Synopses & Reviews
ESPN national correspondent Sal Paolantonio--who reports for SportsCenter, Sunday NFL Countdown, and Monday Night Football--examines the legends, the myths, and the most overhyped moments of America's most popular game. With award-winning football writer Reuben Frank, Paolantonio goes behind the highlights, the drama, and the numbers to set some things straight. For example, the pass from Joe Montana to Dwight Clark, known as the Catch--overrated. It's not even in the top 10 moments in NFL history. And Chuck Bednarik, the Eagles linebacker who knocked out Frank Gifford? He wasn't that fearsome, and he was considered slow and a poor tackler. How about the 1985 Chicago Bears? Overrated. What did they do before or since? Joe Namath? He's the eternal poster child for the NFL image, but he's one of numerous players throughout the history of professional football whose reputation and image don't live up to what he actually accomplished. On the other hand, take cornerback Ken Riley. He intercepted more passes than almost everybody who played the game, but he was never selected to a Pro Bowl team. The Paolantonio Report analyzes the most underrated and overrated quarterbacks, receivers, running backs, defensive backs, defensive linemen, offensive linemen, linebackers, and specialists. There are also chapters about coaches, teams, offensive and defensive units, Hall of Famers, and Super Bowls--with plenty of fun sidebars peppered throughout each chapter. Using an analytical approach that considers decades of stats, trends, and historical data, The Paolantonio Report is certain to settle many arguments. However, it's just as certain to start many more.
Synopsis
Examining the legends, the myths, and the overhyped moments of Americaand#8217;s most popular game, Sal Paolantonio goes behind the highlights, the drama, and the numbers to set some things straightand#8212;once and for alland#8212;about the game played on Sundays. The Paolantonio Report includes chapters analyzing the most underrated and overrated quarterbacks, receivers, running backs, defensive backs, defensive linemen, offensive linemen, linebackers and specialists. For example: The Catchand#8212;Joe Montana to Dwight Clarkand#8212;overrated. Not even in the top ten moments in NFL history. And Chuck Bednarik, the Eagles linebacker who knocked out Frank Gifford? He wasn't that fearsome, and was considered slow and not a very good tackler. Also look for chapters on the most underrated and overrated coaches, teams, offensive and defensive units, Hall of Famers, Super Bowls, and some of the most underrated and overrated moments in the sport's storied historyand#8212;with plenty of fun sidebars peppered throughout the book. Using an analytical approach that considers decades of stats, trends, and historical data, The Paolantonio Report is certain to settle many argumentsand#8212;and probably just as certain to start many more.
About the Author
Sal Paolantonioand#160;has beenand#160;a national correspondent for ESPN since 1995, covering the NFL for SportsCenter and Sunday NFL Countdown. He is also the host of State Farm NFL Matchup on Sunday mornings on ESPN. For 10 years prior, he worked atand#160;the Philadelphia Inquirer, where he was an award-winning sportswriter and national political reporter. He is the author of Frank Rizzo: The Last Big Man in Big City America. Rueben Frank has covered the Philadelphia Eagles and the National Football League since 1988 for the Burlington County Times in Willingboro, New Jersey. He has earned numerous local, state, and national writing awards, including first place in the Associated Press Sports Writers contest. Frank is also a host on 610 WIP-AM, Philadelphia's sports talk radio station.