Snake

by Ken Stabler

Offers a firsthand account of Ken "Snake" Stablers life, from his childhood as a poor boy in Alabama's Redneck Riviera, to his football success under the great Bear Bryant

Genres: Sports, Football, Biography, Nonfiction

244 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

Reviews

[Kevin Keating]

This guy lived a life. I kinda feel he actually did write the story because it seemed like his own words. Unfortunately he's not really all that much of a hero. In his own words I think he's just someone who didn't grow up until he retired. I enjoyed reading his story and he's still one of my favorite football players but it's hard to idolize these guys hardly at all. Page turner only if you're a Raider fan.

[Tom]

As a lifelong Oakland Raiders football fan, this book was one of my favorites when I was younger. It gives a picture of what a crazy group of guys the Raiders were in the 1970s.

They may have partied hard, but they found a way to win.

[Jason Evans]

Stabler's life as QB of the Raiders was one we should all wish for. Football, girls, booze and plenty of fun. A good easy read that any fan of football would enjoy.

[Pat]

I read this and it confirmed my belief that I would have loved being an NFL QB.

[Lane]

As a long time Raider fan this is an interesting book to read. Much of the information has been repeated in the several football books written in the last few years. Interesting that this was written soon after Stabler retired.

[Jake Prest]

An interesting reflection of his life at that point, Stabler basically gave his foresight on former teammates, coaches, opponents, ex-wives, and even his family during the peak and decline of his NFL career. Just win, baby, and Stabler sure did. RIP.

[Matt]

I found this enjoyable enough. Stabler comes off as honest and doesn't do too much self-aggrandizing as a lot of these bios tend to do. The stories are shocking, and if you like the NFL you'll enjoy hearing about this seamy underbelly.

[Kevin]

A fan of football will love this. A Raiders fan will love it even more.

A colorful collection of the times and stories of the late great Kenny Stabler. His own account from childhood to retirement.

It is far superior than the Mike "The Fraud" Freeman book about Stabler.

[Neal Dickinson]

Any fan of Kenny Stabler, Bama football, The Raiders, and/or wild stories will love this book. I got a kick out of it.

[Doug]

Oakland Raiders Quarterback Kenny "The Snake" Stabler was my all-time favorite football player. On his recent passing, I read his autobiography. Stabler was a renegade on and off the field. Known as much for his bar-hopping, drinking, drugging and hard partying lifestyle, one would think this would be a much more interesting book. Alas it is not. Snake offers little insight into himself as the book just goes from one party to the next, and one football game to the next. The only revelation here is that Stabler had a father with similar destructive behaviors, that would lead to his death of a massive heart attack at age 49. I really wish Stabler would have waited 10 or 20 years to write this. It would have given him a little more perspective on his life and career. Instead this was written in 1986, just two years after he retired from the NFL. The book seems to be more about titalation than insight, and it fails on that aspect as well.

[Robert]

I wanted to find out more of what made him so cold blooded on the field and how his personality fit so well with that of the Raiders - like an emergent property between him and the rest of the team.

That's lacking. Most of what I was left amazed by is how he could be such a nonworking party animal and then crush it when the time demanded.

[A.J. Chilson]

I loved reading this book. Loved it so much I took it with me a few times to church. Probably not the best idea, considering the language and unbiblical tales. But it's a great read and a must-have for any Stabler fan.

[Jarod Silva]

What can I say?! This is just an amazing read! I am a huge Raiders fan, and have been since 1984. Never got to see him play ball, so this book takes you back to those days through Stabler's eyes. I loved it and would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys sports and mischief!

[Hank]

a wannabe Ball Four without the humor or insight. the ghost writer says things like "imply" when he means "infer." I mean really! ;)

just a rehashing of old games...mostly NFL...not enough Bama. then lots of "went out and drank a lot and fucked girls." x1000.

[Morgan]

I had this book recommended to me. For the life of me, I don't know why as I don't know anything about the NFL. It was an easy read that I'm sure I would have enjoyed more if I had any connection to the subject matter. As it was, there wasn't too much technical football to read about.

[Mark Bunch]

One of my favorite bios by one of my sports heros-Kenny Stabler. Mr Sunday/Mr Two Minute Drill- this guy wrote a great book to go with a gretat career and wild life. I generall do not like the Crimson Tide but I do make some exceptions-the Snake and Namath are two. Bring it is what I say.

[Vince Martini]

One of my childhood heroes!

[Wade]

Fun...egotistical....self-absorption.

[Johnogiv]

RIP Kenny Stabler

[Chris Schaffer]

The stuff on the times with old great Oakland Raiders teams was cool. But it's just one gratuitous sex/booze/fighting filled story over and over and over again. And there's odd juxtapositions. Like how the chapter after the one that chronicles the Raiders finally breaking through and winning the title is basically about Snake partying for the summer in Gulf Shores, Alabama. His Matuszak are funny and gratuitous. Of course they had women in the hot tub within minutes of him moving in.