Book Review: The Sportsman by Dhani Jones

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 Sportsman follows 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 sports—actually 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, part Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, The Sportsman is 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 Sportsman is 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.

I read this book as one of the many books I have checked out to help me find some inspiration, great quotes, food for thought, and just working on finding examples of being GETTING IT DONE(my new blog post series and hopefully future book).

I enjoyed this book. I pulled out some good quotes and ideas from Dhani Jones as he discusses his life as a professional football player and also pursuing his other passions in life. He is trying to make a statement that there is more to him than just football.

What I liked best about the book is that many different sports were introduced from the countries that he traveled to for the show. In the end, Dhani was able to take away a new respect for the sports and also realizing that his training for football was not undermined. This was important because I think that young players need to realize that lifting weights is not the only way to strengthen the body and mind. It is very important, but working on strength through the vigor of working the core by try different things can be just as beneficial. 

I have not seen is show, but I do have the season on hold at my library to check out. I have started to follow him on Twitter and I also plan to start wearing bow ties. 

In the end I found this more of an entertaining sports read than anything else. I enjoyed each chapter. I walked away with the idea that the journey is far more important than the destination which is a great reminder for anyone who is striving to accomplish a goal in their life.