| View Larger Image | My Dirty Little Secrets - Steroids, Alcohol & God: The Tony Mandarich Story | Paperbackby Tony Mandarich (Author), Sharon Shaw Elrod (Author)
| List Price: | $19.95 | | Price: | $14.36 | | You Save: | $5.59 (28%) | | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours |
| | Binding: | Paperback | | Publisher: | Modern History Press | | Edition: | 1stst Edition | | Page Count: | 204 Pages | | Publication Date: | February 14, 2009 | | Sales Rank: | 67,390th |
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EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Product Description
As Tony Mandarich left Green Bay in February, 1993, his football career in shambles, Packer Plus staff writer, Tom Mulhern, wrote the following: "The overriding sentiment, however, is one of emptiness. Not so much for promises unfulfilled, but for sins not repented. Maybe some day Mandarich will set the record straight and answer all the nagging questions he leaves behind. I hope so." For all the sports writers, fans, coaches, friends and family, My Dirty Little Secrets sets the record straight. On the 20th anniversary of his draft in 1989, Tony reveals the reasons why he never achieved what the nation expected of him, and what he expected of himself. His story is an inspiration for alcoholics and drug abusers, and offers hope for those trying to help themselves out of the nightmare of addiction. My Dirty Little Secrets promises to help readers Learn about the power of addiction Discover how co-dependency and enablers affect addicts Understand why treatment for addictions is so important in recovery Realize the importance of emotional suppot systems in the lives of alcoholics Accept the role of the Higher Power's grace in recovery "My Dirty Little Secrets is a testament that faith in a higher power can bring us to salvation and light. Tony's story is touched by magic and brushes against the tragic. It's a great human journey and a victory for the human spirit." --Jim Irsay, Owner, Indianapolis Colts, Super Bowl (r) XLI Champions After a highly successful and nationally publicized college career at Michigan State Unviersity, Tony Mandarich was drafted number two in 1989. The hype about his power and standing as a football player along with Tony's addictions, was more than he could live up to, and his life came crashing down around him. After three more years of alcohol and painkillers' abuse, Tony accepted God's hand, went into treatment and now considers it a privilege to be able to help other addicts when called upon. Learn more at www.TonyMandarich.com Book #6 in the Reflections of America Series from Modern History Press www.ModernHistoryPress.com |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 5.0 based on 8 reviews)
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very good by jon grife (maryland)  4 Stars
August 02, 2009
i'm glad i read this book. it's an easy read and tony is highly commended for telling the truth about his life and addictions. it wil blow your mind to see how sick and out of control he was. there need to be more books like this that rip the lying facade off of college and professional sports. it is so heartening that he is a survivor and is flourishing and has come to terms with much of his life. he would be a good motivational speaker to help high school athletes and their parents see the pitfalls of america's sports addiction. i also highly recommend james michener's book-sports in america and john gerdy's books about sports.
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An Entirely Different Kind of Success by Danelle W. Drake (Candler, NC)  5 Stars
July 02, 2009
A hero comes in all shapes and sizes. This particular hero is big; has a big heart, a big body, accomplished big dreams, and overcome some very big obstacles. Tony Mandarich is a hero. Not because of his world-class career at a college then professional football player but because of how he overcame his "little secrets" which were huge. Many who have traveled down the path as he never had the opportunity to reach the other side of the tunnel. Tony not only came to the other side but came thru a much stronger person and player.
As a child in Canada Tony know what he wanted to be. He wanted to be a professional football player and set out with mature-beyond-his-years determination to do just that. Convinced to allow their child to move to the United States in high school to better secure his path to stardom was a difficult decision for Tony's parents. This single decision set in motion one of the greatest stories in NFL history.
Tony walks us thru his drug and alcohol filled years with the Green Bay Packers where it was truly all about him. Tony lived up to all of the hype of being the second round draft pick. Giving us behind-the-scenes detail of just how it happens I sat crying for Tony when he lost it all. Seeing this same scenario many times before; I do admit that I didn't foresee the wonderful life that would follow. Imagining the courage it would take someone to recover from such devastation is almost hard to imagine. Tony shows that it can be done. What encouragement for those suffering from addiction. Tony turns his life around and starts anew. After several years away from playing football Tony returns the Indianapolis Colts and is better than ever! He follows his heart and reunites with his college sweetheart and lives happily-ever-after. Tony is a lucky individual who knows all to well that those suffering from addiction need someone to lean on. Tony is the shoulder for those who read this great gift!
Way too many times we see incidents where a professional athlete makes headlines for all the wrong reasons. The athlete appeals to the public as if they were the victim. Tony admits what happened and tells the tale from start to finish. Two thumbs up for the amazing man!
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My Dirty Little Secrets - Steroids, Alcohol & God: The Tony Mandarich Story by Dennis Paul Fox 5 Stars
April 13, 2009
My Dirty Little Secrets - Steroids, Alcohol & God: The Tony Mandarich Story
Book was in great shape and came quickly.
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Honest Story of Athlete Who Overcame Addiction by Tyler R. Tichelaar (Marquette, MI USA) 5 Stars
March 15, 2009
Whether you are a football fan, someone concerned about addictions, or you just like a good success story, Tony Mandarich's newly published memoir "My Dirty Little Secrets--Steroids, Alcohol & God" is a rewarding and eye-opening reading experience.
In 1989, after an incredible football career playing for Michigan State, Tony Mandarich was the number two draft pick for the NFL and chosen by the Green Bay Packers. Who could forget the picture of him on Sports Illustrated that spring, showing his incredible muscular build at 6'6" and 315 pounds, and the declaration that he was "The Best Offensive Line Prospect Ever"? It looked like Tony might become the greatest NFL player ever. Tony was on top of the world!
But Tony had some dirty little secrets. For years he had been using steroids to increase his performance. He also had an addiction to alcohol and painkillers. He hid those secrets well, but in his memoir he now tells his complete story honestly, with all his mistakes and regrets laid bare for readers, not merely for sensation to sell books, but to show how he turned his life around and to give hope to others suffering from addictions.
While the media made insinuations about his steroid use during his career, and Tony admits to it, drugs and alcohol were what really caused his world to fall apart. His memoir depicts the extremes a person will take to hide and continue his addiction. Tony details how he cheated on drug tests so he could play in the Rose Bowl and other games, as well as how he tricked pharmacies and charmed doctors to write him out prescriptions for extra pills. At times, he even drove eight hundred miles round trip in a single day just to get pills so he could avoid withdrawal symptoms. Tony admits he was not sober a single day he played for the Green Bay Packers. The high expectations for his NFL career were more than he could handle. Then once his football career ended, he wasted the next three years doing nothing but living off his savings from his football days to feed his drug and alcohol addiction.
After watching his brother die, possibly from steroid use, and realizing how his addictions were destroying his family, Tony made a decision to turn his life around. He checked himself into a treatment center and never looked back, refusing to be in the majority of alcoholics who return to drinking. For years, Tony and his brother's relationship had been strained. Even though he was with his brother when he died, Tony continued to feel guilt and shame about their relationship. One of the most tremendous moments in his memoir is the spiritual journey a friend led him upon, using a Native American tradition of meditation, where he was able to talk to his brother again; he realized his brother was his spiritual guide and would be there to help him everyday going forward. This heart-wrenching cathartic experience was a major turning point in Tony's life and speaks to the importance of the addict healing emotional wounds along with becoming drug free.
The final section of the book reads like a celebration. Tony's story would have been triumphant enough by simply describing how he overcame his addiction. But Tony went a step farther by returning to the NFL to play for the Indianapolis Colts. Without steroids, drugs, or alcohol, his performance was better than ever. He was the strongest player on the team, but he was also humble this time, looking to be a team player rather than a superstar. He stated at the time: "Benching 545 coming out of college didn't help me pass-block...That's the way I look at it. I just want to help this team." Similarly, his memoir is not all about Tony Mandarich. It's about how a person can right past wrongs and overcome addiction. It's about one addict coming forward to tell his story, to raise awareness about addictions and how a 12-step program like Alcoholics Anonymous and trusting in God can turn a life around. It's about Tony wanting to help others who have fallen to recover their lives and self-esteem. At the end of the book Tony states, "If this story has helped one of you to recognize that you need help, it was worth all the media controversy." Tony Mandarich succeeded in his dreams of being an NFL player, but more importantly, "My Dirty Little Secrets" reveals that he has succeeded in being an incredible human being!
-- Tyler R. Tichelaar, Ph.D. author of The Marquette Trilogy
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A very touching story by Irene Watson (Austin, TX USA) 5 Stars
March 06, 2009
Compelling, poignant, and timely, Tony Mandarich's story, as told to Sharon Shaw Elrod, will keep the reader glued to the whole book while turning the pages to find out what's next. Although Tony is a well-known ex-football player, this book is not about football or specifically the ins and outs of his career, but it's about an NFL player that exposes his life during his infamous years in the limelight and comes clean with his addictions and overt ego. It could be anyone's story; many of us can parallel to the experiences and the need for survival, whatever it takes, even with life-threatening substances or dysfunctional behaviors.
At one time known as "The Incredible Bulk" and never tested positive for steroids, Tony now reveals his secrets and lies - the down and dirty of his addictions, not only to substances but to the need of being the best, the need of doing the best, and the need of recognition. A humbling story told with passion and conviction, Tony allows us to see that addictions can do to human spirit, family structure, and career. However, he also gives us the vision of hope and empowerment if we choose to follow the path of surrender, self-forgiveness and the belief in a Higher Power. Reading "My Dirty Little Secrets - Steroids, Alcohol and God" will touch every aspect of your being, I promise you!
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