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An entertaining fusion of fact, legend, and lore, Notre Dame football has transcended the boundaries of the sport and the university to become a time-honored American tradition. For its legions of devoted fans and alumni, Talking Irish vividly captures it all: the exhilarating wins, the stunning defeats, the tumultuous coaching changes, and the celebrated mystique that surrounds this beloved football dynasty.

With never-before-told anecdotes, this candid and revealing oral history -- the first ever written on Fighting Irish football -- is told in the words of more than 150 Notre Dame players, coaches, leading sports journalists, and school faculty. This rousing narrative begins in the 1940s, a decade after the death of the fabled Knute Rockne, and concludes five decades later, with the formidable exploits of Notre Dame football at the end of the twentieth century.

Customer Reviews (13)

Great Book!
I played at ND in the early 90's as a walk on so I know a bit about the ins and outs of ND football.This book added enormously to my knowledge.It was honest and apparently unfiltered.Huge credit to the author for eliciting and assembling such frank and insightful comment from a range of ND players through the years.Seeing ND football "warts and all" has made me even more passionate about the team.I strongly recommend this book to any college football fan, and it is essential for any ND supporter.Go Irish!

Talking Irish
This was a wel written book.This is Notre Dame football at its best.What a read, From the 40's to the 90's told by the people that lived and were Notre Dame football.GREAT JOB!!!!

The true story of Notre Dame football team
TALKING IRISH is one of my favorite book cause M.Delsohn write the story in six part,one for every decade from the 40's to the 90's.It's more easy to read cause you don't jump from things happen in 1965 to go in 1996 the next paragraph and come back in 1953 after,and it's more easy to consult when you need quick informations.In this book you gonna read both sides of the story the good and the bad,I like that cause too much books talk only about the good side of Notre Dame football story,in TALKING IRISH you gonna read a lot of untold story about players,coachs and school direction who take a lot of decisions on the way the team is coach.Starting from the 40's you follow the story of the team with interview of players,coachs and fans about the greatest moments of Fighting irish story until 1997 season.One of the greatest books about one of the greatest college football team,I recommend it to everyone.

A good book
I liked this book so much that I didn't want to stop reding it.I was dissappointed when I finished it because I wanted more.The book told all about the history of Fighting Irish football from the 1940s to 1997.The book was almost entirly written from former ND player's accounts.If you like this book, read Notre Dame's Greatest Coaches by Moose Krause.It is muhc like this book.Talking Irish is one of the best books I have ever read.

A GreatRead
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.The author finds and reports the unfiltered truth as told by the people who lived it.Page after page of fascinating (and previously unreported) stories about Ara, Devine, Montana, etc.A great gift for anyone who loves ND football. ... Read more

Product Description
In 1892, the men of Biddle University met their counterparts form nearby Livingstone College for a "match game of ball" on a snow-covered field in Salisbury, North Carolina, 23 years after Princeton and Rutgers had inaugurated college football. The Biddle and Livingstone players had no idea they were pioneering the sport for black colleges, yet that's exactly what they did on December 27 of that year. Biddle took a controversial 4-0 decision and football at black colleges was off and running. This book documents the players, coaches, schools, and other entitles which have participated in this rich athletic history which recently celebrated its centennial. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

American History Through Sports
I understand that when Michael Hurd was putting together this book and calling historically black colleges to talk to them about their long-gone football programs, some college employees responded with, "We used to have a football program?" This is not a book of just names, dates and places -- it describes a unique time and the very unique culture that surrounded football at historically black colleges, and programs that, at the time, were storied and exhaulted. This peek into the past should prove interesting to anyone interested in the cultural aspects of American history, not just people who like American football (which I don't, by the way). For what it is -- a very targeted history book about a very particular period and practice -- I give it four stars. Obviously a labor of love by the author. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent Football Book
I bought this book for two dollars at a second hand store and it was agreat investment.King's writing style is very readable and accurate.Itshows the greatest players, teams, games, and people from seven decades ofpro football.I never knew how much Packer great Don Hutson ruled thegame.King put him number one as the greatest of all time.If you look atthe stats, you'll see why. And I'm a Bears fan!

