Football Books

If you have a son or daughter that's into football, this book is a neverending treat. Stats, NFL records, team info... my stepson never goes on a roadtrip or plane ride without the 2006 edition. Santa will be delivering the 2007 edition... why not? He's getting A's in math... so these stats must be helping!

This book is awesome. I keep it by my side during all NFL games and I am able to identify players - find out where they went to school and how long they have been in the league. It has lots of info, but not overwhelming. Judy - SD

As a British fan of NFL, I found this a treasure-trove of information, with informative items and guides, in addition to statistical data on teams and players, plus games schedules. For me and my wife this is a 'must have'

Every two years I buy the latest edition of the NFL Record and Fact Book so I purchased a copy and went through the 2007 edition rather thoroughly in anticipation of the upcoming season. It is an outstanding resource for statistics, facts, history, and team summaries for the avid NFL fan.

The best part of the book to me is the extensive coverage of NFL records and details of every Super Bowl and Super Bowl record you can imagine. I've won many a debate using this resource.

Another excellent part of the book is the details and mini-histories of every single NFL team with many of the most important team records recorded.

There is also a lot of information I refer to only when needed, like the scheduling formulas, abbreviated rules, and similar information that one may like to review on occasion.

Also useful is the detailed review of the previous season and all the stats both NFL wide and per team (in the team reviews). This could be a reason one would want to buy the book every year.

Overall the Record and Fact Book is well organized, it's easy to find what you want, and a great resource when you want to know where the third string quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles went to college, or who holds the record for most passing yards in a game. It's all here!

A reasonably recent copy is a must for serious NFL fans.

Very Informative,settles all arguments about NFL records,stats,etc...would definately recommend this book to all serious minded NFL fans,sportswriters,sportscasters,etc....very good NFL manual.

I bought a few copies as early Christmas gifts because I know my dad and brothers are big fans. After flipping through just the first few pages of photos and text, I knew I made the right choice. The author really covered his tracks. The photos are fantastic! There's no better time in the midwest than fall -- and this book seems to bring out the best of that season.

Touchdown! This book drives the length of the field to take the reader on a journey through small towns and big cities who live and die for football. The tradition of Ohio High School Football is second to none and Butler's brilliant narration mixed in with interviews from coaches, players, parents and fans captures what Friday night in the fall is all about - a social gathering of sorts where football is the main focus. Rothchild's photography allows the reader to experience every facet of Friday night football from the star quarterback to the mom selling programs to raise money for the band.

Across Many Fields is a must for anyone who loves high school football.

I hesitated to buy this book because I had read some negative things about it on some Ohio high school internet sites. Then I browsed a copy in a local bookstore and realized how foolish I was to wait. This is one of the finest books on high school football I've ever seen (and I own many).

Across Many Fields is about football with capital "F". Having read it now (which I suspect some critics have not), I realize the authors were looking for the whole picture and that people unhappy with it were upset because their team wasn't represented. Well, this book isn't about one team or another. It's about all the teams in Ohio that strap on the helmets each season and all the people who support these young men (and a few women).

The pictures are tremendous, glorious and the writing is smooth and creative. For any football fan, for anyone who has relished the crisp autumn air on a Friday night in a local football stadium, this book is a can't miss. You'll be transported!

This book took me back to my high school years. I was a 320 pound offensive lineman. The 4 years I played high school football were the best of my life. I can never get them back, but with this book I was able to bring back all my memories. Chris and Jen have provided ex-jocks like me something to hold on to. I reccomend this book to anyone who wants some way to recall those glory years of high schoo.
Giles Powell.

While Across Many Fields chronicles the 2001 Ohio high school football season, this book is to be enjoyed by all -- regardless of the reader's geographic location. Across Many Fields goes well beyond statistics and X's and O's to explore the very essence of high school football; whereas a Friday Night Lights exposes the darker side of a big-time high school program, AMF is a celebration of the sights, sounds, athletes, and communities that make autumn evenings special for so many. From big-time rivalries to small town tradition, this book explores high school football with a depth and passion that make it a captivating read.

Handsomely photographed and insightfully written, Across Many Fields is a timeless tribute to a uniquely American institution.

You won't read a more inspiring story, regardless of whether you have IBD or not. The amazing story of Rolf Benirschke, who fought back from IBD to succeed in both the NFL and his post-football endeavors, is a testament to the triumph of the human spirit. As a 14-year survivor of Crohn's disease myself, I can say without equivocation that I would not be here typing this now if not for the inspiration I got from this book. I came to believe that all things are possible if you have the determination and courage to face and overcome your challenges.

