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You Herd Me!: I'll Say It If Nobody Else Will
There are really two games, the one you see and the one you don't. The way I see it, the best way to use access to both worlds is to illuminate and reveal, not idolize and adore. It's better to be wrong than to be played for a fool. – Colin Cowherd
In this age of billion dollar athletic marketing campaigns, “feel good” philosophy with no connection to reality, and a Sports Media echo chamber that’s all too eager swallow whatever idiotic notion happens to be in vogue at the moment, it’s tough to find people who aren’t afraid to say what they’re really thinking.
But that’s where Colin Cowherd comes in. As his millions of fans on ESPN Radio and ESPNU already know, Colin is the rare sports analyst who’s brave (or crazy) enough to speak his mind—even if it pisses some people off. Of course, it helps that a lot of what Colin has to say is simply hilarious. Lots of writers can tell you about Boston’s storied sports history. But how many can tell you why the city of Boston is America’s five year old? Lots of writers will brag about the stuff they got right, but how many will happily list all the calls they got completely and utterly wrong? Whether he’s pointing out the stupidity of conspiracy theories, explaining why media bias isn’t nearly as big a deal as many assume, or calling out those who prize short term wins over sustainability, Colin is smart, thought-provoking, and laugh-out-loud funny. Some of the questions he’s not afraid to ask in You Herd Me! include:
Is Tiger Woods really a sex addict—or does he just have good PR?
Is “work-life balance” really the ideal we should all strive for—or is that just a way for people feel better about mediocrity?
Is talent really all it’s cracked up to be—or can too much talent actually be counterproductive?
Is the X games really a sport—or would we all be better off if we admitted it’s something else entirely?
Is Hell really a supernatural place of fire and brimstone—or is it actually just another word for living in Tampa?
Unapologetically entertaining and packed with behind-the-scenes insights you won’t get anywhere else, You Herd Me! is unlike any other sports book ever written.
In this age of billion dollar athletic marketing campaigns, “feel good” philosophy with no connection to reality, and a Sports Media echo chamber that’s all too eager swallow whatever idiotic notion happens to be in vogue at the moment, it’s tough to find people who aren’t afraid to say what they’re really thinking.
But that’s where Colin Cowherd comes in. As his millions of fans on ESPN Radio and ESPNU already know, Colin is the rare sports analyst who’s brave (or crazy) enough to speak his mind—even if it pisses some people off. Of course, it helps that a lot of what Colin has to say is simply hilarious. Lots of writers can tell you about Boston’s storied sports history. But how many can tell you why the city of Boston is America’s five year old? Lots of writers will brag about the stuff they got right, but how many will happily list all the calls they got completely and utterly wrong? Whether he’s pointing out the stupidity of conspiracy theories, explaining why media bias isn’t nearly as big a deal as many assume, or calling out those who prize short term wins over sustainability, Colin is smart, thought-provoking, and laugh-out-loud funny. Some of the questions he’s not afraid to ask in You Herd Me! include:
Is Tiger Woods really a sex addict—or does he just have good PR?
Is “work-life balance” really the ideal we should all strive for—or is that just a way for people feel better about mediocrity?
Is talent really all it’s cracked up to be—or can too much talent actually be counterproductive?
Is the X games really a sport—or would we all be better off if we admitted it’s something else entirely?
Is Hell really a supernatural place of fire and brimstone—or is it actually just another word for living in Tampa?
Unapologetically entertaining and packed with behind-the-scenes insights you won’t get anywhere else, You Herd Me! is unlike any other sports book ever written.
294 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
83 people are currently reading
709 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 150 reviews
March 4, 2021
If you watch his show on a regular basis then his book repeats much of what you have already heard.The good news is the show puts out insightful conversation and as such so does the book. Colin Cowherd is that rare sports commentator who goes beyond simply sometimes alluding to life beyond the sports realm to being an outright philosopher of sport and life. The Colin philosophy is “love your life, like your sports.”
As with most jockosophers (jock philosopher) certain quotes are attributable to him.Witness the following Colinisms:
Colinisms
“In 2013, an N.F.L. team without a good quarterback is like a stripper without a good body.”
“Don’t allow someone with no life ruin yours.”
“Guys are consumed with being right, instead of getting it right.”
The Colin jockosophy (jock philosophy) permeates throughout his book.
Michael vs Le Bron: Swish or Swoosh
Colin ventures beyond the sports bubble to examine why M.J.(Michael Jordan) received so much favorable press coverage in his day contrasted to what L.J.(LeBron James) gets now. Colin use fact based examples that bolster his theory of how one flawed yet wildly successful athlete is deified and his highly visible counterpart is demonized.
