From the Persian Gulf to the Shores of West Florida: The New York Giants, The Buffalo Bills, and Super Bowl XXV
Starred review from September 5, 2011
Taking place against the backdrop of 1991's Operation Desert Storm, Super Bowl XXV was a dramatic event to begin with, but the competing Buffalo Bills and New York Giants upped the ante even more, according to veteran sports writer Lazarus (Chasing Greatness). In this fantastic, accessible new book, Lazarus charts the teams, coaches, and players that made the game so memorable. Though Bills' journeyman quarterback Jim Kelly and the Giants' Jeff Hostetler (who was poised to retire) get the most page time, Lazarus covers the game from all angles and perspectives, giving credit where credit is due and presenting key moments from the previous season. Digressions on the league's preparedness for a terrorist attack (the NFL bought all the available atropine, a drug needed to counteract a sarin nerve gas attack, that wasn't reserved for the military) increase the tension. By the time Lazarus gets to Whitney Houston's stunning performance of the national anthem, readers might as well resign themselves to finishing the book in a single sitting. Even football neophytes will find Lazarus's snapshot of America insightful and rewarding.
Starred review from September 1, 2011
In mid-January 1991, the United States initiated Operation Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf, the first Gulf War. Ten days later, the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills squared off in Super Bowl XXV, which turned out to be one of the most exciting championship games before or since. There were four lead changes, and the game was decided in the final seconds by a single point. In this account of the game and its historical context, Lazarus stresses the incredible talent on the field. There were 34 players in the game who are either in the Hall of Fame or are serious candidates. Our first national respite since the war was launched, the game became a source of entertainment for our troops, who, because they watched halfway around the world, saw the action on Monday, January 28; hence, the book's title. Lazarus relies on the extensive contemporary press coverage of both the game and our national state of mind, but he also conducted 70 interviews with players, coaches, journalists, and others. It's these interviews that supply immediacy and intimacy. He segues easily from game accounts to backstory profiles of the players. This is a wonderful account of a great game and also a look at sports as a diversion from the strife-filled real world. An excellent mix of sports reporting and social history.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)