Best of Rivals: Joe Montana, Steve Young, and the Inside Story behind the NFL's Greatest Quarterback Controversy by Adam Lazarus | eBook

Publishers Weekly

A younger generation of pro football fans might argue that the subtitle of this richly detailed history of two vastly different quarterbacks leans toward hyperbole. But between 1987 and 1993, Joe Montana and Steve Young—both future Hall of Famers who played for the San Francisco 49ers during its dynasty years—starred in a weekly drama on and off the field. Montana, whose grace under pressure earned him the nickname "Joe Cool," joined the team as a rookie in 1979. Despite leading San Francisco to four Super Bowl titles, Montana suffered frequent head, shoulder, and elbow injuries that jeopardized his career. After a major back problem sidelined Montana, the 49ers acquired Young from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1987. A resilient Montana kept bouncing back to the starter's role, bitterly frustrating Young and fueling a sometimes not-so-amicable rivalry that drove both men to become better players. Montana eventually was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in 1993; Young took the 49ers to his first and only Super Bowl in 1994. Lazarus (Chasing Greatness: Johnny Miller, Arnold Palmer, and the Miracle at Oakmont) relies on detailed game accounts from the period, as well as interviews with both quarterbacks, and former teammates and coaches to capture this one-of-a-kind quarterback controversy. 16 pages of b&w photos. (Sept.)

From the Publisher

Booklist, September 2012“Lazarus provides solid backstory…Readers might be surprised to see how imperfect these great players (and their hallowed wide receiver Jerry Rice) could be in the heat of competition, but also to see the class with which these preternaturally competitive men handled their situation. Instructive as well as informative.”

Deseret News, 9/16/12“As exciting to read as watching your two favorite teams playing in a close back-and-forth game that leaves you wondering who to root for…[Lazarus] brings the story to life by taking the reader behind the scenes of professional football…For anyone who follows football, Best of Rivals is a great read. It has all the drama of a weekend afternoon game plus inspiring inside stories of athletes dedicated to reaching perfection.”

Publishers Weekly, 11/5/12“This richly detailed history of two vastly different quarterbacks…relies on detailed game accounts from the period, as well as interviews with both quarterbacks, and former teammates and coaches to capture this one-of-a-kind quarterback controversy.

Best of Rivals: Joe Montana, Steve Young, and the Inside Story behind the NFL's Greatest Quarterback Controversy

eBook

Customer Reviews

Table of Contents

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Recently Viewed