In the Name of the Father: Family, Football, and the Manning Dynasty

by Mark Ribowsky

The story of America’s most sacred and carefully constructed football dynasty is revealed in this unflinching family portrait. For generations, American athletes have enjoyed the ever-escalating celebrity lavished upon them when they combine on-the-field talent with off-the field charisma, but never before have we seen as transformative a sports dynasty as the a bloodline of strong arms, Southern values, and savvy business instincts―each man compelling in his own right, made whole by family. But how, in just fifty years, did this private trio achieve football immortality? A gripping and definitive account, In the Name of the Father traces Archie, Peyton, and Eli’s roots from red-clay Mississippi to the bright lights of the Super Bowl to reveal the truth of their grit and dedication, their inherent ability, and the drama they endured behind closed doors. As New York Times Notable biographer Mark Ribowsky meticulously chronicles, the road to football stardom was not paved smoothly for patriarch Archie. The most celebrated and beloved athlete to emerge from tiny Drew, Mississippi, Archie lost his father to suicide during his heyday at Ole Miss. Then, despite his playing through the pain, a string of surgeries prematurely ended a storied NFL career, most memorably spent with the New Orleans Saints. Similar savior-like expectations were passed to Archie’s eldest, Cooper, the most gifted of his brood, but the shocking discovery of a spinal condition prevented Cooper from ever playing a single snap of college ball. Luckily, Archie had been raising all three of his sons to love the gridiron, throwing deep balls to them off the front porch, and there were two more heir apparents in the wings. Raised watching dusty old game films in the family den, Peyton was swiftly hailed as a generational talent, his record-breaking tenure at Tennessee paving a clear path to the NFL. Winning Super Bowls with both the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos, he was able to overcome a debilitating neck injury―after barely being able to hold a football―to eclipse Archie in football success. It was Peyton who would first pair his football cachet with capitalism, selecting commercials and appearances to show off his humor and expand the now-ubiquitous Manning brand into mainstream popular culture. And finally there was quiet Eli, with an arm and a career to match his big brother’s but a reserved and enigmatic affect all his own. The good-boy who followed his father to Ole Miss, Eli entered the NFL even more carefully managed then his brother was, forcing a trade when the lackluster San Diego Chargers selected him with the first pick in the draft. Even with two dramatic Super Bowl wins with the New York Giants, Eli’s lows have been catastrophic, and he has never been quite the media darling his brother is. But even as their football careers wind down, the power of the Manning name only grows. Drawing on new interviews and research, Ribowsky reveals a family of transcendent talent and intense loyalty dedicated to maintaining an all-American façade that has, on occasion, shown cracks. From the family’s past steeped in problematic parts of Southern identity, to locker-room scandal turned lawsuit, to flashes of fraternal jealousy, Ribowsky leaves no stone unturned. Rich in gridiron dramatics and familial intrigue, In the Name of the Father is a quintessentially American saga of a multifaceted lineage that has forever changed the game. 16 pages of illustrations

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction, Football, Biography

400 pages, Hardcover

Published August 7, 2018

About the author

Mark Ribowsky is the author of seven books, including the New York Times Notable Book Don't Look Back: Satchel Paige in the Shadows of Baseball. He lives in Plainview, New York.

Reviews

[Lance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Football fans, both college and professional, know about the Manning family. Father Archie and sons Peyton and Eli all became All-Pro quarterbacks in the NFL and the two sons have each won two Super Bowls. Even their older brother, Cooper, was a football star (although he was a wide receiver) in high school before being diagnosed with spinal stenosis during his freshman year in college. Their family lineage and royalty in football is told in this very good book by noted biographer Mark Ribowsky.

The story is not all golden as more than just a write-up about the football players and lives on and off the field, the book tells of a culture that was slow to change and how the family members were reflections of that culture from the Deep South. Archie, while becoming a legend at Ole Miss, also was one who reflected the difficulty of the Southern culture to become integrated. There is never any blatant racism portrayed by any of the Mannings or their spouses but it is clear in Ribowsky’s writing that some of the changes taking place were being accepted slower by them than they were in the rest of the country.

There are some other dark moments covered in the book, such as the lawsuit filed by a female trainer at the University of Tennessee against Peyton Manning. While the story wasn’t big news at the time, it took new life as Peyton continually denied anything inappropriate took place and he held a long-time grudge against the woman about the case. This is an example of how the author was able to shed new light about the family and its dynamics as well as new information about this particular incident.

Of course, there is plenty of football talk as well. The careers of all three Manning quarterbacks are illustrated with great detail. Archie’s woes on bad teams in New Orleans, Houston and Minnesota will make a reader feel his pain. The joys exhibited by Peyton and Eli are felt as well, especially in Eli’s case when he led the Giants to an upset of the undefeated Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. The college careers of all three Mannings are covered just as well, especially Archie as he was considered a king of college football and set many individual records at Ole Miss. These have since been broken by others, but the Manning name is still revered on that campus.
Complete in its research and content, engaging in its writing and informative for readers, this book is one that is recommended for all football fans, whether or not they are fans of any of the Mannings or their teams.

I wish to thank W.W. Norton and Liveright for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Kim N' · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing- unless you love dry statistics and dislike the Manninga.

[Bob D'Angelo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the book was well-researched through books, articles and the internet, and Ribowsky has a nice conversational tone in his writing. It might have been better for more author interviews, although Ribowsky does talk to several people from the Mannings' high school and college days. Overall, a pleasant read.

