Slow getting up : a story of NFL survival from the bottom of the pile

"One man's odyssey into the brutal hive of the National Football League. This is not a celebrity tell-all of professional sports. Slow Getting Up is a survivor's real-time account of playing six seasons (twice as long as the average NFL career) for the San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos. As an unsigned free agent who rose through the practice squad to the starting lineup, Nate Jackson is the talented embodiment of the everyday freak athlete in professional football, one of thousands whose names go unmentioned in the daily press. Through his story recounted here-- from scouting combines to preseason cuts to byzantine film studies to glorious touchdown catches-- even knowledgeable football fans will glean a new, starkly humanized understanding of the daily rigors and unceasing violence of quotidian life in the NFL. Fast-paced, lyrical, and hilariously unvarnished, Slow Getting Up is an unforgettable look at the real lives of America's best twenty-year-old athletes putting their bodies and minds through hell" -- from publisher's web site. "Nate Jackson's Slow Getting Up is an unvarnished and uncensored memoir of everyday life in the most popular sports league in America-- and the most damaging to its players-- the National Football League. After playing college ball at a tiny Division III school, Jackson, a receiver, signed as a free agent with the San Francisco 49ers, before moving to the Denver Broncos. For six seasons in the NFL as a Bronco, he alternated between the practice squad and the active roster, eventually winning a starting spot-- a short, tenuous career emblematic of the average pro player. Drawing from his own experience, Jackson tells the little known story of the hundreds of everyday, "expendable" players whose lives are far different from their superstar colleagues. From scouting combines to training camps, off-season parties to game-day routines, debilitating physical injuries-- including degenerative brain conditions-- to poor pensions and financial distress, he offers a funny, and shocking look at life in the NFL, and the young men who risk their health and even their lives to play the game" -- from publisher's web site. Read more... Abstract: "One man's odyssey into the brutal hive of the National Football League. This is not a celebrity tell-all of professional sports. Slow Getting Up is a survivor's real-time account of playing six seasons (twice as long as the average NFL career) for the San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos. As an unsigned free agent who rose through the practice squad to the starting lineup, Nate Jackson is the talented embodiment of the everyday freak athlete in professional football, one of thousands whose names go unmentioned in the daily press. Through his story recounted here-- from scouting combines to preseason cuts to byzantine film studies to glorious touchdown catches-- even knowledgeable football fans will glean a new, starkly humanized understanding of the daily rigors and unceasing violence of quotidian life in the NFL. Fast-paced, lyrical, and hilariously unvarnished, Slow Getting Up is an unforgettable look at the real lives of America's best twenty-year-old athletes putting their bodies and minds through hell" -- from publisher's web site. "Nate Jackson's Slow Getting Up is an unvarnished and uncensored memoir of everyday life in the most popular sports league in America-- and the most damaging to its players-- the National Football League. After playing college ball at a tiny Division III school, Jackson, a receiver, signed as a free agent with the San Francisco 49ers, before moving to the Denver Broncos. For six seasons in the NFL as a Bronco, he alternated between the practice squad and the active roster, eventually winning a starting spot-- a short, tenuous career emblematic of the average pro player. Drawing from his own experience, Jackson tells the little known story of the hundreds of everyday, "expendable" players whose lives are far different from their superstar colleagues. From scouting combines to training camps, off-season parties to game-day routines, debilitating physical injuries-- including degenerative brain conditions-- to poor pensions and financial distress, he offers a funny, and shocking look at life in the NFL, and the young men who risk their health and even their lives to play the game" -- from publisher's web site One Man's Odyssey Into The Brutal Hive Of The National Football League. This Is Not A Celebrity Tell-all Of Professional Sports. Slow