When Small Grows Up
Here, he examines why small schools have been so successful producing Super Bowl champion, above average quarterbacks. He provides a rational explanation supported by reason that cause one to understand why Eastern Illinois University had the same number of N.F.L. quarterbacks (1 Tony Romo Dallas Cowboys) as major college football factories Oklahoma (1 Sam Bradford St. Louis Rams) and U.S.C. (1 Carson Palmer Phoenix Cardinals) in the 2013 football season.
I enjoyed this book and still occasionally watch his show. The only issue I have with him is an elitist approach to life that comes out at times when he express his opinions. Yet and still, I recommend his book particularly to the intellectual sports fans.
As with most jockosophers (jock philosopher) certain quotes are attributable to him.Witness the following Colinisms:
Colinisms
“In 2013, an N.F.L. team without a good quarterback is like a stripper without a good body.”
“Don’t allow someone with no life ruin yours.”
“Guys are consumed with being right, instead of getting it right.”
The Colin jockosophy (jock philosophy) permeates throughout his book.
Michael vs Le Bron: Swish or Swoosh
Colin ventures beyond the sports bubble to examine why M.J.(Michael Jordan) received so much favorable press coverage in his day contrasted to what L.J.(LeBron James) gets now. Colin use fact based examples that bolster his theory of how one flawed yet wildly successful athlete is deified and his highly visible counterpart is demonized.
When Small Grows Up
Here, he examines why small schools have been so successful producing Super Bowl champion, above average quarterbacks. He provides a rational explanation supported by reason that cause one to understand why Eastern Illinois University had the same number of N.F.L. quarterbacks (1 Tony Romo Dallas Cowboys) as major college football factories Oklahoma (1 Sam Bradford St. Louis Rams) and U.S.C. (1 Carson Palmer Phoenix Cardinals) in the 2013 football season.
I enjoyed this book and still occasionally watch his show. The only issue I have with him is an elitist approach to life that comes out at times when he express his opinions. Yet and still, I recommend his book particularly to the intellectual sports fans.
September 16, 2017
This was a slightly dated (written 2013 - so some of the sports info must be looked at through a slightly altered perspective) humorous look at some of the sports institutions and conventional wisdom. He puts much of this to the common sense test - as in 'does it really make sense to sell alcohol in college stadiums?' - and tells it like it should be. He talks about Tiger Woods' sex addiction - and comes up with a valid criticism (this so-called addiction did not interfere with his life and indeed during the time that he was supposed to be in the grips of this malady was at the top of his game). He looks at the dynasty that is SEC football. I've not listened to his sports radio show but his opinions are well thought out and entertaining.
Quotes to remember:
Two things make smart men stupid - beautiful women and sports.
I can make the case that a list of the GOP's maladies mirror, almost eerily, the same issues facing major league baseball. Number one, a struggle to attract minority participation. Number two, a loss of ground to their primary rival on digital and technological connectivity. Number three, inflexibility. Number four, appearance of a good old boys' club. Number five, loss of youth vote. And number six, a lack of new and energizing leadership....Both entities are fully capable of rebounding, with an influx of fresh ideas and progressive leadership. The overriding message is clear: Wealth, tradition, and historical relevance do not guarantee never-ending success.
Quotes to remember:
Two things make smart men stupid - beautiful women and sports.
I can make the case that a list of the GOP's maladies mirror, almost eerily, the same issues facing major league baseball. Number one, a struggle to attract minority participation. Number two, a loss of ground to their primary rival on digital and technological connectivity. Number three, inflexibility. Number four, appearance of a good old boys' club. Number five, loss of youth vote. And number six, a lack of new and energizing leadership....Both entities are fully capable of rebounding, with an influx of fresh ideas and progressive leadership. The overriding message is clear: Wealth, tradition, and historical relevance do not guarantee never-ending success.
November 5, 2013
A free advance read copy through Goodreads.com. It is an evaluation of American society obsession with sports and the near gof-like status afforded to athletes. The author brushes aside the myths and looks at cold hard truths. It is well written and worth reading.
October 16, 2025
Lots of great options on various sports topics.
January 19, 2015
I have listened to many of Colin Cowherd's radio shows and podcasts, and I saw that he wrote a book. I decided to read his book because I enjoyed them very much. This book wasn't any different. It gave incredible insight into the world of sports the perhaps no one in the whole world has. He has been to every state following and coving various different sports and sports teams. He makes interesting comments on a wide range of topics, all of which were equally inteuiging. Everything Cowherd said triggered a debate in my head. I rated this book five stars becasue it kept me interested the whole time I was reading, and there are few books that do that. I would recommend You Herd Me to everyone who enjoys sports, especially football, basketball, and baseball.
