What do you think?
Rate this book
You Ought to Do a Story About Me: Addiction, an Unlikely Friendship, and the Endless Quest for Redemption
The heartbreaking and redemptive story of a fallen-from-grace NFL player discovered by a Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist on the streets of New Orleans, and the transformative friendship that binds them.
In 1990, while covering a story about homelessness for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Ted Jackson encountered a half-naked drug addict sleeping under a bridge. After snapping a photo, Jackson woke the man. Pointing to the daily newspaper by his feet, the homeless stranger looked the photojournalist in the eye and said, “You ought to do a story about me.” When Ted asked why, he was stunned by the answer. “Because, I’ve played in three Super Bowls.”
That chance meeting was the start of Ted’s thirty-year relationship with Jackie Wallace, a former NFL star who rose to the pinnacle of fame and fortune, only to crash and lose it all. Getting to know Jackie, Ted learned the details of his life, and how he spiraled into the “vortex of darkness” that left him addicted and living on the streets of New Orleans.
Ted chronicles Jackie's life from his teenage years in New Orleans through college and the NFL to the end of his pro career and the untimely death of his mother—devastating events that led him into addiction and homelessness. Throughout, Ted pays tribute to the enduring friendship he shares with this man he has come to help and also look at as an inspiration. But Ted is not naïve; he speaks frankly about the risk that such a relationship poses: Can a man like Jackie recover, or is he destined to roam the streets until his end?
Tragic and triumphant, inspiring and infuriating, You Ought to Do a Story About Me offers a rare glimpse into the precarious world of homelessness and the lingering impact of systemic racism and poverty on the lives of NOLA’s citizens. Lyrical and evocative, Ted's account is pure, singular, and ambitious—a timeless tale about loss, redemption, and hope in their multifarious forms.
In 1990, while covering a story about homelessness for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Ted Jackson encountered a half-naked drug addict sleeping under a bridge. After snapping a photo, Jackson woke the man. Pointing to the daily newspaper by his feet, the homeless stranger looked the photojournalist in the eye and said, “You ought to do a story about me.” When Ted asked why, he was stunned by the answer. “Because, I’ve played in three Super Bowls.”
That chance meeting was the start of Ted’s thirty-year relationship with Jackie Wallace, a former NFL star who rose to the pinnacle of fame and fortune, only to crash and lose it all. Getting to know Jackie, Ted learned the details of his life, and how he spiraled into the “vortex of darkness” that left him addicted and living on the streets of New Orleans.
Ted chronicles Jackie's life from his teenage years in New Orleans through college and the NFL to the end of his pro career and the untimely death of his mother—devastating events that led him into addiction and homelessness. Throughout, Ted pays tribute to the enduring friendship he shares with this man he has come to help and also look at as an inspiration. But Ted is not naïve; he speaks frankly about the risk that such a relationship poses: Can a man like Jackie recover, or is he destined to roam the streets until his end?
Tragic and triumphant, inspiring and infuriating, You Ought to Do a Story About Me offers a rare glimpse into the precarious world of homelessness and the lingering impact of systemic racism and poverty on the lives of NOLA’s citizens. Lyrical and evocative, Ted's account is pure, singular, and ambitious—a timeless tale about loss, redemption, and hope in their multifarious forms.
336 pages, ebook
First published August 25, 2020
About the author
Ted Jackson
1 book17 followersTed M. Jackson: award-winning photojournalist, writer and public speaker who has spent over three decades exploring the human condition while covering news, sports and features for The Times-Picayune in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
In 1997, Jackson shared a Sigma Delta Chi Award and a Pulitzer Prize for his photographic work on Oceans of Trouble, a documentary about the world's troubled fisheries.
Source: Wikipedia entry @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Jac...
In 1997, Jackson shared a Sigma Delta Chi Award and a Pulitzer Prize for his photographic work on Oceans of Trouble, a documentary about the world's troubled fisheries.
Source: Wikipedia entry @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Jac...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
January 23, 2020
What a heart-wrenching book. This biography will take you down into the deepest, most miserable and destitute depths of the human psyche and experience, roll you around a bit down there, and then start to pull you back toward the light. It's a journey I can only take once, but I'm so glad I did.
October 14, 2023
4.5 stars ⭐️
July 12, 2020
It is not unusual for professional athletes to encounter hard times after their playing careers end. This book that tells the story of Jackie Wallace, a former NFL defensive back with the Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Colts and Los Angeles Rams is a little different in the telling of the story of former star athlete who encounters tough times, recovers and falls back again in a seemingly never-ending cycle.
What makes this story about Wallace written by photojournalist Ted Jackson different is that Jackson shows genuine concern for Wallace long after finding him sleeping under a highway overpass in New Orleans in 1990. Those photos along with the story written by another journalist brought attention to Wallace’s plight. Some would have just left the story there, but not Jackson. For more than twenty-five years, Jackson would attempt to reach Wallace to find out what he is doing, how is his recovery from drug addiction going and if he has any future plans. Sometimes the reunion between the two men was heartwarming, other times it was heart-wrenching as Wallace fell into the pattern of recovery and remission back into drug addiction.
