The Mannings: The Fall and Rise of a Football Family by Lars Anderson

Review by Clancy

Being a Montana boy and a recent transplant to Tennessee, I figured it was a smart idea to learn a little bit about local culture. No better place to start than Tennessee Volunteer alum and future NFL Hall of Famer Peyton Manning! I have been told that he is considered by many ‘round these parts as some form of deity. So I picked up a copy of the recently published The Mannings: The Fall and Rise of a Football Family by Lars Anderson, figuring I would learn a lot about Peyton and not be so shy during watercooler chats about the football legend. What I came away with was a bounty of knowledge about his father Archie Manning: his rise as a “Southern Hero” and his influence on his three sons as both men and football players.

The first half of the book focused strictly on Archie Manning. He was raised in Drew, Mississippi so the author took the opportunity to frame this part of the biography by describing Southern norms, customs and even allusions to the Civil Rights Era. The first chapters introduce the reader to Archie’s father Buddy Manning. He was a tough, stubborn man who craved routine and was a large influence on Archie’s development. Buddy knew that Archie was athletically gifted at a young age and made sure that he did not become egotistical about his talents. Throughout the arc of the early storyline we see Archie confronted with challenges, both in high school and his time at Ole Miss, and how Buddy’s influence leads Archie into the right direction. In all cases the advice is the same: work hard and be a nice guy.

The second half of the book described how Archie as a sporting dad allowed his kids to discover their own dreams and accepted when they followed in his footsteps. We learn that the oldest boy, Cooper Manning, was considered the best athlete of all the boys. The middle son, Peyton, loved reviewing film at a very young age (who would have guessed), was extremely competitive, and as a young quarterback took over games with the mind of a coach. Both Cooper and Peyton were very close in age and bond but the final son, Eli, was much younger and much more of an introvert. Throughout all his schooling, even up into college, Eli is portrayed as shy and reserved. Archie Manning had a “hands off” approach when it came to his sons and football. He only gave advice when asked and always made sure that coaches knew that he was not a parent coach nor had the desire for it. The boys were truly free to shape their own destiny. Peyton and Eli went on to be NFL quarterbacks and each became two time super bowl champions.

I thought it was a well written biography. Lars Anderson used narrative and emotion to drive the story forward in a way that felt very natural. I honestly couldn’t put it down (this is when a hyperbolic reviewer would start exclaiming that it was a “tour de force” and “one for the ages”). While there were descriptions of games and specific notable plays, the focus was more about the interplay of a football loving Southern family. This made for a very relatable storyline. 

So the question is, did this Montana boy learn about Peyton Manning’s rise and why he is regarded so well? The answer is in the affirmative but I definitely learned much more than that. Archie, along with his wife and sons, portrayed how being nice along with hard work, preparedness and dedication are the tools necessary to be victorious in the face of challenges both on and off the field. I would recommend The Mannings to anyone who enjoys a good morality play but I would definitely recommend it to parents of high school and college athletes or any coach looking for foundational principles on how to morally manage a team.

Head Ball Coach: My Life in Football by Steve Spurrier

Reviewed by Jeanne

Love him or hate him, Steve Spurrier left his mark on SEC football starting with his years as a player and then as coach to Florida and South Carolina.  His press conferences were legendary; reporters could always count on a great quote from, as someone dubbed him, the Ol’ Ball Coach.  (Spurrier reportedly hated that version.  He always referred to himself as the Ball Coach or Head Ball Coach.)

In Head Ball Coach:  My Life in Football, Spurrier begins at an ending:  his unexpected resignation as the South Carolina coach.  As with most things, he decided to do it his way and, instead of waiting to be fired or struggle to hang on, he went out in the middle of the season on his own terms.  

The rest of the book covers his storied career, not necessarily in chronological order.  He played quarterback at Florida, was drafted by the 49ers into the NFL, and coached at Georgia Tech and Duke before ending back at Florida where he was welcomed as hometown boy made good.

In fact, his actual hometown is a bit closer to us.  One of my favorite chapters was “Johnson City Dreams,” in which he recounts playing baseball at Kiwanis Park—yes, baseball! He also played basketball and for a time considered that to be his best sport.  It wasn’t until his senior year that he began to show real promise as a quarterback in football, but even so the parades at Johnson City weren’t for football but for baseball.  Science Hill High School took the Tennessee State Championships for both 1962 and 1963. 

