Theismann

At the outset, when the former Washington Redskins quarterback is expressing his anger over the failure of his coach, Joe Gibbs, to visit him in the hospital after his career-ending injury and blasting Gibbs as callous and unfeeling, it begins to look as if readers will get a sports book that is really candid. Such is not the case, however, except when the ex-grid star is writing about himself, his inability to hold his tongue when a young player and his serious gambling habit. He tells of his consuming childhood ambition to be a quarterback, his success at Notre Dame, his years in Canadian football, his frustrating early years with the Redskins when he was principally a punt returner and, finally, his triumphs in leading his team to two Super Bowls. Thus he and Atlanta Journal and Constitution columnist Kindred have assembled a rather conventional sports autobiography. Photos not seen by PW. (August)