The Citizen
Chet Susslin / The Citizen
Former NFL tight end Mark Bavaro helps Anthony Vivencio, 11, put his two Super Bowl rings on during a book signing at the Knights of Columbus in Auburn on Saturday afternoon.
Former NFL tight end Mark Bavaro helps Anthony Vivencio, 11, put his two Super Bowl rings on during a book signing at the Knights of Columbus in Auburn on Saturday afternoon.
AUBURN - The scene at the Knights of Columbus on Saturday afternoon was perfect for the occasion. New York Giants fans lined the bar room and Notre Dame football was on every television, as former Irish and Giants' tight end Bark Bavaro was in town promoting his first novel, “Rough & Tumble.”
Bavaro's debut effort, a fiction book, flew off the table as many Giants and Irish fans bought two or three copies at a time and waited in line to have the former All-Pro sign the inside cover. Skaneateles book store, The Creekside, provided the hardcover copies that are difficult to find in Auburn, which gave fans the opportunity to grab some early Christmas gifts and meet the friendly and personable Bavaro.
“I just bought the book for my son,” said Michelle Roach, a Giants fan for more 20 years, who was there with her husband, Richard, and their three children. “I've read excerpts here and there, but we're all Giants fans.”
Despite the Notre Dame football team playing hometown favorite Syracuse, fans at the Knights of Columbus wearing Irish garb were only outnumbered by those sporting Giants gear. Jerseys ranging from Eli Manning and Plaxico Burress to Lawrence Taylor and throwback Bavaros were prevalent in the bar, and Bavaro graciously signed every piece of memorabilia that was put in front of him.
“It's nice to be up here,” he said. “Because of the book, I've been doing things like this, so I've gotten used to it. Gino Alberici and I are old family friends, so even though this isn't like doing something in my hometown, it's close. All these people here know each other and it's a lot of fun. This is a great turnout.”
From 2 to 5 p.m., the Massachusetts native chatted with every fan who wanted to talk Giants or Notre Dame football, golf, or anything in between. Along with his wife, Sue, and two sons, Dominic and Lucas, Bavaro brought his Super Bowl rings from the 1986 and 1990 seasons - which anyone was welcome to try on.
“I was nervous talking to him, but it was fun,” said John Exner, of Auburn, who got his picture taken with both rings on. “He signed my book and I got a picture with him, and it was cool. I got to say ‘hi' to him and I told him that I always watch the tapes of him with my dad.”
Though he is too young to remember the Giants' Super Bowls when Bavaro was part of the organization, Exner has the games memorized, thanks to his dad, John.
“He had to be (a Giants fan), he had no choice,” said the elder John. “I have tapes of those seasons and he watches them all the time. Now my son is reading his book for school.”
While it's not a confessional of his career masked with different names, “Rough & Tumble” does paint the picture of life in the NFL well, with a few well-written twists along the way.
“I've always liked to write and I've always wanted to be a writer,” Bavaro said. “I read the book ”North Dallas 40“ back when I was in high school and I always thought it was a neat thing to do - go play in the NFL and then write, not a memoir, but a novel, and that's what I tried to do.”
With several ideas pouring out on paper through the years after his playing days were over, Bavaro was never able to translate them into a novel, until now. Die-hard Giants fans will immediately recognize some of the main characters in the book by identifying characteristics, but they are so loosely based that by the middle of the book, its almost an afterthought.
“A few of (my teammates) know about the book, but it's a story,” Bavaro said. “I don't think there is anything bad in there about anybody. I don't expect any of them to have a problem with the book, but then again, they'd have to read it first and that's asking a lot of my teammates. It's definitely a work of fiction.”
Unlike several of his teammates - Jeff Hostetler, Lawrence Taylor, Phil Simms and Phil McConkey - Bavaro has never been approached to write his autobiography, not that he would even consider it.
“I wouldn't ever write one,” he said. “They're good if you've had a drug problem or if there was some sort of tragedy in your life, but I haven't. I've led a relatively boring life. Writing fiction, you can make up whatever you want and for me, its more exciting.”
Also thrilling for Bavaro was to watch the team he played for from 1985 to 1990 win their first Super Bowl without him on the roster.
“Looking at that season last year, I never would have guessed that they would have won the Super Bowl,” he said of the Giants. “Even when they got into the playoffs, even when they were winning, even when they got into the Super Bowl - I thought they were capable of winning it, but I just didn't see how they were going to do it. It was a fairytale, almost like a miracle.”
Many fans also questioned Bavaro, who resides near Boston, about the Giants tight end who now sports his old number 89.
“I love Kevin Boss,” he said. “I think he's better for the Giants than (Jeremy) Shockey was. I don't think you can compare the two players, because they're two different types of tight ends. Everyone was always asking me about and comparing me with Shockey, but I used to tell them that we basically played two different positions. Boss is more of the type of tight end that I was - stay on the line, blocked a lot and went out for passes when he has to. I don't know a lot of people that thought he was going to be this good. That one catch he had in the Super Bowl, everyone will remember it. Just one catch made such an impact and that's what Shockey could never understand. Quality is more important than quantity. It's not about catching 10 balls a game, it's about being there when your team needs you. I always felt bad that he never understood that.”
