The author's normal bailiwick is the rock 'n' roll narrative--his books on grunge, Eric Carr and MTV have been reviewed on this site before--but on this one he tackles the subject of the New York Jets circa 1980. The "New York Sack Exchange" was a sports term applied to the team's defensive line: Marty Lyons, Joe Klecks, Mark Gastineau and Abdul Salaam. Monsters with shoulder pads, they competed against one another to see who could rip the heads off the most offensive players.
In 1981, they led the NFL by demolishing 66 opposing athletes.
Prato
creates a narrative by interviewing players, coaches and sports insiders to reveal one of the most celebrated--and scrutinized--football teams of all time. There are interviews with the entire New York Sack Exchange quartet as well as conversations with Richard Todd, Pat Leahy, Joe Walton, Walt Michaels, Al Toon, Wesley Walker, and many others. Those interviewed talk about the triumphs and defeats including the magical Joe Namath era, the use of steroids, the rivalry with the Miami Dolphins, and much more.
Sack Exchange provides some startling insights into one of the most storied teams of all time. As usual, Prato digs deep for his facts and leaves no stone unturned in fashioning a story that will beguile and amazine
readers from the get-go.