We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
New Orleans Saints Sam Mills (51) plays in a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during an NFL football game. Circa 1986-1994
(Tom DiPace via AP)
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
New Orleans Saints Sam Mills (51) plays in a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during an NFL football game. Circa 1986-1994
(Tom DiPace via AP)
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
We honor late 'Dome Patrol' legend Sam Mills who played in New Orleans from 1986-1994.
Truth is, they had me at "Sam Mills."
Simply seeing his name in the title immediately tapped into the unabashed affinity for the late New Orleans Saints linebacker, who posthumously was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2022. So, I was more than willing to give a chance to fail to "Just Give Me a Chance to Fail: The Life of NFL Hall of Fame Linebacker Sam Mills," authored by Paul Domowitch (foreword by former Saints linebackers coach Vic Fangio).
It didn't fail.
If you're a fan of Mills, a three-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler who was a Saint from 1986-94, it's a must-read. From detailing the multitude of external mental hurdles constructed regarding an undersized (5-foot-9, 225 pounds) player, to weathering being released by Cleveland in the NFL and Toronto in the CFL, to teaching high school photography, to joining the USFL and starring three years with the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars, to finally getting an NFL break when his USFL coach (Jim Mora) was named head coach of the Saints — and all points in between — it's a microscopic look into the life of Mills.
Craft a too-good-to-be-true character, and Mills seems to fill it. "Just Give Me a Chance to Fail" details the gentleman that was Mills, on and off the field, and the level of determination it took to excel in a sport dominated by giants. And for those unfamiliar with Mills, it unveils a will that pushed him to live 20 months, instead of the three or four months that were forecast, after he was diagnosed with inoperable cancer in his small intestine in 2003.
Mills, a member of the Saints Hall of Fame and an inductee into the franchise's Ring of Honor, played his final three seasons with the Panthers, who retired his number (51) and erected a statue in his honor at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
Every time he was given a chance to fail, he didn't.
A few other books for consideration on the summer reading list:
"A Life Impossible: Living With ALS: Finding Peace and Wisdom Within A Fragile Existence," by Steve Gleason and Jeff Duncan
"Coming Back Stronger: Unleashing The Hidden Power of Adversity," by Drew Brees with Chris Fabry, foreword by Mark Brunell
"Manning: A Father, His Sons And A Football Legacy," by Archie Manning, Peyton Manning and John Underwood
"Tales From The New Orleans Saints Sideline: A Collection Of The Greatest Saints Stories Ever Told," by Jeff Duncan with John Hendrix (foreword by Peter Finney)