Spurrier was recruited by several colleges, but “recruiting” then wasn’t anywhere near the elaborate wooing that goes on these days.  He was interested in Tennessee but their offense at the time was based more on running not passing, which was Spurrier’s strong suit.  Instead, he visited a number of schools.  Florida was a bit of an afterthought, but ended up being his choice in part because it was January and the temperature in Gainesville was about 40 degrees warmer than it had been in Johnson City.

Another favorite chapter is entitled “Things I Probably Said.”  Spurrier’s own favorite came while he was South Carolina’s coach and commented on the annual game with Georgia:  “I always sort of liked playing them that second game because you could always count on them having two or three key players suspended.”

So if you’re feeling a little nostalgic and want to read about the way college football used to be, or you just want to hear some stories about great SEC rivalries, then pick up Head Ball Coach.

The System: The Glory and Scandal of Big Time College Football by Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian

Reviewed by Jeanne

I have learned to enjoy college football.  At first it was just so that I could contribute more to family conversations than, “How ‘bout them (insert name of mascot here)?”  Through relatives and friends, I have ties to most of the SEC schools so family viewing can sometimes get a bit heated. My critique of the game is still largely limited to “GO! GO! GO!” or “GET HIM, GET HIM, GET HIM!”   Also, I have finally figured out what a first down is.

Recently, I’ve come to wonder a bit more about how the whole college football thing works—I mean, REALLY works.  I’m not the only one, judging from the recent flurry of articles and books which raise questions about every aspect of the game, from injuries to injustices, from felonies to fame. In The System, I found a book which covers most of the subjects in a highly readable, informative way.  While I wouldn’t call the book a scathing indictment—the authors recognize the energy and excitement college ball creates-- it does raise a number of troubling questions.

Several chapters deal with the career of Coach Mike Leach, whose story is an instructive look at the careers of college coaches in general.  I didn’t know anything about Leach, but his story is a dramatic one:  a winning coach who is accused of player abuse, fired, and then is considered for another high profile job. His career arc is scattered throughout the book in different chapters, which was an effective way of telling the story.  In fact, the entire book tends to use individual stories to illustrate problems, concerns, and triumphs, so that the result is very readable and immediate.  As a casual fan, I had no idea that most colleges use female college students to entice potential football recruits to commit to their college; nor did I have any idea of the scope of the boosters who funnel money to star players under various guises.  In fact, the entire recruiting process was an eye-opener.  One chapter details how T. Boone Pickens was encouraged to donate $165 million to Oklahoma State and the result of that particular investment.  Another described an assistant whose job it is to ensure that the players keep out of trouble, down to checking about a pretty young woman who was staying at the same hotel as the team—was she really just a guest or was she a decoy for an NFL scout? Another chapter that surprised me had to do with the mechanics of firing and hiring a coach, which apparently is not usually the swift and sudden process headlines would have you believe.  And how about all those little schools who appear on the schedule of the heavyweight college teams—is it worth it for them to be little more than “score fodder”?

The authors make every effort to give all the people involved a chance to speak from his or her perspective, and they refrain from the subtle editorializing common to this sort of book such describing people in an unflattering manner. Everyone is treated with respect though not deference.

While the authors obviously love the game, they bring up a number of questions that need answers—and they aren’t the only ones asking.  A recent cover story from Time Magazine asked if it was time to pay college athletes, while the documentary “League of Denial” has highlighted the dangers of concussion in NFL players. 

Honestly, when I picked up The System, I thought I would read maybe a chapter or two at most, and then abandon the book.  Instead, I was fascinated.  It’s certainly changed my perspective when I read sports headlines.  This is especially true because of the timeliness of the book:  many of these players and coaches are all still active and still making news, like Mike Leach and Nick Saban.  I’m watching the unfolding of the University of Texas’s firing and hiring of a coach with more interest than I thought I would ever muster, now that I know who Mack Brown is and have an idea of the power of boosters.   Tennessee fans will be especially interested on the chapter with Lane Kiffin.

 In short, this is a book which will interest a variety of readers, not just real college football fans who know what a touchback is.  (No, don’t tell me. I’m enjoying the mystery.)