Eli Manning: The Making of a Quarterback

For anyone who is a football fan, and especially a Giants fan this is a must buy book. This book gives an excellent recount of Elis first 4 years of his career and does an excellent job of showing just how much an NFL QB goes through. This is an excellently written book with good inside detail from ex NFL QBs and coaches. Im not much of a book person and could not put the book down.

Mr. Vacchiano does the best he can with the story of a notoriously vanilla human being. This is not a suspenseful book, but I wasnt expecting suspense. I expected a lot of Eli Manning.

As a Giant fan and an Eli fan I had to get this book and read it right away. I was glad I did. I havent missed but two televised Giants games in nearly seven years, so I thought I knew everything about Eli Manning and the Giants, but this book gave me even more insight. The pressure Eli was under when he entered the league is well established, but this book gave me a new appreciation for all the young man has been put through in just a few years. From the locker room feelings towards Kerry Collins to the shared insight of his on the road roomate, I felt as I read the book like I could feel his pressure rather than just hear about it. The way he carried himself during his rough times is a testimony to the man he is not just as a player. His refusal to ever get overly upset or throw tantrums or the fact that he never once threw his teammates under the bus (when his errors were exasberated by their mistakes on occassion)and just take the hit for the team make me a fan of his even more than I was before. As a book, it reads well. Like a story rather than a plain vanilla biography. The insights by Ernie Arcorsi are excellent, as he experienced his own pressures the same as Eli. The two tied together forever. Great read and an excellent book, not a simple book about football but about being a man under intense scrutiny and enormous pressure. Highly recommeded! Not just to Giants fans but to any fan of football who has grown tired of selfish, spoiled, over paid atheletes and their antics.

Eli Manning has won two superbowl rings. Eli Manning has more superbowl rings than Payton Manning who only has one superbowl ring. In 2007 and 2011 the Giants could have easily not won the super bowl. In 2007 the Giants started out 0-2. In the playoffs they had to go out to Tampa Bay and beat the Buckeners, then go out to Dallas and beat the Cowboys with and Interception late in the game. The Giants had to go to Lambou field and beat Bret Farve and the Packers in 0 degrees weather on a field goal in overtime. They had to beat Tom Brady and the undefeated with great defence and David Tires Great catch in a 17-14 final score. In 2008 the Giants got of to a 11-1 start and could have won another Superbowl but lost to the Eagles 23-11 in the Divisional Round. In 2009 and 2010 the Giants got of to good starts and missed the playoffs. In 2010 miracle at the Medolands cost them the Division Championship on DeSean Jacksons kick return for a touchdown. In 2011 the Giants where 7-7 playing at the Jets stadium down 7-3 at there own one yard line, I was there when Victor Cruz scored a 99 yard touchdown and went on to beat the Jets 30-15 and beat the Falcons at home and beat Green Bay and San Francisco to go to the Super Bowl and beat the Patriots to to win the Super Bowl again.

What sticks out above everything else in this very well-researched account of Eli Manning, is Vacchianos startling ability to draw the reader in emotionally. In particular - Vacchianos gripping account of that famous final drive in the Super Bowl against the undefeated New England Patriots. Having watched - glued to the screen, waiting for Manning to implode, and yet he didnt - that gut-scrambling final 2-plus minutes, I can say it was some of the very best drama football has produced. What is remarkable is that Vacchiano, through his writing, matches the virtuoso moment. The fact that readers were already well aware of the outcome, makes this an even more astonishing feat of writing. I ripped through those last 40 pages, even though I knew what the end result was... The tendency in books like this is for the writer to gush over the subject...accolade after accolade. Vacchiano steers away from the expected. At times, its a harsh, clinical evaluation of the subject. Vacchiano, as every reporter writing a book should do (but few accomplish), taps on a wealth of resources. Former Giants Ernie Accorsi writes the forward and is quoted throughout...but there are also dozens of others involved. This is not only a must-but for Giants fans, but for fans of solid writing (ahh, that drama!) as well. A stirring achievement by one of the best football beat writers in America.

I like Ralphs Blue Screen blog and I liked his writing and TV appearances while I lived in NYC. So buying the book was a no-brainer especially since I was a Eli supporter since the day we drafted him. Its good and I expected a lot of inside details about Eli and we got some... but compared to LTs book and other sport books, it doesnt feel like Ralph had enough inside access. I skimmed a lot of Plaxicos book and even that was pretty good because you can tell Plaxico is giving us every single detail according to his view. Pretty good but it lacks the first-account stories and insight as if Eli wrote it himself or was involved.

For a Giant fan , great reading !

Any giants fan must read this book talking about a great guy and one thats really done more than just win two super bowls but won the hearts of many fans!! I went to school with him at ole miss and he was a great guy then and is now!!

i found the book to be very informative but didnt create the total insights from the season... seemed like a two minute offese of his life put toghter.. could have more intrigue of him gaining faith of his teamates as the year grew and less of the old home style boyhood..

Bought as a gift for a HS footballer.