Wallace’s football career is recapped in nice fashion, especially when one considers that Jackson isn’t a sportswriter. Wallace was originally a quarterback, but switched to defensive back when it was realized he had a better chance to obtain a football scholarship at that position, which was awarded to him by the University of Arizona. From there, he spent seven years in the NFL and played in three Super Bowls between 1973 and 1980. However, that isn’t the main subject of the book as the reader is taken along the journey Jackson takes to follow Wallace after that chance encounter in New Orleans.
Speaking of that city, there is plenty of material on New Orleans history, culture and politics as well as Jackson worked many years for the city’s daily newspaper. Everything from the Jim Crow era to Hurricane Katrina is covered and while long, it does play an important part in the book to frame the story of Wallace, who despite seeming to have recovered from his addiction and found a good life in Baltimore in the early 2000’s, kept slipping and ended up back in New Orleans.
Through the entire time, Jackson paints a tough but sympathetic portrait of Wallace, neither criticizing him too much nor attempting to make the reader feel sorry for him. It is just a very good story of addiction, recovery and friendship that will keep readers engrossed. One doesn’t have to be a football fan or remember Jackie Wallace’s career to enjoy this book.
I wish to thank Dey Street Books for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
What makes this story about Wallace written by photojournalist Ted Jackson different is that Jackson shows genuine concern for Wallace long after finding him sleeping under a highway overpass in New Orleans in 1990. Those photos along with the story written by another journalist brought attention to Wallace’s plight. Some would have just left the story there, but not Jackson. For more than twenty-five years, Jackson would attempt to reach Wallace to find out what he is doing, how is his recovery from drug addiction going and if he has any future plans. Sometimes the reunion between the two men was heartwarming, other times it was heart-wrenching as Wallace fell into the pattern of recovery and remission back into drug addiction.
Wallace’s football career is recapped in nice fashion, especially when one considers that Jackson isn’t a sportswriter. Wallace was originally a quarterback, but switched to defensive back when it was realized he had a better chance to obtain a football scholarship at that position, which was awarded to him by the University of Arizona. From there, he spent seven years in the NFL and played in three Super Bowls between 1973 and 1980. However, that isn’t the main subject of the book as the reader is taken along the journey Jackson takes to follow Wallace after that chance encounter in New Orleans.
Speaking of that city, there is plenty of material on New Orleans history, culture and politics as well as Jackson worked many years for the city’s daily newspaper. Everything from the Jim Crow era to Hurricane Katrina is covered and while long, it does play an important part in the book to frame the story of Wallace, who despite seeming to have recovered from his addiction and found a good life in Baltimore in the early 2000’s, kept slipping and ended up back in New Orleans.
Through the entire time, Jackson paints a tough but sympathetic portrait of Wallace, neither criticizing him too much nor attempting to make the reader feel sorry for him. It is just a very good story of addiction, recovery and friendship that will keep readers engrossed. One doesn’t have to be a football fan or remember Jackie Wallace’s career to enjoy this book.
I wish to thank Dey Street Books for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
March 10, 2021
If there is anything that rivals my love of reading, it's my love of football! At the beginning of the story, a photographer in New Orleans takes a picture of a homeless man. The homeless man tells the photographer "You ought to do a story about me. I was in three Super Bowl." Jackie was one of the first black athletes to play Division 1 college football. Death and pain led him down a path to crack cocoaine and ruined his career/health/life. Strong themes of poverty, drug addiction, despair, hope, pain, friendship, and a desire to follow Christ.
February 1, 2021
Friendship, resilience, redemption and willing to acknowledge our faults is the best way to describe this wonderful and yet, sad story.
The author, Ted Jackson and the protagonist, Jackie Wallace, formed and developed and unlikely and amazing friendship.
So good, I even read the acknowledgments that are well deserved.
The author, Ted Jackson and the protagonist, Jackie Wallace, formed and developed and unlikely and amazing friendship.
So good, I even read the acknowledgments that are well deserved.
December 4, 2020
Stunning
May 14, 2023
An emotional and heartbreaking story. No easy answers.
April 6, 2021
This book had everything ... Painful and sad but such damn good writing and such a good way to tie in history of football, New Orleans, current events ..damn good
May 31, 2020
You Ought To Do a Story About Me is the biography of Jackie Wallace former defensive back and kick returner for the Vikings,Colts and Rams of the NFL. I am actually old enough to have seen Jackie Wallace play football with the Baltimore Colts of the Bert Jones Era. I was a fan of the Colts back then and watched many of the games on TV. This was a time when Jackie was an above average Defensive Back and a pretty good punt and kick returner. His Nfl career spanned a total of 7 years and when it was over he was hurt emotionally. He had been a star in high school, college(ARIZONA),and the NFL and could not cope with losing the only thing in life that made it fun and worth living. He enjoyed the challenge and the chase of the championships and without the TEAM he did not know what to do. When his mother passed away at a relatively young age, Jackie blamed himself ,and he found excuses to get drunk and started using crack cocaine.
