Cheap Seat Book Review #1: Boys Will Be Boys

Unlike most of my friends, I enjoying read books when I find one that is interesting and entertaining. Most often, these books are sports related and therefore perfect for this wonderful blog. So here's the first ever Cheap Seats Book Review:

Topic: Boys Will Be Boys: The Glory Days and Party Nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty by Jeff Pearlman

In this book, Pearlman tells his insider account of the insanity that was the Cowboys dynasty in the early nineties. I was very young during this dynasty so a lot of the information and story in this book is fresh and new to me. However, I have to assume that most of this stuff is untold and uncovered insight that people never heard.

The book talks extensively about the usual suspects: Michael Irvin, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Jimmy Johnson, and Jerry Jones. This team was so infamously popular that it is no surprise how much ridiculous stuff is packed into this book. Every chapter is filled with things that would surprise even the most outrageous and wild party people. The Cowboys did it all, from excessive drug and alcohol use, to hookers, to adultry and everywhere in between.

The showstopper in this one, is to no one's surprise the "Playmaker" himself, Irvin. I can't begin to do justice to the absurdity of Irvin's lifestyle that is retold in this book. Irvin's antics knew no bounds, whether it was the offseason or the week before the Super Bowl it didn't matter. Some how, despite all of these negatives, I was impressed by Irvin, because as Pearlman tells, Irvin was still the hardest working man on the team! However, many of his teammates didn't share his body's tremendous recovery ability and they suffered for it.

The relationship between Johnson and Jones is a common topic throughout the book also. It is lunacy how childish these two were and how much was thrown away over pride and ego. Also, the ego's of Emmitt Smith and Deion Sanders make you want to spit on their shoes should you ever cross them in public. Yes, nearly all NFL and professional athletes have ridiculous, inflated self-worth and that is part of what makes them great, however Smith and Sanders redefine arrogance. Both were lazy and put themselves before the team at every instance. Meanwhile, I couldn't help but sympathize for him. He was portrayed as humble, fair, and tremendously level-headed. I'm an Eagles fan and after this book, I sort of like him (don't tell anyone, I could get my season tickets revoked).

This book is worth buying for the Irvin nonsense alone, but is all in all a great read. As is my policy on all books, buy it cheaper, used and this one is no exception. I reccomend this for anyone who reads and is a fan because it is full of insight and laughs. You can check it out and buy it on Amazon should you be inspired to do so. I loved it and i can't imagine any sports fan wouldn't. And that's coming from an Eagles fan no less.