To The Best of Our Knowledge from Wisconsin Public Radio

Vince Lombardi remains the archetypal sports coach — a man obsessed with winning. But Lombardi was a complicated person. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, getting behind the Lombardi legend. Also, white fans who idolize black basketball players. And David Halberstam on the art of sports writing.

David Maraniss is a Washington Post reporter and the author of "When Pride Still Mattered," a biography of Vince Lombardi, the still-revered coach of the Green Bay Packers. Maraniss tells Steve Paulson that Lombardi was a master psychologist and far more complicated than his tough guy public image. Also, John Pinero performs a one-may play called "Vince." We hear him do excerpts and he talks with Jim Fleming.

Pulitzer Prize winning journalist David Halberstam has edited a book called "The Best American Sports Writing of the Century." He tells Steve Paulson why Gay Talese's story about Joe DiMaggio marked a change in the form and says the best sports writing is never about sports. Also, David Shields is the author of "Black Planet: Facing Race during an NBA Season." He tells Jim Fleming that basketball is the only arena of American society dominated by young, strong, Black men and explains how the country's racial dynamics get played out on the court.

Writer Pam Houston has spent a lot of time outdoors participating in various sports under extreme conditions. She tells Judith Strasser why she is driven to take risks, what it's like to fall out of the boat while shooting rapids, and why meeting grizzlies is the last thing she'd give up. Houston is the author of two books of short stories, "Cowboys Are My Weakness" and "Waltzing the Cat," and a collection of journalism called "A Little More about Me."

Distribution dates:

• week of 08/05/2001 - hour 1
• week of 01/16/2000 - hour 2