Football Books

The World Cup is like an entire one month long Olympiad dedicated just to soccer, and it's a shame that North America has yet to get it the way the rest of the world has. Any die-hard soccer fan needs to have this collection handy.

In preparing this book I have kept in mind two major aims: First, and foremost, to make the book as useful as possible. Every drill is explained in detail, and, when feasible, is further clarified by line drawings or photographs. Thus, the book's mail value is as a reference to the specific problems of teaching skills.

Second, to present and include only drills that have been proven. This has automatically ruled out approximately one hundred drills on hand that are interestnig but not yet tested.

The present edition differs from the original text in four respects. First, it includes new drills and illustrations. Second, it contains an entirely new part on conditioning drills complete with photographs especially prepared for each drill. Third, it presents a complete new chapter on quarterback drills. To the author's knowlege, this is the first time a complete chapter on drills to train the quarterback has appeared in print. And, finally, it includes additional material and ideas to supplement the chapter on practice organization.

George Allen

Don Kirkendall is a doc that really has "been there and done that." This book provides super information, based on studies and years of experience from the youth to national team level on what comprises soccer fitness, how to improve it, and how to test for it. The section on injury prevention alone is worth the cover price. This is a great way for club and high school coaches, in particular, to get up to date with the latest in exercise physiology as it relates to soccer. It's a much more user friendly book than Jens Bangsbo's excellent, but way down in the physiological weeds, book.

Homer Smith is well known and respected as an offensive guru and innovative thinker. What he has given coaches with "The Complete Handbook of Clock Management," however, may be the single most important work he has ever written on the great game of football.

Coach Smith lays out his system of clock managment for coaches at all levels. Although he assumes that playcalling will be done from a press box, his methods are applicable to every level of the game, from youth football to the NFL.

Every facet of clock management, whether behind or ahead, is covered in detail. His systematic approach to the problem involves taking stock, choosing tools, and getting the difficult job of clock management done right.

Highest recommendation.

After class my crush always wanted to football but I was not good and never knew where to go. It has good tips to help you learn and great tips so you can know what your talking about,when he asks you about how to score a touchdown and so on...

The fine art of tail gating is familiar to everyone who has spent time in the parking lots around the stadium in Columbia. This fun take on what to have is just the right choice for the fan who wishes to eat as well as drink beer.

This book not only includes recipes submitted by Lou Holtz, Bob Fulton, Joe Pinner, Gov. Mark Sanford, and USC football greats (among them Jeff Grantz, George Rogers, Tommy Suggs, and Fred Zeigler), but also lots of actual USC tailgating photos. What separates THIS book from any other Carolina recipe collections are the generous helpings of Alex Hawkins' sarcasm and his irreverent humor. Appetizers, desserts, main dishes--they're all in here. The recipes were supplied not only by various luminaries and Alex' wife, Charlie, but also by the not-so-famous who make football tailgating at the University of South Carolina a time-honored tradition every fall, regardless (thankfully) of how well the team is performing on the field. Undoubtedly one of the best Gamecock books ever.

I really enjoy this book. it's a light read for when I'm tired or just looking to spend a few minutes relaxing. a must for any Cougar fan!!

I loved the book. I loved the price too! I will buy from this person again!

This is my all-time favorite sports book, and considering that I have read over a thousand of them, that is saying something. Hal McBain is a shy, retiring college student at a small college. His father is a deceased police officer and his uncle is one of the wealthiest men in his hometown. He grew up knowing his place in society and was demeaned by his cousin, Lance McCabe. The past year, most of the members of the football team were killed in a plane crash and the outlook for the coming season is bleak. Hal rooms with two members of the team and they see his hunger to be somebody.
Hal is walking with a group of students when an errant football passes their way and Hal reaches out and grabs it. On another occasion, a kid is trapped on the side of a building and Hal and his friends race to grab a ladder to rescue him. Hal gets there first by a significant margin and the kid is saved. When he turns to his friends, they are incredulous. One of the people he outran to the ladder is a track star who owns the conference record in the 220-yard dash.
Hal is convinced to try out for football and is an immediate success. His incredible speed, ability to maneuver and his ability to catch the ball one-handed make him a star. Unfortunately, cousin Lance is a star for a conference rival and his father is funding Hal's education. The uncle cuts off Hal's money, forcing him to quit the team to get a job. Fortunately, one of his roommates finds a legal way for him to incorporate and stay on the team.
The climax is the game against Lance's team, the conference powerhouse, and Hal plays the game of his life, sacking Lance several times and leading his team to victory. In the end, Hal gives away the most valuable player trophy, making a statement concerning what he considers important.
While the main theme is a rags-to-riches story against very long odds, there are many other undercurrents in the book. There is implicit racism, the value of friendship and dedication, why you should never, ever give up, the value of friendship, getting even with those who wronged you and a realistic sense of one's worth. Despite his stardom, Hal never loses sight of himself, remaining true to his ideals. This is a wonderful and uplifting book.