Peyton Manning: Primed & Ready
Will Peyton Manning do for the pro football Indianapolis Colts what he did for his collegiate Tennessee Volunteers? Can he adjust to professional-caliber defensive schemes and justify the millions shelled out to sign him? Jimmy Hyams, author of this breathless biography, and apparently Manning's biggest fan, will tell you it's a done deal. According to Hyams, this quarterback is no ordinary Joe: he can throw a few touchdowns, take his mom to church, kiss an armload of babies, and give the less fortunate a helping hand all before most of us have gotten out of bed. Aside from this overt bias toward the subject and the publisher's annoying convention of nonindented paragraphs, Hyams has written a fairly interesting chronicle of the making of a superstar. Hyams is obviously well versed in Manning family lore and has done his homework in preparation for this, his first book. While tracing Manning's rise from high-school prospect to Heisman contender, and finally No. 1 draft pick to the NFL, he draws some intriguing comparisons to that other Manning, Archie, whose own noteworthy accomplishments may eventually be eclipsed by his strong-armed son. After readingPrimed and Ready, the younger Manning's legion of fans can all share a conspiratorial high-five. Anyone still on the fence about the young quarterback will rest assured that even if the campus hero isn't someday named Superbowl Most Valuable Player, he's already a saint.--George Laney