As an added bonus, the author showed his kindness and generosity by autographing and returning my copy, which stands as one of my most prized possessions.

In this inspirational story, the former placekicker for the San Diego Chargers tells of his own journey with IBD and subsequent surgery. His bravery and humanity come through crystal clear although its obvious Rolf is simply trying to help others via his experience and not blow his own horn. Nevertheless, no reader can help but admire the perserverance, both personal and professional, of this fine human being.

This book is a must for anyone dealing with either Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn's Disease. I put off buying this book because I have Crohn's disease, but I must tell you it was one of my biggest mistakes. If you, or someone you love, is dealing with IBD get this book. So many of Rolf's feelings and thoughts were the same thing I was thinking when I first had to deal with this disease. Rolf is an inspiration, he proves that you can live your life with these diseases and live it to the fullest.

As a young woman with an ostomy, I was very inspired by the personal account in this book. Rolf showed me that I could go on with my life and go back to a normal exercise pattern. The personal photographs that he shares helped me explain what happened to me to my children. I would recommend this book for anyone who is having a hard time coping with their ostomy. It turned my whole point of view around!

This book is an autobiographical account of a former NFL football player who battled IBD and has become a source of inspiration for many. I recommend this book for teens and young adults especially, because it shows that someone can have IBD and still accomplish whatever goals they set for themselves

This book ALL PRO RECIPES COOKBOOK was expertly edited and recipe tested by its authoring chef Leo P. Moscato Jr.. A must for fathers day gift. Stunning food shots and extraordinary flavor this book brings to the tailgate party.

The recipes were real easy to read and make. It was fun making things that my favorite plays make and like to eat. It's a must for any sports fan who likes to eat. Some great tailgate ideas too.

Being able to use some of the recipes from football legends and have them actually taste great was awesome. It is a great gift for the football fan in your life.

This is really an excellent cookbook. I bought it to surprise my husband and our friends for our football parties. What a hit these recipes are! Dale Hellestrae's Zucchini Cream Cheese Pancakes are always on our Sunday Brunch menu now, and Maria's Parfait Cake from James Parrish is wonderful! Jay Leno mentioned this book on his show a couple of years ago, and I thought it sounded like a neat Father's Day gift, so I bought one for my dad and one for myself. The recipes are really delicious and it's a great gift for any football fan.

This book is filled with great recipes from my favorite football players. And what's even better, is that you get to find out why they eat what they do before games, or on Thanksgiving. These football players are passionate about their favorite dishes of all times. Great book!

If you are a fan of football you know, at the very least, the name Paul "Bear" Bryant one of the legends of the game, either professional or college. It is no secret he loved winning and was a tough coach. This book reveals it all from how, including how he made champions and winning football teams. A revealing book on college football and more importantly Bear himself. If you have any interest in football you owe it to yourself to pick this book up and read it no matter what team you root for. Extremely well done.

This is not a biography of Paul ("Bear") Bryant. Rather, Don Keith provides a profile of the legendary football coach, primarily based on Al Browning Jr.'s screenplay. Keith does not provide his material in chronological order and I think this strategy serves him well as he succeeds brilliantly when offering his response to a question many people ask: "With all due respect to Coach Bryant's numerous accomplishments throughout his coaching career, what was he really like as a person?" We learn that he loved with great passion the game of football, that he hated to lose games and hated doing so with insufficient effort even more, that he was intensely loyal to his family members and friends, that he was an astute judge of talent and an even more astute just of character, that he had an especially versatile personality (e.g. he could charm or intimidate on a moment's notice, depending on what the given situation required), and that almost all of those who coached with him and played for him loved him despite his various human flaws, not because of any success and glory they may have shared with him.

I was eager to read Keith's account in Chapter Six of the first off-campus training session Coach Bryant conducted for his Texas A&M team in Junction, Texas, prior to the 1954 season. There were more than 100 players on the original roster but fewer than that participated in the camp and only about 35 lasted all ten days of intense practice in summer heat that frequently exceeded 100º. So what did I learn about Coach Bryant in this chapter? Not much, really. Certainly nothing that had not been revealed in earlier chapters covering his previous positions at Kentucky and then at Maryland. Coach Bryant was apparently convinced that severe hardship did not develop character, it revealed it. At the Junction camp, he created conditions in which quitters would reveal themselves...and they did. It is worth noting that the team went on to lose nine of its ten games that season but its only victory was against then ranked #1 Georgia and all but one of the losses were by six or fewer points. When asked, Coach Bryant said that - if forced to make a choice -- the 1954 team was his favorite.

