On the Field With... Peyton and Eli Manning Book

Personal Response
This was a quick easy to read book. I liked how it started off talking about the dad and then talked about how the kids grew in a family of football. Each one took a different road to get to the NFL, while one brother fell short of his dream. Eli and Peyton both had big shoes to fill. Luckily for Eli, he had his younger brother to prepare him for the big games. Eli and Cooper played on the same high school team, Eli then had a top receiver he could rely on.

Plot
There were three quarterbacks in the Manning family along with one wide receiver. Archie Manning was an outstanding high school quarterback going on to play football at Ole Miss University. He excelled there too. He then went on to play for the Saints in the NFL. His oldest son, Peyton, was the next one in the family to excel in football. Many expected him to follow in his dad's footsteps. They expected him to go to Ole Miss, but he decided to go to Tennessee instead. He went on to have an amazing NFL career with the Colts then finishing out his career with the Denver Broncos. Eli on the other hand followed directly in his dad's footsteps attending Ole Miss University. He was then selected in the NFL draft by the New York Giants. He is, currently, the starting QB for them. Cooper had a rough road, though, watching everyone else in his family go on to play college football. His dream was smashed when the doctor told him he had a rare disease and had to quit playing football.

Characterization
Peyton is a very calm person in my opinion. He does not really show much emotion on and off the field. He is quiet when he is away from football, staying out of trouble. Peyton is a great role model for kids to look up too, he sets the example for the kind of teammate a player would want. He is always respectful to his coaches, teammates and officials. He is a leader, coaching the young players along the way. Eli acts the same way Peyton does. He tries to avoid the media as much as possible. Today it is not the easiest to do that, because everywhere celebrities go they are being watched. Eli is an all around good person who tries to always make the best decision for him and others he is associated with.

Impact Of Setting
The Manning brothers grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. They were all born around the 1980's. Football back when Archie played was not as big as it is now. People were still learning about the game. Things have changed, though, since Eli and Peyton starting playing. The NFL is becoming more strict with players, even changing many of the rules of the game.

Audience/Recommendation
This would be a great read for any high school football player looking to be the best teammate they possibly could be. It shows how to act on and off a field. The Manning's are great people that others should look up to.