Ted Jackson worked as a photographer for the New Orleans Times Picayune,and was sent on a seek and find mission to the underbelly of the on and off ramps of Interstate 10 to shoot a few photos for a story the paper was doing on homelessness. He happened upon Jackie sleeping under a plastic sheet in his underwear and started talking to him. Jackie revealed his past NFL career story and Ted was now interested. He eventually talked his newspaper bosses and editors to do a story of the downfall of a one time New Orleans football star. He also saw something in Jackie that led Ted to keep tabs on him. The story progresses and regresses over a period of 35 years, where Ted eventually sits Jackie down and get him to tell his story to him in full. The result is this book.
As a football fan, a Christian, and a conservative, I could see why Ted was intrigued by Jackie. He had personality, was funny ,bright and educated . He also had a big, bad problem. He was a Junkie that always fell off the wagon. Time and time again he would hit rock bottom and somehow survive long enough to climb out of the hole he put himself into .The cost was high: 2 ex-wives, a number of different girlfriends, countless friends and relatives 4 or 5 homes and untold thousands of dollars spent on smoking Crack.Yet somehow Ted kept in touch and kept tabs on Jackie, keeping him in the public eye by writing various stories and updates on the onetime hometown hero. I must admit I would have given up by strike three, but Ted persisted . Somehow Ted was like a guarding angel for Jackie, offering friendship, help and publicity whenever he could.Jackie sometimes didn't always appreciate the help for he would run away for months at a time falling back down to the homeless status of society. There must have been something more than friendship between the two. There had to be something spiritual from above connecting these men.
This is a story of failure and success over and over again. It is a frustrating, yet uplifting read. It will make you sad, angry and happy. It will leave you wondering why such things happen to successful people. It will make you share this book with other fans of football and sports in general or maybe someone who has a friend stuck in addiction like Jackie. It is well worth the time it takes you to read it.
4 stars out of 5 for YOU OUGHT TO DO A STORY ABOUT ME.
Ted Jackson worked as a photographer for the New Orleans Times Picayune,and was sent on a seek and find mission to the underbelly of the on and off ramps of Interstate 10 to shoot a few photos for a story the paper was doing on homelessness. He happened upon Jackie sleeping under a plastic sheet in his underwear and started talking to him. Jackie revealed his past NFL career story and Ted was now interested. He eventually talked his newspaper bosses and editors to do a story of the downfall of a one time New Orleans football star. He also saw something in Jackie that led Ted to keep tabs on him. The story progresses and regresses over a period of 35 years, where Ted eventually sits Jackie down and get him to tell his story to him in full. The result is this book.
As a football fan, a Christian, and a conservative, I could see why Ted was intrigued by Jackie. He had personality, was funny ,bright and educated . He also had a big, bad problem. He was a Junkie that always fell off the wagon. Time and time again he would hit rock bottom and somehow survive long enough to climb out of the hole he put himself into .The cost was high: 2 ex-wives, a number of different girlfriends, countless friends and relatives 4 or 5 homes and untold thousands of dollars spent on smoking Crack.Yet somehow Ted kept in touch and kept tabs on Jackie, keeping him in the public eye by writing various stories and updates on the onetime hometown hero. I must admit I would have given up by strike three, but Ted persisted . Somehow Ted was like a guarding angel for Jackie, offering friendship, help and publicity whenever he could.Jackie sometimes didn't always appreciate the help for he would run away for months at a time falling back down to the homeless status of society. There must have been something more than friendship between the two. There had to be something spiritual from above connecting these men.
This is a story of failure and success over and over again. It is a frustrating, yet uplifting read. It will make you sad, angry and happy. It will leave you wondering why such things happen to successful people. It will make you share this book with other fans of football and sports in general or maybe someone who has a friend stuck in addiction like Jackie. It is well worth the time it takes you to read it.
4 stars out of 5 for YOU OUGHT TO DO A STORY ABOUT ME.
April 29, 2020
A big thank you to Harper Collins for the advance copy of this title. A beautiful story of a journalist and former NFL player who befriend one another in a homeless encampment under a bridge. The relationship spans years and reveals the cycle of addiction. I can see this one optioned for the big screen!
January 13, 2021
Still reflecting on the concept of this book and the story that comes from tracing a 30-year relationship between a journalist and a former NFL player.
Well written and compassionate. The themes of drug use and homelessness were not the hardest parts to read for me though. What got me was the unglamorous side of concussions and the NFL structure once a player is done. It gave me pause as a fan and had me looking at how my own enjoyment of the game plays into not caring about former players. Culturally not surprising, but it exposed something deeper in how our society is not built for respecting people’s lives and the contributions we can all make as humans over our lifetimes, it is built on immediate gratification. The photo of Wallace at the end with his new phone and his eyes sparkling is a testament to the human spirit. This book made me think about how much potential we have and how much richer we could all be if we invested a little differently.
Well written and compassionate. The themes of drug use and homelessness were not the hardest parts to read for me though. What got me was the unglamorous side of concussions and the NFL structure once a player is done. It gave me pause as a fan and had me looking at how my own enjoyment of the game plays into not caring about former players. Culturally not surprising, but it exposed something deeper in how our society is not built for respecting people’s lives and the contributions we can all make as humans over our lifetimes, it is built on immediate gratification. The photo of Wallace at the end with his new phone and his eyes sparkling is a testament to the human spirit. This book made me think about how much potential we have and how much richer we could all be if we invested a little differently.