Note: Jim Dent has written an outstanding book, The Junction Boys, that examines the ten-day camp in detail.

Statistically, Coach Bryant's legacy includes a record of 323-232, six national championships, and selection as National Coach of the Year in 1961, 1971, and 1973. That is admirable. Two other legendary coaches spoke for their entire profession after Coach Bryant's death in 1983 at age 69. Nebraska's Bob Devaney said, "He was simply the best there ever was." Penn State's Joe Paterno observed, "Even his peers in the coaching business felt in awe of him. He had such great charisma. He was just a giant figure." That said, Don Keith adds that Coach Bryant was also "a man of great commitment and class, and a gifted motivator of men." I am grateful to him for helping me to appreciate the man as well as the legacy he left behind.

If you are an Alabama fan you will love this book. It is a quick read and very interesting.

Paul "Bear" Bryant begins with Bryant's death and then flashes back to his early life growing up as a poor farm boy in Arkansas. We are presented with stories that establish Bryant's toughness, his willingness to work hard and his drive to become a winner, including the story of how he earned the nickname "Bear".

The book confirms that Bryant was a manipulative SOB who loved his Chesterfield cigarettes and whiskey, but above all loved winning. It presents him as a man who would accept nothing but the best from his players and himself. He was hard when he had to be but taught that hard work was that which made champions. The book doesn't shy away from the more controversial aspects of his coaching career, such as his tenure at Texas A&M where in his first year he drove away all of the players he considered slackers.



Fans will enjoy the book's take on college football as it evolved throughout Bryant's career, particularly the section on Texas A&M's NCAA probation for paying players. Bryant's complaint was that everyone else was doing the same, but only the Aggies were being persecuted for it. The book portrays the 'Bear' as a humble man, denying his greatness even when he surpassed Pop Warner and Amos Alonzo Stagg in all-time wins. Some of the stories about Bryant's antics will have you laughing out loud.



The only negative aspect of the book is the confusion that results when it jumps from one point in Bryant's life to the next without warning. Since it's written in a story-like style instead of a documentary format like most biographies, it's a very enjoyable read. It's understandable why the legend of Bear Bryant is very much alive and continues to grow because by the end of the book, you can't help but admire Bryant and feel much closer to him as a person.

Award-wining newswriter Don Keith presents The Bear: The Legendary Life of Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, a most unusual biography of charismatic football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. The Bear is based upon a screenplay by Al Browning, Jr. and reads like a fluid novel, yet firmly grounded in actual events and corrects common inaccuracies or misperceptions held about Paul Bryant to this day. A handful of black-and-white photographic plates illustrate this true tale of the vivacious man who turned around a struggling football program in Alabama, led the record in career victories for a college football coach, with 323 major-college wins and had the loyalty and steadfast determination to resist a $1.7 million offer to coach for the Miami Dolphins. Enthusiastically recommended reading especially for football fans.

I purchased this book as a Christmas gift for my father, a die-hard Raider fan. He really enjoyed the stories and pictures in the book--it brought some levity to a disaster of a season. As one currently studying English literature, I enjoyed the references to Milton and also the philosophical discussions of the Raider fans.

For a fascinating look at Raiders fans, Oakland, imagined community, women in black, read this book. It's all here: history, sociology, heartbreak, and hedonism. An immediately engaging book, full of hope, humor, community, and gritty sports stories. I couldn't put it down.

For football fans and non-fans alike, this book is part sports writing and part social commentary. The book is funny, smart, well written and insightful. The authors' love of the subject is apparent and the photography is amazing. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves, or hates, the Raiders.

Although I did attend a Raider-Chargers game 7 years ago,
I'm not a football fan. In fact I think the best time to go the hardware store is during the Super Bowl. That said, I love good books and great writing. Miller and Mayhew deliver that. From first page to last, this is a great read and cultural commentary.

