A Cappella Books is delighted to welcome authors Jay Busbee and Jerry Gentry to Manuel’s Tavern for an evening in conversation about their respective new books, “Iron in the Blood: How the Alabama vs. Auburn Rivalry Shaped the Soul of the South” and “Deceptive Speed: Eddie Lee Ivery’s Run Through Tech, Titletown, and Temptation.” This event will explore the power of football to shape culture and character, with two compelling true stories from different corners of the sport.
This event is free and open to the public. Copies of both “Iron in the Blood” and “Deceptive Speed” will be available for purchase.
About “Iron in the Blood”
For Alabama and Auburn, football isn’t life. It’s much more important than that. Their rivalry is a multigenerational one, fueled by rage and redemption, and they clash every autumn with ferocity and defiance. But the shockwaves of their feud have transcended the football field, entering into politics, advancing civil rights, energizing millions, and opening up eyes and hearts in a way even religion never could.
Yahoo Sports senior writer Jay Busbee traces the perpetual impact of football in Alabama, from the days of Reconstruction, through the Civil Rights era, to the hyper-partisan climate of the 2020s. From Bear to Bo, from Cam to Nick, from Toomer’s Corner to Denny Chimes, "Iron in the Blood" revels in the victories of both schools and dives deep into the iconic figures connected with both programs.
"Iron in the Blood" is an up-close look at one of America’s most colorful sports rivalries, but it’s also a glimpse into the joy and agony of being a die-hard football fan. It’s the dramatic history of how football has defined a state, inside and outside its stadiums. And it’s the story of how Alabama understands that football is both a magnificent way to celebrate its brightest days and a welcome path to climb out of its darkest ones.
About “Deceptive Speed”
“Deceptive Speed” vividly tells the compelling, inspiring story of Eddie Lee Ivery's journey from a tiny ramshackle home with no plumbing, to a prestigious engineering university, to an NFL storied franchise--where he played for the team's venerated former superstar Bart Starr, who struggled to field a winning team as head coach.
After two devastating injuries to the same knee, how did Ivery will his way to a 9-year NFL career? How did he become homeless? How did he climb out of his self-destructive drug addiction?
Ivery broke almost every Georgia Tech rushing record, including his spectacular NCAA-record-breaking single-game 356 yards. His fingers were so cold they burned, the fierce wind whipped frigid air across frozen ground, and--nauseous throughout the game--he was the sickest he had ever been yet rushed for more yards than any collegian in history. In 1979, the Green Bay Packers picked Ivery in the first round and expected him to help restore glory to Titletown. One veteran said, "We couldn't believe how good he was."
Living an exhilarating star athlete life, Ivery lied to and manipulated family and friends for years. The addiction program where he finally became clean began with a counselor saying of Ivery's many gridiron accomplishments, "Eddie Lee, we don't care who you were before." Only then did true recovery begin.
About the Authors
Jay Busbee is a senior writer for Yahoo Sports, where he’s covered the Olympics, the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Masters, the Daytona 500, the Kentucky Derby and, of course, the Iron Bowl. He is also the host of NASCAR Studios’ “Home Turn” travel/history show, and he writes a weekly Southern culture Substack newsletter, "Flashlight & A Biscuit." Jay’s work has been honored by Best American Sports Writing and his book Earnhardt Nation, a biography of NASCAR’s Earnhardt family, won praise from both Kirkus and Publishers Weekly for its in-depth research and narrative scope. He lives in Atlanta with his family and worships at the church of SEC football.
Jerry Gentry is a former hospice chaplain drawn to people who starkly and honestly describe their lives. He holds an MDiv in Pastoral Care and a PhD in Social Ethics from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Gentry writes about culture, religion, and politics, and is the author of "Grady Baby: A Year in the Life of Atlanta’s Grady Hospital.”
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