The Meat Market

The Meat Market

By: Richard Whittingham

        Radio City Music Hall, New York.  Every year this is the location for the NFL Draft.  People who follow the NFL look forward to this day to see what spectacular talents from the college ranks their team will sign.  Collegiate prospects  train for years to one day hear their name called by Roger Goodell, the league commissioner.  What the general public does not understand is the amount of research and preparation is done behind the scenes by NFL general managers, coaches, and scouts.  This book, The Meat Market, by Richard Whittingham, is an in-depth look at the work done behind the scenes to make draft day the way you see it broadcast on ESPN. 

Whittingham uses classic football and descriptive livestock vocabulary; for example “formation” and “Hog-tie” to explain the behind the scenes of the NFL Draft.  He utilizes a variety of sentence structures to keep you entertained and engaged.  One unique thing I noticed would be when and why the author changed his sentence structure.  Throughout the book, as it came closer to Draft Day the sentences shift from simple to more compound-complex.  Another interesting writing style Whittingham used is farming vocabulary.  This starts with the title of the book, The Meat Market.  Throughout the book He talks about how the “War Room” is like a pig pen.  How on Draft Day it becomes every man or “pig” for himself. 

       I recommend this book, especially to those interested in football.  This book draws great similarities between football and agriculture.  If I had to rate this book I would give it a 4.5 hotdogs out of 5 hotdogs. 

S - The speaker of this story Richard Whittingham in addition to many other NFL players, General Managers, and Owners.  The author has written nineteen books, including a football classic What A Game They Played.

O - The occasion is any given year in the days leading up to the NFL Draft.

A - The audience for this book are readers interested in the inside perspective of the NFL Draft.  This book will show you what draftees, or potential draftees experience, leading up to draft day.  This book finishes by showing how hectic and fast-paced draft day is. I think college football players will show specific interest.

P - The purpose of this book is to shed light on a how the NFL Draft really works.  Even for those familiar with the game of football, the administrative side of the game is very different. It shows how NFL GMs and Owners prepare for draft day. 

S - The subject of this book is a behind-the-scenes look into the NFL Draft. In 2013, its really become a 3-day televised spectacle.

TONE - I think the tone of this book is serious perspective, from an insider’s point of view, on how the NFL Draft works.