by Jeffrey Marx
Research was by no means limited to one family, though. I interviewed more than a hundred people for this book, and I am enormously grateful for the input of all who participated. I’d like to thank those who helped most by listing their names.
From the 2003 New England Patriots: Matt Chatham, Don Davis, Christian Fauria, Damon Huard, Larry Izzo, Scott Pioli, Anthony Pleasant, and Ken Walter.
From around the National Football League: Ernie Accorsi, Mark Bavaro, Bill Curry, Al Del Greco, Tom Goode, Trey Junkin, John Kasay, Harper LeBel, Ted Marchibroda, Scott Nicolas, Scott O’Brien, Dan O’Leary, Chance Pearce, Dave Shula, Don Shula, Jan Stenerud, Matt Stover, Vinny Testaverde, and Mike Westhoff.
From Louisiana State University (LSU) : Chris Carrier, Steve Damen, Paul Dietzel, Tommy Hodson, Donnie Jones, Terry Lewis, Gant Petty, Don “Scooter” Purvis, Warren Rabb, Ruffin Rodrigue, Nick Saban, Jerry Stovall, Jerry Sullivan, and Ed Zaunbrecher.
From Parkview Baptist School: Dairon Bueche, Jennie Garland, Wesley Perkins, Cooper Pope, Sonya Pruitt, and Ashley Thornton.
From elsewhere in Louisiana: Odom Graves, Craig Greene, Darryl Hamilton, Gordon McKernan, and Jeff Wampold.
Many others helped in a variety of ways.
Amy Brittain was reliable and efficient as a research assistant. I also want to thank the following professionals who took time to track down information and secure footage for me: Armen Keteyian of CBS, Jon Kramer and Josh Krulewitz of ESPN, and Ray Didinger and Ken Rodgers of NFL Films.
People in the LSU athletics department were—as I have always found them to be—extremely kind and accommodating. Big thanks go to Michael Bonnette, Wanda Carrier, Kent Lowe, Bill Martin, and Herb Vincent.
In addition to all the help I got that was directly related to gathering material for this book, I have also received immeasurable support in a number of other areas.
Cindy DiTiberio of HarperOne has exhibited tremendous faith in me. She has treated this project with great care and respect. Cindy, I thank you for being both a wonderful representative of your company and a woman of grace and integrity.
Tom Connolly is not only one of the best lawyers in America. He is also one of the best friends anyone could have. Others at the law firm of Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis—most notably Rob Carter—have also represented me exceptionally well. TC and Rob, please know how much I appreciate all your efforts.
Carl Cannon has been editing my work for twenty years. It is difficult to imagine a crueler fate. Yet he has somehow managed to red-ink his way through all five of my books. Carl, thank you, as always, for trying to salvage the pile of pages I gave to you. We made it through another one!
John Carroll is never second to anyone when it comes to influence on my career. He was my first newspaper editor and has been both mentor and friend throughout the whole of my adult life. In this case, though, he did come second, reading the manuscript and offering suggestions after Carl and I were done. John, thank you, as always, for caring about me and my work.
Friends and family were more than patient with me when I locked myself away to write. I thank the following for being so supportive and understanding: Al Adamsen, Dale Brown, Mark Brunell, David Ellington, Rusty Gorman, Jason Harper, Randy Hearon, Lauren Hochman, Bert Jones, Greg Katz, Daniella Landau, Carl Lewis, Mitch Loveman, Jim Marx, Peggy Marx, Richard Marx, Lisa Lynne Mathis, Eric Mogen-tale, Kim and Bonnie Nuxhall, Mike and Beth O’Shea, LJ and Carolyn and all the Oncales, Peter Ripka, Mark Schamel, Dane Strother, Bret and Lori Talbot, Merv Wampold, and Mike Woodrow.
That brings me to the two people with whom I most closely share my days: my awesome wife, Leslie (“Po” to me); and my remarkable stepdaughter, Alex. I have yet to figure out how they put up with me while I’m working on a book, but I’m mighty fortunate that they do. Po and Alex, thank you for being here whenever I needed you most, for allowing me to go on and on with my endless stream of book talk, for giving me the time and space to do what I do.
About the Author
JEFFREY MARX is the New York Times bestselling author of Season of Life and recipient of the 1986 Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting. This is his fifth book. He has also written for numerous publications including Sports Illustrated, Newsweek, Time, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and The Baltimore Sun. Marx lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Visit the author online at seasonoflife.com and jeffreymarx.org.
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Also by Jeffrey Marx
Season of Life
It Gets Dark Sometimes
One More Victory Lap (with Carl Lewis)
Inside Track (with Carl Lewis)
Credits
Jacket design: www.levanfisherdesign.com
Copyright
The poem “Focus” by Gus Kinchen on Chapter 5 and the unnamed poem by Trey Junkin on Chapter 14 are included by permission of the authors.
THE LONG SNAPPER: A Second Chance, a Super Bowl, a Lesson for Life. Copyright © 2009 by Jeffrey Marx. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
Adobe Digital Edition July 2009 ISBN 978-0-06-190138-6
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