Product ReviewsNever Die Easy : The Autobiography of Walter Payton by Don Yaeger and Walter Payton (2001, Trade Paperback)

Through the life of Walter Payton

I originally got this book because I liked football and heard Walter Payton was one of the greatest running backs to ever live. The book; however, is about so much more than the career of a good football player. Never Die Easy takes you on the journey of a person who had a fight which is unmached by any other person to play the game. Walter Payton was not one of these selfish players we see today, he did not play for the money and the fame, but instead for the love of the game.
The book tells of how Payton's career with the Chicago Bears did not begin as one full of glamour, but instead one full of hardships. The book explains Walter's determination to win "He chugged and churned for every yard". Walter could not only run as a talented running back, but he could also block better than most other backs, he could catch the ball, and he could pass. At 5'10 205lbs Payton was not afraid of contact, and in most cases he would initiate the contact.
Never Die Easy not only tells of Paytons football career, but also of his life off the field. Payton was a man unafraid to cry nor to be humble. He liked to laugh and joke with others. Payton did not place himself on a pedestal, he worked hard in practice and in his everyday life. Walter was loyal to his wife as a good husband and committed to his children as a good father. Payton had a kind heart and really loved others.
The sadest part, perhaps, of Never Die Easy was the fact that it was an autobiography he never got to finish because Walter Payton passed away after an ongoing battle with cancer. The book was completed by friends and family who knew him best. Had Payton not been the man he was, his book probably would not have been published. I am glad the book was published, it taught me about a man who was a warrior on the field, as he only missed one game in his 13 year career because his coach made him, and a gentleman off the field, he never changed who he was because of his success.
I think the book Never Die Easy is an excellent read not only for Payton, football, and/or sports fans, but for people in general, The way Payton lived his life with determination is can be an inspiration to anyone.Read full review...

Walter Payton. Never die easy.

Great book.

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