The only ommission wasDeacon Jones. I never saw him play but from what I have heard, he was oneof the greatest of the greats. Either King forgot about him, or he did notthink he was worthy.Jones is mentioned nowhere in the whole book.Iwould think he'd be in the top 10.

Anyway, this book is excellent. Itcaptures all the great moments and people and shows why pro football issuch a special game.If you want a good history lesson and see some greatpictures, buy this book.

Peter King's book is tremendous
Peter King is the best professional football writer in the country, just edging out his Sports Illustrated co-worker, Paul Zimmerman.

In Football: A History of the Professional Game, King gives an overview of (asthe title would suggest) football's history.The best part of the book ishis ranking of the 35 best players ever.

So many people refer to JerryRice as the greatest receiver of all time that it has become accepted asfact.Fortunately, King knows that Don Hutson dominated the position morethan anyone ever did, even the great Rice.King considers Hutson not justthe best receiver or all time but the best player at any position. Personally, I'd take Sammy Baugh (led the league in passing, punting, andinterceptions all in the same season), but I respect King for his uniqueperspective -- most football writers put Jim Brown No. 1 just becauseeveryone else does it.

If you've never read Peter King, you're missingout on the most insightful football commentary you can find anywhere.Seekthis book out.You won't regret it. ... Read more

Product Description
Arguably the best football conference in America, the Southeastern Conference (SEC) contains some of the most storied programs in the history of college football. Christopher Walsh provides a team-by-team history of the SEC and describes the classic games, players and coaches in the conference's 73-year history. From his unique vantage point as beat writer for Alabama football for the Tuscaloosa News, Walsh also gives insight into the culture and traditions of football in the South, where, it is said (and probably widely believed), the game is greater than religion. ... Read more

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Written by a well-known Australian sports historian, this work shows the history of how soccer has become the world's most popular sport.Amazon.com Review
Soccer, one of the most popular games in the world, is playedby many and is supported fanatically by millions. So, how did thissport come about? What were its origins? Why has it flourished for solong? Bill Murray, an Australian sports historian, answers thesequestions and many more as he persuasively presents the case for whysoccer is the premier sport of the world.Tracing the history of theorganized game--from its origins as a leisure pastime forprivate-school alumni in London in 1863 to the World Cup held in theU.S. in 1994--Murray commentates on the evolution of soccer from pastto present. Attention is paid to all aspects of the game, ranging fromAmerica's ambivalent attitude toward professional soccer to theprogress of the women's game to the threat of hooliganism. The groundcovered is vast, but Murray's readable style will be appreciated byanyone who has a passion for the game, and will inspire interest inthose who know little about it.--Jeremy Storey ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The World's Game: A HISTORY OF SOCCER (Illinois History of Sports)
Very pleased with how fast I recieved the book.It was in wonderful shape

A great overview of soccer history.
Unlike other soccer books which can be narrow in scope and range, Murray's book attempts to take us beyond the borders of South America and Europe and examines soccer all over the world. It also examines political and social affiliations attached to the game. The appendix has major soccer disasters covered,tragedies involving players,major soccer grounds,FIFA membership,Soccer at the Olympic Games before 1930,The Growth of the World Cup,and The Growth of Various Youth Tournaments. It also has a useful Glossary which is a must for any observer, casual or hardcore fan of the game. It would be a good introductory book for someone learning about soccer history because it has plenty of useful anecdotes that illustrates the game's colorful and controversial history.

This book was great!
After having played soccer for years, it wasamazing to see how much I didn't now about the history of the sport. Now that my daughter is absorbing everything soccer, this book has helped. She is preparing to do areport on soccer and it's history. I am sure she'll do great! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Fantastic history of Bears
My husband and I are both Bear fans. My husband loved this book and now we are ordering for our grandson. The illustrations are great and stats on players bring back memories long forgotten. Also love the fact that it give game stats for every game. Love the beginning that gives facts of how the team was formed.

