Professional Athletes Are People Too
The only thing stronger than Frank Deford’s prose was the intangible yet palpable humility, grace and humanity that flowed from his stories. He had a gift. Deford possessed a remarkable ability to illuminate the motivations behind an individual’s actions. His keen emotional intelligence fused with his considerate writing style to produce a leveling effect. Deford’s stories humanized the seemingly larger-than-life professional athletes he observed. Stripped of their medals, statistics and the illusory mystique of celebrity, he introduced us to professional athletes for what they truly are – fallible human beings just like the rest of us. Deford’s recent passing reminded us that professional athletes are people too, and it caused us to reflect upon some of the lessons we learned from working with them on television, PR and Marcom projects. Carli Lloyd – Set your athlete up for success with an EQ interview Carli Lloyd is a competitor. She has a charming ...
