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Joel Poiley has more than 40 years of journalism experience with newspapers, television stations, magazines and websites. His work has appeared in Sports Illustrated, USA Today Sports Weekly, Baseball America, Beckett’s Baseball Monthly, Legends Magazine, ESPN.com, Associated Press, and many other national media outlets. Poiley has won awards for newspaper features in Maryland and Tampa, and with Bay News 9. Poiley is a free-lance writer/editor in Tampa, FL.
The NFL was a very different game on and off the field in the 1960s. As captured in Last Man Standing, Tom Matte stood out in many ways, especially his effervescent personality. He was Chatty Matte, always talking and laughing while rarely making a mistake. This counted big time in the football mind of the football genius Johnny Unitas. Matte was outgoing, courageous, bright, and always fun to be around. He always made the biggest plays in the biggest games. He has my greatest admiration. --Upton Bell, former Baltimore Colts personnel director and New England Patriots general manager Tom Matte is a true legend in every sense of the word. He was everything you'd want in a football player but offered even more as a human being. Readers will feel just how talented, funny, and larger than life he was--all of which my family was fortunate enough to experience up close. Last Man Standing is a masterful ode to a man deserving of celebration. --John Harbaugh, Super Bowl-Winning Head Coach From the foreword: Tom was a Super Bowl champion (Super Bowl V) and a two-time All-Pro, all for the then-Baltimore Colts. He was a great guy, a great friend, and his life on and off the football field was full, and like Tom, never boring. --Jack Nicklaus, professional golfer
