Product Description
The ultimate fan's guide to America's most popular sport

Since the last edition of Football For Dummies, new stadiums have been built, new stars have ascended, and records have been broken. This new edition has been revised to reflect today's game, giving football fans up-to-the-minute information on all the rules and regulations, positions, plays, and penalties. Featuring coverage of the newest stadium technologies, revised greatest players and legends, and pro-football must-do experiences, it also includes expert advice on training and gearing up for those who play the game. Fans will discover the best ways to enjoy football-at home or at the stadium.Amazon.com Review
At last, the Dummies series is tackling football. FormerRaider all-pro defensive end and current Fox TV analyst Howie Longcalls the signals, and if he doesn't always go deep--he's got a lot ofground to cover--at least he connects. With all its X's and O's,football is a complicated sport, and Long works hard to smooth theway: "Once you break through that initial fear of being overwhelmed byfootball and what you don't understand," he counsels, "I knoweverything else about the game, like dominoes, will fall into place."In his role as guide, Long plays those dominoes, from peewees to thepros to the fantasy leagues, explaining positions, analyzing offensesand defenses, and detailing strategies. As with all Dummies guides,the fun part is the "Part of Tens," the series of top-10 lists thatdig in for the final chapter. He scores big with his inclusions ofJohn Hannah and Hugh McElhenny among the greatest offensive playersever, but should be penalized for overemphasizing tight ends andforgetting the electricity that wide receivers bring to thegame. This, of course, reflects a defensive end's natural bias; sincethey muck it up more with the hulkier tight ends, they simply let thespeedballs fly by. --Jeff Silverman ... Read more

Customer Reviews (55)

Impressive
Haven't yet read through the whole thing, but its a good book. My friends have already borrowed it, and it provides with enough general info with certain details that you feel like you know football to a certain level.Would definitely recommend.

Did this have an editor?
This book is so badly written, I wonder if it was even proof-read before it went to print.The section on safeties starts out talking about impetus - a pretty technical topic - before it even describes what a safety is.And most of that section (as well as so many, many other sections) is either outright wrong, technically correct while missing the point, or written so confusingly as to be misleading or useless.Reading the NFL rulebook is actually clearer.And that is just one section.The section on passes has a diagram with the corner route listed, but the corner route is never discussed in the text.And there is no overview of the game; if it mentions that each play has 22 players, 11 on the defense and 11 on the offense, it is only in the section describing penalties.If this were a book intended for people who wanted to learn about football and didn't know anything about it, they would end up almost as confused as they started.

Much of the book is actually geared towards people who are learning more about NFL, college, and even high school football with an eye toward the future.Coaching and playing tips are given throughout the book.Since I don't play football, I can't judge the value of advice given to a quarterback by a former defensive end. And since I was looking for a guide to decode the jargon on tv while I watched the game, all of this is useless to me.Every section that I needed was there, but they were written so badly that even if I could trust that it was correct (and you can't), I wouldn't be able to figure out what it was saying.

Howie Long is a Jerk
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. It amazes me that Howie Long, who played in the NFL, knows so little about football.
It just goes to show you how a dunderhead like Howie Long who did a lot of steroids can go all the way to the top of his field without actually knowing anything. This book is trash. Football for dummies is a good title however, if you read this, you will be a dummy at football. Keep selling trucks Howie and keep your job on FOX because you can't write books, even if they're about football!

Football For Dummies
I purchased this item as a tool to help my son-inlaw learn the game of american football.Though he has questions for me that the book did not cover (rescent NFL rules changes), it is a great tool for someone wanting to learn football.

My guilty secret
I love this book.Growing up, I had no brothers and no one ever explained football to me.I could watch the game and have no idea what was going on.Now, I am a fervent Vikings fan, sitting glued to the TV with my "Football for Dummies" book.It is so much more fun towatch the game when you can follow it. My girl friends think I am some kind of football guru.And I am, with the help of my little secret-I cheat, with "Football for Dummies." ... Read more

Product Description
Do You Know:

What team has won the most Super Bowls?
What a screen pass is--or a zone blitz?
Who is the only defensive player ever to win the Heisman Trophy?

Score a touchdown with these game-winning fun facts, strategies, and puzzles!

Completely revised and updated, this guide answers these questions and more! Filled with the latest stats, tackle-worthy trivia, and 30 fun puzzles, this pass-rushing book shows you how to:

• Set up defensive and offensive plays like a pro
• Master the rules of tackle football
• Keep tabs on your favorite players? stats
• Predict what teams will play in the Super Bowl
• Understand and map out on-field strategies
• Start a fantasy league with your friends

STATS reporter Greg Jacobs gives you all you need to know about your favorite sport--so you can gain those first downs like a pro! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Kid-friendly format
This book is written in a way that's easy for kids to understand, and it includes different types of word games, such as crossword puzzles and word searches.Key words are defined in boxes in the margins.

Great book for learning and playing football
Very informative and covers a wide array of football items.History of football is good.Sports heroes are good for my sons so they can strive to be the best as well.

Good book!
My nephew is looking forward to reading this before bed each night.Thank you.

excellent starter book
For the 8-10 year old boys, this is an entertaining, interactive & informative way to be introduced into football. We've all enjoyed reading interesting facts as well as doing the puzzles and learning the logistics of the game.Highly recommend. ... Read more

Product Description
Today's NFL fans have more viewing options than ever before. Each and every week, football addicts plant themselves in front of big-screen, high-definition TVs and watch the game they love unfold via slow-motion replays and multiple camera angles, pausing and fast-forwarding the action on their DVRs as they please.







Yet while more and more football fans are watching the NFL each week, many of them don't know exactly what they should be watching. What does the offense's formation tell you about the play that's about to be run? When a quarterback throws a pass toward the sideline and the wide receiver cuts inside, which player is to blame? Why does a defensive end look like a Hall of Famer one week and a candidate for the practice squad the next?





These are the questions football fans ask during every game they watch, and for too long, they've lacked the kind of insight and information that courses through coaches' offices, locker rooms, and meetings throughout the NFL. Football fans are starving to learn more about the game they love, to appreciate the intricacies of their sport the way baseball fans do theirs. Now Pat Kirwan, popular analyst for NFL.com and Sirius NFL Radio and a veteran front office executive, and co-author David Seigerman present Take Your Eye Off the Ball, a book that takes you inside a coach's mind as he builds a roster or constructs a game plan, to the line of scrimmage with the quarterback, and deep into the perpetual chess match between offense and defense.



Take Your Eye Off the Ball is not a beginner's introduction to football, nor is it a technical manual for only the most studious of fans. Instead, it clearly and simply explains the intricacies and nuances that affect the outcomes of every NFL game. No more passively watching the action unfold with only the TV analyst's clichés to guide you, no more wondering why one player is on the field and not another. Take Your Eye Off the Ball:







* Explains the pros and cons of different personnel groups

* Tells you what to look for when projecting a college quarterback's success in the NFL

* Gives fans a simple, easy-to-remember checklist to help them understand the action on the field





Baseball claims to be America's national pastime, but football is its passion. Take Your Eye Off the Ball will make fans feel like they've got their own personal head coach by their side each and every Sunday, enhancing the fan experience by making football more accessible, colorful, and compelling than ever before. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

a little too technical
Great read, but he switches terms that a regular watcher would understand, but as a complete newbie, does get you to have to think about what he's referring to.
all in all a good book if you have the basic terminology down.

