Floyd Little's Tales from the Broncos Sideline

Book excerpt: Before John Elway, the Denver Broncos' "Franchise" was a tightly wound, 5-foot-10 bowlegged superstar named Floyd Little. Despite his lack of size, Floyd zigzagged his way to a legendary career-first at Syracuse wearing the famed No. 44 jersey shared by Jim Brown and Ernie Davis, then with the Broncos, piling up Hall of Fame-worthy numbers to finish his career as the NFL's seventh all-time rusher. Through it all, Floyd showed naysayers the only true measure of a man is the size of his pounding heart. His incredible impact during the late '60s and early-to-mid-'70s saved the franchise from relocation and helped the Broncos become the marquee organization it is today.Buckle your chinstrap, double-tie your shoes, and down a "half-glass of fresh blood" as Floyd Little takes you on a wild ride through his racially charged All-America days in the '60s to his Pro Bowl career with the struggling, resilient Broncos. You'll experience the wrath of Coach Lou Saban's "pink-slip" ways, the humor behind Coach John Ralston's "Dale Carnegie" pregame speeches, and the on- and off-the-field shenanigans of Floyd and his teammates, including Lyle Alzado, Billy Thompson, Tom Jackson, and Cookie Gilchrist. Plus, Floyd enlightens us with tales of famous foes like Dick Butkus, Gale Sayers, Willie Lanier, Hank Stram, John Madden, and those hated Raiders.Broncos fans will revel in these humorous, behind-the-scenes stories that take the reader back to a time when the NFL was about football and friendships, not million-dollar contracts and end-zone dances.