Anyhow, here is my review of this very good book on Payton.
Title/Author:
“Sweetness:
The Enigmatic Life of Walter Payton” by Jeff Pearlman
Tags:
Football (American), Professional, Bears, Biography
Published:
October 4,
2011
Length:
496 pages
Rating:
4 1/2 of 5
stars (excellent)
Review:
Having
seen Walter Payton play football in his prime and admiring what he did on the
field, I was interested in reading this biography written by a well-known and
respected writer for Sports Illustrated.
It turns out there was a lot more to the man than the image that was
portrayed as the hard-working football player and dedicated Christian and
family man.
The
research and detail in this book was very good.
Pearlman talked to many of Payton’s teammates in high school and
college. The section on Payton’s time at
Jackson State was quite impressive in its detail – such as the details of some
of the practices endured by the players.
When he turns pro with the
Chicago Bears, the ups and downs of not only Payton but the entire team is well
researched as well. The reader learns
why Payton struggled at times because the Bears team was not very good.
What makes
the book even better, however, is Pearlman’s account of Payton’s life off the
field, both during his youth and his adulthood. Very often biographies of professional
athletes will reveal unknown characteristics about the athlete that most fans
did not know existed. This is no
exception. The best way to describe this
aspect of the book is conflicting.
Payton is trying to live the proper Christian life, but has many
sessions of infidelity, including fathering a child with someone other than his
wife. He is at times portrayed as an
egomaniac, but yet will always visit sick children in hospitals when called
upon. He is often portrayed as a great
team player, yet is shown to be sulking about individual slights, whether real
or perceived. The best story of that was
during Super Bowl XX, when he was livid that William “Refrigerator” Perry, a
defensive lineman, was given the ball to score the last touchdown of that game
instead of him.
This is a
well researched, well written biography of the running back who many believe to
be the greatest to ever play in the NFL.
Did I skim?
No.
Did I learn something new?
Yes. The most interesting (or shocking, depending
on your viewpoint) was the revelation of Payton’s infidelity and hard-partying
lifestyle well after his playing days were over. It is not all that shocking when any athlete
lives like that while playing and especially when on the road, but that Payton
did this while being portrayed as an ideal family man was quite eye-opening.
Pace of the book:
Excellent. The transitions between football and
off-the-field portions were smooth and the book was told in chronological
order.
Positives:
The
research and detail are the outstanding aspects of this book, but in addition,
I believed the manner in which Pearlman presented topics that could be
controversial or troubling, such as Payton’s cheating, the way in which he
treated his assistants, or his drug and alcohol use, was done with sensitivity and
in a non-judgmental manner.
Negatives:
There
weren’t any glaring negatives about the book.
The closest I could come to one was that at times, the reader could believe
that the author is bashing Payton too much on his lifestyle choices, especially
concerning the lack of time he spent with his son born out of wedlock. However, once the reader finishes the book
and everything is covered, this turns out to be simply another chapter in a
complicated life of a complicated man.
Do I recommend?
Yes,
for any football fan or reader who enjoys biographies.
Book Format Read:
EBook
(Adobe Reader)
Buying Links:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sweetness-jeff-pearlman/1100398649?ean=9781101544631
Good review Lance but I've read enough about narcissistic athletes; he sounds like just another run of the mill jerk
ReplyDeleteHaving only seen him as a teen and young adult, I believed all the press clippings until reading this book. Think it's time to stick with biographies of the underdogs like Lance Allerd or the 33 year old Phillies rookie in 2008 you recommended. Starting that one today.
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