Customer Reviews

Boys Will Be Boys: The Glory Days and Party Nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

When the first chapter of a non-fiction football book starts off with future Hall Of Fame receiver Michael Irvin stabbing a teammate in the neck with a scissors... and blood is shooting all over the room... and the intensity of the lurid details... on and off the field... regarding the famed "dynastic" Dallas Cowboys of the 1990's... never lets up for the next three-hundred-fifty-eight pages... you know you've got a great book in your hands. Any true football fan, regardless of what team you root for will want to read this book. There are so many riveting... outlandish... insider... stories... that you will constantly want to stop reading for a moment or two... just to call one of your buddies to tell him what you just read!

This book has it all. From the "humble" beginnings (as far as wins and losses that is... nothing about any of the key individuals in this story could ever be considered humble!) concerning the 1989 Cowboys who had a one-win fifteen-loss season... to the three-time Super Bowl Champions. The author smoothly gives you detailed background information on everyone from owner Jerry Jones to coach Jimmy Johnson to Troy Aikman/Emmitt Smith/Michael Irvin/Nate Newton/Charles Haley/Deion Sanders... and every Cowboy large... small... or in between... who effected the team on or off the field... good or bad. Absolutely no punches are pulled.

From drug busts, that included Michael Irvin and teammate Alfredo Roberts being caught with 10.3 grams of cocaine, more than an ounce of marijuana, assorted drug paraphernalia and sex toys... and oh yea... two strippers... to shocking exposes regarding eventual FIVE-TIME-SUPER-BOWL-CHAMPION Charles Haley who would expose himself... and "pleasure-himself"... in front of teammates in the locker room... training room... and meeting rooms... to famous quotes from players, that truly thought they were above the law, are provided... such as when three-hundred-sixty pound Nate Newton said: "WE'VE GOT A LITTLE PLACE OVER HERE WHERE WE'RE RUNNING SOME WHORES IN AND OUT, TRYING TO BE RESPONSIBLE, AND WE'RE CRITICIZED FOR THAT, TOO."

Did you know that when former Cowboy owner Bum Bright sold the team to Jerry Jones... that one of the conditions of the sale was that Jones had to fire Tom Landry? Landry was probably the most popular man in Texas, but Bright couldn't stand him. How did the Cowboys code of ethics compare to other big name NFL teams? One Cowboy said: "WHEN I WAS WITH THE REDSKINS COACH GIBBS WOULD SAY, "OK FELLA'S, DON'T MESS WITH STREET DRUGS OR STEROIDS, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT HOW WE DO THINGS HERE." COACH JOHNSON ON THE OTHER HAND, WOULD SAY, "DON'T MESS WITH STREET DRUGS OR STEROIDS, BECAUSE THE DRUG TEST IS IN A WEEK AND YOU DON'T WANNA GET CAUGHT." "IT WAS OBVIOUS JIMMY LACKED SOME CHARACTER IN HIS PURSUIT OF GREATNESS."

It's all here in exquisite detail. Nothing is held back. The way players... coaches... and owners... really feel! Who they think is stupid... who is smart... who had courage and who didn't. One Cowboy whose valor won over his team was Troy Aikman, of whom linebacker Garry Cobb said: AS A ROOKIE AGAINST THE CARDINALS AIKMAN "WAS KNOCKED COLD FOR NEARLY FIVE MINUTES BEFORE BEING HELPED OFF THE FIELD. TROY EARNED ALL OUR RESPECT. HE GOT KILLED AND REFUSED TO CRY. I'VE BEEN ON THE FIELD WHEN QUARTERBACKS CRY, AND IT AIN'T PRETTY. DAN MARINO WAS A CRIER - "WHOSE MAN WAS THAT! WHERE'S THE BLOCKING! WHAH!" "BUT AIKMAN - NEVER. AIKMAN WAS A MAN."

