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Out of Control: Confessions of an NFL Casualty
The former Dallas Cowboys star looks at the world of pro football and reveals how he became involved with drugs, lost his self-respect, and eventually won it back
- GenresSportsFootballNonfiction
367 pages, Paperback
First published September 2, 1987
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 13, 2015
Hollywood Henderson was a bit before my time paying attention to football. But I've been a fan of Landry and Staubauch for a while so it was neat getting a different perspective on their era other than the frequent adoring view.
Henderson grew up part of a pretty dysfunctional family. His father was an Airman and his mother underage when he was conceived. His grandmother tried to press statutory rape charges but his Dad was shipped overseas before much got going on it. The family in Texas felt the military got him out of there on purpose to help him escape justice.
His parents would fight and scream and his step-dad beat his mom. He ran the streets hanging out at a local pool hall and hustling for a few extra dollars. He finally left to go live with his grandmother in OKC and finished high school there. He started smoking weed then and playing football. He was very good but was not recruited well and ended up going to a small all black college. He was the only one on the team without a scholarship. He played very well and was drafted by the Cowboys. He started off his career with a chip on his shoulder feeling like other players were treated better than he was and he wasn't given the chances to play early on he felt he deserved. It's clear even at the end of the book he never forgave Landry for not giving him the respect and love he craved. He talks about getting into drugs and having sex with many many women. His life and relationships slowly spiraled out of control until he had nothing but his drug addictions and no one to turn to. It's a sad story but ends on a hopeful note as he gets his life turned around after football. Henderson does note that Staubauch sold his house for him when he asked him to and sent him a letter of support and some money while he was in treatment. So it looks like there was some respect and concern between them even after Henderson was out of the Cowboy team.
It's pretty graphic and I wouldn't recommend for kids.
Henderson grew up part of a pretty dysfunctional family. His father was an Airman and his mother underage when he was conceived. His grandmother tried to press statutory rape charges but his Dad was shipped overseas before much got going on it. The family in Texas felt the military got him out of there on purpose to help him escape justice.
His parents would fight and scream and his step-dad beat his mom. He ran the streets hanging out at a local pool hall and hustling for a few extra dollars. He finally left to go live with his grandmother in OKC and finished high school there. He started smoking weed then and playing football. He was very good but was not recruited well and ended up going to a small all black college. He was the only one on the team without a scholarship. He played very well and was drafted by the Cowboys. He started off his career with a chip on his shoulder feeling like other players were treated better than he was and he wasn't given the chances to play early on he felt he deserved. It's clear even at the end of the book he never forgave Landry for not giving him the respect and love he craved. He talks about getting into drugs and having sex with many many women. His life and relationships slowly spiraled out of control until he had nothing but his drug addictions and no one to turn to. It's a sad story but ends on a hopeful note as he gets his life turned around after football. Henderson does note that Staubauch sold his house for him when he asked him to and sent him a letter of support and some money while he was in treatment. So it looks like there was some respect and concern between them even after Henderson was out of the Cowboy team.
It's pretty graphic and I wouldn't recommend for kids.
December 13, 2008
Bio of a Cocaine addicted NFL star that played for the Dallas Cowboys when to be a Cowboy in Texas was to be like a rock star. Nicknamed "Hollywood" because of his flashy personality and fast lane lifestyle Henderson gives his life story with an emphasis on his party lifestyle and a behind the scenes look at the sleazy underbelly of the Dallas Cowboys football team. People want to talk about how Al Davis and the Raiders were back in the day but they had nothing on the Cowboys of the 70's and 80's as far as the sleaze factor.
But yeah this was an entertaining enough read. Henderson of course ended up going to prison for a few years and strangely enough years after this book was published won $30 million dollars in the Texas state lottery in the year 2000.
But yeah this was an entertaining enough read. Henderson of course ended up going to prison for a few years and strangely enough years after this book was published won $30 million dollars in the Texas state lottery in the year 2000.
