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McMahon! The Bare Truth About Chicago's Brashest Bear
Independent, flamboyant, perhaps the football superstar of the '80s--Jim McMahon, reigning king of quarterbacks, tells his own story, from the development of his unique style in a hell-raising childhood to his leadership of the mighty Chicago Bears in their smashing Super Bowl XX victory.
223 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 1986
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 30, 2024
Not sure if a book like this could be written today by an athlete still active in his sport. Very interesting reading about McMahon being so honest about his team’s owners and the commissioner of the NFL. I’m surprised at some of the things that made it past editing and were allowed in the book.
May 2, 2024
I read this book for 2 reasons. 1) someone said it was the best autobiography by a professional athlete he had ever read and 2) I used to know Nancy (aka the sweetest women ever.)
I will say it’s a raw & honest view.
I will say it’s a raw & honest view.
September 6, 2020
Very much enjoyed reading about the 85 Bears.
February 18, 2020
As a life-long Bear fan, I am glad that this book exists.
January 26, 2016
It's pretty much what it hopes to be and this is an entertaining read, 30 years later, in light of all that has happened since in the life of Jim McMahon and the NFL. If you're looking for depth or meaning or an accurate historical perspective of the 1985 Chicago Bears, this isn't where to go! It's basically 211 pages of McMahon bashing everybody else and trying to prove he's not an egomaniac by doing the exact opposite.
There are overly long passages that I wasn't particularly interested in (how he golfs, various run-ins he's had with people, his acupuncture, etc.), but I was intrigued to learn a lot of the goings-on with the Bears on that iconic team. And I did appreciate him holding no punches and saying exactly what he thought about people he worked for (while he was still working for them!). After a while, he came off as a boorish, spoiled bully, but that seems to be what he was and this book delivers it.
The irony is that he has been greatly humbled since 1985. His career was spent mostly as an oft-injured journeyman backup after that glorious season and the injury toll has left him with serious symptoms in his later life. He has openly disavowed the NFL (as do I, by the way) and wishes he would have never played. He has actually implied he should have pursued baseball, his first love as a child, but I know that his baseball skills were not anywhere near as prodigious as his football skills so it's probably moot. (He played on the JV baseball team at Brigham Young.)
Anyway, an entertaining read as a "period piece". I think the 50-something McMahon would be embarrassed by it and take back a lot of the things he said in this book.
There are overly long passages that I wasn't particularly interested in (how he golfs, various run-ins he's had with people, his acupuncture, etc.), but I was intrigued to learn a lot of the goings-on with the Bears on that iconic team. And I did appreciate him holding no punches and saying exactly what he thought about people he worked for (while he was still working for them!). After a while, he came off as a boorish, spoiled bully, but that seems to be what he was and this book delivers it.
The irony is that he has been greatly humbled since 1985. His career was spent mostly as an oft-injured journeyman backup after that glorious season and the injury toll has left him with serious symptoms in his later life. He has openly disavowed the NFL (as do I, by the way) and wishes he would have never played. He has actually implied he should have pursued baseball, his first love as a child, but I know that his baseball skills were not anywhere near as prodigious as his football skills so it's probably moot. (He played on the JV baseball team at Brigham Young.)
Anyway, an entertaining read as a "period piece". I think the 50-something McMahon would be embarrassed by it and take back a lot of the things he said in this book.
February 10, 2013
Another used book sale pick-up (a quarter! can't go wrong). Where to start... A "as told to" autobiography of Jim McMahon, superbowl winnnign quarterback of the "Da Bears". Also Eagles starting QB under Buddy Ryan in the early 90's (Buddy Ball!). This book was written after the '85 superbowl season, obviously to cash in. How much perspective can a 26 yr old, self-admitted "beverage" loving brat have? At the time, McMahon was seen as "colorful". One thing that was interesting was the money these guys were paid back in the middle 80's. $100K/yr back then was high pay for an NFL player. Now that seems like small potatoes.
In this book, McMahon makes an attempt to rationalize why deep down Jim is a "good" guy. It would be interesting to see to listen to a "director's commentary" from him on this book now that he's 50 years old. It was worth the money.
In this book, McMahon makes an attempt to rationalize why deep down Jim is a "good" guy. It would be interesting to see to listen to a "director's commentary" from him on this book now that he's 50 years old. It was worth the money.
May 15, 2011
Well, McMahon is in a word blunt. It tells the story of Jim Mcmahon and the 1985 chicago bears. It is pretty short being barely over 200 pages. It however doesn't seem to follow the most logical progression and like he says doesn't provide a good role model for kids. But that doesn't really matter as he wasn't known for being a role model. Either way it was book that while not great, I am glad I read it.
June 25, 2007
Did a book report on this one
October 21, 2008
Jim McMahon is the greatest Quarterback ever!
January 15, 2010
this book was very entertaining i enjoyed reading it
July 22, 2012
I read this quite some time ago,and liked it.
February 25, 2020
Da Bears!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews