'd hop on a plane from Atlanta to Cleveland. I would dress up in ratty old clothes and a stocking cap and sit in the 'Dawg Pound' with all the crazies [smiles].
Family: Wife, Billye; sons, Hankie, Lary, daughters, Gaile, Dorinda, Barbara, Ceci.
Career Accomplishments: Hall of Fame Induction in 1982; holds ML records for HR (755); RBI (2,297); total bases (6,856); most games played (3,298); hit 20 or more home runs for 20 consecutive seasons (1955-74); named to 24 All-Star Games, won three Gold Gloves.

 

[Scout]

Great stuff.

You can't get this type of stuff with a generic Google form. The follow-up questions really push it over the top.

 

[CD Boogie]

Good enough for the NY Post to steal and imitate for over a decade (Serby). Show me a batter sports feature. Show me better quotes praising it. Thank you.

The BIOFILE Hank Aaron
By Scoop Malinowski
Status: Baseball Hall of Famer. All-time home run king with 755. Currently, Hank is a Senior Vice President with the Atlanta Braves. In addition, he owns several Church's, Popeyes and Krispy Kreme franchises in the Atlanta area. He also operates his foundation (The Henry L. Aaron Chasing The Dream Foundation).
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 190
Born On: February 5, 1934 In: Mobile, Alabama
Childhood Heroes: I don't know if I had that many. Growing up in Mobile, Alabama, you have to realize that there were very few heroes. Black people didn't have heroes back then...only your mother, father and school teacher.
Nickname: 'Hammerin' Hank Aaron.
Hobbies/Interests: Operating my Foundation. I like to fish and play tennis. Tennis is my sport now. After I retired (in 1976), I tried to play on a softball team, but I couldn't hit that big, slow thing. Tennis is a game that makes you feel like you're really playing something. I love every minute of it. (How's your tennis game these days?) Sometimes my forehand is too strong. I have a tendency to hit it out of the ballpark [smiles].
First Job(s): I mowed some yards, picked some potatoes. The best job I ever had was delivering ice. It would come in 25-pound blocks and we had tongs to carry them into the houses.
Childhood Dream: Before Jackie Robinson and blacks started getting into the big leagues, I would have liked to work as a carpenter. I was always good with my hands. I could have made anything I wanted.
Funny Baseball Memory: I remember Satchel Paige sending his infielders to the bench and telling his outfielders to sit down...while he struck out the side with the bases loaded [smiles].
Pre-Game Feeling: Just trying to concentrate and figure out how I was gonna hit the pitcher. I had a unique hitting style. I believe that my style was developed by batting against bottle caps as a kid. I never swung the bat like other power hitters. Most of the great home run hitters - like Mickey Mantle, Reggie Jackson, Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds - hit with their weight on their back foot. But I was the opposite. I had my weight on my front foot. I got my power from lashing out at the last instant with my hands. If you've ever tried to hit a bottle cap, you know that you can't sit back. The way those things dip and float, you've got to jump out and get it. That's the way I've always hit.
Greatest Sports Moment: Well, of course, I had several. Playing baseball for 22 years, I hit a lot of home runs. I did a lot of great things. Naturally, hitting the home run (No. 715) was one of the greatest moments I had. Hitting the home run to break Babe Ruth's record (April 8, 1974 off Al Downing in Atlanta Fulton County Stadium).
Most Painful Moment: I didn't have any.
Favorite Athletes To Watch: I like to watch them all really, because they all have different meanings. Vince Carter. Kobe Bryant. Shaq. (How about in tennis?) Monica Seles. Venus and Serena Williams. Martina Hingis. Pete Sampras. And I guess my all-time favorite would have to be John McEnroe. I respect pro tennis players as much as any athletes for their conditioning and mental toughness. Also, the Cleveland Browns. I live and die with the Browns. Before I got my satellite dish, I'd hop on a plane from Atlanta to Cleveland. I would dress up in ratty old clothes and a stocking cap and sit in the 'Dawg Pound' with all the crazies [smiles].
Family: Wife, Billye; sons, Hankie, Lary, daughters, Gaile, Dorinda, Barbara, Ceci.
Career Accomplishments: Hall of Fame Induction in 1982; holds ML records for HR (755); RBI (2,297); total bases (6,856); most games played (3,298); hit 20 or more home runs for 20 consecutive seasons (1955-74); named to 24 All-Star Games, won three Gold Gloves.

I'll show a dozen or more sports books that aren't self published like these.