March 12, 2021
Quite simply; the best crazy football book ever written. Certainly not for children.
March 14, 2016
Honest Tale of Swagger Gone Astray …
Having recently read a book that detailed the wild-and-wooly times of the 1990s Dallas Cowboys, I thought those teams were the torch-bearers of decadence and mayhem among pro football players … they were simply the second chapter. Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson played hard on the field and harder off the field; his brief, but lively, career in the NFL makes players on those Jimmy Johnson led teams look like a bunch of wannabe hooligans. OUT OF CONTROL is a brutally honest personal account of someone who arguably become the NFL’s first ego-driven superstar casualty.
My desire to read about Thomas Henderson’s rather dated (1987) autobiography is twofold: First: While I dislike the Dallas Cowboys (a common sentiment where I live), I love (and miss) the NFL of the 1970s. That decade formed an indelible image in my aging mind as an era when pro football was still blue-collar and seemed to mesh perfectly with American culture; The blend of the gritty, blue-collar football world + the glitz of disco always seems to generate good stories. Second: Henderson’s commentary on NFL Network shows (A Football Life: Roger Staubach and America’s Game: 1977 Dallas Cowboys) was certainly tantalizing enough for me to look deeper at his time in the NFL.
As I read OUT OF CONTROL, I began to realize that it was more than a simple autobiography; the book seems to serve several purposes: catharsis, an apology, an explanation, self-reflection and a warning. Published almost 30 years ago (he has since released a follow-up, “In Control”, in 2004), I still found the book relevant and thoroughly entertaining. This book covers the story of Henderson’s life from his disaffected youth all the way to his release from prison (where he served 28 months for an incident involving drugs and two underage girls). Between the nightmarish bookends of childhood and prison is an action packed story that unfurls like a dream: accolades, wealth, women and fame blurred by a drug-fueled rampaging ego. When one hears the name “Hollywood” Henderson, it is easy to focus on the arrogance he frequently displayed or his infamous fall-from-grace. But, reading his story from the beginning certainly adds perspective and makes it easier to understand the inevitability of his downfall. What makes the book so enjoyable and interesting are the details and brutal honesty. I found myself cringing frequently as Henderson spills out not only his dirty deeds, but his personal feelings about others throughout the book. It takes a lot of guts to put a lot of what Henderson says in fine print.
Even reading it almost 30 years after it was written, Henderson’s recollections are refreshingly detailed snapshots of simple and exciting times … like hearing a grandfather’s old war stories. All of the stories that caught my interest on the NFL Network programs were completely fleshed-out in the book. I was eager to read about the incident between Henderson and Hall-of-Famer Randy White, as well as his shaky relationships with most all of his teammates and coach Tom Landry. Endless drug-fueled escapades (sexcapades) are chronicled throughout the book; making it likely that even the wildest 1990s Cowboy superstars couldn’t match Henderson’s lust for drugs and women. The stories read like they are being told: short, but descriptive sentences that give readers a view from every angle. This manner of story-telling made the book an easy, rolling read. The drug aspect builds gradually and eventually eclipses football and takes control of everything (Henderson even admits freebasing in his hospital room between doctor visits). Reading about escalating drug use is frustrating simply because you see it beginning to erode everything in his life, one thing after another to the point you find yourself rooting for him to quit … then he takes it up a notch. The rather casual attitude towards sex and drugs in the 1970s spilled into the world of professional football; while other players managed to separate the two worlds, Henderson could not (he played high on cocaine throughout his career). The book ends with Henderson’s rebirth (he claims the “Hollywood” persona died when he was arrested November 8, 1983); a starting point for rebuilding/repairing everything he previously destroyed.
OUT OF CONTROL is one of the best sports memoirs I’ve read. While I found it easy to dismiss Henderson and his ego in the beginning, it was even easier to become a fan of his the more I kept reading. The openness that bleeds throughout the book is uncomfortable at times (Henderson admits to many embarrassing moments), but quite sincere (a trait that seems to be missing in many pro athlete memoirs). I’m certainly glad I decided to read this book, even though it took three decades to do so.
