"I guarantee it." Three days before the now-legendary 1969 Super
Bowl III, quarterback Joe Namath promised the nation that he could
lead the New York Jets to a clear underdog victory against the
seemingly invincible Baltimore Colts. In what has been remembered
as perhaps the biggest upset in football history, that game
catapulted the young superstar to not only football immortality but
also into a stratosphere of celebrity the likes of which only a few
athletes have ever achieved. But before all that, 'Broadway Joe'
was just Joe, the small-town kid from Beaver Falls, PA with an arm
so impressive that it caught the attention of University of
Alabama's Bear Bryant. Following a knockout four-year run at
Alabama, Namath was ceremoniously courted by every professional
football team. Yet it was the New York Jets who offered a
then-unheard-of figure, $427,000, to bring football's Golden Boy to
the upstart AFL. In an era of raucous rebellion, shifting social
norms, and political upheaval, Namath's roughish charm quickly
became symbolic of the commercialization of pro sports, while his
progressive views on race further pioneered integration on the
gridiron. By 26, with a Super Bowl title under his belt, Namath was
quite simply the most famous athlete alive. Although his legacy has
been cemented in the history books, underneath the eccentric yet
charismatic personality was a player plagued by injury and
addiction, both sex and substance. Doctors treated him with a stiff
cocktail of painkillers, some strong enough to literally knock out
a horse, and Namath matched these prescriptions with his own
medication, Johnnie Walker, which fueled countless nights that
began alongside the likes of Sinatra and Mantle, and ended in bed
with the moment's most fashionable model or actress. When his
injuries permanently derailed his career, he turned to Hollywood
and endorsements, not to mention a tumultuous marriage with Deborah
Mays and fleeting bouts of sobriety. Now 74 years old and dry,
Namath is finally ready to pull back the curtain on a life that
might have seemed charmed, but in reality was anything but. Rich
with personal history, private insights, and deep reflection,
Namath is prepared to reveal the man behind the icon in this memoir
that is as much about football and fame as it is about addiction,
fatherhood, and coming to terms with one's own mortality.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
(1)
(2)
