Football Books

This is the true story of a once proud Football club going from the semi finals of the European Champions League, to the verge of bankruptcy and relegation in four short years.

If you are a fan of Leeds United as I am, reading this tale of mismanagement and foolhardy actions is like sticking red hot pins into your eyeballs. At the same time it is facinating to see how a few stupid people could nearly eradicate a soccer club that has been in existence for around a century.

If you are a football supporter but not a Leeds fan it is the ultimate illustration of how not to run a football club. Even if you hate soccer it is a great case study of business miss management, with all the classic elements such as poor financial controls, ego before thought and poor people management.

As a fan I can only thank Trevor Birch and despise David O'Leary and Peter Risdale. The sins were no doubt unintentional but they were negligent and if you have the stewardship of anything as important as a Football Club negligence is inexcusable.

Not only does this capture a time (1945-70) when the CFL was great but it really shows how truly a special part of Canadian sports culture the CFL once was. Sure, the CFL has never gone away but in the days before cable TV and the NFL being beamed into every Canadian home, the CFL was all we had. Although I only experienced the period after this, it reminded me so much of stories my father used to tell of the greats--Jackie Parker, Normie Kwong, Sam Etcheverry, etc. It made the CFL's rich history really come alive and wish I could have been alive to see it all in its glory.

In the early 1980s, I met a running back from the Cincinnati Bengals who spoke about his coach, Dr. Homer Rice, in such glowing terms that I resolved to meet the man or read anything he wrote at the first opportunity.

When I found that Lessons for Leaders had been published, I purchased the book, read it in three evenings, then read it again in order to highlight all the powerful concepts that are contained in this manuscript. I became even more interested in how I could use Dr. Rice's Total Person Concept and apply it to my own life and to our family at home.

I then initiated contact with two individuals who could put me in contact with Dr. Rice. I was able to get in the car with my daughter, drive the ten hours from Richmond to Atlanta, and meet with Dr. Rice. Dr. Rice taught a private session for the two of us where he explained in detail the techniques of his Total Person Concept and how this has become the Total Person Program that has been used with sustained success with student athletes at Ga Tech and now at other universities through the NCAA Champions program. We were also allowed to attend Dr. Rice's Leadership Fitness class.

The man is the real McCoy. He is a class act; and his superb track record at Ga Tech has to rank him as one of the finest athletics administrators in the history of intercollegiate athletics.

Do yourself a favor - buy the book; learn the concepts; put them into practice in your own life first. Then teach these concepts to others. Then come back to Amazon.com and purchase two or three copies of this book for your friends or family members. The book will make an impact for excellence in the lives of all who read it.

Even if you're not a Mormon, you will surely appreciate this talk given by Troy Dunn, a former BYU football player. He's funny, and he knows how to draw parallels between his football experiences and what we're all doing here on this earth. My husband and I have five sons, ranging in age from 20 down to 5, and they all ask to listen this talk often. It helps them focus on making right choices and makes them laugh, too.

This book was a requirement when our son joined the soccer team. I was irritated but read it anyway just to prove to my son that parents are team players too. Interestingly, it is one of those books that I was glad I read. Few books change your thinking, but this is one of them. Reading it reminds you of what is important in Children's sports and I can assure you it isn't the score. Nearly 6 years later we are still using the book as our guideline of how to behave on the sidelines and in the car on the way home. If you coach, or have kids playing organized sports, you should buy a copy, read it and in a year or two read it again...then make all your team members parents read it too. Your kids will thank you.

I loved this book. Not only does Rick Telander reprint his journal from his training camp with the Kansas City Chiefs, he also includes his current perspective on it. This is a very introspective and personal book, yet it also serves as just a great read.
On the reflective side, Telander intersperses his current life with the life that the journal contained. Telander balances his love of sports with the love of his family, particularly his athletic son.
On the simpler level, it is a great look at life for a rookie in a pro football training camp thirty years ago. Telander's experiences with some great football players and just some good names from the past really brought back some great memories for me of a simpler time in sports and life.
Either way, this book works on all levels.

I think this is a wonderful book! Something I wish he would have included was: after a Colt game in Baltimore we were at Jimmy Wu's waiting for a table when Eddie said to me "I thought I told you to take a blanket to the game." I said "Oh dear! I did. I took your All Star Blanket. I must have left it in the ladies' room at the stadium." Eddie gave me a look I won't forget. We left the restaurant and went back to the stadium; had to find someone to unlock it; went to the ladies' room but the blanket wasn't there. We drove home in silence. Later that night Eddie said "Why would you take a trophy to the game to cover up with?" I said "I didn't know it was a trophy and it was the only blanket we had that went with what I was wearing." When I got in bed that night Eddie said "I will never love you the same again!" I said "I will get your blanket back." Eddie said "You won't get it back; now it's someone else's trophy." I said "I will get it back if I have to weave you a new one." The next morning I called Steve Rosenbloom's secretary and told her what had happened. When I told her what he had said about never loving me the same again I started crying. Later that day the blanket was delivered to our front door. I heard Eddie telling Bart about it, finishing by saying "and that is when I knew your Mother was magic." If I was magic I would still be married to him! Marcia White Houston, Texas

Reviewed by David Olvera for Reader Views (5/07)

If ever there was a Bible of quotes on the subject of The University of Texas Longhorn's football, "Longhorn Madness" is it. You'll be hard pressed to acquire a more comprehensive group of quotations on UT football as Wilton Sharpe has managed to corral. Sharpe does a good job of avoiding a shotgun approach by arranging his cornucopia of quotes into relevant chapters and themes. Sharpe includes some ancient, old, and new school. From the 1890s (I'm not kidding...) to Darrell Royal on up to Vince Young, Sharpe leaves no stone unturned. He even reaches across the aisles to sworn enemies to get their take on the Burnt Orange phenomenon.

Sharpe could have left it at that and would have pieced together a decent sports book, but he takes it one step further. In between all the pigskin talk he includes short narratives of key historical and legendary events. So in case you're overwhelmed by the Longhorn quotes stampede you can rest your eyes on a quick story here and there. Sharpe also includes nifty rosters of all the UT Championship teams at the end of the book.

"Longhorn Madness" also includes some pictures along the way. Most of the portraits are pretty good for black and white paperback copy, but others leave something to be desired. All in all, the only downside of the book is couple of grainy pictures here and there. The cover is appropriately burnt orange with a great shot of Vince Young running through a pack of Mizzou Tigers.

Now I'd say that this book could be destined to any fan's Lavatory Readers Club, but it has more practical applications. "Longhorn Madness" presents the reader with a great tool for research. Any kid writing about the Longhorns for a school paper or a sports writer looking for some good copy can use the book to their advantage. Sharpe has done a lot of work and people can take advantage of his research. To sum it up, it's a great archive of all things Longhorns from the guys who walked the walked.

An absolutely terrific book, one of the best sports books I have ever read. The author takes the reader through the Pittsburgh Steelers' 1988 season. Although the team disappoints, the book certainly does not. Toperoff penetrates through superficial sports cliches to let the reader know the thoughts and feelings of Chuck Knoll, Mike Webster, etc... Absolutely a must for any sports fan.

Great book and a must have for any fan of Louisville Athletics and fans of NCAA football. Gives great insight in the difficulties the program has gone through and the amazing strides it makes yearly.