Football Books

Having been a detail artist decorating Tournament of Roses parade floats for 20 years, this is truly a magnificent "behind the scenes" look at what it takes to make the Rose Parade the greatest parade of all time! Seeing pictures and reading descriptions of people and floats that I spent many an hour with was a very pleasant stroll back in time!

Calvin Hill - The star halfback of the Dallas Cowboys is a big, strong, 1000-yard runner with a combination of speed and power. Coming out of the Ivy League, he took the NFL by storm as a rookie in 1969, then Hill conquered a series of nagging injuries to fulfill his early promise.

Floyd Little - Denver's all-pro halfback is an explosive runner who can break a game open at any time. A former record-breaker at Syracuse University, Floyd is not only a leader on the field but in his community as well.

Mercury Morris - They said Mercury was too small to play regularly, but he proved them wrong, becoming Mr. Outside in world champion Miami's devastating running attack. In 1973, he averaged more than 6 yards a carry, and that was better than anyone else in the entire NFL.

Ron Johnson - After breaking Tom Harmon's long-standing rushing records at Michigan, Ron was an instant success as a pro. A trade to the Giants really made him a star, a rugged 1000-yard runner who thrives on work and more work.

This is a book that I really loved. It is the kind of book someone should read if they are looking for a realistic heroine. It is about a girl named Claire Middleton, who wants to earn a place on the high school football team. This book is not only about a girl and the discrimination she faces when playing "male sports," it's about a girl trying to heal herself and win the respect of her peers and fellow teammates. It is a book I would definately recommend to all teens.

Beard uses a mixed chronology of his career, having played for a lot of different kinds of clubs in a number of countries, to tell the story of rugby at the nexus of the amateur and professional games. The benefits of professionalism are transparent; more entertaining televised games, higher atheletic standards, etc. But the weakening of the local club in the major rugby playing nations is the focus of the book. The value seen in rugby for building character, and of the clubs in building lasting community, carries over to American rugby quite strongly. Why the game attracts such different, remarkable individuals is summed up well in the passage,

"At the amateur level, rugby sets the players at odds
with society. Doing anything not for money is odd,
but we're doing something seriously and not for money,
with the risk of getting hurt, and not for money."

Beard does touch upon both the good and bad of the amateur game, discussing not just the constant innovation or the outlet it provides young adults, but also topics such as the excess drinking. Overall, "Muddied Oafs" is a nice, well-told story of rugby and why it is such a big deal to so many people.

My mom was born in working class Detroit, shortly after the period coved by this book. It literally made her cry. I will bring back lots of memories for natives and give a new generation a glimpse into what life was like for inner city dwellers during this important part of Detroit's history. This book fills a great void. So much of Michigan history is focused on the auto industry, the lakefront or the fashionable "Pointes". This book addresses the visual history of Detroit from the working class point of view. Great factories dominated the landscape. This book finds beauty and passion in the grit.Not only great for Detroit natives, any student of inner city history will enjoy this book. The photographs are beautifully produced and the narrative is well written. The authors' familiarity and great research shine through. This book is a "must" for anyone interested in urban studies, photography and history.

I bought this book for my four-year-old nephew and it is perfect for his age. The book goes through each position (quarterback, wide receiver, etc.) and what that position's function is, and has neat little facts in captions to complement each section. Great big pictures and easy reading for adults (not too long!) and will be perfect once a child can read on his/her own. The info provided is also not too technical...just gives a basic explanation of each position. Its pages are designed so it's like a "board" book with the heavier cardboard...it will withstand many many readings. If you're looking for an easy-to-read intro book to football and its positions, this is a great book. If you're looking for something more in-depth (like detailed rules, etc.), you might want to find something else.

Charlie George, Here is Charlie George.....

I must say that I truly enjoyed this book. Of course, I am a bit biased because Charlie George was my favorite Arsenal player even though I could only really read about him and the team from imported newspapers. I expected the book to be light-hearted and a bit whimsical and that is what I got. Charlie does talk about his faults but he does not dwell on them which to me was refreshing. Too many times I have read books by athletes and they dwell too much on defending themselves from the attacks of others. Charlie just tells his story and leaves it at that.

If you are a Charlie George fan or an Arsenal supoorter then I would suggest picking this one up because there are some amusing stories.

This book is amazing, has the insight into john terrys perpective, you find out WHAT really goes on before games ( a few pranks here and there, and the unfamilar claim for a fight )
You cannot pass this by, you have to get it

Amazing, id read it over and over

with superb pictures

Things have been pretty tough for the Nebraska Cornhuskers in recent years. In 2004 they suffered their first losing season in over 40 years, breaking the nation's longest streak in that area. But it would be hard to argue with anyone who claimed that Nebraska was the most dominant team of the 80's and 90's, compiling an eye-popping record of 211 wins against just 36 losses, averaging less than one loss per year in those two decades. Of course the man at the helm for all but the last two seasons of the 90's was the great Tom Osborne. Nebraska Football is of course the subject of this latest offering from Triumph Books and Athlon Sports in their Game Day series, dedicated to the greatest program in college football.

On thing that really makes Nebraska unique is that they don't have the benefit of professional sports or even another large university in their state to compete with. In Nebraska, the Cornhuskers are it and it is one of the great atmospheres in all of sports. The book follows the same formula as the rest in the series, beginning with a look at the Traditions and pageantry of NU football, including their famous red sea of fans, garbed in crimson, and the blackshirt defense as it has become known. I for one never knew the story and origin behind the blackshirt defense until I read this book.

Nebraska's great players reads like who's who of college football greats: Tommie Frazier, Turner Gill, Eric Crouch, Johnny Rodgers, Mike Rozier, Grant Wistrom, Will Shields, and many more. When it comes to coaches, two names stand out, and what a pair they are! Bob Devaney took over in 1962 after Nebraska had finished 3-6-1 the previous year. NU would not have another losing season for over 40 years! Devaney went 101-20-2 and winning 8 conference titles, and two national championships. He turned the team over to Tom Osborne who would do even better with a record of 255-49-3 and three national championships. From 1994-1997, Osborne's teams lost only two games.

Relive some of NU's greatest games including the 1971 "Game of the Century" showdown with rival Oklahoma, won by the Huskers 35 - 31, the 1995 Orange Bowl win over Miami, and the miraculous overtime win over Missouri in 1997 that preserved an unbeaten season. You'll thrill to many more great moments and rivalries in this thrilling look at Nebraska football.

As with all of Triumph's books it sparkles with fantastic black & white and color photography and is personalized by reflections from former players and coaches. Even if you're not a fan of NU, you can't help but respect them.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

Mike Trope was an agent for NFL players back when it truly was a game of who you know. His initial clients were simply based on college classmates who needed representation and Trope had the studies and - importantly - the smarts to pick up the ball and run with it.

He chronicles the days when agents were not licensed in an anything goes battle with team management and a lineup of personalities offering players almost anything to sign contracts.

In this hard-hitting book, Trope talks about how players got black-listed from the league due to a variety of issues and the sleaziness of one team owner to bring his daughter into contract negotiations that needed a little extra push to get completed.

Depending on who you believe, the NFL cracked down on agents due to renegades like Trope or he was ultimately a victim of a corrupt system that he used to benefit his clients.

No matter what you conclude, Necessary Roughness is a wild ride.