June 16, 2020
Thank you to Dey Street Book for the ARC.
I am not truly sure what to think of this book.
Jackie is definitely an interesting character and the author provides a good understanding of what Jackie went through with his addiction and life challenges.
I think I expected more from a story standpoint - more in-depth interviews with his family, friends, ex-teammates. But that is more me wanting the story from an investigative journalist standpoint instead of just the biography on an interesting character's life/struggles. The author posed questions to himself during the book - like what really happened during those missing years in Baltimore? I want to know this as well.
The book mostly left me wanting more on truly understanding on how this could happen... but I guess that is part of the problem with addiction is the underlying cause can't always be determined?
I am not truly sure what to think of this book.
Jackie is definitely an interesting character and the author provides a good understanding of what Jackie went through with his addiction and life challenges.
I think I expected more from a story standpoint - more in-depth interviews with his family, friends, ex-teammates. But that is more me wanting the story from an investigative journalist standpoint instead of just the biography on an interesting character's life/struggles. The author posed questions to himself during the book - like what really happened during those missing years in Baltimore? I want to know this as well.
The book mostly left me wanting more on truly understanding on how this could happen... but I guess that is part of the problem with addiction is the underlying cause can't always be determined?
February 20, 2022
Wow. So heartbreaking...but so good! There's a lot of sad things here (homelessness, poverty, addiction), but also hope and compassion and true friendship. The love the author has for his troubled friend (and Jesus!) is so evident. Definitely not an easy book to read, but definitely one you should!
"To understand [his] heart for ministry and cheerful optimism amid such a depressing environment, you need to know that members of...the charity think of themselves as servants of the poor, not saviors. The philosophy derives from the fourth-century reasoning of the archbishop of Constantinople, St. John Chrysostom: 'The poor are the physicians of our souls, our benefactors, our protectors. You give them less than you receive from them; you give them alms and you receive the Kingdom of Heaven.'"
Kind of sums up the hearts of many people in this book, and what I hope mine is as well.
"To understand [his] heart for ministry and cheerful optimism amid such a depressing environment, you need to know that members of...the charity think of themselves as servants of the poor, not saviors. The philosophy derives from the fourth-century reasoning of the archbishop of Constantinople, St. John Chrysostom: 'The poor are the physicians of our souls, our benefactors, our protectors. You give them less than you receive from them; you give them alms and you receive the Kingdom of Heaven.'"
Kind of sums up the hearts of many people in this book, and what I hope mine is as well.
September 30, 2023
This book took me a while to read, and there’s a reason why. Growing up near New Orleans and having lived there for a brief time too, this book was naturally compelling for me. Jackie is a heartbreaking, complex protagonist. We keep wanting Jackie to love Jackie as much as we do. What rubbed me the wrong way is how the author talked about Jackie at points. I have no doubt that Ted genuinely cares about him and loves him as a friend, but even though Ted admits he’s grown from the middle-class white upbringing in the segregated South, well, there’s still some work to do, Ted. He comes across as patronizing and condescending at times, and it didn’t escape my notice that he censored “the F word,” but not a racial slur earlier in the book. It was an uncomfortable read at times, making it a 3.5 stars for me.
Shelved as '0-maybe-arc-r2r'
March 12, 2020I usually d/n request ARCs for nonfiction, but may make exception for this title by photojournalist Ted Jackson. In meantime, rec’d to GR buddy w/ sports blog who can review it properly. :)
(pssstt! Dey Street/HarperCollins, pls fact-check correct name for newspaper. Not as written in blurb.
(pssstt! Dey Street/HarperCollins, pls fact-check correct name for newspaper. Not as written in blurb.
August 23, 2020
Wow! Such a heart-wrenching story about the story of Jackie Wallace and his life as an former NFL player and as a long-time crack cocaine addict. This story is more than just addiction and football, but about friendship, redemption, forgiveness, sacrifice, compassion, and love.
Jackie Wallace’s story is not unusual or uncommon unfortunately, but I definitely was truly engrossed in his story because I had such an emotional pull on my heart-strings while reading this book. I personally do not know anyone anymore who has been strung out on drugs, but I did know some people. Seeing them in sad states of disarray and mania was scary, shocking, and sadly expected. What drugs do to a person is just utterly devastating, and being a friend of a family member seeing their demise with their struggle with drugs is gut-wrenching and horrible to endure. Reading this book makes me understand how people continually go back to drugs even though they logically know it’s no good for them. The book explains how the body pulls them to the drug even knowing all the damage it will cause. It’s heart-breaking to understand how relapses work, how sobriety is tenuous and how one slip can cause a sheer decline into obscurity in a nanosecond.
The book was written by a photojournalist, and not from an investigative journalist standpoint. However, this book will keep you engrossed from start to finish learning about the man, Jackie Wallace. This book is documenting a photographer’s journey after meeting and befriending the once legendary Jackie Wallace, who he found in 1990, homeless and living near a highway ramp wrapped in plastic trying to shield himself from the elements of the New Orleans weather.
