Customer Reviews

Sweetness: The Courage and Heart of Walter Payton

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This is a terrific book, especially for parents who want to show their sports-mad kids a real role model. The photos are wonderful, and the text describes the whole man, not just the football player. And he was as good a man as he was player, and there wasn't ever a better player.

Give this to a football-loving kid for Christmas, and try not to cry when you read it yourself.

"Sweetness: The Courage and Heart of Walter Payton" is a wonderful collection of quotes, stats, stories, and pictures illustrating the complete Payton. He was indeed one of the greatest running-backs of all time. What this book gives, that many don't, is a review of Walter's off-field perfomances. He was kind, caring, and loving to all. This book clearly shows that Walter was in all aspects.....a hero. This title is a must for all those who miss the headbands, the dives over the goal lines, the amazing runs, the jumping high fives, and a great man----SWEETNESS!

...one of the quotes in the book attributed to Bears Coach Mike Ditka. I agree with that, and I think anyone who reads this book will come to understand why. His accomplishments on the football field, as great as they were, were secondary. He was a great human being. We were fortunate to have had him as long as we did.

I'm sure this book is of more interest to Chicago Bears fans than it might be to those who aren't, but it needn't be that way; this is a great and meaningful book that everyone can enjoy. Yeager follows Walter's life an career in chronological order from his youth in Mississippi, through his years and Jackson State, his marriage, Bears career and ultimately his retirement and death. The format is generally quotes from others close to him at those times: his brother Eddie, college coach, teammates - particularly Matt Suhey, Roland Harper and Mike Singletary, coaches, friends and business associates. Yeager himself contributes based on his interviews with Walter and includes many details of his discussions with him. The best parts of the book, in my view, are the quotes from Walter himself.

Regardless of whether the reader is from Chicago or a Bears fan, I think this book is well worth the price if only for one of the later chapters. I don't have the book handy at the moment, but while he was dying, he spoke to Yeager in three or four paragraphs about what is is to be a Winner. Walter's comments were touching, profound and in my view as a Chicagoan and a Bear fan, defined who he was.

I'd highly recommend picking the book up just to read those passages. I think every parent should share those passages with their kids as I did - and continue to from time to time. They serve as a constant reminder of what is really important in life from a great man who understood.

He made us all very proud. I'm glad to heave read the book and refer to it often. Walter will never be forgotten.

Walter Payton was the model of what every player should be like, even in today's "me only" generation. Walter was a first class football player amd first class individual as well.

He is what other players should strive to be like, Walter broke the mold and still stands as the premiere football player of all time. Walter can not and will never be replaced, he represented what all of us should be like no matter what color we are or where we came from or anything!

A truly remarkable individual that went beyond being a great football player, Walter was a great person as well. If a person couldn't be inspired by what Walter Payton represented, they just couldn't be inspired with anything!

I named my son after his son, and my family will never forget watching #34 on the field on Sunday's. Walter is my all time hero and inspiration, and always will be.

Great pictures. This is a gift for my son who has been a Walter Payton fan for many years. We looked for this book when he passed away and is elated that he finally has it.