From Darkness to Dynasty tells the unlikely history of the New England Patriots as it has never been told before. From their humble beginnings as a team bought with rainy-day money by a man who had no idea what he was doing to the fateful season that saw them win their first Super Bowl, Jerry Thornton shares the wild, humiliating, unbelievable, and wonderful stories that comprised the first forty years of what would ultimately become the most dominant franchise in NFL history. Witty, hilarious, and brutally honest, From Darkness to Dynasty returns to the thrilling, perilous days of yesteryear—a welcome corrective for those who hate the Patriots and a useful reminder for those who love them that all glory is fleeting.
Table of Contents
Foreword by Michael Holley • Introduction • The Foolish Club: Billy Sullivan and the AFL • A Mountain of Matchsticks • The Beginning of the End . . . at the Beginning • Home for Little Wanderers • Breakdowns • Building and Loan • Growing Pains • Darkest Before the Dawn • Grogan’s Heroes • Back to the Future—The 80s • The Wrong Kind of Super Bowl Record • Too High to Get Over, Too Low to Get Under • Fishing for Tuna • The Super Bowl Run • Picking up the Pieces • The Hooded One • Out of the Shadows • Calm Under Pressure • Epilogue • Notes • Index