Recommend this book for any Bear fan.

Great book, terrible shipping
I love this book.Lots of full page photos and decade-by-decade chapters.

Too bad the book was damaged because some moron used a box that was obviously too small, forced the book in, and tore the cover.Not a happy customer.

Book Purchase
Chicago Bears: The Complete Illustrated History

Delivery was within 5 days.Book was like new, packaged as if it were fragile.Great price. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Vault as Present
Bought this as Christmas present for my Brother-in-Law.He loves it. What more can I say. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Best Book ever on Giants History or football for that matter
If you are a Giants fan this book is a must read. If you are even remotely interested in football, you will enjoy this book. It is well written. Not all of the games turn out favorable for the Giants so even if you are not a Giants fan and you simply enjoy football and the history of the game, this book will be an enjoyable read for you.Jim and Bernard really did their homework and I hope to read more of their works in the near future. ... Read more

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With never-before-seen images, MizzouRah! Memorable Moments in Missouri Tiger Football History is the greatest collection of Tiger football images and photographs ever assembled. MizzouRah! retells and recaptures the unforgettable moments, the sensational victories and the incredible performances in the proud tradition of the Missouri football program. Using archived photographs, game films and video highlights MizzouRah! puts Tiger fans back in their seats for action sequences of some of the most remarkable plays in Missouri history. See "Pitchin'" Paul Christman lead the Tigers to national prominence with an upset victory at Yankee Stadium. Be there when Don Faurot revolutionizes college football with his Split-T formation, the granddaddy of all option offenses. Relive the final moments of Faurot's "most thrilling" victory, including the astonishing game-winning play. Join the Tigers for their first undefeated season, first-ever No. 1 ranking and their crushing victory over Navy in the Orange Bowl. Return to Faurot Field, Ohio Stadium, Legion Field and the Los Angeles Coliseum as the Tigers establish themselves as college football's "giantkillers" of the 70s. Watch Tiger speedster Joe Stewart as he streaks by Nebraska defenders en route to the longest scoring play from scrimmage in Big Eight history. Rejoice with thousands of Faurot Field fans as they celebrate the 2003 win over Nebraska, ending the 25-year Husker drought. MizzouRah! also looks back to the disappointing - yet undeniably memorable - Tiger defeats. Watch as Colorado's 1990 "Fifth Down" and Nebraska's 1997 "Flea-Kicker" unfold before your eyes. Relive these memorable moments and many more in this "must-have" for any Tiger fan. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

This would make a great Holiday gift.
A true labor of love, this book was put together by two alumni who bleed Black 'n Gold.They did this on their own time and put up their own money to get the book printed.
Filled with terrific images and interviews this book looks at inspiring wins and lamentable losses by talking with some of the key players and coaches associated with the games.
Even if you are a life-long MU Tiger fan - as I am - you'll probably learn something from the various chapters covering Mizzou football from Pitchin' Paul Chrisman to Brad Smith to the legendary Don Faurot, who created the Split-T formation thatrevolutionized college football for decades.
This would make a great Holiday gift.It should be considered a "must-have" by all MU Tiger fans.

A Must!
This book is a must for Missouri football fans!It's interesting and well-written, and the photos are great.Kudos to the authors.

Great for Mizzou football fans
This book is great for having around while watching a game on TV. The chapters are short, allowing the reader to pick it up during commercials, read a chapter and set it back down when the game is back on.
The book takes about 30 games in Mizzou's football history and relives them. Pictures from what appears to be game films help bring the chapters to life. And some of those pictures are ones I've never seen before.
If you were at the game, you'll recall it in detail with the help of the book. If you weren't at the game, you'll come close to feeling that you were.
Even some of the cheerleaders are featured in the chapter about the origin of the M-I-Z Z-O-U cheer.
If you're a Missouri football fan you've got to get the book or ask someone to give it to you as a present. You won't regret it. ... Read more

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“Outlandish, informative, and above all, funny.”