The book details Jackie’s life from the time he was a young man to present day, and how the author, Ted Jackson and Jackie formed a friendship and accountability relationship once Jackie allowed Ted into his life. We learn about the time when Jackie was in high school, college, and the NFL, and how football dominated his life. We see how his life practically crumbles to nothing once he is waived from his last NFL team, and how the transition from the NFL was something many players are unprepared to deal with. As readers, we are also taught some historical facts about race, the political climate during the 60’s and 70’s, and also the celebrity life many NFL players live during their heydays. Unfortunately for Jackie and many other former NFL players, the transition out of the NFL is unexpected, and many men are left stranded, penniless, jobless, riddled with health issues, and for many, uneducated in the ways of getting back on their feet. Today’s NFL seems to have better transitions and counseling in place, but for men in Jackie’s time, there was nothing to help them move on with their lives. These men were stuck in a time warp, living off the ‘good ole days’ with no help for the hard times to come assimilating back into civilian life.
Many parts of this book appealed to me. I didn’t necessarily enjoy the sports statistics and facts about football because the writing was not very engaging in those areas, seeing that this isn’t written by a sports journalist, but I was fascinated in the life of Jackie and how his family and friends have continued to surround him and love him no matter his status.
As a Christian, for both Ted and Jackie, it was very refreshing to know that God is doing the work in both of their lives and allowing us, as readers, to see that God is real. Jackie should have been dead a long time ago, but somehow, God has kept him alive thus far to help him and others reconcile with family, friends, loved ones who deal with this sick disease of addiction.
Another aspect that I appreciated was learning about Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) and how the NFL has been handling this known issue for the sport. I really hope that more research is done on this condition because the impact of having the right information and treatment can save many past, present, and future players from the negative impacts this condition has on the health and well-being of these highly talented athletes.
You Ought To Do a Story About Me is gripping, heart-wrenching, frustrating, heart-warming, hopeful, and full of emotional rollercoasters. This book will make you pray for Jackie’s safety and his health. I googled everything I could about Jackie and prayed that he was still alive before I finished reading this book. A drug addicts life is not glamorous or fun. It is trauma everyday. A never-ending cycle. It is death. The failures and successes Jackie has in these 28 years since Ted found him will leave you exhausted, teary-eyed, and nervous. This book will leave you wondering, “Where is Jackie Wallace?” I could not put this book down after the first 30% of the book because I just had to know what was happening to Jackie. There is genuine concern for Jackie, as a friend, as a brother, as a teammate, and you feel everything Ted feels as you read this book. I highly recommend this book. 4.5 stars.
Thank you to HarperCollins (Dey Street Books) and Ted Jackson for providing me with this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. Full review can found in link in bio.
Jackie Wallace’s story is not unusual or uncommon unfortunately, but I definitely was truly engrossed in his story because I had such an emotional pull on my heart-strings while reading this book. I personally do not know anyone anymore who has been strung out on drugs, but I did know some people. Seeing them in sad states of disarray and mania was scary, shocking, and sadly expected. What drugs do to a person is just utterly devastating, and being a friend of a family member seeing their demise with their struggle with drugs is gut-wrenching and horrible to endure. Reading this book makes me understand how people continually go back to drugs even though they logically know it’s no good for them. The book explains how the body pulls them to the drug even knowing all the damage it will cause. It’s heart-breaking to understand how relapses work, how sobriety is tenuous and how one slip can cause a sheer decline into obscurity in a nanosecond.
The book was written by a photojournalist, and not from an investigative journalist standpoint. However, this book will keep you engrossed from start to finish learning about the man, Jackie Wallace. This book is documenting a photographer’s journey after meeting and befriending the once legendary Jackie Wallace, who he found in 1990, homeless and living near a highway ramp wrapped in plastic trying to shield himself from the elements of the New Orleans weather.
The book details Jackie’s life from the time he was a young man to present day, and how the author, Ted Jackson and Jackie formed a friendship and accountability relationship once Jackie allowed Ted into his life. We learn about the time when Jackie was in high school, college, and the NFL, and how football dominated his life. We see how his life practically crumbles to nothing once he is waived from his last NFL team, and how the transition from the NFL was something many players are unprepared to deal with. As readers, we are also taught some historical facts about race, the political climate during the 60’s and 70’s, and also the celebrity life many NFL players live during their heydays. Unfortunately for Jackie and many other former NFL players, the transition out of the NFL is unexpected, and many men are left stranded, penniless, jobless, riddled with health issues, and for many, uneducated in the ways of getting back on their feet. Today’s NFL seems to have better transitions and counseling in place, but for men in Jackie’s time, there was nothing to help them move on with their lives. These men were stuck in a time warp, living off the ‘good ole days’ with no help for the hard times to come assimilating back into civilian life.
Many parts of this book appealed to me. I didn’t necessarily enjoy the sports statistics and facts about football because the writing was not very engaging in those areas, seeing that this isn’t written by a sports journalist, but I was fascinated in the life of Jackie and how his family and friends have continued to surround him and love him no matter his status.
As a Christian, for both Ted and Jackie, it was very refreshing to know that God is doing the work in both of their lives and allowing us, as readers, to see that God is real. Jackie should have been dead a long time ago, but somehow, God has kept him alive thus far to help him and others reconcile with family, friends, loved ones who deal with this sick disease of addiction.
