Hail Victory: An Oral History of the Washington Redskins
A you-are-there history of one of football's most successful and beloved teams\ Who is the greatest quarterback in Redskins history? Baugh? Jurgensen? Theismann? Rypien? However you answer that question, you'll find plenty of evidence to support your argument in Hail Victory. Based on sportswriter Thom Loverro's exclusive interviews with a host of the greatest players ever to wear the team jersey, this comprehensive history of the tradition-rich Washington Redskins puts you on the 50-yard...
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The finest sports teams do more than merely entertain fans with their athletic prowess: they inspire loyalty, ignite passion, and cut across social divides to unite entire communities in hope, joy, anguish, anticipation, and shared memories. In all of sports, no team embodies this ideal more completely than the Washington Redskins.In Hail Victory, Washington sportswriter Thom Loverro reconstructs the glorious history of this storied franchise through exclusive interviews with a host of the greatest and most beloved players ever to wear a Redskins jersey. Together, Loverro and these Redskins legends re-create the most memorable moments in the team's history, both on and off the field. You'll hear from quarterback Mark Rypien, who relives the stunning 1992 Super Bowl in which the Redskins ran roughshod over a Buffalo Bills defense that had shown them little respect during the run-up to that lopsided victory. Two years earlier, down 33–14 in the third quarter of a regular season game against the Detroit Lions, coach Joe Gibbs called on third-stringer and placekick-holder Jeff Rutledge to run out the clock in an embarrassing defeat. Rutledge's account of his virtuoso performance in what would become the greatest comeback in NFL history is one of the most inspiring stories in sports. Joe Theismann, Dexter Manley, and Joe Jacoby relive another unlikely comeback—the one that brought the Redskins their first Super Bowl victory in 1983. You'll also hear from Hall of Fame receiver Charley Taylor, who remembers his days as the favorite target of legendary quarterback Sonny Jurgensen.Each outstanding era of Redskins history has been defined by its coach. Jurgensen recounts how football deity Vince Lombardi transformed the team from perennial losers into a force to be reckoned with. George Allen's "Over the Hill Gang" of proven veterans and winners gave the team an emotional identity, but it was the unsung Joe Gibbs who turned these tough contenders into champions. Loverro analyzes the styles and strengths of each Redskins coach, and players' comments provide insight into how the team functioned under each regime.Featuring eight pages of color photos of Redskins greats in action, Hail Victory is a must-have for Redskins fans and a treat for football lovers all over the world (except those who live in Dallas!).
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Foreword Joe Jacoby viiAcknowledgments ixVoices of the Redskins xiIntroduction 1Finding a Home 5Futility 31Sonny and Sam 55A Block of Granite 77Every Time You Win, You're Reborn 101When You Lose, You Die a Little 133Champions 165Staying on Top 199The Final Run 227Changes 251Epilogue 281Photo Credits 287Index 289
\ From Barnes & NobleTeam oral histories possess resilient appeal, and this is one of the best. Washington sports reporter Thom Loverro calls on key Redskin players including Joe Thiesmann, Sonny Jurgensen, and Charley Taylor to relive memories of high points, close calls, and near-misses in team history. The results are spectacular. The retired stars reminisce about George Allen's "Over the Hill Gang" and Vince Lombardi's short but thrilling tenure; Joe Jacoby compares all three of the 'Skins three Super Bowl champions; and modest Jeff Rutledge offers an unforgettable account of what it feels like to be a third-string quarterback pulling off "the greatest comeback in football history."\ \