Lots of info on Xs and Os
I've been watching football for over two decades and I learned quite a bit from this little book. It gives a real insight into the strategy of football and what to look for when you aren't looking at the ball. Really informative.

Get it. Just get it.
I have been a football fan my whole life, played the game in HS and college. This book not only added new knowledge, it gave me a new perspective on what I already knew. I highly recommend that any football fan, even with a minimal comprehension of the game, get, and read, this book. My friends are already begging me to loan it to them after I'm done.

How can i review it?I never got it!!!
I'm sure it's a great book.Amazon sucks and can;t be trusted to ship a book.Great job Amazon.I vow to never use you again.

Beyond Football 101, but still understandable
I have listened to Pat Kirwan and Tim Ryan on SIRIUS NFL radio now for a few years.Their mix of NFL experience: player, coach and front office, gives them the unique, full spectrum view of the game.Their passion to have the fan get a deeper and more fulfilling experience from the game is what motivated Pat to write this book.Pat gives you "where to look" and "what to look for" insight that helps you see a team's strategys, weaknesses, and gameplan."Why was that blitz successful?""Where are the holes in a zone coverage?""What are the advantages to a 3-4 vs. 4-3 defense and visa versa."He does a masterful job of explaining what they do and why the do it without losing the novice in confusing "coach speak".(He explains some of the "coach speak too!)If you watch football and want to know more than just a superficial view of the game, this book is for you. ... Read more

Product Description
In 2008 over six million people attended an SEC football game. They spent thousands on season tickets, donated millions to athletic departments, and for three months a year ordered their entire lives around the schedule of their favorite team. As a Christian, Gibbs knows he cannot serve two masters, but at times his faith is overwhelmed by his fanaticism. He is not alone.Gibbs and his six million friends do not live in a spiritually void land where such borderline idol worship would normally be accepted. They live in the American South, where according to the 2008 American Religious Identification Survey, 84 percent identify themselves as Christians.This apparent contradiction that Gibbs sees in his own life, and in millions of others', has led him to journey to each of the twelve schools to spend time with rabid Christian fans of various ages and denominations. Through his journey, he learns how others are able to balance their passion for their team with their devotion to God. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

What an SEC fan is
If you have ever read Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer, it's like that but it's without profanity and it's from a Christian perspective. If you haven't read it, then you need to read that to know what I'm talking about.

I finished it in a few days, and it gave a lot of perspective to how we tend to worship our teams. It's awesome that someone tackled the issue in a smart and funny way, without being judgmental.

Hilarious, Inspirational Book for Christian College Football Fans
God & Football is a great book!My wife and I are both close to the same age as the author, and we both attended an SEC school (UF).So we can relate to most everything that he talks about.Both of us were laughing out loud.The comedy is enjoyable, but the real value is in the inspirational sections of the book.He speaks with many hardcore fans who juggle their fandom and faith.Highly recommended!

Great book for any fan of sports
I wonder if all the people I want to read this book will be offended when I tell them they need to read this book. Living with a football fan and enjoying a good game myself means that I can relate to Chad Gibbs and his quest to question the depth of his faith in the midst of football season.

I so appreciate the honesty of the author as he is trying to balance his passion for football and his faith in Christ. Has football become an idol in our lives? Hmmm...I will have spent 6 hours at football games and 1.5 hours in church by the time this weekend is over. How much money am I donating in order to get good season tickets and how much money am I donating to my local soup kitchen to feed the homeless? It does seem that something is not quite right. "I can tell you all day that football isn't that important to me, but my actions speak so loud you'd never hear my words" (p. 218).

Yes, this is a great book even if it makes my uncomfortable when I realize how much of it is true. Whether it's football, or any other hobby, anything that becomes more important than God, is an idol. Yet these idols are empty. Nothing else can love me unconditionally with overwhelming grace like God does.


To comply with new regulations introduced by the Federal Trade Commission, I must post that Zondervan has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book to review. I also must say that the opinions are all mine.

Great Read!
I wondered when I bought it what direction this book would take and I found that it was a wonderful journey through SEC football and it's fans. Well written, funny (outloud chuckles). I gave it as a gift to several folks young and old- all enjoyed it.

Great Book!
This was a fantastic book by Chad Gibbs, I appreciated his balance between humor and honesty mixed with the quality information of one who understands SEC football in and out. He effectively communicated the relationship between being fan and the challenges it can put on your spiritual life. In the end I think Chad was trying to show that for all of us we are a work in progress and must strive for balance in our lives with the things that compete for the place that is intended for God. Great Book and highly recommended! ... Read more

Product Description

Troy White can predict any football play before it happens. And when his single mom gets a job with the Atlanta Falcons, Troy knows it's his big chance to help them out of their slump—and finally prove his football genius. But unless Troy can convince star linebacker Seth Halloway that he's telling the truth, the Falcons' championship—and Troy's mom's job—are in serious jeopardy.

Customer Reviews (19)

Engaging preteen book about dreams coming true.
Nancy in Seattle, WA: Quick reading and fun storyline.Dreams abound for both the kids and the adults in this football focused tale. Focus is always on telling the truth, faith, family and friends.There are close calls, trials andadversity along the way.All of the dreams are started on their way to completion by the end though, like life, we don't know how it all turns out.

Great Football Book for Young Readers
My son loved this book.We also purchased Football Champ and Football Hero which he also enjoyed reading.I highly recomend this book. My son is 10 and loves the game of football!

Encouraging young people to read
Tim Green is a multi-talented man and this book adds yet another hyphen to his titles - youth author.I am way past my teens but I also found this an engaging read and highly recommend it.

Great Book
This book is a super book for a 13 yr old boy to read.It kept his attention thru the whole book.Read it in two days, and got a 100 on his book report.Loved it, and bought the Football Hero by Tim Green for his next report.

DR.4SHIZZLE


Troy White is an addict, well at least a football one. He loves the Atlanta Falcons and wishes he could be on the team. Troy has a plan that can possibly put him on the team. All he has to do is get to the Falcons and show them his secret weapon, HIS BRAIN.
To help Troy with his plan he'll need his two best friends, friend #1 is Tate; Tate is an eleven year old girl who loves football and is on the boy's football team. Friend #2 is Nathan; Nathan is a big boy who likes to use his size as an advantage. But Troy might not need help if his mom keeps getting in the way. Troy and his mom have a strong relationship but that could change.
Will Troy's mom lighten up her grip or will she tighten it harder and harder till Troy pops. Only way to find out is to read the Football Genius. Tim Green's book was a wonderful realistic novel about never giving up. I would recommend this master piece to 11-14 year old boys who love football. If you ever come across the Football Genius, buy it and read it over and over again until your eyes bleed of boredom. P.s. that boredom thing will take along time because this book is crackalackin.
... Read more

Product Description

Football is fun--let's play!

Find all the basics in this lively guide.

• The markings on a football field

• What football players wear

• The positions, from quarterback to wide receiver

• The excitement of the kickoff

• The thrill of scoring a touchdown

All these and more are included with a useful glossary at the end.

Customer Reviews (5)

I learned a lot!
As a member of the marching band, I attended nearly every high school and college football game. Still, I learned a lot from this "children's" book. It is full of facts. Anything you ever wanted to know about football lies within.