Getting Up Is A Survivor's Real-time Account Of Playing Six Seasons (twice As Long As The Average Nfl Career) For The San Francisco 49ers And The Denver Broncos. As An Unsigned Free Agent Who Rose Through The Practice Squad To The Starting Lineup, Nate Jackson Is The Talented Embodiment Of The Everyday Freak Athlete In Professional Football, One Of Thousands Whose Names Go Unmentioned In The Daily Press. Through His Story Recounted Here-- From Scouting Combines To Preseason Cuts To Byzantine Film Studies To Glorious Touchdown Catches-- Even Knowledgeable Football Fans Will Glean A New, Starkly Humanized Understanding Of The Daily Rigors And Unceasing Violence Of Quotidian Life In The Nfl. Fast-paced, Lyrical, And Hilariously Unvarnished, Slow Getting Up Is An Unforgettable Look At The Real Lives Of America's Best Twenty-year-old Athletes Putting Their Bodies And Minds Through Hell -- From Publisher's Web Site. Nate Jackson's Slow Getting Up Is An Unvarnished And Uncensored Memoir Of Everyday Life In The Most Popular Sports League In America-- And The Most Damaging To Its Players-- The National Football League. After Playing College Ball At A Tiny Division Iii School, Jackson, A Receiver, Signed As A Free Agent With The San Francisco 49ers, Before Moving To The Denver Broncos. For Six Seasons In The Nfl As A Bronco, He Alternated Between The Practice Squad And The Active Roster, Eventually Winning A Starting Spot-- A Short, Tenuous Career Emblematic Of The Average Pro Player. Drawing From His Own Experience, Jackson Tells The Little Known Story Of The Hundreds Of Everyday, Expendable Players Whose Lives Are Far Different From Their Superstar Colleagues. From Scouting Combines To Training Camps, Off-season Parties To Game-day Routines, Debilitating Physical Injuries-- Including Degenerative Brain Conditions-- To Poor Pensions And Financial Distress, He Offers A Funny, And Shocking Look At Life In The Nfl, And The Young Men Who Risk Their Health And Even Their Lives To Play The Game -- From Publisher's Web Site. Prologue: Goodbye, Dude (2008) -- The First Seven Years (2002) -- My Life As Randy Moss (2003) -- Nein Lives (2004) -- Grid-irony (2004) -- Meat Sacks (2005) -- Plummer's Crack (2006) -- Pointy Balls (2007) -- Farewell, Bronco Betty (2007) -- Rocky Mountain High (2007) -- Watermelon Seeds (2007-2008) -- The Last Dislocation (2008) -- The After Affect (2009). Nate Jackson. An unvarnished and uncensored account of quotidian life in the NFL from one of the best writers to ever play in its ranks The NFL is the most popular sports league in America-and the most damaging to its players. Degenerative brain conditions, early onset arthritis, bad knees, hips, shoulders: such is the glory that awaits the retired veteran of the NFL-as well as the terrible pensions and imminent financial ruin for the majority that lack college degrees. But for the millions of NFL fans, the average NFL player is faceless; his pain and suffering virtually invisible. Nate Jackson was a receiver at tiny Division III Menlo College, on the coast of California. Talented enough to sign as a free agent with the 49ers, he then played for six seasons with the Denver Broncos, bouncing from the practice squad to the active roster and eventually a starting spot-a player barely holding on to a career in the pros, like the majority of his fellow players. As he traces the arc of his career, Jackson brings to light the story of hundreds of everyday, "expendable" players whose lives-unlike those of their superstar colleagues-aren't captured in high-definition. From scouting combines to training camps, off-season parties to game-day routines, this remarkably written memoir-funny, candid, controversial, and artful-is an unforgettable look at life in the NFL, and the real lives of young men risking their bodies, and ultimately their lives, to play pro football. One man's odyssey into the brutal hive of the National Football League As an unsigned free agent who rose through the practice squad to the starting lineup of the Denver Broncos, Nate Jackson took the path of thousands of unknowns before him to carve out a professional football career twice as long as the average player. Through his story recounted here--from scouting combines to preseason cuts to byzantine film studies to glorious touchdown catches--even knowledgeable football fans will glean a new, starkly humanized understanding of the NFL's workweek. Fast-paced, lyrical, dirty, and hilariously unvarnished, Slow Getting Up is an unforgettable look at the real lives of America's best athletes putting their bodies and minds through hell