—Sports Illustrated

Now in paperback, Going Long brings the incredible story of the maverick American Football League to life through the words of the players, coaches, owners, and others who lived it. This story of the AFL is filled with legendary names such as Bob Griese, Joe Namath, Lamar Hunt, Jack Kemp, Len Dawson, and more. From the contentious formation of the league, to paychecks bouncing as often as footballs, to improbable Super Bowl victories, Going Long presents the colorful and sometimes bizarre tale of eight teams and a league that refused to die.

Customer Reviews (26)

Going Long
This was a surprisingly good book .It is an aggregation of great old war stories told by players, owners, and others who were involved in the growth in the AFL.Some of the stories were hillarious.I'm still smilng when thinking about the player who got cut, then got drunk, goes to season opening game as a spectator in the stands, orders a hot dog, and then hears his name being over stadium loudspeaker to go to the dressing room and suit up to play.

David Slew Goliath - on the Football Field
In 1960, the American Football League (AFL) challenged the established National Football League (NFL). The AFL succeeded and the two leagues eventually agreed to merge for the 1970 football season. Going Long recounts the AFL's improbable rise in an entertaining oral biography.

Author Jeff Miller focuses on the people who made the AFL work. The AFL succeeded through strong leaders (Lamar Hunt and Al Davis) and star players (Joe Namath, Cookie Gilchrist, and Jack Kemp). But the book's best stories come from forgotten stars such as Wahoo McDaniel (a pro wrestler in his free time) and Marlin Briscoe (the first black quarterback to start a pro game). Also, Going Long includes a lot of old war stories about the players' wild lives off the football field.

The AFL began on a shoestring budget. Author Jeff Miller tells of bounced paychecks, cut-rate uniforms, and chilly flights on unheated airplanes. One memorable story involves a Boston Patriots player who had been cut from the team but was called out of the stands when another player refused to sign a contract. Fans will love these stories - they present a sharp contrast to the current, "megabucks" NFL.

The book's only drawback is that some stories are too familiar. For instance, most fans know about the New York Jets' win in Super Bowl III. I give the book four stars because it bogged down during these familiar tales.

The AFL's history is a great adventure story. Football fans will enjoy reading about it in Jeff Miller's Going Long.

A+
Really terrific look at the 10 crazy years of the AFL.It is written very similar to the ABA's Loose Balls, with the author telling about a particular event and then having interview snippets from those around that event.It makes for a fun time while also relating the actual events.I also like the appendix in the back that gives a season by season team and playoff results.I have read "The $1 League" and "Long Bomb" which also cover rival football start up leagues, but this was the very best for stories and a nice balanced approach with good writing.Really good.

The story of the American Football League in the words of the most active participants
The story of the American Football League (AFL) is one of excellent timing, some luck and a brilliant move in signing a gimpy-kneed quarterback named Joe Namath. In the early sixties, the National Football League was nowhere near the economic and social powerhouse that it was to become.The NFL owners were reluctant to expand the league despite the desire for other cities to have football teams.
Therefore, the time was right for the establishment of a rival league, which was the plan B of Lamar Hunt when he could not get an NFL franchise. The AFL started slowly and was openly ridiculed by the NFL for years, people in the NFL considered the AFL product to be inferior and initially there was some truth to that. However, it did not take long before the AFL began bidding up the price of players, a tactic that forced the NFL to take notice and helped increase the stature and level of play in the AFL.
The biggest signing of the AFL was one of the most expensive, that of Joe Namath. Namath was the perfect choice to be a star and drive the league to respectability. His antics off the field were the stuff of tabloids, yet what he did on the field became the raw material for legends. His leading of the Jets to victory over the "invincible" Colts in Super Bowl III stunned the sports world and still has to rank as one of the greatest upsets in the history of sports.
This book is a chronology of the AFL told largely in extensive quotes from the principal players, primarily from the AFL but where applicable, also from the NFL.It is interesting to hear the story in the words of the principals, from the owners, coaches and players. Each has a unique perspective on the events, the sum total of which did much to make the NFL the powerful force it is in American society.

