Mad Ducks and Bears

Rating:
Summary: Great characters, great book
Review: George Plimpton wants to write a book about the techniques offensive and defensive lineman. The Mad Duck (Alex Karras) and The Bear (John Gordy) will be used for research. Their first meeting for the book places the author, George, in down lineman position in the apartment of one of the men as they hammer him into lamps and such. From there the book takes off on the minds of Karras and Gordy. It is filled with absolute laugh out loud hilarity. The book finishes with Plimpton at Quarterback, but this time for the World Champion Baltimore Colts. Insights to hall of famers Johnny Unitas and Bubba Smith are must reading for football historians. (Smith at a party trying to teach a myna bird his name, "Bubba, Bubba, Bubba"). One also gets introduced to Bob Irsay who dismantles the team. It is a hint of things to come----a move to Indianapolis.

Rating:
Summary: Great characters, great book
Review: George Plimpton wants to write a book about the techniques offensive and defensive lineman. The Mad Duck (Alex Karras) and The Bear (John Gordy) will be used for research. Their first meeting for the book places the author, George, in down lineman position in the apartment of one of the men as they hammer him into lamps and such. From there the book takes off on the minds of Karras and Gordy. It is filled with absolute laugh out loud hilarity. The book finishes with Plimpton at Quarterback, but this time for the World Champion Baltimore Colts. Insights to hall of famers Johnny Unitas and Bubba Smith are must reading for football historians. (Smith at a party trying to teach a myna bird his name, "Bubba, Bubba, Bubba"). One also gets introduced to Bob Irsay who dismantles the team. It is a hint of things to come----a move to Indianapolis.

Rating:
Summary: Funniest book--maybe the best--ever written about football.
Review: Over 25 years after reading this for the first time, I still remember some of the more hilarious moments: Alex Karras's golf tournament, with the shrieks of wild animals echoing from the woods; Joe Schmidt's basement full of horrible recordings of the Detroit Lions singing The Battle Hymn of the Republic (not to mention the unsold vibrators); Bobby Layne sending Karras out for burgers then abandoning the frightened rookie. Interspersed among the laughs are some wonderful tutorials on the art of football where it really matters--in the trenches with the hogs. Offensive guard John Gordy and defensive tackle Alex Karras, two of the greatest ever to play the game, explain the nearly invisible game of blocking and tackling. This is a sort of cult book for true fans of football and great writing. Come join our congregation!