Another aspect that I appreciated was learning about Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) and how the NFL has been handling this known issue for the sport. I really hope that more research is done on this condition because the impact of having the right information and treatment can save many past, present, and future players from the negative impacts this condition has on the health and well-being of these highly talented athletes.
You Ought To Do a Story About Me is gripping, heart-wrenching, frustrating, heart-warming, hopeful, and full of emotional rollercoasters. This book will make you pray for Jackie’s safety and his health. I googled everything I could about Jackie and prayed that he was still alive before I finished reading this book. A drug addicts life is not glamorous or fun. It is trauma everyday. A never-ending cycle. It is death. The failures and successes Jackie has in these 28 years since Ted found him will leave you exhausted, teary-eyed, and nervous. This book will leave you wondering, “Where is Jackie Wallace?” I could not put this book down after the first 30% of the book because I just had to know what was happening to Jackie. There is genuine concern for Jackie, as a friend, as a brother, as a teammate, and you feel everything Ted feels as you read this book. I highly recommend this book. 4.5 stars.
Thank you to HarperCollins (Dey Street Books) and Ted Jackson for providing me with this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. Full review can found in link in bio.
December 10, 2021
The tag line for this book - Addiction, an Unlikely Friendship and Endless Quest for Redemption- truly sums it up beautifully. I’d add that the quest is also for faith and trust and what we do when we lose those.
August 5, 2023
2.5. Peppered with some important and compelling storytelling about racism, poverty and drug addiction, this book lost me with its unnecessary religious preachiness.
November 14, 2020
This was a great book. It was powerful to read the life story of Jackie Wallace as told by Ted Jackson, a photojournalist who first met Jackie when he was curled up in the fetal position under a clear piece of plastic sleeping on top of a sheet of cardboard resting on old rusty box springs. He was a homeless man living under a bridge in New Orleans. Jackie's life began as one of 6 children born to his parents. He showed talent for football and went on to excel in high school, college and even the NFL. He was able to go to 2 Superbowls in his football career. Unfortunately, a large part of his life story is his battle with an addiction to crack cocaine. He first tried cocaine right after his mom's funeral. The pain of losing her and the pain of a relative's comments saying he killed her (which he did not, but the comment was said because he continued to bring her cigarettes even while she was battling lung cancer and other health problems related to smoking. He was just "doing what mama told him to do," he knew the cigarettes were eventually going to kill her, but he loved her and wanted to do what she asked...). It was such a painful experience losing her, that he went and got cocaine. Prior to that first use of drugs, he had been drinking too much, his life was messy after his career in the NFL ended too abruptly and he didn't have a plan for his life after the NFL. He spent many years in and out of various rehab facilities and programs. He had several marriages and relationships, but none lasted because he kept returning to using drugs. His NFL pension checks allowed him to use drugs often because he had a monthly income and the drug dealers knew at the first of each month, he'd have money in his bank account.
The book reminds me of the Bible verse in Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Jackie was raised in a loving, Christian home and true to the teaching of this Bible verse, Jackie again and again returned to his faith. He prayed to God to use whatever life he had left. He has such an honesty and kindness about him. He has such a heart to help and mentor others, especially other addicts.
One of the highlights of this book was the meeting Jackie and Ted had with Johnny Lonardo (the director of the Giving Hope Retreat Center). Johnny was a man "rocked with religious fervor and inspiration." He talked to Jackie seriously about his faith. He told him that "obedience to God was a sign of strength, but that obedience had to come from a sense of love, not obligation." (page 283) They talked about David from the Old Testament of the Bible. "When God granted David sincere repentance, David became grateful and contrite. He stopped sinning. He repented. He was broken. It's all about fear of the Lord. When we finally face our sins, we say, 'Lord, forgive me.' That's when we become humble." (page 284) "Johnny explained how God - like coaches - only disciplines the one He loves. And, man, Jackie, you've been disciplined." (page 286) That talk fired Jackie up to serve the Lord and give the Lord what was left of his life.
The book reminds me of the Bible verse in Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Jackie was raised in a loving, Christian home and true to the teaching of this Bible verse, Jackie again and again returned to his faith. He prayed to God to use whatever life he had left. He has such an honesty and kindness about him. He has such a heart to help and mentor others, especially other addicts.
One of the highlights of this book was the meeting Jackie and Ted had with Johnny Lonardo (the director of the Giving Hope Retreat Center). Johnny was a man "rocked with religious fervor and inspiration." He talked to Jackie seriously about his faith. He told him that "obedience to God was a sign of strength, but that obedience had to come from a sense of love, not obligation." (page 283) They talked about David from the Old Testament of the Bible. "When God granted David sincere repentance, David became grateful and contrite. He stopped sinning. He repented. He was broken. It's all about fear of the Lord. When we finally face our sins, we say, 'Lord, forgive me.' That's when we become humble." (page 284) "Johnny explained how God - like coaches - only disciplines the one He loves. And, man, Jackie, you've been disciplined." (page 286) That talk fired Jackie up to serve the Lord and give the Lord what was left of his life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2020
Jackie Wallace is a former NFL player living in the streets of New Orleans when Ted Jackson, a photojournalist, finds him and starts documenting his story. Wallace has had quite a ride and we are walked through his beginnings, his football career, the fall from grace, and then the multiple ups and downs of dealing with addiction, prison, etc.
