Jeff Pearlman talks Brett Favre book, Donald Trump and more

AH: You’ve started on a book about the USFL, how has that process been and when can we expect it to come out?

JP: Well, I’m fucked. It’s due in January and I’m way behind because of the Favre PR. But it’s been a joy; like diving back into my childhood and taking a swim. I love everything about the USFL—the unis, the colors, the names, the weirdness. Such a labor of love.

AH: Donald Trump was one of the biggest players in USFL’s rise and fall, do you think he had the league’s best intentions from the start or do you think he was looking to destroy the league by bringing it to the fall.

JP: No, never. He wanted to wind up in the NFL—period. That was it. He didn’t care about the league, the other owners. He was a greedy asshole who thought he could buy his way into the big league. But, ultimately, he could not.

AH: In your book will you go into more detail about John Bassett? Not many people who followed the league and it’s history know about him.

JP: Of course, man. Great owner, great man, had the league’s best interests at heart, then got cancer and Trump stomped over him. I interviewed his son for the book, as well as many friends and colleagues. Best owner in the USFL.

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AH: Thoughts on Colin Kaepernick’s protest and Nigel Hayes talking about college athletes wanting to get more money from the NCAA.

JP: I’ve loved the protests. You know a protest is working when people seem fidgety and uncomfortable. Bingo. We’ve talked about it with our kids, as have thousands of other families. That’s a beautiful thing. And college athletes in revenue-generating sports should get a slice. They really should. Or be allowed to jump straight to the pro leagues.