November 30, 2013
Colin Cowherd is a sports commentator/personality that tends to extracts sociological inferences from contemporary sports and issues based on his beliefs and experiences. I find his take on things and his radio show insightful and entertaining-his book likewise. A few of the sections(maybe more then a few)are insights that he shares almost daily on his radio show, so if you are a chronic listener you may feel let down, or it may cause you to dwell deeper on these particular rehashed subjects. If you are into sports and sociology(layman's) this is a fun and interesting read.
June 16, 2025
It was a fun read! Starting my OTF mornings with Colin Cowherd was a great reminder of why I love sports. The storylines, the people, the takes and so much of the content that fills this book will always work for me.
Colin works like me here, writing in the nature that he speaks on the air and I just felt comfortable because of that! Now that I think of it, I don't think any of the stories or messages will stick with me for a long time but I don't think this book wanted to do that, it entertained in easily digestible and more easily forgettable formats!
Colin works like me here, writing in the nature that he speaks on the air and I just felt comfortable because of that! Now that I think of it, I don't think any of the stories or messages will stick with me for a long time but I don't think this book wanted to do that, it entertained in easily digestible and more easily forgettable formats!
November 7, 2020
Some unique insights on sports but many illustrations are quickly becoming outdated as the years pass.
November 9, 2020
This was a super fun read that went into quite an array of topics, from college basketball, to the X Games, to why the city of Boston is so arrogant. It was great hearing someone have a unique position on something and explain why.
September 28, 2020
If you’ve ever been a roommate of mine, you’ve heard me listen to Colin Cowherd’s show. I call him the Bible of sports. His takes are always just a bit more insightful than the next guys. I’ll listen to him until he retires-hopefully a long time from now.
March 17, 2016
GOODREADS GIVEAWAY :)
I did not understand the sense of humor... sorry. Wasn't for me.
I did not understand the sense of humor... sorry. Wasn't for me.
July 10, 2014
I loved this book. Awesome views on sport subjects and life in general. It's one thing to listen to his show, this book is straight up legit. Loved it.
August 14, 2020
I’m a fan of sports. A casual fan, not a fanatic that lives and breaths for their teams. Sure I love the teams I root for, but my weekend, even if it is the Superbowl, isn’t ruined if the team doesn’t come away with the victory. That is to say, I want to be entertained by the athletes not live through them.
That’s probably why I enjoy listening to Colin Cowherd’s daily radio show. For Cowherd sports are business and the athletes who play them are people. Sport is not a religious metaphor and the athlete’s gods. In a culture that values athletic achievement far too high, Cowherd even with bombastic Type-A personality is the voice of reason in the world of sports talk radio. With a common-sense approach Cowherd is able to cut through all the emotion-driven hysteria that is universal across the dial. It’s this same approach that Colin has brought to his first book, that’s mostly about sports, or how we should view sports and the athletes who play them.
Basically the book is a distilled version of what you get from his radio show. Normally his points are bit chopped up by the radio format and can be redundant at times. With the book, Colin has the time and space to fully develop his ideas without repetition. And even though I’ve listened to Cowherd for years and have heard him make similar points over and over again I still found myself nodding along in agreement. My one major sticking point with the book is that Cowherd uses almost exclusively modern sports and athletes to make his points. This aspect of the book will become dated fast as new and upcoming figures replace his examples. It doesn’t make what he says any less true but I think he should have relied more on his own writing talent and less on making parallels to current events.
So in summation, it’s retread for regular listeners to his show, but it’s a good retread.
That’s probably why I enjoy listening to Colin Cowherd’s daily radio show. For Cowherd sports are business and the athletes who play them are people. Sport is not a religious metaphor and the athlete’s gods. In a culture that values athletic achievement far too high, Cowherd even with bombastic Type-A personality is the voice of reason in the world of sports talk radio. With a common-sense approach Cowherd is able to cut through all the emotion-driven hysteria that is universal across the dial. It’s this same approach that Colin has brought to his first book, that’s mostly about sports, or how we should view sports and the athletes who play them.
Basically the book is a distilled version of what you get from his radio show. Normally his points are bit chopped up by the radio format and can be redundant at times. With the book, Colin has the time and space to fully develop his ideas without repetition. And even though I’ve listened to Cowherd for years and have heard him make similar points over and over again I still found myself nodding along in agreement. My one major sticking point with the book is that Cowherd uses almost exclusively modern sports and athletes to make his points. This aspect of the book will become dated fast as new and upcoming figures replace his examples. It doesn’t make what he says any less true but I think he should have relied more on his own writing talent and less on making parallels to current events.
So in summation, it’s retread for regular listeners to his show, but it’s a good retread.