I don't know what to make of Williams. I didn't find him likeable, but I still could empathize with him and understand how things went they way they did for him. I've always believed most of us are a tragedy away from the streets or addiction. Wallace's tragedy is the loss of his identitity as a football player, when no one wants to hire him, augmentated by the death of his mother.
Through it all, Wallace always seemed to have a different good woman by his side. I don't know what they saw on him, but he was able to get into serious relationships, even while in rehab.
I was impressed by the St Augustine High School and how they supported Wallace as one of their own. That is a fine example of an alma mater. Once you're one of them, you are always one of them.
At the end, I stopped reading because this was a roller coaster. Wallace gets clean, things look up, then suddenly disappears and starts using. After a few times it feels repetitive and I realized that Wallace's story is ultimately (and sadly) a common one. The only difference is that he was a below average NFL player.
If you're interested on this story but don't want to read the book, you can check this note:
https://www.nola.com/entertainment_li...
It seems a bit outdated, though. It appears Jackson has found Wallace again.
I don't know what to make of Williams. I didn't find him likeable, but I still could empathize with him and understand how things went they way they did for him. I've always believed most of us are a tragedy away from the streets or addiction. Wallace's tragedy is the loss of his identitity as a football player, when no one wants to hire him, augmentated by the death of his mother.
Through it all, Wallace always seemed to have a different good woman by his side. I don't know what they saw on him, but he was able to get into serious relationships, even while in rehab.
I was impressed by the St Augustine High School and how they supported Wallace as one of their own. That is a fine example of an alma mater. Once you're one of them, you are always one of them.
At the end, I stopped reading because this was a roller coaster. Wallace gets clean, things look up, then suddenly disappears and starts using. After a few times it feels repetitive and I realized that Wallace's story is ultimately (and sadly) a common one. The only difference is that he was a below average NFL player.
If you're interested on this story but don't want to read the book, you can check this note:
https://www.nola.com/entertainment_li...
It seems a bit outdated, though. It appears Jackson has found Wallace again.
August 27, 2020
Pros:: Inspiring, frustrating, hopeful, maddening and scary all at the same time. An amazing story about friendship, perseverance, hope, human goodness and human fragility. Jackie Wallace and Ted Jackson recount an incredible friendship of addiction, homelessness, crime, racism, hope, faith, ups and downs. Interesting philosophy of Johann Hari that drug dependency isn’t chemical but the result of isolation (and probably lack of self esteem) and the opposite of addiction is connection. Jackson sums up Wallace’s life by saying “His cycle of loss and recovery always revolves around women. His insecurities and his dependencies were broader than I thought.” We all live in glass houses. I wonder what Wallace’s life would have been like without the systemic racism, if talk therapy would have been possible (versus a mental health stigma) or if he would have had guidance and a plan to reenter normal life after football dropped him. Pictures were fantastic. Thank you to Jackson for the story and the strength of Wallace to allow it to be told.
Cons:: Wish the photos would have been captioned or there would have been an index in the back, not just the credits.
Cover Art:: 5 out of 5. Perfect.
Cons:: Wish the photos would have been captioned or there would have been an index in the back, not just the credits.
Cover Art:: 5 out of 5. Perfect.
May 17, 2024
Especially enjoyable for fans of local (New Orleans) interest and sports/NFL history, this is a touching story about the evolution of an unlikely friendship. This one hit a particularly soft spot for me. As the daughter of a former Times Picayune journalist as well, Jackson's description of his time with that institution raises fond memories of my childhood: hearing my own dad's stories of field work and getting to see these stories come to life while tottering around in his shadow through the newsroom. In my brief fixation on photography myself as an adolescent, Jackson's work always left an impression on me.
I thought the book did a wonderful job exploring the complexities and nuances of poverty, crime, addiction, and faith. Jackson's descriptions of these darker sides of our beloved city are realistic, but gracious. His depiction of his relationship with Jackie was refreshing in its realism. When compared to similar stories like this, these friendships can come off overly romanticized or err into the "savior and saved" caricature; this was not true here.
The story grows to include more Christianity-based themes, but I did not at any point find them to be an overbearing element of the narrative.
4 stars.
I thought the book did a wonderful job exploring the complexities and nuances of poverty, crime, addiction, and faith. Jackson's descriptions of these darker sides of our beloved city are realistic, but gracious. His depiction of his relationship with Jackie was refreshing in its realism. When compared to similar stories like this, these friendships can come off overly romanticized or err into the "savior and saved" caricature; this was not true here.
The story grows to include more Christianity-based themes, but I did not at any point find them to be an overbearing element of the narrative.
4 stars.
