Mad Ducks and Bears

In Mad Ducks and Bears, George Plimpton's engaging companion piece to Paper Lion and one of his personal favorites, Plimpton brings his focus to two of the most remarkably entertaining and roguish linemen of his Paper Lion experience-- Alex Karras ("Mad Ducks") and John Gordy ("Bears"), both of whom went on to achieve brilliant post-football success. A more reflective, less madcap book than Plimpton's other work, Mad Ducks and Bears is no less truthful and searching.
In this fond exploration of the values and follies of football, he rejoins his two Lions teammates to talk about their careers in this sometimes brutal but always captivating game. As Paper Lion is the quintessential look at a football team behind the scenes, Mad Ducks and Bears is one of the most astute explorations into the fascinating lives, thoughts, and motivations of the players at home, in the locker room, and on the field.

Plimpton joins former teammates Alex Karras and John Gordy to reminisce on their careers.

One of the 20th century's most beloved literary figures, Manhattan blueblood George Plimpton was the cofounder and longtime editor of The Paris Review and the originator of "participatory journalism," a literary style that plunged the writer into Walter Mitty-like arenas and translated those experiences into literature. Among his bestselling books are Out of My League, Paper Lion, and Edie: An American Biography.