A great look back at a great era in pro football
This book is great reading! This book gives you great insight into the AFL from those who lived it. If you're interested in how the AFL developed and later merged with the NFL, then this book is for you. ... Read more

Product Description
With twelve national championships, nineteen players and coaches in the College Football Hall of Fame, and a tradition of national achievement that reaches back to the 1920s, the University of Alabama has secured its spot as one of the most successful athletic institutions in the history of American sports. Dating back to the days when university president Dr. George H. "Mike" Denny decided football would be the university's ticket to national prominence and especially during the years of legendary head coach Bear Bryant, Alabama has produced some of the most renowned teams and players in the history of the game.

Always Alabama tells the complete story -- through the eyes of dozens of Alabama insiders and vanquished opponents from the first Crimson Tide team in 1892 right on through the thrilling 2006 Cotton Bowl victory. Don Wade delivers a detailed look at the long and illustrious story of Crimson Tide football. Relive the exhilarating moments of triumph, including:

• Alabama's victory over University of Pennsylvania in 1922, a conquest that put Alabama football on the map
• The Tide's upholding the honor of the South with her victory at the 1926 Rose Bowl
• The stories that made Bear Bryant famous and every player who ever played for him a genuine tough guy
• All twelve of the program's national championships
• Those special moments when Alabama both defeated and lost to bitter rivals Auburn and Tennessee

And hear from the great players -- early legends such as Harry Gilmer and Vaughn Mancha, and larger-than-life heroes such as Lee Roy Jordan, Ken Stabler, and Ozzie Newsome -- and from scores of other players -- some famous, some not so famous -- who have personal stories to tell about the pride and privilege of wearing the red jersey.

With both black-and-white and color photos to help guide the way, Always Alabama is the definitive history of one of the most storied college football programs in the country and a book no college football fan can live without. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

ROLL TIDE!
I bought this as a present to myself. Even used the book came in great condition with a slip cover. Both were high qaulity and definitly help round out my Bama book collection. If you are a true friend and like me too young to remember the "old" glory days, this is a great book and full amazing information. ROLL TIDE!

Without a doubt, a must-read for 'Bama fans
Interesting book for any 'Bama fan. The excellence, glorious moments, Bear Bryant legacy, rivalries... The history of Crimson Tide Football is inside this book. Each chapter is written in a quick way and with a lot of curious articles... A total must-read.

One of My Favorite Alabama Books
I open all Alabama football books with a skeptical eye. There have been too many poorly done books on the subject. But "Always Alabama" is well done and the best combination of storytelling and pictures I've seen. I was shocked by how many interviews the author did and the fresh perspectives -- even talking to players from the losing Sugar Bowl Penn State team. He added a nice twist by talking to long-time Alabama sports writers. These guys weren't afraid to say what they think. The Bryant pictures in this book were outstanding. It's a fun book, but has actual substance to it, too.

Could have been so much better
To the best of my knowledge Fireside Publishing has issued three similar type "history of" books about specific college football teams within the last two years.This is one of them; the other two being about Arkansas and Texas.If you are strictly an Alabama fan then you'll probably like it and be happy that it has been added to your collection.However, if you are like me, a sports/college football book collector with no particular attachment to any one team, you'll want to bypass this one and obtain the one about Arkansas.I'm always looking out for publications that offer a large and varied collections of pictures that I've never seen before.(This is definitely hard to do!!!)ALWAYS ALABAMA is disappointing in this regard, particularly given the great winning history of the Crimson Tide.There are too many pictures that appear in other books, the quality of some color pictures are sub-standard, and there are hardly any pics of the non-stars.Whereas the book about the Razorbooks is outstanding.It's a shame that the same effort and attention to detail, at least concerning pictures, was not put into this book.I haven't finished reading it yet, but there does seem to be some interesting little stories and remembrances. ... Read more

