Synopses & Reviews
Invincible is the true story of Vince Papale, a down-on-his-luck teacher and part-time bartender lived every fan??'s fantasy of moving from the stands to the field when he makes it onto his hometown??'s professional football team during an open tryout. Papale was a 30-year-old NFL rookie and former school teacher/bartender who in 1976 tried out for and made the Philadelphia Eagles during Coach Dick Vermeil's first season. Papale showed up at the tryout and ran a 4.5 second 40-yard dash, a world class time Coach Vermeil offered him a contract on the spot, but this 30-year-old walk-on still had to make the team. Papale overcame tremendous odds and eventually became a team captain and played in the NFL for 4 years. His ???never say die??? attitude became the inspiration for turning the Eagles into a Super Bowl team. Invincible delves into Papale??'s background, particularly that of his family, the mark that his family left on him, and how ultimately, it impacted his relationships with other people throughout his life.& nbsp; At its heart, Invincible is an underdog story that will inspire others to pursue their dreams, too.
Synopsis
The true story of the NFL's oldest rookie
In 1976, Vince Papale was thirty, a former schoolteacher and part-time bartender, and a season ticket-holder for his beloved Philadelphia Eagles. When he heard that Coach Dick Vermeil was holding open tryouts, he decided to give it a shot. Shocking himself and the coaches, he ran an explosive 40-yard-dash in just 4.5 seconds--a world-class time--and was offered a contract on the spot. When he joined the team, Papale became the oldest non-kicking rookie in NFL history, a fan favorite who played for four years and was named a team captain. Invincible is Vince Papale's story, and a tie-in to the Disney Pictures film of the same name starring Mark Wahlberg as Papale and Greg Kinnear as Vermeil. But more than just a tie-in, it tells Papale's story in his own words, covering subjects not included in the film. Like Rudy, Glory Road, and Rookie, it is the true story of an ordinary man who achieves an extraordinary goal.
About the Author
Vince Papale is a former Philadelphia Eagles player whose life is the subject of a movie being released in the Fall. He lives in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
Chad Millman is the author of the critically acclaimed The Odds and NFL editor of ESPN the Magazine. He also is writing a biography about a former street kid turned boxer.