My Football Book
I ordered this book for a man and his son that are from Indonesia.They were very interested in how the game of American football is played.i ordered this particular book, thinking that it would be easy to understand with the pictures and the simple instructions and rules of the game in English. (They are learning English too).It certainly was the right choice for them.They could understand what they were reading and now they understand American football much better!!

Great Baby Shower Gift
Our daughter does not want to know the sex of her baby before it's born, so my husband and I gave definitely different shower gifts to her, including books instead of greeting cards.I gave Knitting Nell and my husband chose My Football Book.Both books were purchased through Amazon, and they came quickly and in excellent condition.They were perfect, and "even a girl" can learn to play football from My Football Book (when she/he's not knitting).

My Football Book
I think the book will be wonderful for my grandson. I'm giving it to him for Easter.

Great for PE teachers
I teach Elem PE and used it as my motivation for my football unit. The students loved it and were amazed that they really didnt know everything. Its colorful, and easy to understand.. ... Read more

Product Description

Ty Lewis can't believe it when Coach V recruits him for the football team. This is Ty's big chance to prove how fast he is on the field, get a fresh start in a new school, and be like his older brother, Thane "Tiger" Lewis, who's about to graduate from college—and is being courted by the NFL.

Customer Reviews (10)

FOOTBALL HERO has the whole team
Ty Lewis's big brother, Thane "Tiger" Lewis, has graduated from college and has been drafted into the pro leagues by the New York Jets. That couldn't be better news for young Ty because he lives in New Jersey with a disagreeable uncle, but now he gets to see Thane every week. They have gotten even closer since their parents died six months earlier in a car accident. Now Thane is giving everything he has to his little brother. They need each other in more ways than one.

Former NFL player Tim Green brings a fresh voice of realism to this follow-up to FOOTBALL GENIUS with gritty descriptions of football plays, accurate accounts of life in the big leagues and some not-so-pretty visions of the seedy world of gambling that surrounds professional sports. Young Ty is unwittingly dragged into this negative underworld by his greedy Uncle Gus, who pressures Ty into getting inside information on the Jets. Gus, who makes Ty work nights after school in his cleaning business, gives the information to his bookie, "Lucy."

In spite of the gritty subject matter, Green writes with an authentic voice tinted with poetic nuances. Readers unfamiliar with or perhaps uninterested in the world of football will appreciate his use of language. Green employs metaphors and picturesque descriptions to keep the reader glued to the story. He is a master of tension as turning pages happens quickly; his audience craves the next scene and chapter until arriving at the appealing conclusion, where the message is brought home loud and clear: Team is everything and brothers take care of brothers, but family is of the utmost importance.

An example of Green's vivid writing is in the details and images he uses to color the reader's mind throughout the book.

"He yanked several paper towels off the roll on the wall and handed them to her. She plastered them to the long red gash across her palm and the blood bloomed like a rose in a science movie. Charlotte sucked air in through her teeth with a hissing sound that reminded Ty of filling his bicycle tires at the gas station."

Green's artful writing makes words like "plastered," "gash," "blood," "rose" and "hissing" seem as if they've always belonged in the same sentences.

For gridiron fans, FOOTBALL HERO has the whole team: practice, locker rooms, rivalries, gambling, fantasy football, injuries, games, deceit and strategy. The fantasy turns into cold, hard reality when the FBI investigates the gambling ring to which Uncle Gus is supplying information. Ty and Thane soon realize that family is important, but the brotherhood of football plays is a pretty close second.

football hero
Great book, well written, I wish it was longer, I read it in two nights.

Great Book!
My son loves this book!He also loves Football Champ and Football Genius.He's almost 10 years old.He read this book for an entire hour last night.Great book series for a young man with a passion for football!

Football hero


In Football hero by Tim Green, it is a football story where Ty's brother Tiger Lewis gets drafted to the Jets first round. But his uncle wont let him play football, because he wants him to work in the family cleaning business his uncle is always trying to make money with a mob leader "Lucy." But Lucy says he should play so then his uncle lets him.
I liked the book, but it had a lot of slow moments, They knew what they where talking about. His other book Football Genius was a better book then Football Hero was in my opinion. Ifyou're a fan of the sport then you will like this book. I think that if he took a couple of the slow parts out then it would be a lot better. I would give the book a 4 on a scale from 1 to 10. It is still one of the best books I have ever read. I would not recommend this book to someone who doesn't like or doesn't understand football.

Harry Potter In Shoulder Pads
Ty's parent have been killed in a car crash.He's moved in, unwelcomed, with relatives.They want him as another set of hands in the family cleaning business -- for his 12th birthday, he gets a work permit.At his new middle school he's tryinng to fit in, and make the football team.

There's magic out there.Ty's big brother Tiger is a college football star, a surefire first round NFL draft pick.But also the potential for disaster -- Ty's uncle is connected with mobsters who are trying to get information about tiger and his team in order to bet on the games.

Tim Green has produced another winner.It's exciting, funny, and real ... Read more

Product Description
The Football Coaching Bible features many of the game's most successful coaches. Each shares the special insight, advice, and strategies they've used to field championship-winning teams season after season.

The 27 chapter contributing coaches span six decades of the sport and reach into every corner of the United States. The impressive list of contributors:

• Joe Paterno
• Hayden Fry
• Phil Fulmer
• Dick Foster
• Grant Teaff
• Gene Stallings
• Jim Tressel
• R.C. Slocum
• LaVell Edwards
• Bobby Bowden
• Jim Young
• Jerry Sandusky
• Frosty Westering
• Mack Brown
• Larry Kehres
• Bill Snyder
• Lou Holtz
• Ken Sparks
• Tom Osborne
• Sonny Lubick
• Mike Bellotti
• Barry Alvarez
• Fisher DeBerry
• George Curry
• Bo Schembechler
• Joe Tiller
• Frank Beamer

Developed by the American Football Coaches Association, this coaching guide establishes a new standard of excellence in the sport. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Great product. Numerous respectible Coaches offer input and strategies.
A great read for assistants or head coaches. Offers an awesome foundation for any coach.

Solid Reference Book
This is a solid text covering various topics on football. This is a book that every football coach should pick up. I like the idea of being taught basic concepts by some of the best coaches at the college level.

Good starter
I'm probably like most who pick up this book in that I was looking into coaching for fun. My sons are going out for football and the team needs a coaching assistance. I thought maybe it was for me and I wanted to get more information. This is a good general reference but it it is important to point out each chapter is written by a different coach. This can be a good thing or bad thing depending on what you're looking for. For me I liked the different perspectives but the book as a whole wasn't as cohesive as it could have been. Good for begining coaches I think as well as coaches with some experience.

Excellent Read for the Beginning or Experienced Coach
The Football Coaching Bible brings together a collection of articles and speeches by successful coaches from all levels. Whether you are looking for guidance on how to teach leadership, how to build (or re-build) a program from the ground up, or some talk on X's and O's, this book has it covered. Bill Snyder's chapter is particularly great, and has helped me to apply focus to my life in areas other than coaching. His story at K State is amazing.

This book does help a bit with basic nomenclature for brand new coaches. However it mostly assumes a basic understanding of certain things. The beginning coach may have to do some digging to find out exactly what some of the terms mean.

fb coaching bible
Some good info in this book, however each chapter is written from one coach's perspective (passing game, rush "D", etc....) I would have liked more info on each area of the game rather than a detailed perspective of one. ... Read more

Product Description

Troy's got to think fast—if he doesn't want to get banned from the NFL for life.

