Football Books

I seldom read sports biographies, but nonetheless found this book hard to put down once I started on it. Beckam provides a refreshingly honest and eye-opening account of life in the dressing room and beyond. The book takes the reader on a comprehensive narrative from his childhood years to his rise to international stardom that has few dull moments. Particularly commendable, in my opinion, is the book's effort to provide a fair assessment of all the major characters in Beckham's life, especially his manager and mentor for many years, Sir Alex Ferguson.

Beckam's life beyond the football pitch also lends an extra dimension to his account that is usually absent in the traditional footballer's autobiography. His sometimes tragic, sometimes uplifting accounts of his convoluted relationship with the media, the wider British public and of course, his well-publicised courtship with Victoria are tremendously absorbing. In this sense, the book offers the reader much more than just a catalogue of golden goals and match performances.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I believe it will captivate football fans and non-football fans alike. Highly recommended!

Frank Taylor OBE was a journalist who had travelled with the team to Belgrade for the European Cup Quarter Final 2nd leg. After refuelling in Munich, the plane aborted two attempts at takeoff. On the third attempt, it crashed at the end of the runway. Twenty One people died, among them eight members of the United team. Frank Taylor's book tells more than the story of a football tragedy. It is a tale of courage and warm humanity that reached far beyond the world of football. The book is riveting. It makes essential reading for United fans and for all followers of the world's most popular sport. Its eye-witness account and historic pictures make it a book that I review every year on the anniversary of the crash. The names of Taylor, Byrne, Pegg, Bent, Edwards, Whelan, Jones and Coleman will never be forgotten. But for me (born five years after the crash) Frank Taylor makes them into real people, not just names we have learned to mourn.

Big Ben: 27-4 as a starter (2004-2005 seasons)---only losses (3 of which were injury-related): Patriots, 2004 AFC Championship game (if Plax holds on to sure TD pass, we are only down 7 with about 7+ minutes to go in that game; Ben did some good things and was battling thumb and toe injuries) and also in 2005 (if Randle El doesn't get `cute' and lateral that pass to Ward, we probably win; again, Ben did some good things), as well as the Bengals in 2005 (Ben has beaten Carson Palmer's Bengals 3 times: twice in 2004 and big-time in the AFC Wild-Card game in 2005; Ben had 3 TD passes in this lone defeat and was battling a thumb injury) and Indy in 2005 (as we know, he got revenge in the AFC Divisional Playoff game; Ben threw a TD pass to Ward in this Monday night defeat and was coming off an injury-induced layoff).

Ben's FIRST NFL game: 2004 Pre-season at Ford Field vs. the Lions...last game of 2005 season: 2/5/06 at FORD FIELD, SUPER BOWL XL VICTORY!!!


So Ben didn't play a superb game in Super Bowl XL and there was some controversy...

--Super Bowl IX, 1/12/75: Steelers win 16-6 over the Vikings---Future Hall-of-Famer Terry Bradshaw is only 9 for 14 for 96 yards...BEN WAS 9 FOR 21 FOR 123 YARDS...Bradshaw threw a lone TD...BEN RAN FOR A LONE TD... Future Hall-of-Famer Fran Tarkenton's numbers were putrid: 11 for 26 for 102 yards, 3 interceptions, NO TD's! We were only winning 2-0 going into the third quarter (on a safety); a boring game. The Steelers wore their white shirts and Terry had a beard (the other 3 Super Bowls: black-and-gold shirts, Terry clean shaven)...WE WORE OUR WHITE SHIRTS IN XL AND BEN HAD A BEARD...the game turned on a VERY controversial "fumble-that-wasn't" by the Steelers Larry Brown: the Steelers left the field dejected, the Vikings were in prime territory...then the officials ruled Brown was down before the ball came loose (no way!!!!!)...and the rest is history;

--Super Bowl X, 1/18/76: Steelers win 21-17 over the Cowboys---Future Hall-of-Famer Roger Staubach almost pulled out another miracle comeback...Swann's great falling-to-the-ground acrobatic catch led to no points (!);

--Super Bowl XIII, 1/21/79: Steelers win 35-31 over the Cowboys---the Cowboys' Jackie Smith drops a SURE TD pass that would have tied the game AND our go-ahead TD was aided by a very controversial tripping penalty that cost Dallas 33 yards: Lynn Swann fell over Benny Barnes's ankles and, as Bradshaw has admitted, it shouldn't have been a flag...we were ahead 35-17 at one point...Staubach almost brought them back (35-31);

--GAME BEFORE SUPERBOWL XIV: AFC Championship game vs. the Oilers, 1/6/80: Steelers win 27-13---late in the third quarter, officials ruled that Oilers receiver Mike Renfro did not have possession of what appeared to be a game-tying TD (WRONG!!!! He was in bounds; bad, bad call)...and the rest is history...

---Super Bowl XIV, 1/20/80: Steelers win 31-19 over the Rams---Bradshaw threw 3 INTERCEPTIONS and we were losing for most of the game...until Lambert saved our butts by intercepting QB Vince Ferragamo's pass...and the rest is history
(Steelers in the 1970's: regular season---99-44-1; playoffs: 14-4)

NON-STEELER SUPER BOWL "LUCK"---
Super Bowl XXV, 1/27/91: Giants defeat Bills BECAUSE SCOTT NORWOOD BARELY MISSES A RELATIVELY EASY FIELD GOAL, one of the biggest blown plays ever!;
All 3 of the Patriots victories were by exactly 3 points...and the Eagles really blew it with poor clock management (sound familiar?)!;
Super Bowl XXXIV, 1/30/00: Rams defeat Titans, 23-16--- The Rams' Mike Jones tackled Kevin Dyson at the 1-yard line as time expired. Dyson would have tied the game; Super Bowl V, 1/17/71: Colts beat Cowboys, 16-13, via a field goal... Dallas' Chuck Howley, who picked off two passes, became the first defensive player and the first player from a losing team to be named MVP.



