Call for Chapter ProposalsAthletes Breaking Bad Tooan edited collection of scholarly analyses In sports, the action on the field is only part of the story. Beyond scores and stats, we find powerful narratives that make athletes into icons, rebels, or even villains. Every era sees certain athletes defy social norms, ruffle feathers, and challenge the status quo—figures often branded as "bad boys/girls." This label is more than just a headline; it’s a reflection of shifting cultural values as it speaks to what a sport and society deem acceptable—or unforgivable. From John McEnroe and Pete Rose to Tonya Harding and Hope Solo, sporting history is punctuated by these bad boys, and what it takes to be placed in this category varies depending on many factors: the particular sport, social trends, race, gender, relationship with the fans or media, etc. This book invites scholars to dig deeper into the complex lives and lasting impacts of these “bad-boy” athletes, exploring how their stories expose the intersections of sports, social issues, and public perception. Its aim is to examine the social and cultural dimensions of sports narratives by analyzing iconic figures who, for various reasons, have challenged norms and/or drawn public scrutiny. Each chapter will focus on a central figure within a specific sport, and it will use that figure as a way to explore larger sporting and social issues. For example, what does it take to be cast as a bad boy in a specific sport? What does that say about the values held in that sport during that time period? How does race, gender, social-media use, media/fan relationships, background, domestic versus international competition, social expectations, etc. play a role in the creation of a bad boy? Any methodological approach is welcome, but the chapter should be geared toward an audience that could range from sporting enthusiast to critical scholar. We welcome analysis of any sport, and special emphasis will be placed on any chapters that also tie in modern sports issues. Each analysis should be rooted in a central sports figure(s), but it’s possible to use that figure as a jumping off point to discuss larger social/sports-related issues. This will be a sequel to the book Athletes Breaking Bad: Essays on Transgressive Sports Figures published by McFarland in 2020. We will not publish chapters on athletes that have already been covered in the first book, so please no proposals about: Johnny Weir, John Daly, Marion Jones, Ryan Lochte, Diego Maradona, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Hope Solo, Dale Earnhardt, Dennis Rodman, Jameis Winston, Colin Kaepernick, Ronda Rousey, or Mike Tyson. Proposals should be between 400-700 words, and they should include a brief author bio. Please email proposals to Dr. John Lamothe at john.lamothe@erau.edu by March 15, 2025. Completed chapters will be expected by September 1, 2025. If interested scholars would like to see example chapters from the first book, please reach out to Dr. Lamothe via email.