Customer Reviews (5)

Very Suspenseful
I'm in fifth grade, and I just finished this book. I thought that Troy was a great main character, and I think the thing he can do by calling plays is really cool. I think that other kids will like this book, even if they don't like football.

great read for a boy
my son loves Tim Green's books. they are great for 4-5th graders. tim knows how a boy thinks, how football is played and puts them together for a great read for a young boy. thanks tim!

Great Book Series
My son loved this book and could not put it down after he began reading it.He finished the book in about a week.I also purchased Football Hero and Football Genius...which he really enjoyed.He is almost 10 and is a huge college and NFL football fan!

Troy's a football genius andgreat character
Tim Green delivers a sports thriller with heart. His insider knowledge of sports as a former NFL player adds so much, as does his sure sense of pace. Now Troy White,who's helping the Atlanta Falcons to the play-offs with his genius ability to predict football plays,is trying to stop a reporter who's bent on destroying the reputationof Falcons' quarterback Seth Halloway. His friends, Tate and Nathan, are in on the chase--and the media frenzy--all the way to the action-packed finale.

A Great Story and Terrific Suspense
Readers were first introduced to young football player and fan Troy White in the 2007 bestseller FOOTBALL GENIUS. In the sequel, FOOTBALL CHAMP, author and former NFL player Tim Green complicates Troy's life with everything professional sports is famous for: concussions, steroids, lies and trick plays. Like the revival of the wildcat play last season in the NFL, Green's new book about the perils of being a young football genius provides readers with a great story and terrific suspense because it's never apparent when the trick play is going to happen. The anticipation keeps fans glued to every play and readers furious to turn pages in hopes that the next play or the next chapter will be the sparkling episode that wins the game or finalizes an exciting tale.

Green was a star player in his years with the Atlanta Falcons, and that brilliance carries over into his chapter books for young readers. Older readers will appreciate his writing about the world of professional sports because of his insider knowledge, good and bad, of events and circumstances that add sting and flavor to his stories.

Troy is living the dream life of a 12-year-old little league football quarterback with his favorite Atlanta Falcons player, Seth Halloway, as the coach, his mom Tessa working in public relations for the Falcons, and Troy himself on the sidelines every Sunday sharing his particular talent with the Atlanta coaches. Troy's special abilities have to be kept a secret, and his youth makes that a challenge for him. He's been taught that the truth is always the best choice, but when he makes that choice and tells shifty sportswriter Brent Peele about how he sends plays to the coaching staff, it takes a while to straighten things out. As some reporters with a vendetta to settle will do, Troy's words get twisted. The front page "scandal" gets everyone involved --- from Troy's best friends Tate and Nathan right up to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Green's writing continues to represent strong ideas with excellent linguistic and vocabulary choices that will challenge readers ages 8-12, yet the structure of the writing has matured and represents new heights as far as story arcs go. Characters grow and change, good triumphs over bad, and friends stick together in the end. As a sign of a subtle change in his style, however, Green expands on a personal mystery that has affected Troy's entire life. In the first book, Troy's father is a distant looming dark cloud on the horizon of everything he does. With the sequel, Troy begins to question the ideal of a father and how having one would make any difference to his life. He doesn't discuss the subject with his mother, but he will definitely have to after the last page of FOOTBALL CHAMP.

It wouldn't be surprising to hear about readers camping out on Green's front yard begging for the next installment of the football books. He sure can leave 'em hanging and wanting more!

--- Reviewed by Joy Held ... Read more

Product Description
"Considered the bible of scouting techniques" according to the Los Angeles Times, Football Scouting Methods explains the basic scouting strategies and insights of author Steve Belichick. He was widely viewed as the ablest football scout of his time and coached at the U.S. Naval Academy for 33 years; his son is New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, a three-time Super Bowl winner.

When Steve Belichick died in November 2005, the New York Times headline cited him as "Coach Who Wrote the Book on Scouting," and quoted Houston Texans General Manager Charley Casserly calling Football Scouting Methods "the best book on scouting he had ever read." Joe Bellino, Navy's Heisman Trophy winner in 1960, told the Times that Steve Belichick "was a genius. On Monday nights, he would give us his scouting reports, and even though we were playing powerhouses, I always felt we were prepared because he found a way for us to win."

In recent years Football Scouting Methods has been one of the top ten most sought out-of-print books; used copies have been quite scarce. This reissue edition makes the original 1962 text available once again in exact facsimile.

The book covers how to scout opponents, recognize defenses, analyze offenses, discover "tip-offs" that reveal the opponent's plays, compose a useful report, self-scout, and conduct postgame analysis.

"Steve Belichick taught many younger men how to scout and how to watch film and how to prepare their teams for the next week's game," David Halberstam noted in the Washington Post, and his best student was his own son Bill Belichick, "one of whose greatest skills as a coach to this day remains his ability to analyze other teams, figuring out both their strengths and their vulnerabilities, and shrewdly deciding how to take away from them that which they most want to do."

When CBS asked Bill Belichick to name his favorite book, he replied "Well, I've got to go with my dad's. Football Scouting Methods. I'd have to go with that." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Football Scouting Methods - Review
This is excellent. I was just in awe because, in addition to having somewhat of an ability to relate to Coach Steve Belichick because he was a coach at my alma mater (USNA), but because of how well his son, Bill, and his lifelong friend, Ernie, have utilized the basic methodology to create one of the greatest franchises of our time. It is interesting to know that Ozzie Newsome, GM of the Baltimore Ravens, is a disciple of many of Steve's methodologies. The two franchises, the Patriots and Ravens, interesting to note, have two of the best home records this decade. Only the Indianapolis Colts rival such a record over the past 10 years. And Bill Polian, the Colts president? Very, very good friends with Steve.

Methodsof Scouting
wonderful book ,Iwould recommendit to any coach as a foundation for scouting at any level

EXCELLENT RESOURCE
This is a very good resource for an often overlooked part of coaching at the lower levels especially, scouting. Explains clearly what can be done to be more prepared for an opponent.

Football Scouting Methods
This book caused quite a stir back in 2004 or 2005 when it was mentioned in the media.The author is Steve Belichick the father of Bill Belichick the head coach of the New England Patriots.Steve was a noted scout and coach in his own right back several decades ago.This book was one of the first that I know of that attempted to codify some of the thinking and thought processes that go into scouting football.

Originally teams were allowed a certain number of visits in order to scout the opposition.Steve Belichick was a master at this skill and always found small ways to give his teams an advantage.His skills were passed onto his son Bill who developed an even keener eye for scouting opponents tendencies, strengths, and weaknesses.

Today teams of course exchange game film, input data into a computer database and study that content instead ofexchanging visits.The basic things they watch for however are still the same although the exact formations and play types change every decade of course.None the less the original questions and points of study that are outlined in this book were influential in their hey day and still of relevance today in concept.

Since the media mentioned this book it has become a hard to find commodity and has become something of a collectors item.I have an old copy that I keep in my football library.The schemes and diagrams are somewhat outdated (e.g. defense examples include a wide tackle six, split six, stacked 6-2, 5-3, and an eagle 5-4 type of alignment. Offense examples include T formations and Winged T alignments) but the basic thought process is still relevant even today.