Product Description
High school football is one of the identifying institutions of twentieth-century Texas. It is not unusual to see youthful football players placed on the same pedestal as the cowboy, oil man, or other icons of the Lone Star State. In fact, it is shaped in the image of its coaches who are, by and large, an enigma to most of us. We think of them as caricatures, men who are alternately revered and vilified (usually depending on how many games they have won recently), but they have always been members of a traditional, closed society, and we do not really know them in their complexities.

Pigskin Pulpit opens the Texas high school coaching profession to historical scrutiny for the first time, examining this breed of men who shaped the game—and generations of players—in their own images. Tracing side-by-side the development of the game and the coaching profession from its beginnings to today, author Ty Cashion explains how this avocation wove itself so tightly into the fabric of Texas culture.

Football fans and critics of the game alike will be drawn into this probing, analytical study that is sure to become a Texas classic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

If you ever cussed a coached, if you ever idolized a coach
I missed Ty Cashion's book "Pigskin Pulpit" when it was first released a few years ago but with the re-release in paper back this year (2006) I had the opportunity to read it.I think the reason I didn't read it the first time was the title.I thought it was another "Glory" of High School Football book.Had I just paid attention to the subtitle "A Social History of Texas High School Football Coaches" my history buff inclination would have made reading this book a no brainer.

Ty Cashion was ordained to write this book.A professor of history at Sam Houston State University and more importantly the son of a Texas High School football coach, Ty had the knowledge to tell the story and the access to interview, by my count, at least 82 different Texas High School football coaches, many of which are no longer with us.

Some 40+ years ago, when I was a kid, I would listen to Texas High School football play off games on the radio.The radio announcer start by saying something like this: "Broadcasting from P.E. Shotwell stadium in Abilene, Texas ...".

P. E. Shotwell, Darrell Tully, and Gordon Wood may just be the name of Texas High School football stadiums for football fans of the current generation but they are just three of the many coaches that made Texas High School football what it is today.Many young athletes dream of "going pro" and signing multimillion dollar contracts.School boy football players born into the depression era of the early twentieth century just dreamed of the chance to play college football, get an education and coach football.It was their ticket off the farm anda way to a better life.

Ty Cashion chronicles the path to their goal and how the experiences that they had impacted several generations of young men in Texas.

If you ever knew a coach, if you ever played for a coach, if you ever learned from a coach, if you ever cussed a coached, if you ever idolized a coach ..., you need to read this book.

Awesome Reading!!!!!
This is a great book.It tells the story of how High School Football has become the number one event in Texas.I am glad someone put these stories into print because sadly many of these great men are leaving us but their stories and the impact they have had, and continue to have, will be passed on.This is a must read for any football fan.

I Thought This Was Supposed to be a History Book?
Aren't history books supposed to be dull as dishwater?I gave this book to my 80+ year-old Father for Christmas.He really enjoyed it!So did I, for that matter.Dr. Cashion must have spend untold hours interviewing old-time Texas High School football coaches and those who played underthem.This book is as close to listening to those old timers as thewritten word can be.Growing up in football crazy Garland, Texas(back-to-back state championships in the 1960's under Chuck Curtis), Iremember as a child "high school football fever."This hits themark, or should I say is a "two point conversion." ... Read more

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Product Description
Celebrates the rich football tradition of the elite universities that pioneered the American college game. Long before college football became a multimillion-dollar enterprise, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, & Yale were battling each other & trading old school yells. Each school s glory days, as well as the sometimes stumbling afternoons in the age of de-emphasis, are brought to life in this captivating & nostalgic text. Magnificently illustrated with 112 vintage photos. The perfect companion for all of those who love college football & believe that the student-athlete is not a notion of the past. ... Read more

