Customer Reviews

When All the Laughter Died in Sorrow

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In November 1969, Lance Rentzel junked a fabulous career in football when he exposed himself to a ten-year-old girl. Of course, as he freely admits, this was the second time he committed this particular crime (or at least the second time he was caught). In 1969, though, he was a star, and nothing he could do (and he tried plenty) could keep the story of his arrest under wraps. In this book, he seems a little bitter toward the father of the child he assaulted--how cruel, how insensitive of this guy to press charges! Didn't he care that Lance's career would be affected, that he would have to endure catcalls from fans, not to mention the loss of advertizing dollars (the little girl recognized Lance from one of his shaving-cream commercials). Has Lance learned anything? A little--the book is full of self-recrimination and has some dark insights into the fantasy nature of fame and the self-delusion that comes hand-in-hand. But he also makes a lot of excuses (he obliquely casts blame on Stanley Kubrick's "2001" for his second arrest), and seems a bit in love with his self-cast role of tragic hero. He claims there was no sexual element in his exhibitionism, that it was simply a child-like prank, a "look-at-what-I-got" stunt to embolden himself after his ego took a few knocks on the field. But why were all three of his victims little girls? Particularly offensive are the numerous asides by Lance's mother which punctuate the text. Mrs. Rentzel pops up every so often like a hired gun, in italics, devoid of a critical context, to unleash the rage that Lance perhaps feels but is too smart to voice: rage not at her son, but at the victims. She makes cynical, maybe libelous, remarks about the father of the ten-year-old, claiming he was on a "power trip" to want to press charges against her wonderful son, when so many rich and influential friends of the family were laboring to pull strings on Lance's behalf. One is impressed by her motherly devotion, and interested to know that self-delusion runs in the Rentzel family. But her bilious remarks should never, NEVER have been included in this narrative.

I'm only 15 and don't even get into football all that much, yet I still felt this book was really interesting. I think the author did a good job with describing what was going through is mind. I did dislike one thing, however, his in depth descriptions of the plays. I'm sure to anyone who likes and plays football they would seem very logical, but to me (not knowing all that much about the game) it was very frustrating trying to picture what was going on in my mind. I would have also liked to have seen a picture of the author somewhere, considering it was an autobiography. I liked the book so much that I even went out looking for more information on the people involved.

Another reviewer ably expresses my belief that the book is too self-serving, so I won't repeat that criticsm. What isn't made clear until the end of the book is that it was written as part of Rentzel's psychiatric treatment. Sure, I read it as a football fan of the 60s and 70s, but more to understand why exposing oneself could be a turn-on, and even more, why anyone would risk a marriage and career for that mere turn-on. Maybe I need to reread the book, but I didn't learn that.

What amazes me is that Lance Rentzel seemed to be born with more talent than a dozen of the rest of us: almost valedictorian of his high school class (without effort, apparently), a capable piano player, attractive to women, an all-around athlete good enough to become a professional. This is a modern Greek tragedy. He had so much, he lost it all.

I wonder what's happened to him since his football career and marriage to Joey Heatherton ended. He'd not yet be 60 today, still young. Whatever happened to him ....

This is an excellent book no matter what side of the issue you are on. This man was an outstanding athelete and the book touches your mind and heart. I am buying one for my husband.

LANCE RENTZEL DOES A VERY GOOD JOB EXPRESSING HIS FEELINGS AND ANALOGY DURING THIS VERY PUBLICIZED SEX FELONY. WE GET A GOOD LOOK AT HOW HE CAME TO THIS TOTAL EMBARRASMENT. THE TELLING OF HIS CAREER AND FAMILY LIFE IS MOST INTERESTING. HIS VERY SKIMPY TELLING OF HIS MARRIAGE IS ONE DOWNFALL OF THIS BOOK. BUT HIS COURAGE AND HONESTY ARE NOT TO BE DENIED. I REALLY LIKED THIS BOOK AND SUGGEST IT TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO READ A BOOK ABOUT BEING FLAWED AND HAVING THE STRENGTH TO DEAL WITH IT.
RECOMMENDED.

Lance Rentzel led the Dallas Cowboys in receiving 3 years straight. The Cowboys were one of the NFL's up-and-coming teams in the late 60s. Rentzel was from a good, high-class family, he had been an All-American at Oklahoma, he was a handsome pro athlete, he was even married to the beautiful actress Joey Heatherton. Even though he was on top of the world... he was human, and he had a problem. A few days before the team was going to play one of their biggest games of the year, he was arrested for exposing himself to a young girl. Rentzel gives his account and doesn't try to deny his actions, only offers insight into his life that led him to that point.

I enjoyed reading about an NFL player who had problems long before it was fashionable to do so.

Lance Rentzel examines the reasons why his life turned upside down in a matter of years. The experiences he had as a football player at Oklahoma and Dallas are quite astounding.

Interesting story. Glad I don't have kids with so many guys like this roaming the streets