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The definitive biography of Chicago Bears superstar Walter Payton.
In the twelve years since his death from cancer, Walter Payton’s legend has only grown in magnitude. The Hall of Fame running back, who broke Jim Brown’s all-time NFL rushing mark, appeared in nine Pro Bowls, won a Super Bowl ring with the 1985 Chicago Bears, and is still revered throughout the sporting landscape. Payton has become the lasting image of what’s great about football. Yet in mindlessly canonizing the man simply known as “Sweetness,” we have missed the opportunity to understand—and appreciate—one of the most uniquely complex and enigmatic superstars in the history of American sports.
No longer. Based on meticulous research and interviews with nearly seven hundred family members, friends, teammates, and various associates, Sweetness delivers an unforgettable portrait of a man who lived his life just like he played the game: at full speed. From his childhood in segregated Mississippi, to Chicago, where Payton emerged from athlete to icon as he broke the NFL’s all-time rushing record and led the Bears to Super Bowl glory; to his darker moments battling depression and adjusting to life after football, Sweetness is an eloquently written, revelatory saga of a complex, guarded superstar who died far too young.
Walter Payton (1954-1999) is remembered as the record-setting halfback of the Chicago Bears, but he is also revered as the man who heroically battled a terminal illness that finally brought him. There have been biographies of Payton before, but Jeff Pearlman's Sweetness is the first truly definitive life of this beloved Hall of Famer and man.
— Lisa Echenthal
Prologue xiii
Part 1 Columbia
Chapter 1 Bubba 3
Chapter 2 Learning the Game 19
Chapter 3 Black and White 29
Chapter 4 The Emergence 38
Chapter 5 Recruitment 54
Part 2 Jackson
Chapter 6 Jackson State 65
Chapter 7 Soul 82
Chapter 8 Connie 95
Chapter 9 Heisman Hopes 107
Part 3 Chicago
Chapter 10 Going Pro 123
Chapter 11 Birth of Sweetness 140
Chapter 12 Zero Yards 158
Chapter 13 The Wake-Up Call 172
Chapter 14 The Strangest Run 186
Chapter 15 Darkness 207
Chapter 16 The Unbearable Bears 223
Chapter 17 A Rose in a Dandelion Garden 244
Chapter 16 Power 255
Chapter 19 Shuffle 280
Chapter 20 Super Letdown 304
Chapter 21 Aftermath 316
Part 4 Retirement
Chapter 22 Now What? 341
Chapter 23 A Bottomless Void 368
Chapter 24 Depression 376
Part 5 Final
Chapter 25 Sick 393
Chapter 26 The End 409
Chapter 27 Legacy 417
Chapter 28 Afterword 424
Acknowledge 431
Notes 437
Bibliography 467
Index 471
Craig98789
Posted September 30, 2011
I didn't read the book. This is a response to Anonymous, who asked people to boycott a book that has not been released yet.
The book is a complete look at Walter Payton's life, the good and the bad. Mostly good, but some bad. When a professional writer inks a biography on a person, he or she has to write about everything, not just the good stuff. Continue to stick your head in the sand Anonymous. I actually want to know what happens in life, not ignore it or boycott it.
9 out of 12 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 23, 2011
Nobody was/is a bigger Payton fan than I, and I promise you that Payton fans will have a very tough time digesting these relevations. But the read is well worth it. Why? Aside from showing the dark complexities of the real person, it celebrates the thousands of little interpersonal miracles that he was responsible for while alive that had nothing to do with football. We're all broken on some level, and Payton was no different. The candor this book required was only possible with his passing, because those closest to him (ironically, those he hurt the most) were so fiercely loyal to his memory that they never would have revealed what they did during his lifetime. Read it, and celebrate the whole person. I still love the guy.
3 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.RAZRZ
Posted October 11, 2011
Unlike most of us, Walter Payton was a world class athlete and Hall of Fame football player. Like most of us, Walter had a lot of good in him, some bad and some ugly. Walter Payton was very similar to many of us, he was not a perfect person. I feel this book reflects Walter's life as having a lot more good in it than bad and ugly. Already a fan of Walter Payton the football player before reading the book, I feel I am even more of a fan knowing that Walter touched many lives and many were for the good.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.bleacherbum99
Posted January 6, 2013
Excellent book: This shows the good, bad and ugly side of Walter. Overall, it takes you through his whole journey, but shows the man's many flaws along the way. Great read.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 17, 2012
Great & interesting book.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 16, 2013
Yes
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.topmarc
Posted May 21, 2012
showed the good bad and ugly but most good. made me a lot closer with one of the greatest athletes of all time and made me a fan.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 20, 2012
Go to the book hapy third result if u cnt post
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 30, 2012
The book does all the talking
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.christian008
Posted April 21, 2013
This is the most outstanding biography I have ever read I am such a huge fan of Walter Payton before I read this book I thought I knew everything about Walter Payton since he is one of my favorite NFL player that I look up to.
When I read this book I was hooked on instantly I could not stop reading the book page after page it keep getting interesting even when it had some bad parts of the story it still keep me interested to keep on reading the book. Jeff Pearlman did a really nice job creating this biography about the one and only Walter payton. After reading this book I finally understand who the real Walter Payton was on and off the field and some of his flaws. But thats apart of life we all have good and bad sides.
I would recommend this book to anybody who is a fan of Walter Payton or some is trying to read a sports biography about somebody this would be the book for you. This book really takes you inside of Walter Payton life and after you're done reading the book you would have thought you were really close to Walter Payton.
Anonymous
Posted January 24, 2013
It doesnt show evreything about his life because this guy barely knew him
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 10, 2012
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Anonymous
Posted November 27, 2011
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Posted February 17, 2012
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Posted December 7, 2011
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Posted October 11, 2011
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Posted February 12, 2013
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Posted October 12, 2011
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Posted November 24, 2011
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Posted December 7, 2011
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Overview
The definitive biography of Chicago Bears superstar Walter Payton.
In the twelve years since his death from cancer, Walter Payton’s legend has only grown in magnitude. The Hall of Fame running back, who broke Jim Brown’s all-time NFL rushing mark, appeared in nine Pro Bowls, won a Super Bowl ring with the 1985 Chicago Bears, and is still revered throughout the sporting landscape. Payton has become the lasting image of what’s great about football. Yet in mindlessly canonizing the...