Having recently read a book that detailed the wild-and-wooly times of the 1990s Dallas Cowboys, I thought those teams were the torch-bearers of decadence and mayhem among pro football players … they were simply the second chapter. Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson played hard on the field and harder off the field; his brief, but lively, career in the NFL makes players on those Jimmy Johnson led teams look like a bunch of wannabe hooligans. OUT OF CONTROL is a brutally honest personal account of someone who arguably become the NFL’s first ego-driven superstar casualty.
My desire to read about Thomas Henderson’s rather dated (1987) autobiography is twofold: First: While I dislike the Dallas Cowboys (a common sentiment where I live), I love (and miss) the NFL of the 1970s. That decade formed an indelible image in my aging mind as an era when pro football was still blue-collar and seemed to mesh perfectly with American culture; The blend of the gritty, blue-collar football world + the glitz of disco always seems to generate good stories. Second: Henderson’s commentary on NFL Network shows (A Football Life: Roger Staubach and America’s Game: 1977 Dallas Cowboys) was certainly tantalizing enough for me to look deeper at his time in the NFL.
As I read OUT OF CONTROL, I began to realize that it was more than a simple autobiography; the book seems to serve several purposes: catharsis, an apology, an explanation, self-reflection and a warning. Published almost 30 years ago (he has since released a follow-up, “In Control”, in 2004), I still found the book relevant and thoroughly entertaining. This book covers the story of Henderson’s life from his disaffected youth all the way to his release from prison (where he served 28 months for an incident involving drugs and two underage girls). Between the nightmarish bookends of childhood and prison is an action packed story that unfurls like a dream: accolades, wealth, women and fame blurred by a drug-fueled rampaging ego. When one hears the name “Hollywood” Henderson, it is easy to focus on the arrogance he frequently displayed or his infamous fall-from-grace. But, reading his story from the beginning certainly adds perspective and makes it easier to understand the inevitability of his downfall. What makes the book so enjoyable and interesting are the details and brutal honesty. I found myself cringing frequently as Henderson spills out not only his dirty deeds, but his personal feelings about others throughout the book. It takes a lot of guts to put a lot of what Henderson says in fine print.
Even reading it almost 30 years after it was written, Henderson’s recollections are refreshingly detailed snapshots of simple and exciting times … like hearing a grandfather’s old war stories. All of the stories that caught my interest on the NFL Network programs were completely fleshed-out in the book. I was eager to read about the incident between Henderson and Hall-of-Famer Randy White, as well as his shaky relationships with most all of his teammates and coach Tom Landry. Endless drug-fueled escapades (sexcapades) are chronicled throughout the book; making it likely that even the wildest 1990s Cowboy superstars couldn’t match Henderson’s lust for drugs and women. The stories read like they are being told: short, but descriptive sentences that give readers a view from every angle. This manner of story-telling made the book an easy, rolling read. The drug aspect builds gradually and eventually eclipses football and takes control of everything (Henderson even admits freebasing in his hospital room between doctor visits). Reading about escalating drug use is frustrating simply because you see it beginning to erode everything in his life, one thing after another to the point you find yourself rooting for him to quit … then he takes it up a notch. The rather casual attitude towards sex and drugs in the 1970s spilled into the world of professional football; while other players managed to separate the two worlds, Henderson could not (he played high on cocaine throughout his career). The book ends with Henderson’s rebirth (he claims the “Hollywood” persona died when he was arrested November 8, 1983); a starting point for rebuilding/repairing everything he previously destroyed.
OUT OF CONTROL is one of the best sports memoirs I’ve read. While I found it easy to dismiss Henderson and his ego in the beginning, it was even easier to become a fan of his the more I kept reading. The openness that bleeds throughout the book is uncomfortable at times (Henderson admits to many embarrassing moments), but quite sincere (a trait that seems to be missing in many pro athlete memoirs). I’m certainly glad I decided to read this book, even though it took three decades to do so.