June 2, 2020
I really enjoyed Ted Jackson's book "You Ought to Do a Story About Me." The book revolves around Jackson's reporting on a former NFL player, Jackie Wallace, whom Jackson finds homeless and suffering from addiction while taking photographs. Aside from the actual writing, the book is interspersed with a series of excellent photographs of Jackie Wallace and people Jackson interviews or sees throughout New Orleans. I appreciate how Jackson speaks about Wallace from a sense of genuine care and interest vs. Wallace being merely a project and someone Jackson needs to save. Wallace's story uncovers a side of football that should gain more attention - the repercussions of traumatic brain injury and what life is like for former football stars when they are finished playing professionally. I also really enjoyed reading about New Orleans history, politics, and culture and how this weaves into Wallace's story and the stories of the people Jackson meets in his decades as a New Orleans reporter. I highly recommend this book for many reasons.
October 26, 2020
Pointing to the daily newspaper by his feet, the homeless stranger looked the photojournalist in the eye and said, “You ought to do a story about me.” When Ted asked why, he was stunned by the answer. “Because, I’ve played in three Super Bowls.”
In a way this is one man's story of addiction and homelessness. Stories of which there are many. But Jackie Wallace played in two Super Bowls, was a clever guy and seemed to be headed for successful life. The book chronicles Jackie's life and touches upon some interesting points about addiction and loss but also on the post-career struggles an athlete might encounter and the shattering effects of CTE (Chronic traumatic encephalopathy).
The author found Wallace sleeping under a bridge in 1990. For 30 years he followed, and more than once lost, Jackie Wallace. They developed a friendship of sorts, plagued by the addict's ways. The story is lovingly told and the reader gets a sense why the author and others kept coming back to help Jackie where others, in similar circumstances, surely would have long given up.
In a way this is one man's story of addiction and homelessness. Stories of which there are many. But Jackie Wallace played in two Super Bowls, was a clever guy and seemed to be headed for successful life. The book chronicles Jackie's life and touches upon some interesting points about addiction and loss but also on the post-career struggles an athlete might encounter and the shattering effects of CTE (Chronic traumatic encephalopathy).
The author found Wallace sleeping under a bridge in 1990. For 30 years he followed, and more than once lost, Jackie Wallace. They developed a friendship of sorts, plagued by the addict's ways. The story is lovingly told and the reader gets a sense why the author and others kept coming back to help Jackie where others, in similar circumstances, surely would have long given up.
December 22, 2020
The cycle of drug use, rehab, relapse, recovery is never a straight line and Jackie Williams story really shows this. Jackson and Williams become friends after the photojournalist discovers the athlete living under a bridge in New Orleans. Their friendship is also punctuated by the same rhythms of addiction - they become close and then lose contact and then rekindle their friendship depending on where Williams is at in terms of using. Similarly, Williams relationships with women follow the same cycles. I don't really feel that the author sufficiently understands the impact of addiction on the brain throughout this book until the very end when he does acknowledge it. However, I do like that he takes a more rounded view of it and seems to understand ACES and counselling. It is so frustrating and sad to see Williams fail again and again but he also gets back up again and again. The book does dip into the idea of CTE and that is interesting too.
February 28, 2021
I rate this book so highly, not because I believe it will appeal to everyone, but because the sheer happenstance of the photographer and the former NFL player meeting under those particular circumstances and becoming lifelong friends, is utterly fascinating. I can just imagine his shock when he got back to the newsroom and found out that what the homeless guy had told him was indeed truth.
In the best of circumstances, life can be difficult. This is true for us all. We all hit rough patches and stumble. Some stumble and fall through the cracks. The higher the fall, the bigger the story. Jackie Wallace was one of countless individuals who fall through the cracks and can't seem to get back up without continuous assistance. None of us ever thinks that that could be true for us, but we all know someone for whom it is true.
Ted Jackson does an excellent job of chronicling this story. It is quite touching and quite human.
In the best of circumstances, life can be difficult. This is true for us all. We all hit rough patches and stumble. Some stumble and fall through the cracks. The higher the fall, the bigger the story. Jackie Wallace was one of countless individuals who fall through the cracks and can't seem to get back up without continuous assistance. None of us ever thinks that that could be true for us, but we all know someone for whom it is true.
Ted Jackson does an excellent job of chronicling this story. It is quite touching and quite human.
October 16, 2020
I picked this up thinking it would be an interesting read about a how a man went from being a star pro football player to a homeless man. Yes, there was that, but it was so much more. It was an examination of drug abuse, of brain injuries due to football, and ultimately, of Christian redemption. It was also about our (as in other Christian's) responsibility for those who are needy. Can we walk away from the drunks, the druggies, the homeless? What is our responsibilities to those around us? I don't want to diminish this with a WWJD bracelet, but the sentiment is still truth. This book made me self aware and introspective far more than I thought it would. Thank you Ted Jackson.
November 6, 2020
Jackie Wallace led a life laid bare in the pages of this book. There is no quarter given for his drug addiction and subsequent problems related to that. Ted Jackson not only tells the story of how Wallace rose to fame as a high schooler who kept his flag flying until age 29 in the NFL, but also local NOLA history on race, sports desegregation, life after the NFL pre-transition counseling and much more.
This book brings up the question: why wasn’t there more support given to athletes transitioning to civilian life post career? And how that effects them mentally and physically long term.
This book brings up the question: why wasn’t there more support given to athletes transitioning to civilian life post career? And how that effects them mentally and physically long term.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews