Football Books

I missed Ty Cashion's book "Pigskin Pulpit" when it was first released a few years ago but with the re-release in paper back this year (2006) I had the opportunity to read it. I think the reason I didn't read it the first time was the title. I thought it was another "Glory" of High School Football book. Had I just paid attention to the subtitle "A Social History of Texas High School Football Coaches" my history buff inclination would have made reading this book a no brainer.

Ty Cashion was ordained to write this book. A professor of history at Sam Houston State University and more importantly the son of a Texas High School football coach, Ty had the knowledge to tell the story and the access to interview, by my count, at least 82 different Texas High School football coaches, many of which are no longer with us.

Some 40+ years ago, when I was a kid, I would listen to Texas High School football play off games on the radio. The radio announcer start by saying something like this: "Broadcasting from P.E. Shotwell stadium in Abilene, Texas ...".

P. E. Shotwell, Darrell Tully, and Gordon Wood may just be the name of Texas High School football stadiums for football fans of the current generation but they are just three of the many coaches that made Texas High School football what it is today. Many young athletes dream of "going pro" and signing multimillion dollar contracts. School boy football players born into the depression era of the early twentieth century just dreamed of the chance to play college football, get an education and coach football. It was their ticket off the farm and a way to a better life.

Ty Cashion chronicles the path to their goal and how the experiences that they had impacted several generations of young men in Texas.

If you ever knew a coach, if you ever played for a coach, if you ever learned from a coach, if you ever cussed a coached, if you ever idolized a coach ..., you need to read this book.

This is a great book. It tells the story of how High School Football has become the number one event in Texas. I am glad someone put these stories into print because sadly many of these great men are leaving us but their stories and the impact they have had, and continue to have, will be passed on. This is a must read for any football fan.

Aren't history books supposed to be dull as dishwater? I gave this book to my 80+ year-old Father for Christmas. He really enjoyed it! So did I, for that matter. Dr. Cashion must have spend untold hours interviewing old-time Texas High School football coaches and those who played under them. This book is as close to listening to those old timers as the written word can be. Growing up in football crazy Garland, Texas (back-to-back state championships in the 1960's under Chuck Curtis), I remember as a child "high school football fever." This hits the mark, or should I say is a "two point conversion."

This is not a typical boring history book. It is a fun history book. Wex wrote a collection of mini-biographies of the men who made the Steelers. But he did not limit the book to just Steeler stars from the past, he also included players that were lesser known. The stories are told by the players themselves. Growing up in the 70s, I would study the Steeler all-time leaders lists and read names like Lynn Chandnois and Roy Jefferson, but I had no clue who they were. Now I have a feel for who those players were and their place in building the best organization in the NFL. I don't want to tell the stories here, but I will say I learned Mean Joe Greene earned his nickname both on and off the field. Was Roy Jefferson Terrell Owens before Terrell Owens was born? I asked myself that question while reading about Roy Jefferson.

A couple things I learned were I was wrong when I thought the Steelers stunk before their 70s dynasty and a common link between players was their love and respect for Art Rooney.

Men of Steel is easy to read but hard to put down.

Jim Wexell ("Wex" is he known around sports discussions in The Burgh) has produced another great book about the Pittsburgh Steelers.

There are many things to enjoy from this books such as a behind-the-scenes lok at NFL players, the unknown stories associated with players that have never been told before, and also the nostalgia aspect of the book.

Most of the 35 players documented in the book I have watched play football with the Pittsburgh, but there are some that I never had the pleasure to watch. Jim Wexell introduces these players to you and then gives you some information that tells you about the person behind the player.

Alot of books about the Steelers will use third-hand accounts or have stories that any Steelers fan would already know. Wexell seperates himself and his book from books like that, because he uses first hand accounts and brings fresh new stories to the reader.

I don't know why I expected anything different from Wexell, because his first book that I also purchased, "Tales From Behind The Steel Curtain" was also an excellent read.

I really enjoyed the chapter about Frank Lewis and how he did not fit into the Steelers scheme of things during the Steelers dynasty years, but he was a very good NFL wide receiver. And then to learn how he he left the team...I will let you read for yourself.

My only hope now is that Jim Wexell continues to publich books like these. If you are true and die-hard Steelers fan, get this book and other Steelers books that Jim Wexell has written.

Men of Steel, is a tremendous collection of Steeler history. The book takes you through the lives of 35 former players. Interesting, funny, and informative this book held my attention start to finish. I laughed reading the Chapter on Tunch Ilkin and Craig Wolfley, and I now know what prompted the NFL to have oxygen available at every football game. Throughout this book you see the support and influence the Rooney family has had in the former players lives. I read of a connection to a necktie and a playoff game from the mid 70's. I learned how the coaches used a snow fence to motivate rookies. The Kevin Greene chapter mentions how he brought Big Macs and fries late at night for crazed fans camping out for a chance to get playoff tickets. I was one of those campers and was in awe of the free food from a player.

Jim Wexell put together an amazing book of Steeler profiles. I appreciate the extensive research that must have gone into this work. A must read for any football fan.

This is a great book. You pick your team, your QB (Quarterback) and you pick your announcer. You are the QB and you call the shots. There are two plays for every so many pages.Can you take your team to the playoffs? It is all in this fun-filled book. This book is from third-sixth grade.

This book gets you in the game. You choose the team, you choose the QB (Quarterback)and you choose the announcer. This book lets you choose from 2 plays every so many pages. You are the QB and you call the shots. This book is for third-six grade.

By:Michael Pungitore

This is a great book. You pick your team, your QB (Quarterback) and you pick your announcer. You are the QB and you call the shots. There are two plays for every so many pages.Can you take your team to the playoffs? It is all in this fun-filled book. This book is from third-sixth grade.

Dr. Scranton is an excellent author. Playing Hurt is well written and captivating.

He brings you behind the scenes of the NFL, and describes the entire process of an athlete's life in well written detail. Medical knowledge is helpful, but not reqired. You can reference the medical terminology on the internet if need be.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is curious about sports medicine, or even the casual NFL fan (like me).

The descriptions of some injuries may be difficult to those without a background in common athletic injuries (eg. buckethandle cartilage tear). But, this is a great insight into one team physician's experiences in the NFL. I would agree with one review that said he focuses on his drinking, but having limited exposure to the world of sports medicine, as a collegiate student trainer, this is very much a part of the atmosphere. He discusses the bonding of a medical staff in a bar setting, that hazy arena where information on potential players is shared and war stories abound.

I would whole heartedly recommend this book to anyone that is even the slightest bit interested in the world of sports medicine.

The title of the book caught my eye. I see all these players getting hurt on Sundays. What is really happening? As I read the book I found it was something different. The medical aspect servers more as a backdrop into how the NFL works. Stranton talks about what really happens at the combines, what is draft day like, how do game days go, etc.

On the down side the book drags in a few places. He talks too much about all the drinking he does. Also, the book focuses almost exclusively on the Seahawks. On the up side he does not pull his punches. He is not afraid to say so owner or coach is a jerk.

Fun quick read.

As a manager, I am telling you that there are hundreds of quotes in this edition that will be helpful to you! You will be able to use these in your management meetings, in pep talks, and for motivation in your own life. Have fun with these, and go make yourself some more money!

Do you sometimes struggle to make a point during a presentation or during a conversation with your team? Often you have the thought clear in your head, but it is difficult to get it across to others. This book gives me quotes by some of the world's greatest leaders, which I can use to support my points. I found this to be a great resource. Now, I find it easier and more effective to get my point across to an audience.

This book is essential for all leaders and public speakers. Whether I am coaching, managing at work, or just need to inspire friends, being able to tap into quotes by these remarkable people has been very helpful for me. It makes you sound smarter and drives the point home to others! If you're a leader, you need this book!

Being a HUGE fan of Remember the Titans, I was anxiously awaiting the release of Remember this Titan -- the Bill Yoast Story. Steve Sullivan did not disappoint and even exceeded all expectations. Sullivan managed to tell Coach Yoast's story in a way that keeps the reader wanting more. What I loved so much about Remember the Titans, I found in Remember this Titan - a chance to experience every emotion possible from laughter and tears to excitement and trepidation. Not only was I left with an intense respect for Coach Yoast, but also for Sullivan as a writer. Coach Yoast's story should be a "must read" for every student, leader, religious group, book club and parent. What an amazing example of leadership and character Yoast is and what a remarkable job Sullivan did depicting it.

I've grown tired of reading about so-called leaders who hype, cajole, posture and exhort their people. Read this book and learn what real leadership is. Bill Yoast brings skill, knowledge, and respect for his players to his coaching. He realizes what so few leaders today seem to grasp - it's the leader who needs to adapt. Each leadership task (game) is different. Each player is different. Bill Yoast provides inspiration and instruction to his players. He keeps the goals clear and provides his players with the conditioning and training they need. He doesn't tell his players they are good, he works to make them good. The author, Steve Sullivan, has chosen to give us the story in smooth flowing bite-sized pieces and that works well. Each bite contains a gem of an idea or a rich example that aspiring leaders can and should adopt.

Due to be released in late spring or early summer, 2005, this book is a must have for anyone who wants to succeed in life. For anyone looking for an incredible read: This is it!!! Bill Yoast, defensive coach for the celebrated 1971 Titans football team, which is widely known from the Disney movie "Remember the Titans", shares his life and wisdom with readers. The author, Steve Sullivan, masterfully retains Coch Yoast's down to earth qualities while telling a spellbinding tale full of hardship, tragedy and triumph. A great read for leaders and managers in every field. Yoast shares with the reader his tried and true recipe for success and satisfaction in career and life. I paid $14.95 for my copy(not the $70 from certain,unnamed vendors), and it is worth every cent and more. This is truly a story not to be forgotten!

This was a very intrestling book about the 2nd best coach and the incredible story of the 1991 season. This is a must read book for FSU Fans everywhere. I thourghly enjoyed this book. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves college football.