November 3, 2017
Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson's "Out of Control Confessions of an NFL Casualty" is a very surreal book. It takes you behind the scenes and describes what life is like off and on the football field for NFL stars. Henderson talks about how drugs, women, and football were everything to him. Eventually, he talks about how drugs took over his life and we're the only thing that mattered to him. For example, he says, "...after all the high times-the game, the fame, the cocaine- I didn't have anything" (Henderson 343). Thomas made lots and lots of money in the NFL and he ended up going broke. He could go through 10's of thousands of dollars every week just on cocaine. Cocaine became his life. According to Henderson, "But freebasing, smoking cocaine, was the most important thing in my life by then. There was nothing that came in second. It was all I thought about and all I did" (Henderson 314). Henderson also talks about how he made it to fame from nothing, experiences in jail, how he has had thousands (yes you read that right) of sexual partners, and much more. He was not in control of his life. The fame and fortune had steered his life the wrong way. This book teaches the importance of drug and alcohol education. Drug abuse and alcoholism are serious problems that even the most famous people can suffer from. If you consider yourself a sports fan, this is a must read.
July 9, 2023
Out of Control is as blunt as a punch in the face, and that was its author Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson's intent. While I was reading this book, I found out really quick why this book was a national bestseller in the late 1980s. The book came out in 1987, but its theme is still relevant 36 years later.
I wish anyone who has ever played football, loved the game, or has had their own issues with addiction pick up this book and read it. This book will anger you; it will scare the hell out of you, and it will have you asking so many questions.
The book made it clear early on (with his crazy childhood) why Henderson did what he did back in the 1970s and 1980s in terms of drug addiction, having anger issues, and etc. Henderson was the product of terrible parents, as a very young kid he was left on his own to navigate the tough streets of Austin, Texas. And it was in those streets where he tried hard drugs before he was even 18 years old. He also hung around a lot of bars, pool halls, and unsavory people that in their own ways "helped" to shape what type of life he would lead down the line.
One of the main parts of this book that made me think hard about Henderson's life was the chapters that dealt with his college and pro football careers. One would have thought college football and academics, or the discipline of pro football would have put Henderson on the straight and narrow. Nope.
One of the things I appreciated and/or loved about this book was the fact that Henderson didn't blame ANYONE for his drug addiction. I do wish though that he would have taken more responsibility for how his NFL career went. For much of this book he blamed former Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Tom Landry, his position coach with the Cowboys, and he even blamed former San Franciso 49ers Head Coach Bill Walsh, as well as other Cowboy players for his slightly above average five-year career (1975-1979) with the Cowboys and his early 1980s tryout with the 49ers.
To me the best chapters in this book were chapter 6 (Cocaine Cowboy) and chapter 10 (Base). Chapter 10 spanned 65 pages, with much of those pages dedicated to his addiction to freebase cocaine smoking. That chapter was a trip to read and depressing at the same time.
In conclusion, I've been reading books since the 1990s and I have to say that Out of Control is one of the best books I've ever read. I would recommend this book to any football historian, any person who has dealt with drug and/or alcohol addiction, or just to anyone who likes to read great books.
I wish anyone who has ever played football, loved the game, or has had their own issues with addiction pick up this book and read it. This book will anger you; it will scare the hell out of you, and it will have you asking so many questions.
The book made it clear early on (with his crazy childhood) why Henderson did what he did back in the 1970s and 1980s in terms of drug addiction, having anger issues, and etc. Henderson was the product of terrible parents, as a very young kid he was left on his own to navigate the tough streets of Austin, Texas. And it was in those streets where he tried hard drugs before he was even 18 years old. He also hung around a lot of bars, pool halls, and unsavory people that in their own ways "helped" to shape what type of life he would lead down the line.
