Product Description

He was one of pro football’s most beloved and respected stars, admired not only by NFL fans and his own teammates, but by his opponents as well. Super Bowl champion; six time Pro Bowler; NFL Comeback Player of the Year; NFL Man of the Year; fifth all-time leading rusher in the NFL; future Hall of Famer; now NBC Sports commentator.

You may think you know Jerome Bettis, but you don’t.

In The Bus, Jerome Bettis tells his full, unvarnished story for the first time--from his sometimes troubled childhood in inner-city Detroit to his difficult transition at Notre Dame, to a pro coach who almost caused him to quit the game, to a trade for the ages that resulted in ten glorious seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

As a chunky child wearing glasses, Jerome’s only sports-related aspiration was to become a professional bowler. But growing up in one of the roughest neighborhoods in Detroit, he eventually found his escape on the high school football field, thanks to the devotion of hard-working parents, a concerned coach, and his prodigious talent. He arrived at Notre Dame as one of the nation’s best prep players, but despite his incredible performances, he never stopped worrying that he would somehow blow his chance to make good. Drafted and later discarded by the Los Angeles Rams, it was in the football-obsessed city of Pittsburgh that Jerome found his home and became a legend.

The Bus captures the sweetness and honesty of Bettis, but also details the jaw-dropping, violent nature of the game he loved, the mind-boggling injuries he endured, and the cut-throat NFL business tactics he overcame and later mastered. Through it all, Jerome was also a loving son, an adoring father, and the ultimate teammate and mentor.

The Bus not only takes you under the helmet, but inside the huddle, the locker room, the practice field, the negotiating table, the owner’s office, and the Super Bowl sideline. You’ll learn how Bettis became The Bus, how he helped engineer the greatest trade in Steelers history, how he almost cost Pittsburgh a conference championship, and how sweet it was to win—finally—one for the thumb.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #143508 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09-04
• Released on: 2007-09-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

From Publishers Weekly
The National Football League's fifth all-time leading rusher tells of his journey from growing up on Detroit's mean streets to playing for the 2006 Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers. As a child, Bettis wore nerdy glasses and preferred bowling. In high school, he began playing football, but also started running with a smalltime neighborhood gang that sold drugs and carried firearms. He credits his escape from crime to his high school coach and his parents for laying down the law as well as the shock of seeing a friend get shot. A highly recruited high school player, he played three years at Notre Dame before turning pro with the Rams (both L.A. and St. Louis). During the latter part of his 13-year career, he had to compete for playing time and deal with a litany of injuries. For his last pro football game, he returned triumphantly to Detroit, which hosted the 2006 Super Bowl. Writing in an easygoing, honest voice, Bettis gives readers a good look at the inside stories of college recruiting, professional contracts and the agony of NFL injuries. He also dishes out opinions on players, calling former Rams quarterback Jim Everett soft as puppy fur and Denver Broncos linebacker Bill Romanowski a coward who specialized in cheap shots. (Aug.)
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From Booklist
Bettis used natural ability, hard work, and emotional stability to put together an award-winning NFL career that ended in 2006 when his Pittsburgh Steelers won the Super Bowl. Bettis was raised on Detroit's mean streets, but thanks to loving parents and a moral compass, he avoided most of the serious missteps common to many in those circumstances. He became a Detroit prep star, earned a scholarship to Notre Dame, and after a successful career there, went on to stardom with the St. Louis Rams and later the Steelers. Bettis' abilities as a player secured one level of stardom, but it's always been his humor and one-of-the-guys demeanor that linked him most closely with fans. Wojciechowski, a senior writer for ESPN and coauthor of, among other books, Rick Majerus' classic memoir, My Life on a Napkin (1999), brings out all Bettis' best qualities in this enjoyable sports autobiography. Lukowsky, Wes

Review

“Exciting – entertaining – extra special like the Bus himself!”
-- Dan Rooney, owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers

“This is one Bus ride you won't want to get off.'”
Rick Reilly, bestselling author of Who’s Your Caddy? and Missing Links

Customer Reviews

I AM A BROWNS FAN BUT ALSO A BUS FAN
THE BUS IS A MUST READ FOR ALL STEELER FANS. JEROME BETTIS TAKES US ON A TRIP ABOUT HIS EARLY DAYS TO THE END OF HIS CAREER AND A SUPER BOWL VICTORY. THE BUS SHOWS HIS HONESTY, MODESTY AND FOOTBALL INSIGHT IN THIS EASY READING AND TOTALLY ENTERTAINING BOOK. I AM A BROWNS FAN BUT I ALSO ENJOYED WATCHING A GREAT PLAYER LIKE JEROME PERFORM OVER THE YEARS. IF YOU LIKE FOOTBALL AND ESPECIALLY ENJOY THE STEELERS THEN THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU. VERY INTERESTING AND VERY RECOMMENDED.

A Must for Steeler Nation
If you were a Steelers fan in the 90's straight through to the Super Bowl, this is a must read. As Jerome Bettis goes through his years with the Steelers, you'll remember the good times and the bad times. You will recall the poor coaching decisions and get Jerome's candid opinion of what was called. I think what surprised me the most is how honest the book was. He kept nothing back. His rocky childhood, his contract negotiations, his feelings about players and organizations, it all in here. It's a quick read and well written. You will get goose bumps when he talks about the road to Super Bowl XL as you get it through his eyes and you will remember it all. Great book.

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