Rating: 
Summary: What Makes Barry Run!
Review: Barry Sanders jitterbugged his way into my world in 1988 as he dismantled by beloved Cowboys in the Holiday Bowl. I thought then what a terrible defense we had that day, only to learn later on how wrong I was. What a great back this Sanders is!He is the greatest so far. I've seen them all: Brown, Horning, Sayers (he could have been if injury hadn't cut him short; also from Kansas--what have they got in their water there?), Payton, Emmitt, et al. This guy for me was the player (as so many others have said) one would pay money to see him run! Speed, explosiveness, elusiveness, power, vision. More important, couple this with his personal temperament: a true anti-celebrity. A true good guy, a Christian athlete. An honest man. A family man. This is role model stuff formed by the Creator God Himself, whom Barry gives all the credit. The book is very well done. Not by some known-name author, but Barry's friend Mark E. McCormick who does an excellent job outlining this exciting life and reporting it as it would seem Barry would: few words, to the point, tell it like it is. So there are a couple typos. Makes it more authentic for me! It speaks of what he feels like before, during and after a run. What is all this talk in some other reviews about nothing revealed really worth reading? What is missing is normal super=jock stories of ego and media hype, etc. Hand the ball to the ref in the endzone, pick up the Heisman, thank the Lord. Thanks Barry and Mark McCormick. You did it right! The DVD I find exeptional. Especially thankful that less than more of his dismantled of Wyo is not shown. Some of the runs, e.g. one against da Bears is awesome, but there are others as well. Especially like the spin moves and neat straight arm. This guy could hit as well as dodge. He had it all. He was the best. Revealing that what many thought was true and it is neat that Barry lets it out: for some weird reason, the Lions slowly dismantled the team that could have. . . We're all still hurting and depressed and ticked off at that. But the memories of Number 20! Boy what a treat! Barry, thanks for your stuff! Especially that about your Mom and sister, Nancy. And your honesty about the child out of wedlock and abstinence film, etc. You are what the young studs need to hear about and from. God blessed you enormously and you're a man who doesn't forget who got him where he is. To our Lord Jesus may His blessings continue to pour down upon you and yours! Run on!
Rating:
Summary: A Detailed Look at a Modest Man
Review: Barry Sanders tells of his life, including his tenure as a Detroit Lion, in this semi-autobiography. Certainly most people who want to know why Barry walked away from football will buy this book, but the book does not focus just on his decision to leave the game. Barry writes about his childhood and the influence his religion and parents would have on his life; his mother was a loving, caring woman, and his father was a stern, hard-working man who always said that the greatest running back ever was Jim Brown. He details his life through college football as an Oklahoma State Cowboy, the NFL, and up to the present, where he has settled down with a wife and a son. Barry always made certain when playing football that he never lost track of his goal as a player: to win the game. He passed up on achieving personal records many times because he simply did not value them enough; all he wanted to do was win the game. Whenever he ran with the ball, his goal as a running back was to run toward the end zone any which way possible. He mentions in the book that his father told him to run like a scared rabbit when playing football, and watching the footage on the DVD, that is just what he did. It is unfortunate that there are not that many players of Barry's caliber in professional sports today, and by "caliber," I do not mean that the players should be tantamount in playing ability; I mean their approach to the game and the ultimate goal they should strive for, winning the game. Certainly there are some who are primarily team-oriented, but unfortunately they do not receive the media attention in this era where individual achievements seem to be held in an inordinately high regard. Whenever Barry scored a touchdown, he did not do an end zone celebration or spike the ball; he simply handed the ball to the official. Many NFL players receive attention for their bizarre end zone celebrations, but Barry Sanders showed everyone that great players do not need to get attention. If someone is great, he does not need to do anything more than be great to be recognized.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting but thin
Review: How much can really be written about an athlete's career? There aren't a string of playoff games to talk about, there isn't that Super Bowl...some would even say Sanders was and is an outsider in the world of sports. And, I'm sorry to say it...the main point of this book is Barry explaining himself, explaining why he retired. Okay, but is that worth twenty bucks? And a DVD? Okay, but not as good as the highlights from any week in the NFL.
Rating: 
Summary: Worth the price of admission
Review: If you've ever been a Barry Sanders fan, you owe it to yourself to get this book. It's an easy read with lots of pictures and gives a good background on why Barry was the way he was - why when he was promoting abstinence, he had a child out of wedlock and why he retired the way he did. If you had respect for him as a player you will have even more for him as a man. Look, he's a football player so his life is obviously not going to be as interesting as say a Benjamin Franklin so it's good the book is short and sweet. Oh, and did I mention you get a DVD filled with great Barry runs. That's worth the price of the book alone. One gripe I would have is that the NFL Films footage is shot from angles near the field and hence you get almost a 2D perspective of someone watching at field level instead of up higher in the stands. Think NFL Films vs. actually watching a game on TV. Also the runs are edited so you don't see them from the snap of the ball and can't fully appreciate the play develop. Here's hoping a full DVD of Barry Sanders' highlight runs gets released some day.
Rating:
Summary: Barry Sanders story...short and sweet
Review: The newly elected Hall of Fame running back, Barry Sanders, was always a man of many words and his recently released autobiography is fitting in its 139 page, picture-filled 8 x 10 work.
If a picture says a thousand words, than the included 19-minute DVD featuring Sanders and his accomplishments is worth a million and add visuals to the former Detroit Lion running backs accomplishments.
"Now You See Him..." is the entire life history of Sanders, the people that shaped his life and his accomplishments along the way, from North High School, Oklahoma State University and his only NFL team, the Detroit Lions.
Sanders writes of his football beginnings and the beginning of his doubtful beginnings in football due to his small stature. Sanders admitted being shorter, but always faster.
His high school football career was stunted (pun intended) as he played behind older brother, Byron, and was not utilized as a tailback until his senior year and after a coaching change.
Sanders writes of himself as being a team player, foregoing a chance to take the state rushing title after he had 262 yards in the final season game. His coach gave him the option of securing the title, but deferred to his teammates playing.
Surprisingly, Sanders was not highly recruited and took the opportunity to rush for the Cowboys at Oklahoma State University, again behind a superb back, Thurman Thomas.
As the third pick in the 1988 NFL draft, Sanders began his 10-year career with the Detroit Lions, playing under Wayne Fontes for 8-years and Bobby Ross for two turbulent years.
Moving through the to later chapters the reader discovers Sanders' thoughts about the pressure of surpassing Walter Payton's rushing record as the former Chicago Bear was dealing with his own life-threatening illness.
Sanders explains his side of retirement in chapter 15 "I Knew it was Over," explaining the Lions 5-11 season, consistent troublesome negotiations regarding his renewed contracts and the direction of the team.
Sanders includes his retirement letter, sent to the Wichita Eagle, but expands on his disgruntlement with Detroit general manger Chuck Schmidt.
What the book may be lacking, the DVD adds, but does not totally save the book.
The 19-minute DVD includes television footage of Sanders as his best, utilizing his "jump back" style of running in high school, college and the NFL.
If after 139 pages you are not impressed with Sanders, his life and career, the DVD is a waste. If you are a fan of Sanders, his team and his skill, the DVD is a great highlight film included with the book.
Sanders is soft-spoken in his words about his career, his teammates and his competitors. His book is easy to read, picturesque and his DVD inclusion technologically innovative, similar to his running style.
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