Joe Cool

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Peacock is carrying a great series that chronicles the splendid career of Joe Montana, the second greatest quarterback who ever lived.

I was fortunate enough to have seen his entire career and I watched him play live twice. Once at Candlestick Park - which was really quite awesome.

Montana was a rare athlete in that everyone loved him…

…even when his team was beating your brains out.

It seemed that he was always smiling, and man, he was so great.

I knew all of that before I started watching the series.

There was a lot I didn’t know.

1). He was a small guy when compared to the quarterbacks who play now. He was getting hit hard too, as QB’s used to get demolished. He was at a team event and was in shorts - his legs were pencil thin.

2). His career and personal life were lived clean. A neatly 40-year marriage, four kids, zero controversy ever. Even without the super stardom it’s a well-lived life.

3). Joe was certainly always smiling. He smiled through much of the telling of his story, but make no mistake about his drive and competitive fire. Super confident and an unbelievable desire to win. I saw a lot of Jordan, Jeter, Kobe and Brady in him.

Those men are just built differently.

4). Brady was 4-years-old and was at the game when Dwight Clark made the catch.  Tom Brady grew up wanting to be Joe Montana. Brady and Magic and a whole lot of others appear and talk about what they felt when Montana was leading all those comebacks and winning those championships.

5). I recall all those big games. The only super bowl I ever watched alone was the one where the 49ers came back to beat the Bengals. They were down 3 points with 3 minutes left.

I recall, saying to no one, that the 49ers would win. They did.

When Joe was on the Chiefs and the Bills knocked him out of the AFC Championship game I recalled what Montana said about Bruce Smith after the game:

“He needs to get a breath mint.”

I recommend that you watch the show if you get a chance - very good, and I like Joe Montana even more after having watched it.

He seems like a good man. 

Was a great, great quarterback…

…easily the second greatest ever.

And he was a childhood hero to the guy who became the greatest.

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