Reading this book will give you a good sense of the details that coaches zeroed in on back then and what Steve probably taught Bill as a young man many years ago.

EDIT NOTE Nov. 2008

Since I wrote this review I see the book has fortunately been re-published and is now available for a reasonable price. I see I also accidentally referred to Steve's son Bill as "Brian" in one location but correctly as Bill in two other locations. A senior moment to which some of you can probably relate...I corrected it above.

Here is the table of contents for those interested:

1. A case for specialization in scouting
2. Preparations for scouting
3. What is expected of the scout
4. Worksheet forms and terminology
5. How to recognize the defense
6. Scouting the defense
7. Defensive analysis
8. Scouting the offense
9. Offensive analysis
10. The final report
11. Self-scouting and post game analysis
12. Tip offs

Two other older books I am aware of on scouting are George Allen's work "How to Scout Football" published in 1953 when he was still with Whittier College and Robert MacKenzie's book "Football Scouting" from 1955.

Keep in mind the terminology and examples in all these books are dated now by four or five decades. ... Read more

Product Description
Finally, a chicks guide to the game that is smart, knowledgeable, and thoroughly female. If I wasnt already a football fan, this book would turn me into one.Star Jones Reynolds,co-host of ABCs The ViewYear after year, Sunday afternoons and Monday nights during the NFL season have belonged to men. While they cheer and argue play calls, the women in their lives are relegated to beer and chip detail. Its time for these women to join the action, and Holly Robinson Peete, star of 21 Jump Street, For Your Love, and Hangin with Mr. Cooper, and wife of NFL quarterback Rodney Peete, has written this hip, smart, cheerful guide to help them do so.Peete shares her infectious enthusiasm for pro footballand takes the complexity out of the game by breaking it down to its component parts. She explains the role of each position player, provides a rundown of all on-field penalties and referees hand signals, and offers an illustrated guide to some of the most common plays in the NFL. She gives her take on the most memorable plays in NFL history and dishes some inside dirtin a breezy, girl-talkin narrative that promises to turn the novice spectator into a well-informed football fanatic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (41)

Whiny and not very useful
I was looking forward to hearing from a football wife and a lifelong fan of football on the in's and out's of the game. My son is starting to get into football and I want to be able to keep up and not ask my husband ridiculous questions. I was disappointed to read a whiny and self-serving diatribe on how "hard" it is to be a football wife. I didn't learn much about the game. It was bloated with random knowledge that I didn't need. I am now going to buy an Idiots Guide to Football so I can actually learn about the game.

Perfect for ALL women who need to know sports!
Rather you want to know about sports because your man is a football fan OR you are a football fan and want as much information as you can get(we dont know all,do we,lady sports fans?)this is a great book for you. There is so much basic information and interesting tidbits thrown in throughout. Love it! A keeper!!! Thanks Holly!

Fun and Informative
I've always wanted to understand football.My husband loves it and I always give him a hard time when he wants to watch it, which is completely unfair of me since he allows me my TV time when I need it (American Idol, anyone?).I decided that I'd like to learn about football.You have to know and understand the basics if you want to truly enjoy any game, so I did some research and found this book.I really enjoyed it.Holly made learning about the game so easy.I must admit, I had to re-read the chapter about the actual plays, but it's very involved so I'm sure that's understandable.I wasn't completely thrilled with Holly's personality, which couldn't help but shine through on the pages.One example is when she was talking about a time when her husband was seriously injured on the field.All she could talk about was how she didn't have any makeup on in the hospital.Personality aside, Holly wrote a very good book aimed at people like me, who literally need to start from the very beginning.I can now watch a game and know what's going on.

Pretty good so far.
I am still in the process of reading this one, but the fact that I haven't stopped reading it yet is a testament to its worth.I am not a football fan, but my boyfriend is, so I got this book so that I can actually understand some of the stuff he's saying every Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.Holly breaks it down and makes it interesting.So I would recommend this book to other women out there like me who aren't fans but at least want to be able to connect a little with those in their lives who are.

Great Book
I have been watching football for years but still didn't understand certain plays.Hollie explained them in very simple terms that anyone could understand.Also learned a lot of history about the game that I was never aware of.Thanks for a great book ... Read more

Product Description
The NFL has never been hotter--witness the $21.4 billion it will rake in on the TV-rights deals now in place (not to mention its own network), the proliferation of football news and information and the game's booming popularity among sports fans, including the 23 millioin who read SPORTS ILLUSTRATED every week. These 320 pages capture, in breathtaking words and pictures, the essence of America's game: the players and performances, the crucial moments and classic matchups, the enduring dynastics and unique characters that have made pro football the new national pastime. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Awsome
This is a remarkable book with lots of pictures.Great for hardcore football fans.Geaux Saints

Great gift idea
Got this as a present for my husband.The book has lots of great photos and interesting information on many players throughout football history. Great for any NFL fan.

Great gift
Bought this for my brother as a Christmas gift. He and I are both into sports, so when I received it, I thought it was so great I wanted one for myself. Lots of information, great file photos.

Sports Illustrated:The Football Book
My son loves this book.He saw it elsewhere but I got a better deal for it from Amazon.I am very happy with this purchase.

Value for the money
This made a great gift! This book is quite large - filled with wonderful photos - and packed with information all things football.It is rather large to take to bed to relax with, in my opinion, but is better suited to view/read sitting in your lounger. I'd buy this book for anyone that loves football....truly value for the money. Great coffee table book. ... Read more

Product Description
The modern game of football is filled with plays and formations with names like the Counter Trey, the Wildcat, the Zone Blitz and the Cover Two. They have become part of the sport's vernacular, and yet for many fans they remain just names, often confusing ones. To rectify that, Tim Layden has drilled deep into the core of the game to reveal not only how these chalkboard X's and O's really work on the field, but also where they came from and who dreamed them up.

These playbook schemes, many of them illuminated by diagrams, bear the insignia of some of the game's great innovators, men like Vince Lombardi, Don Coryell, Tom Osborne, Bill Walsh, Tony Dungy and Buddy Ryan. But football has also been radically altered by the ingenious work of men with more obscure names, like Tiger Ellison, Emory Bellard and Mouse Davis.

In Blood, Sweat and Chalk, Layden takes readers into the meeting rooms-and in some cases the living rooms-where the game's most significant ideas were hatched. He goes to the coaches and to the players who inspired them, and lets them tell their stories. In candid conversations with some of football's most intriguing characters, Layden provides a fascinating guide to the game, helpingfans to better see the subtleties of America's favorite sport.