As a freshman at Florida State in '91, I worked with the football team as a student athletic trainer. I remember Ben Brown, and how he spent almost every minute with the team, nearly becoming a part of it. Take it from someone who was there: Ben Brown got it right. If you want to know what a season at the top of college football's elite feels like, read this book. Even today, reading passages takes me back to memories I will never forget. I just wish Ben could have been with us in '93, when we won the National Championship, so he could have written a happier ending.

I felt this book reached deep down into college football. I was thrilled when names such as Edgar Bennet, Charlie Ward, Amp Lee, and Danny Kanell. I felt the boos of the opossing fans and felt the cheers of ours. Until I read this book, I never realized the preparation it takes to coach a college football team. This was a well planned, well thought, documentation of Florida State Football.

This book covers everything from Adrenaline to Windchill and anything you need to know in between. Starting with the category 'The Biology of Endurance' then 'Training Tools and Techniques' then 'Nutrition for Maximum Endurance' followed by 'Injuries, Obstacles, and Perils' and finally 'Great Endurance Challenges'(a listing of many major endurance athletic events around the world).

Ogranised in Encyclopedia format, this book is packed with the information you need to become a good endurance athlete. Wether looking up Massage Therapy, Fartlek Training, or Aerodynamics you'll find the information you're looking for quickly and easily. If you're a Personal Trainer or a beginner you will find this book usefull. I've had this book for almost as long as it's been published and have consulted it again and again. This is a book I'm sure any athlete would enjoy.

This is a book you can go back to anytime. Tinley (and McAlpine) cover all the aspects of endurance training. This is not a book that will give you all the detail, but it offers just the right amount of advice to help you through. I've done a few Ironman Triathlons myself and have actually met and talked to Scott tinley; he is the book and the book works.

This book is simply great for the endurance athlete. It deals with training, diet, mental aspects of endurance training, and medical issues. The book is instructional as well as motivational and is a work that you'll keep referring back to time and time again.

Coach Underwood has produced the definitive text on six-man football, an absolute necessity for prospective coaches. Even if you have years of experience coaching traditional 11-man football, you need this book.

Under Coach Underwood's careful editorship, "Six-Man Football" covers every base that a fledgling coach needs to master this version. Coach Underwood writes about his own legendary O'Brien Veer offense, then provides seven other offensive systems to choose from in articles written by other legends of Texas six-man football coaching.

This is followed by three chapters on defensive systems, and a chapter each on special teams play and on program building, preparation and conditioning. All in all, this is an entire library on six-man football condensed into one volume. Do not try to coach this unique form of America's game without buying this book!

Highest recommendation.

Written by a former high school football quarterback and subsequent football coach of six Texas high schools, Six- Man Football is a solid guide to a variation of football especially popular in rural Texas. Chapters discuss the history of six-man football, offensive strategies as contributed by a variety of different coaches, defensive strategies, how to get one's team physically ready, and six-man football in locations beyond Texas boarders including Colorado, Saskatchewan, New Mexico, Montana, and Nebraska. Black-and-white photographs and diagrams that illustrate football plays add a clear visual touch to this practical, down-to-earth strategy and instruction manual, highly recommended for school and private athletic programs that adopt this disciplined and focused version of a traditional American sport.

Written by a former high school football quarterback and subsequent football coach of six Texas high schools, Six- Man Football is a solid guide to a variation of football especially popular in rural Texas. Chapters discuss the history of six-man football, offensive strategies as contributed by a variety of different coaches, defensive strategies, how to get one's team physically ready, and six-man football in locations beyond Texas boarders including Colorado, Saskatchewan, New Mexico, Montana, and Nebraska. Black-and-white photographs and diagrams that illustrate football plays add a clear visual touch to this practical, down-to-earth strategy and instruction manual, highly recommended for school and private athletic programs that adopt this disciplined and focused version of a traditional American sport.

The book Snake is the biography of Ken Stabler the Oakland Raiders renegade quarterback of the 1970's. The book was very interesting and was very detailed. I recommend reading this book if you are a football fan. Also if you are an Oakland Raiders fan this book is for you. If you do not vulgar language or talks of sex, drugs and rock and roll you should not read this book. The book had many strong points, which include very detailed recolations of games and wild nights. My overall opinion of the book is that was very interesting and if you have a weak stomach this book is not from you. Snake is a book for football lovers and if you liked this book check "I'm the Assassin" by Jack Tatum another renegade from the Oakland Raiders in the 1970's. Go Raiders.

This had to be one of the funniest behind the scenes sports books ever. Shocking tales of hot-tub orgies, drunken spree's, and other general hedonism highlight page after page. And there is some football, too.

What were considered rumors about the wild lifestyles of the Oakland Raiders are actually truths according to one of the leaders, Kenny Stabler. Drinking, honky-tonking, reading the playbook by the jukebox light, womanizing and oh yes - football are some of the sideshows in this book. This is not only about the "Snake" but also about the other characters from the Oakland Raiders during their heyday.