Bookshelf
| Boys Will Be Boys, Jeff Pearlman |
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Boys Will Be Boys, by Jeff Pearlman * * * This is the story of the Dallas Cowboys of the 1990's, one of the most successful, flamboyant and sinful dynasties in NFL history. Pearlman, who used to write for the Nashville Tennessean, dives into the story at the acquisition of the team by blowhard Jerry Jones and the shameful dispensing of Tom Landry. What follows is a relatively straightforward description of the next several years -- the hiring of Jimmy Johnson, the blockbuster trade of Herschel Walker, the drafting of Emmitt and Aikman, and the subsequent three Super Bowl wins. To most football fans there are few surprises relating to the actual football (Deion Sanders couldn't tackle, Emmitt had a huge ego, Jay Novachek was the most solid guy on the team). No, the juicy stuff all happened off the field. Remebering that this was the early days of drug testing is the only way to wrap around just how debaucherous this team was. That a professional athlete would engage in drunken, drugged, adulterous behaviour is no surprise in this day and age. It's just the damned scale of it exhibited by this bunch that will blow you away. Led by ring-leader Michael Irvin the Cowboys of the nineties proved that you can frequent strip clubs, whorehouses, bars and drug dens on a regular basis and still win if you have enough talent (which they absolutely did). You are not going to believe a lot of stuff they got away with. This is a good, fast read. Pearlman is a nice writer who just kind of throws it at you. He does a good job of explaining the differing aspects of an out-of-control sports franchise without being too judgemental. However, he still lets you know just what an egomaniacal ass Jerry Jones is and you can completely understand why they haven't won a playoff game in a decade.
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| Last Updated on Monday, 03 November 2008 10:41 |