Jerry Rice has been called the best pro football player ever. In spite of Rice’s legendary gridiron skills, or even his ability to transform himself into an instant ballroom-dance prodigy on ABC’s hit TV series Dancing with the Stars, the surprising fact is, a guy like Jerry Rice is made and not just born. In Go Long! Rice shares the inspirational lessons and empowering practices that have helped him attain success, both on the football field and off. Through the ups and downs of Rice’s life and incomparable career, we discover how self-motivation, determination, and humility are the keys to achievement and true fulfillment. It’s been a long journey for Jerry Rice, from his childhood in Starkville, Mississippi, to a certain berth in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As a kid, he was always working toward something, even if he wasn’t sure what it was. Rice honed his hand-eye coordination by catching airborne bricks tossed by his siblings while on the job with their bricklayer father, and he ran–everywhere. From these humble beginnings, Rice blazed a path to greatness in college and the NFL–a trip that was fueled by tireless effort and belief in a few simple principles, among them that achievement is a voyage, not a destination; that modesty and perseverance, not talent, are what determine how far you will go; and that everyone should strive to be a role model. Rice even demonstrates these rules in action, breaking down the greatest games from his stellar career. Go Long! is an inspiring book by a living sports legend. More than that, however, it is the story of how Jerry Rice awakened the champion within, illustration how we can unlock the greatness within ourselves.From the Hardcover edition.
Jerry Rice is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the San Francisco 49ers. He is widely regarded as the greatest wide receiver in NFL history.
First off, kind of had mixed feelings on how the (audio)book seemed to be written in a rather simple manner. On one hand it perhaps makes for easier reading by aspiring teenagers, but also makes me realize how ghostwriters polish things up a LOT.
Nice amount of information on his childhood, such as catching bricks and essentially saying work is work for why he had worked in a cotton field (more or less saying "So what if some people think slavery connotations?"). Talked about training with what you've got (running 10 miles to get home from school events, using fear of noises in woods and prevailing prejudices of the time to help push him to run faster) along with training with tires. To think people complain about not having weights or other excuses for not exercising these days.
It also seemed interesting that he apparently had a lot of fear, insecurities, and was rather shy in up to and including his first season or two in the NFL. Sounded confusing that he thought if no team took him, he would most likely go back to catching bricks in the Mississippi heat which made me wonder whether he was that negative on his prospects for the electrical degree he talked of getting. Needless to say he was quite grateful and astonished the 49ers (who were the defending Super Bowl Champions at the time) would trade up to grab him in the first round of the 1985 NFL draft.
For his playing days in the spotlight, he makes considerable mention of the press ridiculing him (dropped passes, other in-game mistakes) and thinking the 49ers blundered by picking him, which some reporters took quite a while to get beyond and his development to being a quality (and he sure is considered by many to be the best) wide receiver. Talked of the strenuous training regimen him and other players would do of running up a steep two and a half mile hill and how that really helped provide consistent energy late into a game. Unlike so many players, he was no slacker in practice sessions and his work ethic rubbed off on players who were initially reluctant to give it all they had. (Always is the famous Vince Lombardi quote "Perfect practice makes perfect." or Bruce Lee emphasizing how you should train as if your life is on the line should you get into such a situation. Also around that time he would marry his girlfriend who he met near the end of college and has remained faithful to since.
As for the biggest games, he talked of the Super Bowl wins (three) and how he helped keep the team disciplined on curfew and to wait until after the game to celebrate. (Novel concept, huh?) As for his much later years with the Oakland Raiders, he would also talk of the team losing that Super Bowl and how in a way it seemed like his experience came full circle even if he of course hated losing.
I seldom watch television, so I really cannot remember hearing of him being on Dancing with the Stars but he did describe how it took effort to make the transition, as a large audience would see his face and reactions versus being hidden in a helmet. There too he talked of getting better and, while others could not help but comment on how he was disappointed to lose (and had ZERO dancing experience before the show unlike the winner), he did talk of his improvements and I suspect he was probably happy that other highly competitive people in his were quite pleased with his performance and progress.
