Today, I was able to speak with Jeff Pearlman, the author of the new book “Sweetness: The Enigmatic Life of Walter Payton”. The book not only chronicles Payton’s life on the football field but also discusses his life off the field. A segment of the book was recently posted on Sports Illustrated that shed a different light on the Walter Payton we thought we knew. The particular segment talks about a number of things that were generally unknown to the public such as Payton’s addiction to pain killers, infidelity and threats of suicide.
Much of the response to this portion of Pearlman’s book in the social network has been overwhelmingly negative and even Payton’s family came forward publicly to criticize Pearlman and the book.
During the brief 10 minutes that I spoke to him, I found him to be an extremely friendly and easy to talk to person willing to answer any question I threw at him.
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8 Comments
I already know most if not all of the positive stories about Walter. I’ve heard some negative rumors, as well. I have no reason to read this book other than the petty shit in it that has already been printed in SI.
This guy that wrote this book should die a slow painful death from ass cancer! Great way to make money….ruin the name of Footballs greatest player, years after he’s already dead.
Not going to lie drunkn, I am a little disappointed to find out that you’re one of the people voicing your opinion in the mob mentality fashion.
Ass cancer? Death? Really?
Please realize that the snippet from the book airing some dirty laundry in Sports Illustrated is only an excerpt of a book. If you listened to the interview (the full way) you would here Jeff, himself, go on about one of the positive things from the book that SI chose not to feature in their story.
SI wanted to stir the pot and get publicity, they did just that. Jeff has a genuine interest and spent 3 years writing this book. To write it off as somebody wanting to make a quick dollar off the information he found, is silly.
Definitive biography means, EVERYTHING. Not jut the bells and whistles. Pearlman paints a picture of Payton being a MAN. A human being with problems and faults. What is wrong with that? I have more respect for Walter seeing what he had to endure and go through.
You’re a good guy from what I can draw from the time I’ve known you. Wishing him to have “ass cancer” and “to die” is a bit on the extreme side, don’t you think? Listen to the interview, the full way through, and then reply. I would like to hear your insight but, if it’s blathering about wishing death upon him, with ass cancer, I’d appreciate it if you offered up something more then just that. Bring something to the discussion friend-o 😉
Rush, you know how passionate about the Bears and thier history I am. I listened to about 90% of the interview and it just disturbs me how much this guy says he follows the trail of Walter Paytons life trying to find out more and more about him, then publishing dirt that the family thierselves and his fellow players deny. If he really wanted to do something like that, he’d know that Jarrett is a very accessable member of the Payton family. (Even I got a chance to spend a day with him)
We all know that with journalism the real stuff that sells is shock value and the dirt that is dug up. And after having someone like Jarrett follow me on twitter and spend a day with me, it makes me wonder how the auther of that book would feel if someone were to try and disgrace the integrity of his fathers name. Even if that author was trying to bring out all points of his life, good and bad.
This may be one subject that you and I don’t agree on, but as far as I’m concerned, I’m sure this guy has already been told everything in the world what he can do with his book.
The one question I’d have to ask this guy would be, “And so did you grow up a Bears fan?”
You do realize that the book isn’t all of what SI published correct? The entire book is not shock value, that is slamming Walter.
I do understand that. At the moment now I’m more interested in reading of the authors accomplishments in journalism.
Considering he was just featured on the cover of SI, I would say he is quite accomplished.
There are a lot of more ALIVE and influential people that really should be investigated. Haven’t you noticed?????? Leave this guy alone.