The author, Jeff Pearlman, magically, and seamlessly, weaves a story that gives you equal servings of statistical game information... unwavering disections of diverse psychological profiles... including Jerry Jones's jealousies and Jimmy Johnson's insecurities... and the sensitive human backdrop's... such as Michael Irvin... the third youngest of SEVENTEEN CHILDREN... who never had his own bed until college.

I recommend this book highly to any football fan.

I loved this book and I actually read it (Unlike the person's comment before mine). I read it straight through. I had to go to the bathroom at work to finish it up. I enjoyed hearing about the off the field experiences of the team members. As reported, it was salacious. However, I enjoyed even more the making of the team. The trades and behind the scene conversations that made this team what it was. Pearlman dug up amazing details with extensive reporting. There may have been a few Cowboys who didn't speak with Pearlman, but most of them did and had plenty to say. To quote Bill Simmons "Go buy this book."

I highly recommend this book to anyone who: a) was a big fan of the early 90's Cowboys, b) is curious about what goes on behind the scenes in the NFL, or c) is interested in the impact leadership has on organizations. This book comes up juicy in all three categories.

This book is great because it avoids the common mistake made by authors documenting certain teams. Instead of going through the boring minutiae of old games, Jeff Pearlman gives gripping, inside stories that no fan ever knew about. For example:

- Michael Irvin was the heart and soul of the team. Period.
- Nobody liked Emmitt Smith.
- Charles Haley, WTF?
- The players, for as much as they hated Jimmy Johnson, respected the heck out of him. How he shaped them psychologically and then kept them on the edge was stellar.
- Jerry Jones is a prideful retard, sure. But I never knew he was that big of one.
- Switzer was actually a pretty likable guy with whom you can really empathize. But, man, he really had no business being there.
- Skip Bayless is a massive dork.

I had a blast reading this book. Highly recommend.

Jeff Pearlman continues his excellent "The Bad Guys Won" oeuvre with this enthralling behind-the-scenes look at the 1990s-era Dallas Cowboys. It's a perfect subject for Pearlman, given his previous takes on the 1986 New York Mets and Barry Bonds.

What's notable here is the level of cooperation Pearlman received from all corners - dozens of ex-Cowboys, Jimmy Johnson, Jerry Jones, Barry Switzer and scads of insiders all contribute to a warts-and-all retelling of a wild ride. What's also notable is that Pearlman plays no favorites and pulls no punches - Jones, Johnson, Switzer and Michael Irvin get both praised and skewered despite their cooperation.

Reading between the lines, it's clear that Pearlman failed to get direct cooperation from two of the Triplets: Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith. Both suffer from that, especially Smith. While the league's all-time rushing leader is lauded for his toughness, the prevailing tone depicts a selfish, me-first player. Aikman, as always, comes across as guarded and wary of being used, but ultimately is rightfully judged as supremely skilled, self-effacing and simple in that he demanded only loyalty from friends and teammates. It's left to long-time confidante Dale Hansen to defend the player against rumors and innuendo.

Oh, and as others will surely note on these pages: the passages about Charles Haley pretty much defy any description on these pages without running afoul of Amazon's censor bots.

I'm a huge Dallas Cowboys fan, have been since 1989--the first year of the Troy Aikman era. I had followed the media hype between Aikman vs. Rodney Peet, his school (UCLA) vs. Peete's school (USC) the previous college season. This turned me into a huge fan of his in the NFL as well, making my favorite squad the Dallas Cowboys. It was a new era with Tom Landry being fired and replaced, and then the excellent trades and drafts made by Jimmy Johnson and Co. This book is a behind closed doors type of account of how this era was ushered in and, ultimately, ended. People seem to think they know it all about teams when they're winning...only to discover through this book that there is a lot of stuff going on that does not make its' way to the general public. It has made me more comfortable with the current squad in spite of how the media portrays this ultimate demise waiting to happen due to TO, Pacman, Tank Johnson, etc. Especially frustrating is having people like "MeShawn" Johnson and Cris Carter (who had his own troubles in Philly) trying to critique TO's every move when they, too were no unselfish players. Knowing that if every team were to have a book written about their respective seasons, the public would see just how normal the current Cowboys are in comparison. For anyone wanting a great read that is hard to put down, look no further. This book will open your eyes, make you laugh, and keep you entertained from start to finish.

I sat down one Saturday to read Boys Will Be Boys, about the 1990 Dallas Cowboys, and couldn't put it down. This book chronicles the hard partying team that won three Super Bowls in four years and is definitively the team of the 1990's.

Given the drinking, drugs, women, and super hard partying this team engaged in during their run in the 1990's it is simply amazing that they were able to win championships. I'm not sure if it is a testament to just what phenomenal athletes these men were, or their dedication to football and winning despite their debauched lifestyle off the field. According to this book it seems nearly the entire team, with the exception of a few like stars like Troy Aikman, were engaged in a wild years long party off the field, while racking up wins and championships off of it.

Michael Irvin, the Hall of Fame wide receiver and guard Nate Newton appear to be the ringleaders of this band of imbibers. Of course Irvin has been busted enough times with drugs and women that it comes as no surprise. What is surprising is just how pervasive the lifestyle was. Certainly we all know there are a handful of players on every team that lead pretty wild lifestyles, but how a team that seemed to be immersed so deeply in drinking and womanizing (and presumably other illicit activities as well) could be so successful is really amazing.

Another completely bizarre character is defensive end Charles Haley. Basically run out of San Francisco by his teammates for his horrible behavior, he nearly fit right in with the Dallas Cowboys. This nasty fellow was known for exposing himself to his teammates and constantly harassing them and stirring up trouble. Only professional athletes could ever get by with the horrendous behavior and bizarre antics of Haley.

There is also plenty of other inside information about the 1990 Cowboys. We learn more about Troy Aikman and his leadership on the field. And of course there is great detail about coach Jimmy Johnson who turned a blind eye to off field behaviors as long as the team kept winning. We follow how he turned a losing team into a powerhouse with adroit drafting, his arrogant yet winning ways, and his falling out with owner Jerry Jones, when two Texas sized egos found they could not coexist. We also get a view of the inevitable decline after the inept blowhard Barry Switzer took over as head coach.

All in all this was a wildly informative book about a wild but winning team.

Pearlman takes us inside the locker room, strip clubs, and party scenes of one of sports' greatest climbs and crumbles of a dynasty. Often we wonder what transpires, what goes wrong so quickly with a winning team. With this book, the whys and hows are endless. Despite being an avid Cowboys fan, peering behind the sinister curtain of smiles and one-liners it is easy to see the egos, the lies, and the "don't ask, don't tell" philosophies that undo many great teams. With in-depth research and many, many interviews, Pearlman leaves no stone unturned. It's like reading a biography of a legendary rock band who parties itself into splitting up prematurely. The sex, the booze, and the drugs suddenly means more than the music, or in this case winning football games. Best sports non-fiction book I've ever read.

I listened to this book on CD and thought it was really interesting. I think Michael Irvin's life deserves a movie...
One note: The narrator of the audio edition is clearly not a football fan. You can tell because he absolutely butchers the pronunciations of name after name of the players. He obviously showed up at a studio cold to record this and did no background work. He narrates the story really well, but hearing him mangle "Steve Beuerlein" was an experience in itself! It partially became fun to see what he would come up with next, but it was also distracting from the story... and shockingly cheesey.
If there was ever a football team that deserved a book about it though, this certainly is the one!

If you are a cowboys fan you should definitely read this book. Lots of Adult content and insight to the whole Jimmy and Jerry relationship.

This book was the best sports related book I have ever read, giving an inside look at the real behind the scenes lifestyles of the beloved Dallas Cowboys, I strongly recommend!!