The game of football is cyclical. Coaches today are getting too much credit for formations and offenses that were dreamed up years ago. Tim Layden does a wonderful job of tracing the origin of those ideas in Blood, Sweat and Chalk.
- Urban Meyer, Head Football Coach, University of Florida

Tim Layden explores the minds and ambitions of the game's formative thinkers. Serious students of football must have this on their bookshelves!
- Steve Sabol, President, NFL Films

Blood, Sweat and Chalk is a must-read for all football aficionados. I, of course, especially enjoyed reading about the great Don Coryell, a true innovator in the game we all love. His ideas changed football-and this book shows you how.
- Dan Fouts, Hall of Fame Quarterback, San Diego Chargers

Tim has created a playbook that's instructional, a history book that's fascinating and a football bible that's a must-read for anybody who loves the game. All in one.
- Dan Patrick, Host, NBC's Football Night in America

Tim Layden does a great job telling the story of the people and the ideas that had a major impact on the game of football as we know it.
- Mack Brown, Head Football Coach, University of Texas

This is one of the most important sports books of our generation-and a lot of fun too. The formations and philosophies that win Super Bowls and national titles are made crystal clear. If you live for fall weekends, this is your book.
- Peter King, Author, Monday Morning Quarterback ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

This is a History Book and not a Playbook
I saw a chalkboard on the cover photo and the words "Ultimate Playbook" in the title so I was expecting a book about play design.Instead, I found this book to be about the providence of important football plays.Each chapter is focused on a particular football play or formation but the book is light on play design and heavy on names and places.If the publisher were to take the words "The Ultimate Football Playbook" out of the title then it would be pretty much as advertised.I am fascinated by football and read through the book regardless.It was interesting but definitely a bait and switch situation.

Disappointed
I purchased this book after Peter King plugged it in his weekly MMQB column.King also works for SI and he said something to the affect that this book greatly improved his knowledge of the NFL.This coming from a guy who has been paid to cover football for nearly 30 years.I figured if Peter King could learn some newthings, it must be a worthwhile read.I think Peter King must have been throwing bones to his fellow writer.This makes me distrust Peter King's opinions.
The book does give some fair biographical information on some of the coaches who pioneered or re-discovered some of the formations and plays in football history.Some of the personal connections are explored, such as Bill Walsh's connection to Paul Brown.But the descriptions of the formation's and philosophies of the various offenses and defenses are cursory at best.Usually a single play is diagrammed from each formation.... the signature play I suppose.But I wanted to know more about the other plays run from each formation and how the opposing defense (or offense) is kept off-balance.
I also wanted to know more about the blocking assignments from the various formations.For example, I noticed from watching Florida's games the last few years that on almost every play the offensive lineman never fire out of their blocks and attempt to drive their defender backwards on running plays.Rather, they would get into a pass-blocking stance without forming a pocket.They would remain at the line of scrimmage and attempt to cut off the defender in front of them whichever way he wanted to go.It is almost a zone-blocking scheme without the movement.Then the QB makes the decision to run, pitch or throw depending on what the defenders do.It really appears to be quite a different blocking scheme for the offensive line and I was really hoping to get a better explanation of what their thinking was.But it was not to be.The spread offense was made to sound almost the same as the run and shoot.But I believe the spread is vastly different in many ways.
If you've watched pre-game shows or listened closely to analysts such as Ron Jaworski or Chris Collinsworth you won't learn anything new from this book.T

Great Book--Needs and Index
"Blood, Sweat, and Chalk" is an excellent book for anyone who wants to learn the history of football formations, plays, and defenses. The coaching network and idea sharing by coaches conducted through the years is also an enjoyable read. The dustcover of the book plots the network of coaches who have influenced others along the way. My only complaint: no index, so it is impossible to find all of the references to a particular person in the book.

The Whole is Less than the Sum of the Parts
Tim Leyden is a good story teller or, more accurately, a good anecdote teller.Each anecdote on its own serves to illuminate a part of the story.But in the end, a long compilation of anecdotes is not a story and the book is choppy and tedious.It is not the "Ultimate Football Playbook" that Sports Illustrated claims it to be.

What is particularly annoying is that the book is bogged down by a compilation of minutia or trivia.It's chock full of names -- quarterbacks, running backs, and assistant coaches who are mere bit players or stage hands in the history of the game.My own theory is that if everyone whose name is in the book buys a copy for himself, his children, his parents, and his best friends then Leyden's a rich man.But if you're not part of that crowd, then I don't think you will be engaged by it.(And, if you are in that crowd, you've probably already been given a copy.)Read a chapter of it and you're fine.But read three chapters in succession and you're confused.The actual book would be more effective if it served as the end notes to the real "Ultimate Football Playbook" that waits to be written.

In 2010 the book should not have been released without an accompanying website or a DVD.Football is dynamic but the cute chalk board that begins each chapter is static and adds nothing.We're all used to seeing highlights, and the most effective way to elaborate the differences in the strategies and formations would be with video.

Great Read
Full disclosure: I was interviewed by Tim Layden and I am mentioned in the book.

Tim Layden really knows his football to begin with. To that knowledge he has added exhaustive research and his artistry with the written word, andhas produced an outstanding book.He manages successfully to achieve a delicate balance between entertaining and enlightening reading for the average football fan and a deep enough survey of major football innovations to interest more serious followers of the game.He has a unique ability to make the technical both understandable and interesting, without having to dumb things down.

I have been coaching since 1970, and following football since I was a little kid in the 1940s. I am a historian of the game with a rather extensive personal library of football books, and"Blood, Sweat and Chalk"will occupy a proud spot in it. ... Read more

Product Description
Understanding this popular sport is easy with Football Made Simple: A Spectator's Guide.

This easy-to-read guide, filled with illustrations and action photographs, contains everything for the fan and non-fan alike to understand and enjoy the sport of football, including:

* The rules of football simplified
* What to look for during play
* NFL teams and playoffs
* College football rules and bowl games
* Introduction of fantasy leagues
* Stars and great teams - past and present

Each section stands alone, so it can be used as a handy reference guide. Discover why football is America's most popular team sport!

A complete glossary and index makes finding information a snap Makes a great gift Pocket-sized - take it to the game ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Football made simple: a spectators guide
Wonderful...easy to understand.Perfect for the high schoolers mom who still has trouble "getting it."

FOOTBALL Made Simple
Good Book for those that have a hard time figuring out the game of Football! It has helped me along the way many times and I use it for a quick reference during the games! I am very happy with this book!

Great service
Football Made Simple: A Spectator's Guide (4th Edition) (Spectator Guide Series)

Ordered this book. It arrived as promised. It is a great book for any age. I am 67 and have watched football all my life and I wish I had ordered one for me. I got this book for a neighbor who was turning 9 years old. I think he liked it, if not he has 3 younger brotheres who might enjoy it, I hope.

Bought as a gift, recipient was pleased.
We bought this as a gift for a friend who wanted to learn more about football in general.She seemed pleased with it at the time but i haven't asked about it since. It seemed like a nice primer when I glanced through it before it was wrapped.

Excellent but Out-of-Date
This is a little book that is packed with information that helps a beginner get oriented and understand the basics of the game.It's the best thing of that type that I've been able to find.I just wish the publisher or the author would update the book, which is a 2006 reprint of a 2002 edition. ... Read more

Product Description
Continuing its series of spectacular coffee-table books for the holiday season, Sports Illustrated presents The College Football Book, the ultimate gift for America's most passionate fans.

SI launched this series in 2005 with The Football Book, devoted to the professional game. A New York Times best-seller that year, the book has taken root as a perennial, selling more than 200,000 copies to date. Now the editors of Sports Illustrated return to the gridiron, this time to serve the most avid football fans of all.

With the best words and pictures SI has to offer, The College Football Book, brings to life the game's unparalleled excitement and pageantry, its legendary players, historic teams and epic rivalries.