Product Description
This epic tale recounts the 40 greatest games in LSU's legendary history with game stories and photos from the archives of The Advocate. Also included are feature stories reliving the battles of Alabama, Notre Dame, Florida State and Texas, the passing duels with Archie Manning, Billy Can- non and the Chinese Bandats' glorious national championship season of 1958. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Okay...but
I expected more.This is just a rehash of a lot of stuff you've probably already read.Try "A Tailgater's Guide To SEC Football" for a great read by an LSU grad, Chris Warner.You'll love it. ... Read more

Product Description
It’s difficult to imagine today–when the Super Bowl has virtually become a national holiday and the National Football League is the country’s dominant sports entity–but pro football was once a ramshackle afterthought on the margins of the American sports landscape. Yet in the span of a single generation in postwar America, the game charted an extraordinary rise in popularity, becoming a smartly managed, keenly marketed sports entertainment colossus whose action is ideally suited to television and whose sensibilities perfectly fit the modern age. Pro football’s ascent is an epic American story, and America’s Game does it full justice.

Beginning with the World War II years, when the NFL was fighting for its very existence, Michael MacCambridge traces the game’s grand transformation, with particular attention paid to six key franchises–the Rams, Browns, Colts, Cowboys, Chiefs, and Raiders–and how their fortunes reflected the larger growth of the game itself. Along the way we meet the sport’s legendary architects, men such as Pete Rozelle, George “Papa Bear” Halas, Bert Bell, Tex Schramm, and Lamar Hunt, as well as a wide range of its memorable characters–including Johnny Unitas, Paul Brown, Vince Lombardi, Jim Brown, Al Davis, Joe Namath, Bill Walsh, and Deion Sanders. In the process we witness the rivalries, the games themselves, and the passion that have made professional football the nation’s signature sport.

MacCambridge continues the story through the turbulent 1980s and 1990s, when labor disputes and off-field scandals shook the game to its core, and up to the sport’s present-day preeminence under Paul Tagliabue. The unique portrait of the modern game’s inner workings and relentless competitiveness sheds light on contemporary stars such as Ray Lewis and Peyton Manning, as well as on the men whose leadership skills are scrutinized and second-guessed by much of the country, celebrated coaches such as Bill Parcells, Dick Vermeil, Tony Dungy, and Brian Billick.

Magisterial and sweeping, definitive and unprecedented in scope, America’s Game is cultural history at its finest. A thoroughly entertaining account of the entire universe of professional football, from locker room to boardroom, from playing field to press box, it is a unique lens through which to view the past sixty years of American history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Great insight into the formation of the NFL
MacCambridge does a phenominal job giving insight into the early years of professional football and the formation of the NFL.He describes team histories, owner stories, important historical games, players, and the commissioners.The accounts of the business of football and behind the scene meetings is really interesting.If you are a fan of the NFL this is a must read.

Great football book
The book takes you from the very beginings of the NFL to ?. Right now I'm in the 1990's.

Compelling Reading
The NFL is such a behemoth of business success that it's hard to image its poverty ridden past and inauspicious start. AMERICA'S GAME is a fantastic account of the slow rise but ultimately glorious history of American Football. Not just a book of facts and information, MacCambridge is able to capture the social, economic, and even political forces behind the rise of professional football. His writing is concise, easy to read, and enjoyable. Having been born in the early eighties, this was a great read to educate myself on the history of the game.

Great book. Recommended to any sports fan, not just NFL fans.

Informative for me
This is a great book if you want to learn about the early years of the gridiron. I didn't know much going into this, so I don't know how informative it would be to someone who is already a student of the game, but I did walk away feeling like I learned a great deal. My only complaint is that it's a little dry at certains spots, but it's a history book, so it goes with the territory.

