Tuesday, September 18, 2012

David Halberstam & Pet Peeves

During the course of an interview several years ago with Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter David Halberstam, in conjunction with the publication of his book The Education of a Coach, I asked him if he had any pet peeves. He spoke passionately about one.

People who are enthusiastic about wars but don’t want their own children to go,” Halberstam said. “If you’re going to go around with a little button in your lapel and you’re too old to go yourself, you ought to be willing to send your own kid. If you’re not willing to send your own kid, take the goddamn button out of your lapel.”

From time to time, in conversations with other sports personalities, I’ve asked each of them the same question. Here are some of their responses:

Phil Simms, former Super Bowl-winning quarterback with the New York Giants and current NFL lead analyst for NBC, said, “I try to exercise, try to take care of myself, but I’m weak and I seem to break down all the time. I eat perfect for two days and then all of a sudden I eat something big and fried and then the big dessert. When I fall off the wagon, I fall hard.” 

Annika Sorenstam, perhaps the greatest female golfer in the history of the sport, said her pet peeve is “people who drive slow in the left lane.”

Randy Bernard, IndyCar CEO, said, “I don't like the word ‘can't.’ 

Randy Vataha, former wide receiver for the New England Patriots and current president of Game Plan LLC, summed up his pet peeve in one word: Pettiness.

Pat Williams, senior vice president of the Orlando Magic, was more verbose on the subject. “Protective secretaries, who have to ask 15 questions about why you’re calling when you’re trying to speak to the boss,” he said. “And my second pet peeve is companies that don’t have a real person who answers the phone. I want a real voice.”

Peter Kenyon, the former chief executive of the English Premier League clubs Manchester United and Chelsea, said that he is bothered by “people who talk too loudly in meetings.”

David Gross, commissioner of Major League Lacrosse, had the last word: “People who are late and who don't return phone calls.”

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