Mark Kriegel is an American author, journalist, and television commentator. He has been an analyst and essayist for ESPN's boxing programming since 2017 and in 2022 was the recipient of the Boxing Writers Association of America's Nat Fleischer Award for Excellence in Boxing Journalism[1] and is regarded as "perhaps the finest boxing writer in America."[2]
Mark Kriegel | |
|---|---|
| Education | Swarthmore College Columbia University |
| Occupation(s) | American author Journalist Television commentator |
Early years
editHe is the son of author and essayist, Leonard Kriegel.[3][circular reference] He grew up in New York City, and attended Stuyvesant High School, Swarthmore College, and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. [4]
Author
editKriegel is the author of critically acclaimed New York Times bestsellers, Namath: A Biography, about Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath, and Pistol: the Life of Pete Maravich.[5][6] His 2012 book, The Good Son: The Life of Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini – about a boxer's relationship with his father, and a man who died at his hands in the ring – was made into a documentary by the same name.
Kriegel's work often focuses on conflicts between fathers and sons in sports – especially boxing. A front-page column he wrote for the New York Post, detailing the relationship between boxing trainer Teddy Atlas, Mafia figure Sammy (“the Bull”) Gravano, and Gravano's son, became the basis for his novel, Bless Me, Father, which drew praise from the writer Richard Price, and the Los Angeles Times (which called it “mesmerizing.”)[7][8][9]
Journalism
editHe worked as a general assignment reporter at The Miami Herald and The New York Daily News. In 1990, his piece for the Daily News Sunday Magazine, “The People’s Court” – an examination of basketball culture in New York – was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in the Feature Writing category.[10]
The following year, he became a sports columnist at the New York Post. From 1994 to 2001, he was a columnist at the Daily News. He has also been a national columnist at FOXSports.com, and a contributing writer for Esquire. His Esquire profile of boxer Oscar De Hoya – “The Great (Almost) White Hope” was anthologized in At the Fights: American Writers on Boxing and The Book of Boxing, edited by W.C. Heinz.[11]
Kriegel has been called "the best writer on sports that we have" by Charles Pierce of Esquire.[12]
Television
editIn 2011–12, Kriegel hosted a sports-themed interview show, Barfly, for FOX Sports Net.[13] In June, 2012, he joined the NFL Network as an analyst on the launch of its morning show, NFL AM. He contributed essay pieces for the network's Total Access show and Sunday features for Game Day Morning. Kriegel also wrote the Emmy-winning All Access series for Showtime. His All Access: Chávez, about the turbulent relationship between the great Mexican boxer, Julio César Chávez, and his son, Julio Jr., explores the same father-son themes Kriegel focused on as a biographer.[14]
He has been part of Emmy-winning teams for the NFL Network (2013 for “Outstanding New Approaches”) and Showtime (2015 for “Outstanding Sports Documentary Series”) for All Access.[15]
In January, 2016, Showtime launched a digital series, “The Reveal with Mark Kriegel,”[16] featuring deep dive, often emotional interviews with boxers and other sports personalities."
In 2017, he wrote and co-produced a feature-length documentary about Prison Fight “Prison Fighters: 5 Rounds to Freedom,” the story of a controversial government program that allows inmates to fight for their freedom in Muay Thai matches. The program, as Kriegel told the New York Post: “Can violent men redeem themselves through violent acts?”[17]
In 2022, Kriegel narrated a tribute package for Shad Gaspard's posthumous induction into the WWE Hall of Fame as the class of 2022's Warrior Award recipient[18][19][20]
He's been a part of three Emmy-winning teams for the NFL Network and Showtime.[21]
Personal
editKriegel lives in Santa Monica, California, with his daughter, Holiday.
References
edit- ^ JSantoliquito (2022-01-28). "The BWAA Is Proud To Announce ESPN's Mark Kriegel As The 49th Nat Fleischer Award Winner". boxingwriters. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
- ^ President, By Joseph Santoliquito/BWAA (2020-04-14). "Kriegel, Coppinger And Borges Top The List Of BWAA Writing Award Winners". boxingwriters. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
- ^ Leonard Kriegel
- ^ "NFL.com Profile". nfl.com.
- ^ Kriegel, Mark (July 2005). Namath: a Biography (9780143035350): Mark Kriegel: Books. ISBN 0143035355.
- ^ Kriegel, Mark (5 February 2008). Pistol: The Life of Pete Maravich: Mark Kriegel: 9780743284981: Amazon.com: Books. ISBN 978-0743284981.
- ^ "The Fabric of a Yarn Wiseguys 'Booked'". New York Daily News.
- ^ "Director Frears' Worst Fears Are Coming True on 'Reilly' Set". New York Daily News.
- ^ "Archives - Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times. 12 March 1995.
- ^ "The Pulitzer Prizes". Pulitzer.org. Retrieved 2019-07-02.
- ^ Various (2012-08-30). At the Fights: American Writers on Boxing: A Library of America Special ... - Various - Google Books. ISBN 9781598532029. Retrieved 2019-07-02.
- ^ "Out on the Weekend, with Tebow!". Esquire. 2012-10-19. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
- ^ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0471184/ [user-generated source]
- ^ "YouTube". YouTube. Retrieved 2019-07-02.
- ^ "Boxing News, articles, videos, rankings and results: SHOWTIME SPORTS® ORIGINAL"ALL ACCESS" WINS SPORTS EMMY AWARD FOR 2nd CONSECUTIVE YEAR". Thesweetscience.com. 6 May 2015. Retrieved 2019-07-02.
- ^ "Showtime Sports". Showtime. Showtime.
- ^ "Inside the prison where murderers can fight to be freed". NY Post. NY Post. 23 February 2017.
- ^ "Shad Gaspard's warrior legacy lives on with his son". WWE. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- ^ WWE.com Staff (March 25, 2022). "Shad Gaspard to receive 2022 Warrior Award at WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony". WWE. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
- ^ "WWE honoring Shad Gaspard with 2022 Warrior Award". FOX Sports. Retrieved 2022-03-27.
- ^ "37th Annual Sports Emmy Awards". Emmys Online. Emmy Awards.