In 288 pages of the greatest photography and writing available anywhere, The College Football Book spans the sport's history, from its infancy in the 1800s right up to the postseason showdowns of 2008. The book is packed with stunning pictures, award-winning stories, original stats, decade-by-decade all-star teams and iconic artifacts photographed exclusively for this book at the College Football Hall of Fame--the same exciting mix of elements that makes each book in the SI series a must-have for sports fan. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Great book for all College Football Fans
This book is so amazing!My wife and I are huge college football fans and I was excited when I first heard about this book because of our love for college football.We knew it would be a great addition to our coffee table books and it is a great book to have on the table during the fall because of all the rich history of college football that is in the book.I would highly recommend buying this book if you are a huge college football fan and enjoy learning about the early years of college football and how it has transformed into the sport it is today.

gift
Purchased as gift for grandson.

Sports Illustrated publications are a wonderful way to motivate both children and adults.

Great
Great service
Book was new
Lower cost than borders even with shipping
Order and had within 6 days

Great service

College football fans should love it
This coffee-table book is a more-or-less pictorial history of college football, and contains many great full-color pics along with info and stories, and should make a great gift for a college football fan! While not the comprehensive history of college football such as say Ken Burn's is for baseball it contains many great full-page pictures from the last 100 years.In addition it includes summaries by decade of the great college football teams, epic games, "all-decade team,"Heisman winners, and innovative figures of the decade (although I'd personally say listing the conference Commissioner who created the "BCS" is a suspect honor...).

Also listed are fun "Campus Culture" tidbits by decade including major books, movies, news stories of the day, and other - everything from "the foxtrot" and Thomas Edison in the early part of the century to "facebook" and the O.J. verdict in the latter part.But the book is mainly devoted to college football - throughout the book are also featured great pieces on such legendary figures as Bear Bryant, Ernie "The Express" Davis, Dick Butkus, Knute Rocke, and stories such as the "U," the Flutie-comeback game, and more. In addition to pictures also featured are many classic game-program covers; one other creative feature is a large illustrated foldout of the "all-century" team - greatest players/coaches.

Overall, a very enjoyable collection of pics and information. One thing I found quirky - the book lists the national champs from each decade up to 30's, when they then are replaced by the Heisman award trophy winners. I suppose SI couldn't fit both on one page so just they stopped listing the national champs - but it seems strange they consider the individual award more important than team championships (in any event a listing of national champs can easily be found on-line, if one cares to, in tandem with reading this book). Overall, this book will provide college football or American sports fan plenty of enjoyment, and lives up to its title of "THE College Football Book!"

Great Product
My son loved the book, but for the same price I found it in BJs and could have saved on the shipping. ... Read more

Product Description
The adjectives associated with the University of Washington s 2000 football season—mystical, magical, miraculous—changed when Ken Armstrong and Nick Perry s four-part exposé of the 2000 Huskies hit the newspaper stands: “explosive . . . chilling (Sports Illustrated), “blistering (Baltimore Sun), “shocking . . . appalling (Tacoma News Tribune), “astounding (ESPN), “jaw-dropping (Orlando Sentinel).

Customer Reviews (8)

grist for an ethics or even a psych class
I'm not a huge college football booster, although the convenience of having Stanford stadium a couple blocks away makes home games a pretty hard thing to not pick up some of the game excitement. But reading Scoreboard, Baby game me a whole new appreciation for the game of college football, and maybe big college sports in general. I guess I was happily ignorant of the complexities of the sport, and the business of the sport. I think back to all the college games I used to go to, and getting swept up in the spectacle and enthusiasm. An easy thing to enjoy and get not think too hard about. Now I doubt I could go to another game and not think about some of the issues raised by this book. I would hope most big college football doesn't remotely have the same level of dubious ethical standards that UW had during this period. But I've seen how money and fame can corrupt in other venues, and its never pretty. I wonder how our hometown team at Stanford deals with these issues and pressures. Its something I'm now motivated to check into.
It would be interesting to take a detailed survey of how the general undergraduate student feels about college sports before and after reading this book. You could probably do a whole psych class on its impact. I can't imagine an intelligent reader, however much a sports fan and team booster, not being profoundly affected. How many books have you read in the last 5 years that you could say that about. I will never look at college sports the same way again.
It's also a fun read. I read the bulk of it on a plane trip to and from Buffalo this week. Hard to put down.

andy Kau
palo alto CA

A Metaphor for Professionalized College Sports in America
Ken Armstrong's and Nick Perry's SCOREBOARD, BABY like Paul Gallico's classic, FAREWELL TO SPORT, is replete with disturbing facts and allegations. The authors tell an equally disturbing story of college football, crime and complicity -- exposing a community's collective convoluted values -- while back in 1937 Gallico said "Colleges have managed to get themselves involved in a dirty and subversive business." The tale of this business is one of several dimensions and has been told in these and the other revelatory books listed below.

Over the years, revelatory books, reports, essays, and sporadic news stories have had little if any impact on the powers that be in Washington who give every indication of being asleep at the switch. Members of Congress and presidential administrations overlook the fact that there are all too many communities and universities throughout the nation where deep investigative reporting would unearth similar problems and societal passion for professionalized and highly commercialized intercollegiate sports competition. Since there is much in our colleges and universities that is already amiss, the depth of these sports related problems and the intensity of this passion could very well be predictive of the decline and eventual fall of higher education in America from its position of world leadership.

The SCOREBOARD, BABY narrative could serve as a fitting metaphor for the crime, complicity, and convoluted values associated with professionalized college sports in America with a one-to-one mapping of the book's cast of local characters, organizations, and citizens onto corresponding entities on the national scene. Why so?

Looking the other way and declining to act on abundant evidence of widespread wrongdoing is commonly seen to be the best way to keep your job as an elected official, as a government or a college administrator, or as a news media reporter.Likewise, appalling silence and indifference can be expected from non-sports-addicted university faculty, students, and parents, as well as from 'good-citizen' taxpayers across America.

For more, see Serena Golden's August 20, 2010, story based on a Q & A with the authors, ['Scoreboard, Baby' at the insidehighered website], "Scoreboard, Baby Notwithstanding, Things Do Not Bode Well for College Sports Reform in Washington," [Splitt Essays at thedrakegroup org website], Rick Telander's September 3, 2010, Chicago Sun-Times story about the Big Ten's spiel that it's expansion isn't about money," [Derisible by '10' at chicagosuntimes website], and Michael Barone's September 6, 2010, commentary on America's
overstressed system of higher education, [The Higher Education Bubble: Ready to Burst? at the rasmussenreports website].

Book List: James Michner's SPORTS IN AMERICA, Walt Byers' UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT, Allen Sack's and Ellen Staurowsky's COLLEGE ATHLETES FOR HIRE, Murray Sperber's SHAKE DOWN THE THUNDER, ONWARD TO VICTORY and BEER AND CIRCUS, Rick Telander's THE HUNDRED YARD LIE, John Thelin's GAMESCOLLEGES PLAY, Andy Zimbalist's, UNPAID PROFESSIONALS, Jim Duderstadt's INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS AND THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY, Don Yaeger's and Doug Looney's UNDER THE TARNISHED DOME, Allen Sack's COUNTERFEIT AMATEURS, John Gerdy's SPORTS: THE ALL AMERICAN ADDICTION and AIRBALL, William Dowling's CONFESSIONS OF A SPOILSPORT, Mike Oriard's BOWLED OVER, and Mark Yost's VARSITY GREEN.