One of the main parts of this book that made me think hard about Henderson's life was the chapters that dealt with his college and pro football careers. One would have thought college football and academics, or the discipline of pro football would have put Henderson on the straight and narrow. Nope.
One of the things I appreciated and/or loved about this book was the fact that Henderson didn't blame ANYONE for his drug addiction. I do wish though that he would have taken more responsibility for how his NFL career went. For much of this book he blamed former Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Tom Landry, his position coach with the Cowboys, and he even blamed former San Franciso 49ers Head Coach Bill Walsh, as well as other Cowboy players for his slightly above average five-year career (1975-1979) with the Cowboys and his early 1980s tryout with the 49ers.
To me the best chapters in this book were chapter 6 (Cocaine Cowboy) and chapter 10 (Base). Chapter 10 spanned 65 pages, with much of those pages dedicated to his addiction to freebase cocaine smoking. That chapter was a trip to read and depressing at the same time.
In conclusion, I've been reading books since the 1990s and I have to say that Out of Control is one of the best books I've ever read. I would recommend this book to any football historian, any person who has dealt with drug and/or alcohol addiction, or just to anyone who likes to read great books.
June 1, 2012
ISBN 0671663267 - As a penny book, destined for the landfill, I read Out Of Control only because it was there. I didn't have high expectations - I'm not a football fan and never heard of Henderson. It turned out to be better than I expected, but not great, leaving me oddly disappointed.
Henderson, poor kid from a family that is poor in more than one way, finds football. Football will save and destroy him, but he doesn't know that in the beginning. As the first pick of the Cowboys, Henderson expects recognition and applause and when that goes to number 2 - a white guy - Henderson states over and over that it's clearly racism. Then (on page 259) he writes "I knew about black pride but I felt that anyone who claimed that he'd been blocked by racism was just a poor soul himself." This is one of the two worst examples of contradictory storytelling; the other is the downward spiral that drugs takes him on. The covers, front and back, mention how many bad things happened to him because of his drug addiction, but Henderson spends a majority of the book somehow bragging about the drugs - hardly a warning to others. Henderson goes into some detail (not graphic) about orgies, and the number of women he has in bed at one time, all thanks to the drugs. At the same time, the reader is supposed to believe that drugs are bad. The message is somewhat muddied.
In the end Henderson is difficult to like. He seems to take far less responsibility than he should and blames others, the Cowboys in particular, for things that make him sound paranoid. When he is nearly put on waivers, he retires. They try to work it out, but he refuses. Then he discovers that by retiring, he has given control to the Cowboys and says "I am convinced that that's why they set it all up." clearly not "owning" the fact that HE quit, and HE refused to work it out. Like his rants that his signing wasn't celebrated because he's black, his paranoia makes him a remarkably unappealing, unsympathetic character.
I know that the main story is supposed to be the drugs and his recovery from them, but the truth is that little of the book is given to that. The book begins, as it should, in his childhood and covers his pre-NFL years before the Cowboys and drugs come along. The largest portion is about the years of addiction, partying, etc. Henderson makes sure to be clear about his sexual relationship with anyone famous, again giving it a bragging tone. By the time he starts his slide into poverty and unemployment, it seems certain that the only reason he's written the book is to make some money - his career is over, he's lost everything - not to make sure the rest of the world learns from his mistakes. In fact, 7 women in bed with one guy might just be enough incentive to make some guys think drugs sound like a great idea.
By now, Henderson's written another book, In Control. He's spent years talking to others and has given back far more than he was ever given. For that reason alone, I have hope that the second book is better. This one, though, kinda average tabloid-y junk, but right from the horse's mouth.
