The Mannings: The Fall and Rise of a Football Family

Former Sports Illustrated writer Anderson offers a balanced account of one of the premier families in the professional football, the Mannings. He begins with the family patriarch, Archie Manning, the legendary Ole Miss signal caller, who led the struggling New Orleans Saints through the 1970s. Archie, a native of Mississippi, set a high standard for achievement for his three sons, Cooper, Peyton, and Eli. Delving into the Manning psyche, Anderson gives a revealing analysis of Archie and his boys, the nice-guy father with the outspoken Peyton and the emotionally distant Eli. The Manning magic show continued after Archie's bruised NFL exit in 1984: starting in the late 1990s Peyton was an astonishing passer with the Indianapolis Colts and then the Denver Broncos, winning two Super Bowls and earning a reported $247 million in pro contracts. Eli, a promising quarterback at his father's alma mater, Ole Miss, surprised everyone by piloting the New York Giants to two Super Bowls and winning two MVPs in those games. Anderson, an accomplished storyteller, writes about the Manning football legacy%E2%80%94warts and all%E2%80%94with style and verve, backed by an abundance of research and scholarship. (Aug.)