Product Description

Every longtime Cleveland sports fan knows about "Red Right 88," the play that ended the Browns' 1980 season. Trailing 14-12 late in the fourth quarter against the Oakland Raiders in an icy, windy playoff game, the Browns opted to eschew a field-goal attempt and go for a touchdown. Quarterback Brian Sipe's ill-fated throw, intended for tight end Ozzie Newsome, was intercepted by Oakland in the end zone, bringing to a halt Cleveland's "kardiac" campaign. In Kardiac Kids Jonathan Knight paints a portrait of the Browns' storybook 1980 season and its impact on the city of Cleveland. Knight takes us through that unforgettable year from beginning to end, describing in great detail how the city simply fell in love with this team. It was the year long-suffering Cleveland sports fans finally had something to be proud of. Tickets were at a premium, players were pursued like rock stars, and songs were written about their on-field heroics. This was a team made up of individuals who weren't expected to be headline grabbers. It had a personable, often humorous head coach and a starting quarterback who was supposed to be too short, too slow, and whose arm was far too weak (and who, by the way, became the National Football League's Most Valuable Player in 1980). A group of football journeymen came together to form the best offensive line in the NFL, and a beleaguered defense improved just enough to help the team realize its destiny. Though the Cleveland Browns boast four world championships and possess a rich and respected past, the magical 1980 season was clearly the most memorable in team history. Kardiac Kids is a tribute to that team.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1074515 in Books
• Published on: 2003-08
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 301 pages

About the Author
Jonathan Knight is a sports writer in Ohio and has written numerous articles about the Cleveland Browns.

Customer Reviews

HEART STOPPING KARDIAC KIDS
THIS IS A VERY GOOD READ CONCERNING THE 1980 CLEVELAND BROWNS ON A ROLLER COASTER RIDE ON THEIR WAY TO THE PLAYOFFS. THE AUTHOR DOES A GOOD JOB RECALLING ALL THE EXCITING, FRUSTRATING AND DISAPPOINTING MOMENTS OF THIS MEMORABLE SEASON FOR THE BROWNS. HE COVERS HOW THE TEAM WAS PUT TOGETHER, INTERVIEWS FROM PLAYERS AND COACHES FROM THAT TEAM, AND GAME BY GAME REVIEW. ALSO COVERS DRUG ABUSE, TEAM COVERAGE OF PREVIOUS AND NEXT SEASONS. JONATHAN KNIGHT CERTAINLY DID A LOT OF RESEARCH AND RESULTS ARE A GREAT JOB. VERY RECOMMENDED.

for fans of all ages
i am 15 years old, and a browns fanatic. i am unfortunate enough to have not experienced the 1980 season firsthand. however, this book makes me feel as if i had. i picked it up because my dad would always tell me stories of how good they were and it made me want to be a part of it. it is very well written, blending accounts of the PD (clevelanders know what that is) with insights from the players and coaches. this is the best book about the brwns i have ever read, and aside from friday night lights, this is my favorite book of all time.

a great piece of history
The amount of work the author must have put into this book is astounding. Research is the key to writing books about actual periods of time and Knight obviously did his share.

If you're a football fan, this tale of a team that nearly stopped the hearts of all of Cleveland every week is a must read.