The Steelers have been in the Super Bowl in the 1970's. 1980's, 1990's, and in the new millennium (2000's)---
IX (1975), X (1976), XIII (1979), XIV (played in 1980), XXX (played in 1996), XL (2006)

Big Ben---ONLY QB to ever go to Championship game his first two years; youngest to win the Super Bowl (Steelers: first 6th seed to go/ win; only team to beat #1, #2, and #3 seeds on the road and win; three-way tie for most Super Bowl victories: 5, along with Dallas and San Francisco; tied for second with most Super Bowl appearances: 6, along with Denver [who have `only' won 2])...comparison to other Hall-of-Fame and/or outstanding QBs---
Jim Kelly: 0 for 4; never won a Super Bowl;
Fran Tarkenton: 0 for 4; never won a Super Bowl;
Dan Marino: 0 for 1; never won a Super Bowl;
Kenny Anderson: 0 for 1; never won a Super Bowl
Len Dawson: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Johnny Unitas: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Joe Theismann: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Brett Favre: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Kurt Warner: won one Super Bowl (and lost one, as well);
Ken Stabler: won one Super Bowl
Joe Namath: won one Super Bowl;
Phil Simms: won one Super Bowl;
Steve Young: won one Super Bowl;
Also: John Elway: after FIFTEEN YEARS IN THE LEAGUE, won two...after losing 3 very badly!

BEST run in sports history (as confirmed by a Congressional resolution!): won 8 in a row---
Bears (who had an 8-game winning streak), Vikings on the road (who had a 6 game winning streak...and Cowher NEVER won in a dome stadium before!), Browns on the road, and Detroit on 1/1/06 (where, unbeknownst to us at the time, we were headed for 2/5/06!); Bengals on the road (#3 seed, previously beat us), Colts on the road (#1 seed, league's best record, heavily favored, dome stadium, previously beat us; the Fumble, the Tackle, and the Miss), Broncos on the road (#2 seed, favored, 10-0 at home)...and the #1 NFC seeded Seahawks "on the road" in another dome, Detroit's Ford Field (where Big Ben started his NFL career vs. the Lions in the 2004 pre-season!!!)

YOU HAVE TO GET THE TWO-DVD SET "STEELERS: THE COMPLETE HISTORY" (2005; NFL Films), 1933-2004 (too bad they didn't wait a year haha!)---the main feature is 2 hours and 20 minutes long and covers 1933 up to and including Beg Ben's 2004 season; incredible. All the `lean years' (1930's-1960's; 1980's) are covered, NOT just the "glory seasons"---Kordell, Brister, Malone, Stoudt, Hanratty, etc. etc. etc. The bonus feautures are awesome, ESPECIALLY the 45-minute Jerome Bettis special-VERY IRONIC!! You will see Tommy Maddox with the Bus when they were both Rams in 1995...excellent miked-on-the-field comments, often funny, by Bus, Ward, and Cowher...Jan. 2005 AFC lowlights, Hines Ward crying, Jerome's reaction, and the tantalizing hint that Super Bowl XL wil be played in Jerome's hometown of Detroit...which makes what they did in 2005/2006 VERY story book! Also: the Bill Cowher, Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier, Myron Cope, Dick Hoak, and Bill Saul segments/ specials are very entertaining, as is the Super Bowl XIII feature..get this...as well as the SUPER BOWL XL DVD---2005 season highlights included, as well as the 2006 playoffs!

the book was coo

Personally, the more technical a book is, the more I like it. This is especially true in this installment of Tubby Raymond's series. Although many coaches will not use the playnames or the language of Delaware, it is good to see the package's internal logic explained fully. This is a great introduction into the triple-option offense and a flank-attacking philosophy can make any defensive coordinator have an instant panic attack. It complements the rest of the series and is a must-read if you want to truly utilize the wing-T.

As an alumni of the University of Georgia with a BA in English, if there is one thing I know how to do, its how to read. And I have to say that I enjoyed reading this work of genius better than just about anything I have picked up in my entire life. Mark Schlabach is the modern day Shakespeare of sports writing. He combines Edgar Allen Poe's sense of mystery with Mark Twain's unique perspective, and then ties it all together with John Steinbeck's multiple levels of depth and message. In today's world of over-the-top reality entertainment, Mr. Schlabach's keen eye brings us back to the greatest reality entertainment ever invented - football.
I also have a long history of reading magazines where the focus is the photography. This endeavor has always been less academic and more individual (so to speak). Regardless, as someone who appreciates photography, this book has great pictures.
Finally, my favorite chapter was the one that focused on Tubby. Tubby clearly represents a combination Old Yeller's and Hairy the Dawg's best attributes. When he takes the field during the Kentucky game to inspire the Dawg Nation, I almost cried. Mark Schlabach is a great writer, the AJC is a great newspaper, Tubby is a great dog, and Tattletales is a great establishment.

This book was very complete. It went from basics to advanced information. The 25 plays at the end were very interesting!! I would recommend this book to young and old coaches!!!

I am a young coach, who doesn't have much experience with the offensive line. I bought this book hoping to gain some insight into pass pro. This book did just that and much more.

As good as it gets. This is of the highest quality. It should be noted that this book is a continuation of his other book titled "Developing Youth Football Players." "Developing Game Intelligence in Soccer" is Level 5 (ages 15 and up) of Horst Weins' "Football Development Model"

Phenomenal. One of the best soccer books I have ever purchased. Detailed, well argued, well presented... the works. Horst Wein is on another level.