Sweetness (86 page)
Authors: Jeff Pearlman
Payton, Pamela
Payton, Walter Jerry:
age discrepancy
appearance
birth
celebrity
character
childhood (
see
youth of Payton)
children (
see
Payton, Brittney; Payton, Jarrett Walter; Smythe, Nigel)
confidants
death (
see also
cancer of Payton)
depression
drug use
education (
see
Columbia High School; Jackson State College; John J. Jefferson High School)
fatherhood
finances (
see
finances of Payton)
football career (
see
Chicago Bears; retirement of Payton)
funeral and memorial service
home
humanity of
memory
nicknames
parents (
see
Payton, Alyne Sibley; Payton, Edward Charles “Peter”)
personality (
see
persona of Payton)
recreation (
see
pastimes and passions of Payton)
sexuality (
see also
women)
siblings (
see
Payton, Edward Charles “Eddie”; Payton, Pamela)
skills on the field (
see
athleticism of Payton)
social and political interests
wife (
see
Payton, Connie Norwood)
See also
retirement of Payton
Payton Power
Peacy, Brandon
Pear, Dave
Pearson, Drew
Peiffer, Dan
Peoples, John
Perry, William “Refrigerator”:
celebrity
drafted
endorsements
Miami Dolphins game
“Rappin’ Together”
reactions to
“Super Bowl Shuffle”
Super Bowl XX
persona of Payton:
anxiety
charisma
compassion
“complicated” nature
desire for attention
enigmatic nature
immaturity
insecurity
mischievous nature
moodiness
perfectionism
reticence
self-effacement
selfishness
Philadelphia Eagles
Phillips, Bum
Phillips, Reggie
Phipps, Mike
Pierson, Don:
on attitude of Payton
on debut of Payton
on drafting Payton
on growing maturity of Payton
on Halas
on honesty of Payton
on McClendon
on 1975 season
on 1977 season
on 1978 season
on 1979 season
on 1981 season
on 1983 season
on 1985 season
on painkillers
on quarterback issue
on rushing record
on salaries of Bears
Pifferini, Bob
Pinckney, Mike
Pittsburgh Steelers
Pitzele, Lewis
Plank, Doug
Playboy Club luncheons
Plumb, Ted
Poole, Barney
Potocnik, Ron, Jr.
Powers, Clyde
Pullano, Eugene
Quirk, Ginny:
cancer diagnosis of Payton
as confidant of Payton
current status
death of Payton
on death of Peter Payton
on drive of Payton
on Eddie Payton
emotional instability of Payton
executor of Payton’s will
final months of Payton’s life
funeral of Payton
Quirk, Ginny
(cont.)
Hall of Fame induction
on marriage of Payton
moodiness of Payton
on NFL franchise bid
on Nigel Smythe
on relationships of Payton
relationship with Payton
responsibilities
on Studebaker’s
on Suhey
race issues:
black pride
and Brown
death threats
desegregation
in high-school football
Holmes on
at Jackson State
in Mississippi
in professional sports
Raines, Mike
Ralston, John
“Rappin’ Together”
Rather, Bo
Reagan, Ronald
Reamon, Tommy
Reed, Frank
Reel, Deana
religious faith of Payton:
in college
in early adulthood
and infidelities
in later life
in youth
retirement of Payton
adjusting to
bodyguards
community service
confidants of Payton
drug use
eating habits
emotional instability during
extramarital relationships during
family life
Hall of Fame induction
investments and business dealings
loss of Super Bowl ring
and NFL team ownership bid
potential return from
racing career
shooting incident
speaking engagements
staff
suicide threats
Rhodes, Wayne
Richards, Golden
Riebandt, Jim
Rives, Don
Robertson, Isiah
Rogers, Jimmy
Roland, Johnny:
1983 season
1984 season
1987 season
and Payton’s bid for St. Louis team
on rushing record
on Suhey
on telegraphing of Payton
Roller, Dave
Rothschild, Doug
Rozelle, Pete
Runck, Dennis
rushing competitions and records:
Brown’s all-purpose yards record
Brown’s all-time rushing record
consecutive hundred-yard games
and drive of Payton
Harris–Payton competition
rushing title of 1979
rushing title of 1980
Simpson–Payton competition
single-game rushing record
single-season rushing record
tracking of yardage
Rust, Rod
Ryan, Buddy:
departure
and Ditka
on importance of Payton
Los Angeles Rams game
Miami Dolphins game
on Perry
Ryan, Tim
Saldi, Jay
Sanders, Thomas
San Francisco 49ers
Sayers, Gale:
criticisms of Payton
and Ditka
and Halas
Payton compared to
Payton’s regard for
retirement
rushing yards
Schembechler, Bo
Schletzer, Jim
Schmidt, Terry
Schons, Ronald
Schubert, Steve
Scott, James
Seattle Seahawks
Selmon, Dewey
shooting incident at Studebaker’s
Siemon, Jeff
Simmons, Berl
Simms, Phil
Simpson, Bill
Simpson, O. J.:
consecutive hundred-yard games
Ditka on ‘75 draft
funeral of Payton
Payton compared to
rushing title competition of 1976
salar y
single-game rushing record
single-season rushing record
Sims, Billy
Singletary, Mike:
book deal
cancer diagnosis of Payton
as confidant of Payton
final months of Payton’s life
funeral of Payton
1985 season
1986 season
1987 season
and Ryan
“Super Bowl Shuffle”
Super Bowl XX
on womanizing of Payton
Sipe, Brian
Skalbania, Nelson
Skibinski, John
Slocum, R. C.