Twice a selection for the NFL Pro Bowl, Bavaro is widely considered the greatest tight end in Giants history. Giants fans won't soon forget him, and he has returned the favor - even with his short stints playing for Eagles and Browns after he left New York.
“Giants fans are very loyal,” he said. “They're fans for generations. Browns fans are kind of like that too, but Patriots fans and others are more hot and cold, but Giants fans stick with you through thick and thin. I love Giants fans - they're great and it was great to play for them.”
Bavaro's debut effort, a fiction book, flew off the table as many Giants and Irish fans bought two or three copies at a time and waited in line to have the former All-Pro sign the inside cover. Skaneateles book store, The Creekside, provided the hardcover copies that are difficult to find in Auburn, which gave fans the opportunity to grab some early Christmas gifts and meet the friendly and personable Bavaro.
“I just bought the book for my son,” said Michelle Roach, a Giants fan for more 20 years, who was there with her husband, Richard, and their three children. “I've read excerpts here and there, but we're all Giants fans.”
Despite the Notre Dame football team playing hometown favorite Syracuse, fans at the Knights of Columbus wearing Irish garb were only outnumbered by those sporting Giants gear. Jerseys ranging from Eli Manning and Plaxico Burress to Lawrence Taylor and throwback Bavaros were prevalent in the bar, and Bavaro graciously signed every piece of memorabilia that was put in front of him.
“It's nice to be up here,” he said. “Because of the book, I've been doing things like this, so I've gotten used to it. Gino Alberici and I are old family friends, so even though this isn't like doing something in my hometown, it's close. All these people here know each other and it's a lot of fun. This is a great turnout.”
From 2 to 5 p.m., the Massachusetts native chatted with every fan who wanted to talk Giants or Notre Dame football, golf, or anything in between. Along with his wife, Sue, and two sons, Dominic and Lucas, Bavaro brought his Super Bowl rings from the 1986 and 1990 seasons - which anyone was welcome to try on.
“I was nervous talking to him, but it was fun,” said John Exner, of Auburn, who got his picture taken with both rings on. “He signed my book and I got a picture with him, and it was cool. I got to say ‘hi' to him and I told him that I always watch the tapes of him with my dad.”
Though he is too young to remember the Giants' Super Bowls when Bavaro was part of the organization, Exner has the games memorized, thanks to his dad, John.
“He had to be (a Giants fan), he had no choice,” said the elder John. “I have tapes of those seasons and he watches them all the time. Now my son is reading his book for school.”
While it's not a confessional of his career masked with different names, “Rough & Tumble” does paint the picture of life in the NFL well, with a few well-written twists along the way.
“I've always liked to write and I've always wanted to be a writer,” Bavaro said. “I read the book ”North Dallas 40“ back when I was in high school and I always thought it was a neat thing to do - go play in the NFL and then write, not a memoir, but a novel, and that's what I tried to do.”
With several ideas pouring out on paper through the years after his playing days were over, Bavaro was never able to translate them into a novel, until now. Die-hard Giants fans will immediately recognize some of the main characters in the book by identifying characteristics, but they are so loosely based that by the middle of the book, its almost an afterthought.
“A few of (my teammates) know about the book, but it's a story,” Bavaro said. “I don't think there is anything bad in there about anybody. I don't expect any of them to have a problem with the book, but then again, they'd have to read it first and that's asking a lot of my teammates. It's definitely a work of fiction.”
Unlike several of his teammates - Jeff Hostetler, Lawrence Taylor, Phil Simms and Phil McConkey - Bavaro has never been approached to write his autobiography, not that he would even consider it.
“I wouldn't ever write one,” he said. “They're good if you've had a drug problem or if there was some sort of tragedy in your life, but I haven't. I've led a relatively boring life. Writing fiction, you can make up whatever you want and for me, its more exciting.”
Also thrilling for Bavaro was to watch the team he played for from 1985 to 1990 win their first Super Bowl without him on the roster.
“Looking at that season last year, I never would have guessed that they would have won the Super Bowl,” he said of the Giants. “Even when they got into the playoffs, even when they were winning, even when they got into the Super Bowl - I thought they were capable of winning it, but I just didn't see how they were going to do it. It was a fairytale, almost like a miracle.”
Many fans also questioned Bavaro, who resides near Boston, about the Giants tight end who now sports his old number 89.
“I love Kevin Boss,” he said. “I think he's better for the Giants than (Jeremy) Shockey was. I don't think you can compare the two players, because they're two different types of tight ends. Everyone was always asking me about and comparing me with Shockey, but I used to tell them that we basically played two different positions. Boss is more of the type of tight end that I was - stay on the line, blocked a lot and went out for passes when he has to. I don't know a lot of people that thought he was going to be this good. That one catch he had in the Super Bowl, everyone will remember it. Just one catch made such an impact and that's what Shockey could never understand. Quality is more important than quantity. It's not about catching 10 balls a game, it's about being there when your team needs you. I always felt bad that he never understood that.”
Twice a selection for the NFL Pro Bowl, Bavaro is widely considered the greatest tight end in Giants history. Giants fans won't soon forget him, and he has returned the favor - even with his short stints playing for Eagles and Browns after he left New York.
“Giants fans are very loyal,” he said. “They're fans for generations. Browns fans are kind of like that too, but Patriots fans and others are more hot and cold, but Giants fans stick with you through thick and thin. I love Giants fans - they're great and it was great to play for them.”