A Must For All NFL Fans
An all encompassing book about the NFL, from its origins to present day - actually more attention is given to the early days of the league than the present, which is good becoz we all know what's going on in the NFL now - too many books don't provide enough detail about a sport's early days and devote too much print to the now.It has detailed chapters on people like Pete Rozelle and Bert Bell, and their influences, and this book also doesn't trudge through on a year by year basis - it gives an overall view of the NFL. ... Read more

Product Description
To be a fan of the Fighting Irish is to revere the tradition, understand the legend, and experience the pageantry of Notre Dame--all for the glory in the end zone. Greatest Moments in Notre Dame Football History illuminates the team's storied victories and dignified defeats and proves once and for all why this school is the one by which all other college football programs are judged.

Even the most casual Notre Dame football fans can recount the greatest Irish games: the landmark home victories over No. 1 Miami in '88 and No. 1 Florida State in '93; the unforgettable 10-10 tie with Michigan State in '66; the green-jersey game against USC in '77; Harry Oliver's epic 51-yard field goal to beat Michigan in '80; and the long list of bowl wins against the likes of Texas, Alabama, West Virginia, Colorado, Texas A&M, and Florida. Don't forget the birth of the Four Horsemen, the "Win One for the Gipper" game, plus four straight seasons under Frank Leahy without a loss.

Greatest Moments in Notre Dame Football History gives you the scoop on all those games and more. In categorizing dozens of the most memorable Irish gridiron achievements, readers will learn which games changed the face of Notre Dame football; get an inside look at Notre Dame bowl wins; discover which contests were rated "games of the century"; relive unbelievable endings and amazing individual performances; and even consider a list of losses that still have Notre Dame fans pulling their hair out.

Games are recounted in rich detail, supported by statistics, scoring summaries, and memorable quotations from the coaches and players involved. The book is illustrated with a generous helping of exclusive color photographs from the Notre Dame archives. A bonus highlight DVD includes interviews and historic footage of some of the greatest Fighting Irish moments also featured in the book. Greatest Moments in Notre Dame Football History is a book no Fighting Irish fan will want to be without. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great Book for Notre Dame Fans
bought for my 13 year old nephew as a BD present.he enjoys it & i enjoy reading it when i come to visit him.

Would Buy From Again...
I was a little dissappointed because the front inside and back inside cover were folded (wrinkled).Other than that it was perfect.I would buy from them again just maybe not for a gift. ... Read more

Product Description
Matt Christopher, author of Great Moments in Baseball History has captured all the suspense and play-by-play action of nine remarkable football plays and the personalities of the athletes who made them. Joe Namath's guarantee of a Super Bowl win in 1969 and Tom Dempsey's 63-yard field goal are among the moments recorded in this book from America's best-loved sports writer for children. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Enjoyable recapitulations of nine of the greatest moments in professional football
Matt Christopher is one of the best modern authors of juvenile sports fiction and in this case he takes facts and makes them exciting and entertaining. American football is a great game with a long history of dramatic events and Christopher takes nine of those events and paints exciting recapitulations of the action. The events are:

*) Jim Marshall's return of a fumble in the wrong direction that led to a safety for the other team.
*) Joe Namath's brash prediction of a Jets victory in Super Bowl III
*) Tom Dempsey's record-breaking kick of a 63-yard field goal.
*) Franco Harris making the catch now universally called "The Immaculate Reception."
*) Walter Payton setting a single-game rushing record against the Minnesota Vikings
*) Steve Young's dramatic desperation run against the Vikings on October 30, 1988
*) Joe Montana's engineering of a last-minute drive to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII
*) Buffalo Bills backup quarterback Frank Reich's engineering of a comeback from a 35-3 deficit against the Houston Oilers to win a playoff game on January 3, 1993
*) Emmitt Smith shaking off a shoulder separation and continuing to play to help the Dallas Cowboysdefeat the New York Giants on January 2, 1994.

The best writers of sports fiction can take actual events and translate them into words that retain the excitement. In this book Christopher demonstrates that he is one of the best.
... Read more