Spencer in San Diego

Whether you loathe or love the Raiders, you'll enjoy and learn from Miller and Mayhew's insightful book about the Raiders fan empire. Although the writers are decidedly and unabashedly Raiders fans themselves, they paint an incredibly well-rounded picture of Raiders fans. They interviewed hundreds of people from all walks of life and all socioeconomic strata, in all kinds of places -- training camps, pubs, sports bars, tailgate parties, the games themselves in Oakland, Los Angeles, and San Diego -- to garner the diverse opinions of the Raiders. We learn that the fan base is amazingly ubiquitous, with fans from the U.S. to Poland, Costa Rica, and South Africa. I especially admire the way the writers juxtapose diametrically opposing views of the Raiders. For instance, in the "Raiders Rage" chapter, Michele Clark, director of a nonprofit organization in Oakland, describes how she hates the Raiders and what they represent to the youth she tries to help. However, on the next page we read how one of her coworkers, Mark Henderson, a family man, loves the Raiders. Ultimtely, though, this book is not about sports; it's about people. Miller and Mayhew's deep concern for the working-class people comes out in the chapter that describes the city of Oakland and its changing demographics over the decades. There is a wonderful chapter about the women fans: "Real Women Wear Black." There are many interesting tidbits. (Did you know that the rugged eye-patched man in the Raiders logo was modeled after Western actor Randolph Scott?) Miller's "ten ways to avoid being pummeled by an angry Raiders fan" in the "Just Lose, Baby" chapter is hilarious. The most important thing that I gained from the book, even though I am not much of a sports fan, is a tremendous respect for fans of any team that form an "imagined community" that somehow brings meaning -- and even love -- into sometimes otherwise bleak lives. I have added this book to my short sports bookshelf, which includes Will's "Men at Work," Halberstam's "The Breaks of the Game," and Cosell's "I Never Played the Game." Just read, baby!

My order was easy to make and was shipped to me very quickly and in perfect condition. I was very satisfied. Thank You!

Excellent book - easy reading as it chronicles his "miracle in Manhattan." A must reading for every Wildcat fan and great material for young and/or aspiring coaches to see "that it can be done!"

Our experience was great, no problems, book came in timely manner, and the book itself was in great condition and was great reading material.

i'm always in perspective of a successful coach.this book provides great insight into what made bill snyder the positive influence that he was.

What Bill Snyder did at Kansas State is easily, the greatest coaching job, in any sport, at any time, EVER......

Beyond belief is the only way I can even start to describe how BAD Kansas State football was before Snyder took over.

Bill Snyder is maybe the greatest coach of all-time, in any sport. This book should be required reading for ALL business leaders and employees in America. Follow Snyder's steps to success, and apply them to your own life, and you CANNOT fail. Total comittment, goal setting, respect, loyalty, persistence, serious organization, and believing in others, are key components to Snyder's winning formula. The man worked 100 hour weeks, 12 months a year to make this miracle a reality. It's amazing, and it's true......

I had the privilege of meeting Tom Landry a few times and found him to be the most gracious person you could ever hope to know. These memories really took me back in time. The world is a poorer place without him

It's nice to know what outsiders thought of Landry, but it's nicest to hear from insiders who knew the man. This book fills that need. It's classy, readable, beautifully organized and highly affordable and should be on every Cowboy (or Cowboy hater's) bookshelf.

I bought this book for three compelling reasons. First, I am a long-time Dallas Cowboys fan. Secondly, I always admired and looked up to Tom Landry as a leader and a devoted Christian gentleman. Lastly, I love to collect and use quotes. I loved reading this book for one simple reason - it exceeded all expectations for all my reasons for buying it.

I cried the day Tom Landry died, and again the day after his death when I read articles and listened to television stories about the life and times of Tom Landry. This simple, little book brought back many of those same emotions. This book is not one author's lofty opinions about a man. It is a collection of quotes, stories, and vignettes from scores of people from all walks of life who are united in their deep love and respect for a man among men, a man of unquestioned character and integrity.

You do not have to be a Dallas Cowboys fan, nor know a thing about Tom Landry, nor do you need to collect quotes to enjoy and be motivated by this book. If you are inspired by reading true accounts of moral, spiritual, and successful leaders, then this book will exceed all your expectations, too.

Jennifer Briggs' "The Book of Landry" is an excellent tribute to the late Cowboy's coach, Tom Landry. I grew up in Wisconsin, where Landry and the Cowboys were "the enemy." This book gave me a whole new view of a man who is revered in Texas. He was a compassionate, principled, fun-loving and God-led man, a true hero. I keep re-reading chapter after chapter for inspiration! It's a great birthday or Father's Day gift!