Smythe, Angelina
Smythe, Nigel
Sorey, Revie
Soul Train
National Championship Dance-Off
South’s emphasis on football
Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC)
spatting technique of Payton
Spencer, Ollie
Sports Illustrated
:
on Bears’ 1984 season
on Brown
cancer diagnosis of Payton
College Football Preview issue
complaints addressed to
Payton on cover of
on racing career of Payton
on speed of Payton
Staley, A. E.
Staubach, Roger
Stevenson, Mark
St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis NFL franchise bid
Studebaker’s
Suhey, Matt:
cancer diagnosis of Payton
on celebrity of Payton
as confidant of Payton
death of Payton
as executor of Payton’s will
final months of Payton’s life
1980 season
1984 season
1985 season
1987 season
on pride of Payton
as replacement of Harper
Super Bowl XX
“Super Bowl Shuffle”
Super Bowl XX
game
party preceding
Payton’s participation
postgame reaction of Payton
pregame attitude of Payton
preparations for
ring
subsequent honors and endeavors
Superstars
competition
Sweetness (dog)
Sweetness (nickname)
Tagge, Jerry
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Taylor, Ken
Telander, Rick
Thomas, Bob
Thomas, Calvin
Thompson, Arland
Thompson, Bill
Thrift, Cliff
Till, Emmett
Tobin, Bill
Tobin, Duke
Tobin, Vince
Tomczak, Mike
Traficant, Jim
Tucker, Kimm:
cancer diagnosis of Payton
as confidant of Payton
on eating habits of Payton
emotional instability of Payton
final months of Payton’s life
funeral of Payton
Hall of Fame induction
on marriage of Payton
moodiness of Payton
on Nigel Smythe
relationship with Payton
responsibilities of
24 Karat Black Gold
United States Football League (USFL)
Vainisi, Jerry
Valdiserri, Ken
Vanderventer, Donna
Van Horne, Keith
Wagner, Bryan
Walker, Herschel
Waller, Bill
Walsh, Bill
Walter Payton Foundation
Walterscheid, Len
Washington Redskins
Waters, Charlie
Wattelet, Frank
Watts, Rickey
Wedge, Don
Weishuhn, Clayton
Wheaties cereal box
White, Randy
White, Steve
wife.
See
Payton, Connie Norwood
Williams, Dave
Williams, Delvin
Williams, Oliver
Wilson, Otis
Winston, Dennis “Dirt”
Winter, William
women:
attention from
college relationships
disposability of
extramarital relationships with
herpes diagnosis of Payton
high-school romantic interests
objectification of
Payton’s preferences in
See also
Gonzalez, Lita
World Football League
Young, Rickey:
and Holmes
Mavericks game
on-field defense of Payton
as Payton’s roommate
professional career of
talent of
and World Football League
youth of Payton
athleticism
and black community
church attendance
discipline
home
musicianship
nicknames
pastimes
and racial climate
See also
Columbia High School; John J. Jefferson High School
In the final months of his life, Walter Payton received remarkable care from the Mayo Clinic, the worldwide leader in medical treatment, research, and education.
If, in the aftermath of completing this book, you find yourself inspired by Walter’s life and are interested in making a contribution in his name, Mayo is a wonderful option—one Walter Payton surely would have appreciated.
Donations can be sent to:
Mayo Clinic: Department of Development
200 First Street SW
Rochester, MN 55905
Oddly, though the school educated kindergarteners through seniors, it was formally named “John J. Jefferson High School.”
Not to be confused with Eli Payton the preacher, another cousin.
In
Never Die Easy
, the autobiography Walter wrote with
Sports Illustrated
’s Don Yaeger shortly before his death, it is said that he debated between Jackson State and the University of Kansas. The same point is made in
Payton
, a biography released by Walter’s family. Both texts are incorrect. “We never recruited him,” said Don Fambrough, the University of Kansas football coach at the time. “And believe me—if we’d recruited Walter Payton, that’s something I would remember.”
Payton’s take on Griffin would prove prophetic. Selected by Cincinnati in the first round of the 1976 NFL draft, Griffin lasted seven years, never gaining more than 688 yards in a season. “Archie and Walter were actually very similar people,” said Tom Klaban, Ohio State’s kicker and, in 1976, an invitee to Bears camp. “Both polite, modest, soft-spoken gentlemen.”