As for the lines of trying to set a good example, he says he has taught his children well on personal finances and living (well?) below your means. Also talked of how he would not cut in line at a night club or even to get his former teammate Joe Montana's autograph at a book signing. That passage seems slightly off, as I think most people would have been quite happy if Jerry Rice took a seat down with Montana and both just started giving signatures and taking pictures and likely getting an even more authentic-feeling experience of hearing them reminiscence of old times.
One of the few huge regrets he wrote about was not doing a lot of commercial endorsements during his playing days as many other players would. (That certainly would make you less captive to an injury-prone sport and he also talked of concussions/hard hits he took, which probably a good idea to throw that aspect into this review too.) He did feel honored about Trump giving him a free membership to all his resorts/golf courses. (Just good business sense there, as it is similar to the original concept behind Planet Hollywood where you might just happen to catch a glance of a famous personality who lived in the area.)
He also critiqued some current players on his take of whether they could go from being good to great: Randy Moss (guaranteed to arise in conversations), Peyton Manning on how (at the time of the book's writing) never going to or winning a Super Bowl (ironically he would do just that as the book was being published), and the more typical ME-type players who were more eager to promote themselves than to help create a great team.
Waffled somewhat on whether to go with four or five stars, but he is one of the greats and really hard to say what else there is you could want when reading an autobiography of someone mid-40s at the time of the writing.
I read through this book in 2 days! Jerry Rice has been my childhood hero and now my mentor. His "Jerry Rice hard work" ethic has inspired me to work hard in the activities I've done growing up, going to college, working in the corporate world, and now running my own business!
It's amazing to think that Jerry really started playing football his Sophomore year in high school (when most start playing at a younger age)! What he's done all his life was work hard and harder all the time.
It's been an honor to read this autobiography and take a closer look into his life, what drove him to be the best, and the challenges that he's faced. I especially can relate to the way he views life and all he's done as challenges, something to conquer and to be very best that you can be. That's how I want to live my life!
Throughout his illustrious career in the NFL, Jerry Rice was always the perfectionist professional, performing extra conditioning drills, extra practice reps and always making sure that he ran the most precise routes that he could execute. Even Hall of Fame quarterbacks will underperform if their receivers are not precisely where they are supposed to be. Therefore, much of the success of quarterbacks Joe Montana and Steve Young was due to the excellent target that Jerry Rice always presented. This is the autobiography of Jerry Rice, starting from his roots in rural Mississippi and his family struggling to make ends meet. His father was a bricklayer that worked every possible day and Jerry worked the fields as soon as he was able. An admittedly shy person, he attended smaller Mississippi Valley State rather than a larger school known for its football program. There is one consistent theme throughout the book. Rice’s commitment to working long and hard to be the best that he can be. Some of the descriptions of running in 100+ heat and up killer hills will impress even those that engage in hard workouts. As was the case when he was a player, Rice does very little of the gloating that so many modern players do on and off the field. He is blunt in his statements about players such as Terrell Owens and Randy Moss, where he derides their workout ethic, saying that they could have been incredible players. Even better than he was. While there is very little in the way of dirty laundry or criticism of other players and coaches, this is still an entertaining read. Rice is clear that he did not succeed on talent alone. It was his genetic endowment plus his drive that made him the all-time great that he is.
Most of this book crossed over from the previous book of his that I read. However, this goes past his retirement and some TV experiences while the other book ended while he was still playing. It gives great insight into his playing career, work ethic, and mentality. While I agree with almost all of his comments, the ending was a bit harsh on players in the league at the time of writing. However, the information and his journey still makes this a great book to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Good autobiography but there is missing meat on the bone. The book is written in a way someone would tell you their life story at a bbq. I would have wanted to read more about his come up and time at the 49ers. Dancing With The Stars is absolutely irrelevant.
