Glenn Dickey's 49ers: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of the NFL's Greatest Dynasty

Dickey uncovered the nasty, behind the scenes goings on in 49ers: The Rise, Fall and Rebirth the NFL's Greatest Dynasty. DeBartalo's love/hate relationship with his "genius" coach was certainly not well known nor was Walsh's with Montana. No one would have dreamed that Walsh's job security was in a constant state of flux. George Siefert's handling of the Montana/Young controversy was also very interesting. These are but a few of the many, many stories related in the book that obviously came from many hours of close up and personal contact with those people involved. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

This is a gossipy, entertaining book about what really happens with a pro football team. I'm a 49er fan, but I think even those who are fans of other teams would love the inside stuff in this book. The chapter about Eddie DeBartolo's rollicking ride through Las Vegas is a classic, and I got a totally different view of Eddie D after reading about all his conflicts with Bill Walsh, Carmen Policy and his sister. Great fun.

Since leaving San Francisco 10 years ago, I've had to follow my beloved 49ers from a continent away. Now, with Glenn Dickey's book, I can catch up with what I missed. Finally, I know why Joe Montana left and what they were thinking - or not - when they drafted Jim Druckenmiller. I even learned about things I thought I already knew from the years I watched as a season ticket holder. I would never have guessed about the friction between Bill Walsh and Montana, for instance. This is a must-read for 49er fans.

Glenn Dickey serves as a well-informed tour director as he guides you through two decades of intense, magical, and sometimes crazy 49ER history. His ability to draw upon a vast reservoir of knowledge and information enables him to provide his readers with the feeling that they are observing the inner working s of the 49ER dynasty from the position of an insider. The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of the Forty Niners will prove to be interesting reading to any sports fan or student of organizational psychology.

As a long time Forty Niner fan, I found this book a fascinating read. Throughout their long run as the preeminent franchise in the NFL, the Forty Niner PR machine always created an image of cool effeciency and smooth sailing. In this book, Glenn Dickey gives you a look at often tumultous goings on behind that facade. If you are a Niner fan, or are just interested in seeing how an empire can be built, and then destroyed by those who built it, I think you would enjoy this book.