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Playing for Pizza | 
 enlarge | Author: John Grisham
Publisher: Dell
Category: Book
List Price: $7.99
Buy Used: $0.97
You Save: $7.02 (88%)
New (58) Used (83) from $0.97
Avg. Customer Rating:  30 reviews
Sales Rank: 752
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.4
ISBN: 0440244714
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780440244714
ASIN: 0440244714
Publication Date: July 22, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Thank you for shopping at Wabash Valley Books.
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Product Description
Rick Dockery was the third-string quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. In the AFC Championship game, to the surprise and dismay of virtually everyone, Rick actually got into the game. With a 17-point lead and just minutes to go, Rick provided what was arguably the worst single performance in the history of the NFL. Overnight, he became a national laughingstock—and was immediately cut by the Browns and shunned by all other teams. But all Rick knows is football, and he insists that his agent find a team that needs him. Against enormous odds, Rick finally gets a job—as the starting quarterback for the Mighty Panthers . . . of Parma, Italy. The Parma Panthers desperately want a former NFL player—any former NFL player—at their helm. And now they’ve got Rick, who knows nothing about Parma (not even where it is) and doesn’t speak a word of Italian. To say that Italy—the land of fine wines, extremely small cars, and football americano—holds a few surprises for Rick Dockery would be something of an understatement. . . .
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| Customer Reviews: Read 25 more reviews...
 Quick and enjoyable read October 6, 2008
I got through this book in no time. Nothing serious, just some nice, entertaining fiction.
Nice enough, but it's been done before October 5, 2008
For those only familiar with John Grisham's tales of sleazy lawyers and their even sleazier adversaries, Playing for Pizza is a real change of pace. In it's own way, however, it is a very familiar story, which hurts it despite some good writing.
Playing for Pizza is about Rick Dockery, a third-string NFL quarterback who had the bad luck to actually get in a game; even worse, it is a playoff game in which he blows a big lead in less than a quarter and becomes the goat of Cleveland. Released from the Browns and unable to get another NFL job, Rick reluctantly joins the Parma Panthers in Italy's NFL. It's a big step down, but to the Panthers, he's a hero: an actual American pro player.
What follows is the stuff of dozens of similar stories, including many sports-themed movies. Rick at first resents the move, but slowly warms to the team and the culture (especially the food and women). He will transform the team from a perennial also-ran into a contender, but can they beat the Bergamo Lions, the team that has not lost an Italian Super Bowl in nearly a decade, or even a game in that same amount of time?
I won't give anything away, but this is a far from original story and most people will see the ending early on. Grisham's a good writer, so he makes this a fun enough read, but he should offer something better than a warmed over version of a story that was old years ago. Playing for Pizza is entertaining, but I can't rate it higher than a low four stars; It's like day old pizza: tasty but not very fresh.
 A Great Read! October 5, 2008
I enjoyed this book. I really enjoyed it. I read it twice and listened to it once (CD from the library). The book follows a down-and-out NFL quarterback from the lowest point of his life and career through reinventing himself in Italy. The writing, imagery and substance prove that John Grisham is a master story teller.
A nice quick read with some interesting texture October 4, 2008
In Playing for Pizza, Grisham returns to the genre of literature he explored in his earlier book, Bleachers. Like that book, football provides the backdrop. In this delightful little book, Rick Dockery, a struggling NFL quarterback near the end of his short and abortive career finds himeslf heading off to Italy to play American Football after a disastrous performance in a big playoff game for the Cleveland Browns (he was the third string quarterback, and came in after a couple injuries and threw away a big lead with three interceptions).
Dockery, even though he is pretty low on the NFL totem pole, and now even lower by blowing the big game, is still a pretty big shot in the sports world, being an NFL quarterback. He's used to finding places to play, people that want him on their team, all while waiting for his big break into the big time. His career is the big goal. But that vision slowly erodes away on him as he finds himself with no offers to play. His agent finally finds him this spot in the very obscure league in Italy and convinces Dockery to take it. Needless to say, it's a big change, playing in a converted rugby stadium, often in front of less than one thousand fans. But the Italians are excited to have him. The Parma team hasn't ever won the "Super Bowl" of Italy, and sorely wants to. Each team is allowed three American players, but during the course of the short season, the other two Americans for the Parma team leave, and Rick is left to make the best of the season. His performances have been pretty good, but he will need to step it up, as will the whole team, to win the Super Bowl.
Rick meets an American girl, Lilly, who is in Italy studying art and avoiding her familiy, and the two of them take up together. Rick is forced to explore the country with her, and also forced to open up to another human being.
Turning down an offer to return to Canada to play pro ball, Rick buckles down and diligently works with Sam to come up with a plan for a winning season. And his performances continue to improve. He goes from treating the Parma Panthers as the small time to putting all his energy behind his team, and it makes a big difference for the team, and for him. A trimphant Super Bowl win caps his transformation on and off the field, and we are with Rick planning to stay on in Italy for another year, content with where he is at.
Thought this book is a departure from Grisham's usual thrillers, it has the stamp of his quality pacing and interesting characters. His colorful pictures of Italy provide a great backdrop for this nice little tale of a troubled kid who explores the world outside his glitzy and self-centered NFL life. It's a great read and makes me want to spend a month in the Italian countryside. Someday.
 So Bad....Yet Compelling October 3, 2008
This was the worst written book I've read in a while. The characters were very, very shallow. The narrative was too quick, moving along the action with little time for what it was really trying to do - give a feel for the culture and feel of Italy, show the country in its glory. Important characters drifted out of the story without complete resolutions. The ending was totally empty, leaving tons of loose ends and resolving nothing.
That said, I really enjoyed the book. it was a quick read, and an interesting subject to me (American football in Italy). I actually know a guy who played there and after reading this I look forward to getting his thoughts on the subject. The book was fun, if not poorly written and too simple.
I think of most John Grisham books as "popcorn" - fun and easy to eat, but not very nutritious. This one really exeplifies that.
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