The book is an autobiography of the author’s life. The author is writing the book to tell of his life experiences and journey of becoming a NFL football player. The author uses two different styles in writing this book; narration and description. Telling the stages of his life and career in chronological order is how the style of narration was used by the author. This is done by the way he discusses his childhood living in Mississippi where his father was a bricklayer, playing football in high school at Oktoc Moor, and his success as a wide receiver in the NFL. The style of description was used when the author gives descriptive details of his life and his career. The author talks about how his brothers and he would throw bricks to get them to where they needed to be laid faster, when they were helping their dad work. These details make the reader feel like they are actually the one throwing and catching the bricks. The author believes this helped him be a better football player. The author talks about his journey of playing with 4 teams; San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos. In the spring of 2006, he signed a 1 day contract with the San Francisco 49ers and then retired the same day. He talks about his career highlights and awards. The author discusses his experience on Dancing with the Stars and how he hoped his fans saw the fun side of him. The author also talks about his favorite passion, his family. The author believes that everyone should have determination to get them to where they want to go. I enjoyed reading this book. I think it is interesting to read about someone’s life and see how they struggle or achieve things and how they handle those failures and/or successes. I have read another autobiography about Wayne Rooney.
Sundays in the fall and early winter months were all about football and with my dad, 49ers football (yes, we have a family loyalty to New England/Boston teams, but this was our West Coast team). I remember watching Montana and Rice connect on the field and it was electric. I didn't know all the rules about football-still don't- but the drive and spirit rang out loud and clear whenever those two took the field.
This autobiography lets you into a world he has pretty much kept to himself and those close to him. He shares his thoughts on his decisions, players, his childhood and even his failures. He acknowledges mistakes and missed opportunities and takes sole responsibility for every comment and decision he has made publicly and privately. He doesn't even see himself as one of the greatest players in the game! He is brutally honest and I think it takes a strong and well-centered person to do so. I looked up to him as a role model back when he was a 49er (still is in my book, even though the franchise is now, ahem, dismal) and still do today.
The book isn't technically great writing (duh), but really, that's not why I picked it up. It was, however, intriguing, heart-breaking, and inspirational.
I just had to give this book 5 stars. It was meant to happen. My father was THE biggest 49ers fan ever. Hands down. I would fight to the death to defend this statement. The man had Niners paraphernalia to the max, including this book by his favorite 49er, all of which I inherited when he passed away almost 6 years ago. The man read one chapter of the book and it sat on his nightstand table for years. He hated reading but loved Jerry Rice, so he owned this book! He ended up getting into reading many years later, but never got around to finishing this. I always knew that I would read this book when I got the strength to do so without sobbing at the thought of my dad the entire time I read, and the day finally came. I did cry, but I also laughed and smiled while reading this. As a current major 49ers fan myself, it made me feel more connected to my late father in a very special way that I hadn't felt since he and I got decked out in gear to watch the last 49ers Super Bowl that he got to see in 2013. This book will forever hold a special place in my heart now. Miss you dad. Thank you for passing on this book and your love for the Niners.
My book for this month is called “Jerry Rice Go Long” written by Jerry Rice himself. It is all about his life growing up in Mississippi and catching bricks so his hands would become strong. Jerry Rice has been called the greatest player Football player of all time. He was never really into football, but when he was caught skipping class he ran so fast that his principal put him on the football team for his high school. It goes on to his great performances in college, to his legendary days as a professional. After his football career ended, he talks about his time winning dancing with the stars, and how important his family and God is to him. First of all, I LOVED this book. It is a huge inspiration to me and it shows that anybody can play pro football through hard work, discipline, and goals. I think every athlete should read this. Second of all, Jerry Rice is one of my favorite players and he never brags about his skills and is never cocky which are a couple things I think most pro football players don’t have these days.