Famed football coach Tom Landry passed away in February 2000, leaving behind a life of accomplishment rarely equaled and never surpassed. Former Dallas Cowboys players, assistant coaches, and others close to Landry contributed to The Book Of Landry by offering fresh testimonials and remembrances of the man. Landry quotes are culled from materials published over the decades of Landry's professional and personal life. Here presented are tributes to his childhood, family, coaching philosophy, Christian faith, motivational tactics, and the Landry "Look". The Book Of Landry is "must" reading for all Landry fans.

Mike Gottfried grew up with a overriding dream in his life--to coach college football. And that is just what he did, and very successfully, until he was unexpectedly fired. Toward the end of a stint as a college football analyst at ESPN, he discovered an even greater thing than a passion--a purpose. Gottfried started and continues to head an organization that seeks to fill the hole in a boy's spirit that is left when he has no father to fill that hole. Gottfried knows that hole well, it is one he has himself. His father died of a heart attack when he was 11. A number of coaches, a brother and other men help fill that void in his own life, but he knows many boys are not that fortunate. Gottfried makes it plain that he knows what he does is a ministry and the purpose that God put on his life and not something he merely stumbled onto by himself. This is an excellent testament to how God can use a person's hurt to bless someone else, and they both win.

This book made me laugh and cry and brought a deeper understanding of all the emotions of growing up without a Dad. I'm so thankful for Mike Gottfried and the work of Team Focus! Go Coach!

This book takes you to small town USA into a boy's life who has suddenly lost his father. It shows an overcoming spirit and the ability to reach through his own pain to touch other's lives. I think Mike Gottfried can reach young men world wide with his Father's heart.

The coach tells a very inspiring story and informs us with some very good stats on the power of fathers. This is an excellent read for any father - football fan or not.

Mike Gottfriend speaks from his heart in this inspiring book. I intend to buy more books to share with school personnel and church ministers so they can have insight on what my sons go through on a daily basis. Anyone who wants to learn more on fatherless boys and the struggles they have must read this book. It encourages and motivates me as a mother and I'm grateful that Mike truly understands and cares. My sons love Mike and wish they could find more men like him. They now have a book that they will treasure for a lifetime!

The 4-2-5 defense is gaining the popularity, and this book is a perfect manual for it. I learn something new every time I pick it up. Coach Walker has put out a winner with this one.

Jeff has done an outstanding job of explaining the concepts and processes of the forty nickle defense. The drills are helpful to any level coach. He simplies the stance and alignment for down linemen.If your a DB coach his numbering system and rotation concepts will be of interest. Coach Walker's linebacker drills will improve reaction and the level of play of your backers. The book is informative with regard to any offensive scheme, as well as, adjustment that can be made. You'll find the forty nickle a balanced defense that can be easily taught to your players.

Coaching Football's 40 Nickel Defense is the most comprehensive book ever written on the split defense. The author goes into great detail and illustrations on fronts, alignments, stunts, and positional needs and responsibilities. Coach Walker goes into depth explaining secondary alignments and responsibilities and how they fit into the front and coverage called. The book is a must for all coaches who work on the defensive side of the ball.

The book, Coaching Football's 40 Nickel Defense, is a terrific tool for coaches at all competitive levels. From a defensive coordinator's point of view, the 40 Nickel Defense offers the flexibility and simplicity to address every strategic need. Furthermore, if you coach offense, this book will give you invaluable insight into this extraordinarily effective defensive scheme.

The 40 Nickel Defense is simple yet the combinations of calls seem endless. Even if you do not adopt the 40 Nickel philosophy, the book is worth its weight in gold just for the terminology. I can not imagine calling a defense any other way. Coaching Football's 40 Nickel Defense has it all. The best of odd and even fronts, stunts, blitzes, position techniques and criteria for personnel. This book will set the pace for defenses in the 21st. century.

Rick Allison Assistant Football Coach Bishop O'Connell High School Arlington, VA

Coaching Football's 40 Nickle Defense, by Jeff Walker, is the most extensive and complete guide to coordinating a defense to stop all offensive attacks. The 40 Nickle Defense employs an eight man front while at the same time covering all eight passing zones. Coach Walker, position by position, covers stance, alingnment, and keys. Coach Walker gives the reader a lot of imformation and explains how to teach it to even the youngest of players. His detailed chapter covering linebacker play in the split defense is by far the best ever written. The 40 Nickle defense, in one way or another, is being used by every football team at all levels. Coach Walker takes a defensive scheme, that is balanced, weak side and strong side, can put 8 men in the box to stop the run or show 8 men in the box to force the pass and have all 8 passing zones covered, and gives coaching points and strategies for all 11 men on the field. This book is a must for all head and defensive coaches.