- AnnaLovesBooks
Henderson, poor kid from a family that is poor in more than one way, finds football. Football will save and destroy him, but he doesn't know that in the beginning. As the first pick of the Cowboys, Henderson expects recognition and applause and when that goes to number 2 - a white guy - Henderson states over and over that it's clearly racism. Then (on page 259) he writes "I knew about black pride but I felt that anyone who claimed that he'd been blocked by racism was just a poor soul himself." This is one of the two worst examples of contradictory storytelling; the other is the downward spiral that drugs takes him on. The covers, front and back, mention how many bad things happened to him because of his drug addiction, but Henderson spends a majority of the book somehow bragging about the drugs - hardly a warning to others. Henderson goes into some detail (not graphic) about orgies, and the number of women he has in bed at one time, all thanks to the drugs. At the same time, the reader is supposed to believe that drugs are bad. The message is somewhat muddied.
In the end Henderson is difficult to like. He seems to take far less responsibility than he should and blames others, the Cowboys in particular, for things that make him sound paranoid. When he is nearly put on waivers, he retires. They try to work it out, but he refuses. Then he discovers that by retiring, he has given control to the Cowboys and says "I am convinced that that's why they set it all up." clearly not "owning" the fact that HE quit, and HE refused to work it out. Like his rants that his signing wasn't celebrated because he's black, his paranoia makes him a remarkably unappealing, unsympathetic character.
I know that the main story is supposed to be the drugs and his recovery from them, but the truth is that little of the book is given to that. The book begins, as it should, in his childhood and covers his pre-NFL years before the Cowboys and drugs come along. The largest portion is about the years of addiction, partying, etc. Henderson makes sure to be clear about his sexual relationship with anyone famous, again giving it a bragging tone. By the time he starts his slide into poverty and unemployment, it seems certain that the only reason he's written the book is to make some money - his career is over, he's lost everything - not to make sure the rest of the world learns from his mistakes. In fact, 7 women in bed with one guy might just be enough incentive to make some guys think drugs sound like a great idea.
By now, Henderson's written another book, In Control. He's spent years talking to others and has given back far more than he was ever given. For that reason alone, I have hope that the second book is better. This one, though, kinda average tabloid-y junk, but right from the horse's mouth.
- AnnaLovesBooks
June 21, 2007
I am reading both Out of Control, and In Control, written 20 years later. The writer was a football player on the Dallas Cowboys, came up from nothing, became famous, played in 3 Superbowls, used lots of drugs and crashed and burned, became homeless, etc. His 2nd or 3rd try at rehab he got sober for good, and remains so to this day. The most amazing thing is that he won the Texas Lottery a few years ago- $27 million dollars!! And he stayed clean. He's a guy with a great sense of humor and a real presence.
May 2, 2012
As sports biographies go, this is a very good one. I have some memories of Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson's football days but obviously never knew what was going on behind the scenes. The pattern for his abuses were set young in his life and not necessarily as a result of his fame in the NFL. Hats off to Henderson for not pulling any punches or blaming anyone for his drug problems but himself. He admitted his faults and didn't come off too preachy about his downfalls either. A most enjoyable read if you find a copy of it. (originally posted on Amazon.com)
April 20, 2012
If you are going to read one book about the dark side of professional football this is the one. It is the story of Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson and his fall from glory---years spent playing football and the game of life too fast and too hard. It chronicles his one field exploits as an all pro for the Dallas Cowboys and his fall from grace due to use of alcohol and drugs, on and off the field.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
October 12, 2010
I'm ahuge cowboy fan. And you could not help but be facinated by Henderson. He was Lawrence Taylor's hero, who unfortunately followed in his footsteps in all the wrong ways. Henderson helped to rvolutionise the linebacker position and then fell prey to his worst deamons. Still a facinating read told in his own words.
November 3, 2008
The craziest tell-all sports book I've ever read. If you liked The Dirt, Walk this Way or similar trash this book will warm your heart and blow your mind. The vicarious pleasures are myriad on this one. . .
January 5, 2018
If you are a Cowboys fan it is a must read.
July 21, 2012
Honest account of a promising career losing to drug addiction and the recovery that is possible
July 23, 2014
(read this before Goodreads, added this years after reading the book)
Probably liked it.
Probably liked it.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews