Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
RICK "SHAQ" GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "AN AMAZING SYMBOL OF A DUAL TRIUMPH OVER ADVERSITY... THE NFL SAINTS & THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS!", July 1, 2010
This review is from: Home Team: Coaching the Saints and New Orleans Back to Life (Hardcover)
The whole world is well aware of the horror of Hurricane Katrina and due to the NFL's international appeal the whole world also knows about the New Orleans Saints winning Super Bowl XLIV in 2010. Because of the constant exposure of these two monumental events, I had first hesitated to buy this book... because I had watched the game... watched the news... read the papers... and I'm a sports fanatic... so I figured how many different ways can someone describe the same game... the same victory parade... and the same monumental havoc caused by Mother Nature? Man! Was I pleasantly surprised when I read this book. Saints coach Sean Payton traces his life from the emotional high... high atop a float in a Mardi-Gras-like victory parade before EIGHT-HUNDRED-THOUSAND-FANS-IN-NEW-ORLEANS back to his roots with not only an "everyman" type dialogue... but even more amazingly Sean delivers a no-holds-barred look behind the scenes at some of the sports well known individuals.
An example of his "everyman" approach... with all the varnish removed as he cast political correctness to the wind... is demonstrated very early on as the Super Bowl victory parade was in full swing when Sean writes: "I WAS SEVEN BUD LIGHTS IN. IT WAS MY TURN TO GREET THE MAYOR. MY WIFE SQUEEZED MY WRIST AND SAID," CONTROL YOURSELF HONEY." The reader is taken from his college ball to short stints in "pro ball" in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Arena Football League that lasted as long as an average blink of the eye. His attempts to make coaching a career had him bouncing around like an out of control pin-ball machine. From graduate assistant-to assistant-to-position-coach from one side of the country to the next. He worked with coaches such as Jon Gruden, Bill Callahan, his most cherished mentor Bill Parcells, and Jim Fassel among others. Payton's tell-it-like-it-is-shoot-straight-from-the-chest-honesty is never more apparent than when he was an assistant and called the plays under New York Giant Head Coach Jim Fassel. The Giants got the ball back with a few seconds left in the first half in a game against the Cardinals and Sean wanted to just "take a knee" and end the half. Fassel overruled him after asking Sean more than once and Sean steadfastly said he wanted to down the ball and end the half. Fassel instead called a pass play that was intercepted and returned for a game-tying touchdown. After the game Fassel blamed Sean for the call to the media. Sean confronted Fassel "mano- y- mano": "UH, COACH," "WHOEVER TAKES THE BLAME FOR THAT CALL IS UNIMPORTANT TO ME. BUT YOU KNOW THAT WHEN WE DISCUSSED IT ON THE SIDELINE, I SAID, "WE SHOULD TAKE A KNEE." That season was Payton's last with the Giants. When Payton took over the Saints he made it clear that he was installing new goals and expectations. Some notable players didn't seem to "get" the message. "DONTE' STALLWORTH, THE SAINTS FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICK IN 2002 AND THIRTEENTH OVERALL THAT YEAR, SHOWED UP LATE FOR MANDATORY TEAM MEETINGS MORE THAN ONCE. I HAD A WORD WITH DONTE' AFTER THE SECOND TIME." I'M DYING TO TRADE OR CUT YOU, I TOLD HIM". ".YOU'RE MAKING IT EASY FOR ME." "HE WAS A SLACKER. IN THIS NEW SAINTS OFFENSE, SOMEONE WHO WAS UNRELIABLE WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME FITTING IN." "DEFENSIVE TACKLE JONATHAN SULLIVAN WAS ANOTHER PLAYER WHO SHOWED UP ON THE RADAR-AND NOT IN A GOOD WAY. HE TOO WAS A FIRST-ROUND PICK, SIXTH OVERALL. HE WAS OVERWEIGHT NOW AND DIDN'T SEEM EAGER TO EXPEND MUCH EXTRA EFFORT."
*BOTH PLAYERS WERE SOON ON OTHER ROSTERS.*
There is a chapter on Sean's interview for a head coaching position with the reclusive... mysterious... Hall Of Fame Legend... Oakland Raiders owner, Al Davis... that is absolutely a classic. From Al's constant habit of changing topics faster than Larry King changes wives... to his less than impressive choice of dinner. Where other potential employers wined and dined Sean in the fanciest restaurants... Mr. Davis eschewed such class establishments and instead sent an aid out for ten McDonald's kid's meal cheeseburgers and coleslaw from KFC. And for what it's worth Sean makes sure to let you know that despite the Super Bowl rings on Al's fingers... he was a sloppy eater.
There are countless insider tales such as these along with many "cold-ones" being thrown back. Along the way it's refreshing to read about all the motivational tools that Payton uses during training both before and during the season. Everything from paint ball wars... to water park contests... to Bill Belichick imitations... to charitable causes that brings tears to the players and coaches eyes. And of course the comeback of a team and a city. No football fan... regardless of your favorite team... will ever think the same way about Coach Sean Payton after reading this book!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Insightful and charismatic Payton tells superb story, July 1, 2010
This review is from: Home Team: Coaching the Saints and New Orleans Back to Life (Hardcover)
I'll go right ahead and say that I'm a huge Saints fan, and it's the only reason why I even read this book. But while this book mostly tells a Saints story, it truly is a great story overall. Of course, Saints fans especially will love this book, but really any fan of sports stories will appreciate the story that Coach Payton has to tell.
What I love about this book is that Coach Payton doesn't delve too deeply into football tactics and he doesn't try to tell an inspiring story; there's already tons of books like that. Instead, Payton just wanted to tell his story in his own words, and his tone and voice is very conversational, as if he were sitting next to you at a bar and telling a heck of a story. Because of his style choice, his charisma really shines through and you won't be able to put this book down.
Beginning from his football development as a kid and all the way to his toasting to New Orleans during Lombardi Gras, Payton is completely honest about his career and the circumstances surrounding each point. He goes into detail about his relationship with New Orleans, his reservations about coming to a destroy city and team, and then his gradual acceptance and ultimately love for the city and its people. He also gives great insight into what goes on behind the scenes and how he took a team with a loser culture and turned them into winners. I particularly liked the anecdotes about how he motivates his team (my favorite was his Bill Belichick impersonation).
In all, I enjoyed the book very much. Payton put into this book the same effort he would in devising a gameplan and it shows. It's definitely a must-buy for Saints fan (don't even think twice about it, just add it to the cart already), but as I said earlier, any fan of sports will love it.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful Read, truly a behind-the-scenes look at coaching, July 5, 2010
This review is from: Home Team: Coaching the Saints and New Orleans Back to Life (Hardcover)
Before the book was released, Sean told an interviewer he wanted the book to read like someone got 5 hours with him at an airport bar when their planes are delayed. Mission accomplished. This is not your normal rah-rah coaching to win book. This is truly a behind-the-scenes, warts and all look at a team, and a city, in shambles that was taken to the pinnacle of success in 4 short years by a man who embraced the challenge of the circumstances and grew to love the city and their wildly loyal fan base- while that fan base grew to love and respect him and his team.
An easy, fun, humorous and touching read - I highly recommend it!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
|
