Best of Rivals
Joe Montana, Steve Young, and the Inside Story Behind the NFL’s Greatest Quarterback Controversy
(Da Capo Press, Fall 2012)
This revealing, in-depth look at the NFL’s greatest quarterback controversy, takes readers into the locker room and inside the huddle to deliver the real story behind the rivalry— when Joe Montana and Steve Young battled on and off the field and forged one of the finest football dynasties of all time. From 1987 to 1994, the two future Hall of Famers spurred each other on to remarkable heights, including three Super Bowl wins and four MVP awards, and set new standards for quarterback excellence.
The two men couldn’t have been more different in background, personality, and playing style, and their competition created as much tension as it did greatness, forcing Montana to prove that he was still the game’s best quarterback and Young to prove that he was a worthy successor.
Featuring candid interviews with Montana, Young, Jerry Rice, George Seifert, and many more, Best of Rivals brings to life the story of two sports legends, the golden era of football their rivalry presided over, and the amazing legacy it produced.
REVIEWS
It seems like a fine idea to have two great quarterbacks on your roster, at least until Sunday when only one of them gets to play. Adam Lazarus takes you inside the dynamic but difficult partnership that was the Joe Montana–Steve Young era in San Francisco.
Ray Didinger
Pro Football Hall of Fame writer
Best of Rivals is a must-read for 49ers fans of all ages. You will smile, cringe, and curse, then you will nod at the enduring lesson that, at some point, even the greatest of the greats will be replaced—whether they’re ready or not.
Jim Trotter
NFL reporter for ESPN
Lazarus provides solid backstory… Readers might be surprised to see how imperfect these great players (and their hallowed wide receiver Jerry Rice) could be in the heat of competition, but also to see the class with which these preternaturally competitive men handled their situation. Instructive as well as informative.
Booklist
MEDIA
Grant Napear Show
9/13/12
|
12
min
KNBR Murph and Mac
9/13/12
|
8
min
GameTime with Kordell Stewart, Carl Dukes
10/31/13
|
6
min