The book I read was Go Long.This story was about Jerry Rice trying out for the football team.He played football before,but he wasn't sure if he was going to make the football team.He went to try outs,but it took a couple of weeks of training and practice and training.After he found out if he made the football team he drove a brand new Porsche 911 home to get his wife and he had a U-Haul truck with him.He wasn't doing very good when he played in other teams,because he couldn't catch the ball.Jerry Rice is a pretty good football player.The football team he was trying out for i think was Seattle. Jerry Rice tried out for wide reciever.I liked the book, because I like nice cars and I like football.The book was very good even though I don't really like Jerry Rice.I would recommend it to anybody that likes football,Jerry Rice,and nice cars.
Jerry Rice a 13-time All Pro wide receiver. When I was looking for a book to read and, I saw that Jerry Rice wrote a book about himself I had to read it. I was able to finish this book in a couple of days because I was so intrigued. One thing I liked about this book was how Jerry didn’t talk about just the good things in his life but about the hardships that he had growing up and when he entered the NFL. Another reason I liked this novel was because I was able to learn from this book since I play football and so did Jerry Rice. HE taught me that no matter what I do whether I like it or, not I should always try to be the best at it. Overall I really liked this book and I would recommend it to anyone who plays sports.
I found this book very interesting. It is interesting to see how famous people started out. Jerry Rice tells of his days growing up and how he made it to the pros after attending Mississippi Valley State, a Division I-AA school. Jerry also tells about how the NFL is a business in addition to being a professional sport. What surprised me the most were his views about other players in the league. If you are interested in sports and want to see things from the perspective of one of the best players in the game this book is for you.
I found this book fascinating! I have always been a 49ers fan, even if the last few years have been brutal. Jerry Rice is a legend and one of the greatest wide receivers ever. Reading about where he came from and how he became what he has today was pretty cool. He is a straight laced guy and is not afraid to share his opinions. In fact, he tells it like it is when it comes to players that are lazy, but I'm sure that comes from the fact he is a true work horse. It is a very easy and fun read.
Go Long! By Jerry Rice was an outstanding read. This book was interesting and inspiring from cover to cover! If you have any interest in learning more about the greatest football player of all time, read this book! I learned a lot that I didn't know about Jerry. The book takes you from his childhood to present day, and is an inspiring journey. i found myself not able to put down the book at some points. I just wanted to keep reading. Over all an amazing book, I would recommend it to football players and sports gurus everywhere.
I love Jerry Rice. He is one of my favorite athletes of all time. So I definitely was going to read his book. He's definitely no Steinbeck, but I enjoyed some of his thoughts on his playing days and some of his stories of the '9ers back then. He definitely spent a ton of time talking about Dancing with the Stars, other than seeing that he is bitter that he finished second - because he is one of the most competitive people ever, which I found useless.
This auto-biography details the rise of a star. It weaves in tales of playing with legends: Joe Montana, Steve Young, and T.O. He also tells how he missed some of the finer things in life due to how driven he has been. He missed some things and now he is making up for it. He inspires the reader to try things outside of their comfort zone, (e.g. Dancing 'with the Stars'_).
The book go long written by Jerry Rice. It wasn't that bad it's his autobiography of his life and the adversity he went through and the accomplishes he's achieved in his life time on and off of the football field. I really enjoyed this book because I can level with Jerry in the book being a athlete and what it takes to be a successful one at that its a lot of hard work.
This is one of the best books i have ever read. This is also the most inspiring story i have read in a long time. The author did a good job at getting his point through to the reader. The theme of the story was to never give and always drive for success in life.
wasn't impressed. while it's very clear Jerry Rice had a tremendous work ethic, you can't help but hear the "what about me and my money" attitude coming through in this book.
The best athlete/team player of all time (any sport) - the book starts out with an intro by Bill Walsh.... I am off to read the next biography on him, 'Rice'.
I had wanted to see how another perfectionist handles their affliction. This short and entertaining dive into Rice's character revolves around his work ethic and focus.