Chapters 1 & 2 Summary and Analysis

One of the first facts about expert rowers is that there is no money in it. There is some funding and the possibility of prize money or money through advertising promotions of rowing products. Unlike sales—where the good get rich and the bad get nowhere—rowing has little to offer in the way of money. Our stars, in this book, are not motivated by money.

Olympic championships are one of the rare opportunities for public recognition in this sport. The author introduces one of the most important people in the sport of rowing, amongst Americans in the 1970s and 1980s: Christopher Wood. Even when the book begins he already has a history with this sport at the Olympic level. In 1976 this young man makes the Olympic rowing team but is not used. This man wticks with the sport...