March 6, 2018
Much like politics, sports commentary has a short shelf life. At the time the book was written, this material was probably controversial or, at the very least, insightful. Unfortunately, many of Mr. Cowherd's predictions haven't held up over time. As the author has rightly said, LeBron James is a great player, but his struggle to win championships with elite teams has continued. Then, there's the NFL, which has undergone a spectacular change in the last couple seasons. No way for the author to have predicted it, but here we are again with a book that doesn't apply to sports today.
To sum up, if you're interested in sports, skip this title and find something more current.
To sum up, if you're interested in sports, skip this title and find something more current.
October 30, 2022
I listen to Colin Cowherd on a semi regular basis. I enjoy his commentary. I dont always agree with him but i enjoy his work enough that I thought I would give his book a read.
The man is a little more political then I thought. Nothing wrong with that. It just doesn't come across as much on his sports show as it did in this book.
It was an enjoyable read for me. He does offer up some interesting opinions and one or two of them actually made me pause for some thought. I am hoping that was his mission when he set out to write the book. If it was then he succeeded. There was nothing here to drive me away from my enjoyment of his work.
The man is a little more political then I thought. Nothing wrong with that. It just doesn't come across as much on his sports show as it did in this book.
It was an enjoyable read for me. He does offer up some interesting opinions and one or two of them actually made me pause for some thought. I am hoping that was his mission when he set out to write the book. If it was then he succeeded. There was nothing here to drive me away from my enjoyment of his work.
May 30, 2023
Some of this rating is my fault. Im reading this in 2023 and if I read it when I originally bought it in 2013 when it was released it would have been more practical. Regardless of the outdated takes, this book would have been better and has been better on the radio. That’s all it was, his rants and quips on the sports world. While right most of the time, it doesn’t make for good reading. The pages are filled with rhetorical question after rhetorical question and then his opinion that he assures you is right. I’m not a Cowherd hater by any means and I know there are many; but I still would have preferred to gather the information from this book by listening to him instead of reading it.
February 6, 2021
I was a regular watcher of Colin's show, and I liked this book for the same reasons I so enjoyed listening to him. His well-supported opinions are entertainingly presented, though of course, without the often hilarious delivery. It is basically a collection of essays on topics already covered by him on his show. There is nothing new here folks. I find myself agreeing with him on almost everything, though I can certainly understand why some are offended or enraged by his often controversial stances. The only thing I have a problem with is the puerile cover picture. why?
May 7, 2017
Opening Rant
As usual Colin is great with his words. A lot of one liners in here worth quoting. Even though this book is 4 years old and a lot of what he talked about pertained to back then his points are all still very relevant no matter what year you pick up this book. Fun easy read. If your a fan of Colin. Give it a read. You Herd it here first.
As usual Colin is great with his words. A lot of one liners in here worth quoting. Even though this book is 4 years old and a lot of what he talked about pertained to back then his points are all still very relevant no matter what year you pick up this book. Fun easy read. If your a fan of Colin. Give it a read. You Herd it here first.
December 20, 2018
I'm not a big professional sports fan and don't watch football, baseball, or basketball on a regular bases. However, I thought the book was both entertaining and educational regarding the way things work for drafts, teamwork, etc. The topics included UFC, soccer and areas that did interest me. The book would best for those who are sports fans.
April 6, 2020
Written in 2013, it highlights some older topics in the sports world that are obviously not the same as they are today. Cowherd is one of the brightest, wittiest sports personalities in the world and he never disappoints. He wrote this very well and his opinions are very informative and persuasive. Any sports fan who enjoys controversy and hot takes should definitely check this out.
September 19, 2024
Every chapter is a different sports story or topic with his thoughts on it and specific details that were current at the time (published 9 years ago). I really enjoyed each chapter and his insights. I haven't read a sports book in a while, so it was a nice change for me. I really want the rest of my family to read it, so we can talk about it!!
June 1, 2017
I agree with cowherd more often than not, and this book is no exception. He's a little bit extreme on some points, but as a radio personality you kind of have to be.
June 29, 2017
One of the best books I read this year.
May 5, 2018
Interesting sports anecdotes.
July 21, 2018
Nothing unique or insightful in this book. At some point it was just talking.
July 7, 2019
You need to like Cowherd to get through his book. I happen to like him and appreciate his contra opinions. Easy read and worth the short time investment.
January 5, 2022
Excellent book. Says what we are all thinking, with the blatant obvious evidence to back it up.
October 14, 2022
Some interesting insights into sports- but at the end of the day , it’s just sports
November 7, 2022
Colin Cowherd is a good of a sports broadcaster as he is an author. Funny, opinionated, honest, and always fair. Easy read for a meathead sports fan.
April 21, 2024
I used to love him. Now I can't stand him.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 150 reviews