Here is my full review on my website.

https://bobdangelobooks.weebly.com/th...

[George Huner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt old finding out that Archie is only 4 years older than me. I enjoyed every minute of Peyton playing for the Broncos including the Super Bowl win in Santa Clara. It was a special time to watch the Broncos. It was amazing to watch Peyton use every second of the play clock and know he was in complete control of the situation. It was interesting to read about his pre-Bronco days and the family football history.

[Kristin Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to read about the history of the Mannings growing up and the family interaction. It was probably hard for Ribowsky to keep it chronologically organized especially when Peyton and Eli were both in the NFL, but he did a good job of it. Also his writing seemed pretty impartial. I'm not a huge football fan so the stats were not my favorite part. I'm sure other readers love those details!

[Susan Csoke · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Manning family Saga of Football. Eli, the youngest his brother Payton and their father Archie. If you love football or the Manning's, you will love this book. Extraordinary!!!!! Thankyou Goodreads for this free book.

[Katie Avagliano · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting enough book for those of us a little too young to have yet witnessed legacies, but a bit too full of stats rather than visceral action. It sort of reads like a very long, interesting Wikipedia page.

[Zach Koenig · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Manning family has left an impact on the NFL since practically the very inception of the league itself. What author Mark Ribowsky does here is examine the three primary pillars of that legacy, along with weaving their football story in with the culture of the Deep South.

It starts with Archie, hero of Ole Miss and "lovable loser" as QB of the New Orleans Saints. Peyton comes next, rebelling to choose Tennessee, and then becoming perhaps the greatest NFL QB of all-time. Then there's Eli, the quirky free-spirit who can't seem to measure up, yet has two rings of his own having beaten the greatest dynasty in modern football history.

I come out of this reading experience feeling like I've learned a lot about each of those figures (as well as the rest of the non-football Manning clan), and I think that's the biggest compliment I can give to Ribowsky and the book in general. For three football players of which much has already been written, "In The Name of the Father" manages to pull the tapestry apart even further and pick up key researched details. Ribowsky doesn't shy away from the sensitive material either, portraying Archie's generational racism and Peyton's various mini-scandals with as much vigor as their playing accolades.

Another quality I really liked in this book was how it related the general chemistry of the Mannings to that of the Deep South and their longtime New Orleans home base. Towards the end of the book it turns into more of a "season-by-season" recap of Peyton/Eli, which is indeed nostalgic, but when the author takes a step back and really looks at things in context, the book earns all five of the stars I gave it.

Overall, if you've watched football at all the past 20 years (or remember Archie's Saints days), you'll find something to enjoy in this one. From Archie to Eli and everyone in between, "In The Name Of The Father" covers "everything Manning" as best a non-official biographer can.

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the Name of the Father: Family, Football, and the Manning Dynasty by Mark Ribowski (Liveright Publishing Corp. 2018) (Biography) (3394). Disclaimer: I'm a lifelong fan of college football. Most specifically, I'm a big fan of the University of Tennessee Volunteers, which is Peyton Manning's alma mater. As a Vol fan, the entire Vol Nation claims Peyton as our favorite football player bar none. But never having read any type of biography of Peyton, curiosity got the best of me, and I picked this volume up from my local library as soon as it became available.

This is sort of a three-in-one biography of the three Mannings who were college football stars who went on to even greater acclaim and glory in the professional game. Father Archie Manning was a much lionized star at the University of Mississippi (“Ole Miss”) in the 1960's who then played professionally for years as a journeyman quarterback for the New Orleans Saints. Archie's star was later eclipsed by his sons Peyton and Eli, who followed up successful college quarterbacking careers at Tennessee and at Ole Miss respectively by going on to quarterback pro teams to two Super Bowl world championships apiece.

Author Mark Ribowski has penned sort of a “Manning-lite” biography of these three football legends. I do not mean to imply that the author glossed over any Manning warts so to speak, but Ribowski's chosen book format precluded much more than a cursory critical examination of any of the Mannings' lives, careers, and legacies.

No matter the shortcomings of the author's manuscript, the book served to satisfy my curiosity about the Manning clan.

And Peyton remains my favorite player! My rating: 7/10, finished 9/23/19 (3394).

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author does not candy coat anything. He repeatedly brings up Peyton’s indiscretion with the Tennessee trainer, an issue that was lingering for years. He also points out Peyton’s bristling if not straight sociopathic personal tendencies. Also he brings up Ole Miss’ history and traditions but never implicates Archie directly. Archie too is not clean as far as Peyton’s issues go.

I probably knocked it down a bit because for the last 100 pages it’s just season by season recaps of Peyton and Eli’s seasons and Archie and Cooper are leathery ignored.

Also, the author goes into a weird Odell Beckham rant, which has NOTHING to do with the scope of the book as he doesn’t address anything about Eli. It’s so emotionally charged that he confuses Josh Norman with Josh Gordon. I mean, it’s about one page and it’s as vitriolic as anything I’ve read.

[Bev Famulak · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re a Manning fan, a football fan or even a stats fan, you will love this book. Mark Ribowsky dives deep into the legacy of this sports dynasty from Drew, Mississippi and gives sports fans across the globe a glimpse into the world of Manning, Inc.

Sports writing at its finest.

[Jinx:The:Poet {the LiteraryWanderer & WordRoamer} · Rating 3 out of 5]

**OBTAINED: Goodreads Giveaway**

[REVIEW TO FOLLOW...]

[Nita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked hearing the Manning back story. Didn't like listening to the audio book.