The Earl Campbell Story: A Football Great's Battle with Panic Disorder [Paperback]

Earl Campbell (Author), John Ruane (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1999

In 1989, three years after retiring from the NFL, Hall of Fame running back Earl Campbell was diagnosed with panic and anxiety disorder. From that point on, his life would never be the same. In his autobiography, Campbell reveals himself as a powerful young man who, with his parents and 10 siblings, struggled to make ends meet working the famous rose fields of Tyler, Texas. He accepted a scholarship to the University of Texas, won the Heisman Trophy, and eventually became a three-time winner of the NFL’s MVP award. Earl Campbell has been invited to speak to physician and patient groups across the country about his experience with panic and anxiety, and in speaking out, he has saved lives by inspiring and motivating others to seek help for this disorder.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

Earl Campbell has won the Heisman Trophy as best college football player in the country, and the NFL's Most Valuable Player Award for his first three seasons with the Houston Oilers.

John Ruane has written for several magazines, spent 10 years as a feature writer for the Chicago Sun-Times and has authored five stage plays. Ruane conducted the national publicity launch for Michael Jordan's newest book, For the Love of the Game: My Story, sending it to number two on the New York Times Bestseller list two weeks after publication.

About the Author

Earl Campbell has won the Heisman Trophy as best college football player in the country, and the NFL’s Most Valuable Player Award for his first three seasons with the Houston Oilers. John Ruane has written for several magazines, spent 10 years as a feature writer for the Chicago Sun-Times, and authored five stage plays.

Product Details

• Paperback: 220 pages
• Publisher: ECW Press (September 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1550223917
• ISBN-13: 978-1550223910
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #132,025 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courage, August 10, 2005

By 

Matthew "Saved by the book" (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Earl Campbell Story: A Football Great's Battle with Panic Disorder (Paperback)

I turned 40 six months ago and suffered my first panic attack shortly aftewards. I was rushed to the hospital, thinking it was a heart attack. I was lucky. The ER doc diagnosed it correctly as a panic attack.

I went to my family physician the next day and he gave me a thorough exam, then recommended a psychiatrist to help me with my panic attacks. He also recommended I read The Earl Campbell Story. I had no idea who Earl Campbell was, since I am not a sports fan but I read the book. Mr. Campbell, your book really helped me. I found the front of the book very helpful, because it described who you were and how great a football player you were. Then when the panic attacks started, I thought I was reading about my own experience.

I think it took a tremendous amount of courage for you to step forward and write this book. It really helped me and I can't thank you enough.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars disappointing, May 14, 2000

By 

ltp1 "ltp1" (Manchester, NH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Earl Campbell Story: A Football Great's Battle with Panic Disorder (Paperback)

Be forewarned that panic does not come into this book until page 83 (of 208). Also be forewarned that it's written at maybe a sixth-grade reading level. (Neither of these is necessarily a bad thing.)

It's a simplistic and lengthy testimonial. There are some reconstructed dialogues that feel artificial, some of the chronology is hard to follow, and people appear out of nowhere or disappear after being identified in detail.

The first 82 pages are mainly football, with lots of numbers and stats. There's an entire chapter on his sausage business that reads like a promotional pamphlet: "All of our meals are precooked and specially sealed with a newly developed technology to keep them fresh. Customers only have to pop them into a microwave oven for three minutes before serving. These meals have become big sellers for us because they are convenient and taste great" etc. (p. 153). And not only that, but "Today I feel as confident about my ability to make a great-tasting meat product as I used to feel about my ability to run with the football. I think both are God-given talents" (p. 153). There's nothing to tie this to the supposed theme of the book.

We get glimpses of Campbell's "pride" (anger at a doctor's suggestion that he try Prozac, sudden disgust with one who asks him to ingest caffeine as an experiment, lashing out at doctors who, attempting to arrive at a diagnosis, inquire whether he uses drugs), glimpses of his warm feelings, and mere hints at "fear of failure" and an "emotional man". Just when he starts to tell us something interesting, he quits and moves on.

You get the feeling this guy wants to talk about it but he doesn't want to talk about it.

This is also hinted at by some contradictions. In one chapter he can't attend banquets because crowds bother him, but a few pages later he says "My panic disorder has no effect on my ability to function in the business world" (p. 149). If these are both true, some discussion would help.

Many panic sufferers would like to wave this book around as evidence that panic does not equate with general wimpiness. It's just disappointing that more substance isn't given here.

4.0 out of 5 stars Earl Campbell's illness, June 27, 2009

By 

YushoKuma "EK" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Earl Campbell Story: A Football Great's Battle with Panic Disorder (Paperback)

Real "Panic Disorder" is a very difficult illness,often misdiagnosed and,sadly, self treated. Earl, a strapping, awardwinning, pro football player from Texas gives insight into his war with "Panic Disorder"....a must read for anyone who loves or treats or has this disorder, especially men. This is often diagnosed in women, but affects many men, who very often medicate with alcohol.