"An NFL football team is not built to depend on one man. It is built to rely on one system. The men are temporary. The plan is permanent. The scouting department brings in the talent, and once thy're in that front door, they become cogs in the machine."So describes Nate Jackson's view of the NFL. Jackson played six seasons in the league as wide receiver and tight end. This book is about the nitty gritty life of those striving to survive in the NFL: to make the practice squad, to make the starting lineup, to land a spot on special teams, to make it as a starter.
"Slow Getting Up" provided to me a whole new prospective on life in the NFL and the punishment that players go through for their dream. Jackson has an amazing sense of humor and snark as he tells of his career in the NFL and NFL Europe and the super-obscure United Football League. Blunt and honest, this book would be of interest to any NFL fan. The book was enjoyable as I have been a Broncos fan my entire life (and my parents first date was to a Broncos game at the old Mile High back in 1971)!
Jackson's view of the game is summed up early in the book: "A football dream is easy to spot. Turn on SportsCenter and they'll show you what it looks like. Tom Brady's life. Peyton Manning's life. Fairy tales. Storybooks. The football dream I had as a child unfolded much differently. But it has still unfolded. Every crease and every line, every grunt and every pop, I'm playing the game I love. The grass is still green, the hits still hurt, and the ball in flight is still the most beautiful sight I know. I will chase it to the ends of the earth."
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