Kevin Everett walks on By Christopher Schobert A cottage industry of quickie books for Buffalo sports fans seems to have developed in recent years, and, happily, there have been some darn good ones, along with some real wastes of time. But finally one has arrived that will actually make some waves nationally: Standing Tall: The Kevin Everett Story, by Sam Carchidi, a sportswriter for the Philadelphia Inquirer. The book itself is a fine distillation of the Everett saga, and an ideal text for younger readers seeking an understanding of what exactly happened and what it means. And Carchidi was a fine choice for the job. I was at the opening day Denver Broncos game and vividly recall the hush that fell over the crowd, which the author captures nicely in the book’s opening lines: “They joined hands and formed a circle. Some bowed their heads. Some looked to the heavens and pleaded softly … It was a strange place to be praying. This wasn’t a cathedral with stained glass windows, holy statues, and a marble altar. This was Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York.” Carchidi details exactly what happened in the moments following Everett’s collision with then-Bronco Domenik Hixon and the controversial moves from his medical team which save his life. The text also gives us a better sense of just who Everett was before that fateful day. A third-round draft pick by the Bills, Everett was a star tight end for the Miami Hurricanes and a very promising NFL prospect. Interestingly, Standing Tall is as much the story of Everett’s longtime girlfriend, Wiande Moore, as it is his. And it should be, for Wiande’s role is that vital. Her journal entries are featured throughout, making me wonder if, at some point, she might have a book of her own. There was a startlingly quick turn-around for this book, considering that Everett’s injury just occurred in September; the book, which was published in January, even includes the Bills’ season-ending slump. A few more recent events that are worth noting in the Kevin Everett story are missed, however. While there is a mention of Everett’s then-planned appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show, he has also been featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and even made an appearance on the red carpet during Fox’s coverage of Super Bowl XXLV. It was a nice touch; amidst all the big-game hoopla and Ryan Seacrest hysterics, Kevin Everett walked down the carpet with his girlfriend, looking not over-excited, but thankful and content. If that’s the only image most of us take from the past football season, it’s more than enough. Christopher Schobert is associate editor at Buffalo Spree. Back to the Table of Contents Back to Top