Frank G. Splitt, Member
The Drake Group
Former McCormick Faculty Fellow
Northwestern University

Great Read!
I grew up in Ohio and have lived in Virginia for 24 years, and I have no strong interest in the University of Washington or its football team, but I couldn't put this book down! Scoreboard, Baby is thoroughly reported and wonderfully written. It's an example of sports journalism at its very best, but it's more than that. It will also appeal to anyone who likes true-crime books and to anyone who just likes a great read.

Can't put this book down . . .
Okay, full disclosure, Nick Perry is my brother-in-law, so of course, I'm reading his book. But regardless of my initial motivation, since I picked the book up yesterday, I simply can't put it down. I've been wandering around with it everywhere, and I can't wait to be on vacation tomorrow to keep reading it. It is riveting!

Since I have read many of Nick Perry and Ken Armstrong's news stories here in Seattle, I already know that they are excellent, well-respected, award-winning journalists, but in this book, they get to go deeper, and I am completely drawn in by the fascinating characters in this real-life drama.

I believe this book will prompt important and serious discussion about what cost we as a society are willing to pay to cheer on college athletes, and I hope it also opens our eyes to the price many have already paid.

About Time!!
This book should be required reading for parents of college bound sons and
daughters.We need to examine the morals and courage of schools' athletic
departments in additiion to their academic standards when evaluating colleges
for our children. ... Read more

Product Description
Trouble and struggle erupt on Mike's football team when Harry, his telepathic dog, is forced to remain home, unable to give the team his supernatural advice. Reprint. C. " ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

my 8 year old's favorite book
My 8 year old loves football. This is his favorite book. He read it completely in 1 day and has since read it a few more times.

A good story about winning, losing and cheating
I bought this just as my 6 year old son was getting into watching football on tv and pretending he was a football player. Harry the dog can talk to Mike the young boy via telepathy and ends up giving him the plays he overhears the other side planning to help the team win the first game. In the second game, Mike has to decide if he will use Harry's telepathic powers or go without. It's an enjoyable read aloud book with a lesson about how it's not really winning when someone cheats.

Great book for young sprts fan.
A great book for a young reader- our 6 year old sports fanatic, emergent reader, loved it.

Book review
We enjoy all Matt Christohers books at our house.GReat for boys who love sports but are not excited about reading.

1st grade football fanatic could not put the book down
My newly-reading first grader couldn't put the book down.He finished the 47 or so pages in no time.The vocabulary was challenging, the plot interesting and the illustrations "grown up."It would be interesting to boys and girls, football fans and non-fans alike.

If your child is not reading at the 1st grade level and able to decipher a few words like "triumphant" and "defenseman", I recommend Leonard Kessler's "Kick, Pass and Run."The difficult words are one's like "receiver" or "touchdown."Would work for a younger early reader.Note that it is easier, but still about 64 pages long. ... Read more

Product Description

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Football, Second Edition, provides new and intermediate football fans with all the information they need to understand and enjoy football.From high school to the NFL, coverage includes the basics of offense and defense, players, rules, strategies and even what to wear!New coverage for this edition includes: the draft - how it works for teams and players including parity, new technology on the field including instant replay, dangerous referee flags and rules changes for college and pro ball, XFL, arena league, expansion teams and NFL Europe, and the changing business and team strategy for professional football today.

Customer Reviews (13)

good book for a non beginner
I read Football for dummies and wanted something more indepth.This book met my needs.It covers how each position is supposed to function, and a number of formations.Between this and playing Madden 10 on the Wii I now have a better understanding of whats going on.I now notice where the half back, full back/tight line up, as well as the defensive alignment.
Experienced football fans will get nothing from this book, but newer fans who already have some knowledge will appreciate this book.

Idiot's Guides are always good
I became a football fan at the beginning of last year's season.I learned a lot just watching football and asking some questions of friends. This year, I wanted know more about the game and this book, even though it is several years old, was full of easy-to-understand information about the game. (I have used the Idiot's Guide books for other subjects and always like them better than other formats).

After reading just a third of the book, I was able to have meaningful conversations about a game that others watched - I'm a Monday morning quarterback!And I get respect from the guys when I comment - well, their eyes are surprised a bit at first, I'm a woman.When they came back the next week for my views on Sunday's games - I knew I'd spent my money and reading time well with this book.(And it was written by one of my sister's all-time favorite quarterbacks!)

The only prereqisite is a genuine desire to learn American football
With the arrival of the football season, large numbers of people that do not understand it will be exposed to football. This is further complicated by the fact that for many someone that they are intimate with is an avid fan, causing them to engage in a partial withdrawal into a form of hypnotic awe until the season is over. Fortunately for the people that don't understand the game, this book will aid them and assist them in including football in their relationship.
The explanations of the rules and tactics of football are clear and detailed enough so that even long-time fans will be able to learn something by reading this book. I have been following football for decades and there were a few points that I was unaware above about how the game is played. All of the explanations are simple enough that the only prerequisite is a genuine desire to learn about the sport of American football.

Great book for someone who knows nothing about football.
This book has helped me a lot. I did know some things, but it was extremely helpful to me.

not for the beginner
I knew a little about football to begin with so the first part of the book was helpful, but the rest of the book got too technical, completely lost me.If you know nothing of the game the first part might even be a challenge. ... Read more

Product Description
Football Coaching Strategies is an invaluable source of football wisdom. Inside you’ll find 67 informative articles contributed during the last 25 years by many of the greatest football coaches the game has ever known.

The book features 349 detailed diagrams and covers every crucial aspect of the game:

• 28 articles on offense;

• 19 articles on defense;

• 7 articles on special teams; and

• 13 articles on philosophy, motivation, and management.

Edited by the American Football Coaches Association, this collection of gridiron strategies lets you tap into the creative genius and enduring principles that have shaped the game. It’s the one book that every serious football coach, player, and fan will treasure. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

A Must Have
This book covers all aspects of the game from the very best college coaches - Paterno, Bowden, Spurrier, etc.Each 'chapter' is about three pages long;a coach diagrams a play for you and tells you the philosophy behind it. It has excellent illustrations.I have used it as a resource for years.The only downside is the book has been on the market for many years now, so the Spread Offenses we have seen so much of in the past several years are not part of the book.This book covers offense, defense, and special teams.As a former high school and college coach I can attest it will work for both those levels of football.

Big Disappointment...
This book was a BIG disappointment. I bought this book hoping to learn the strategies behind each type of different offense, how to run the system, different formations and looks to fool the defense, pretty much more in-depth information but this book offers none of that. This book is the most BASIC piece of crap ever. It looks like a bunch of piled up madden plays put together in a bind and sold as a book. It gives about 3 BASIC plays for each different offense. There's about a 3 page maximum length per different offensive system which vaguely touches upon the surface of each offensive system, so you won't really know why you're running it except that you're running it. For example, one of the first plays the book touches upon is the I-Formationand Toss right or Student body right. Like I said before, very basic and won't help much if you're a coach trying to expand your knowledge on football. This is my first and will be my last purchasing a book by AFCA and had I known AFCA made books this bad, I would've never bought it :)

Some of you might say "What about beginning coaches?" I'd still say no because this book doesn't explain anything to where you can understand why a certain play is drawn up that way and once your players asks you "Coach, why are we doing this?" It's going to make you do the shoulder shrug and look/feel dumb.

But for a good read, I recommend "Coaching the T-Bone Offense" by Al Baldock. I hope to find a book of that caliber to read because the difference is once you read a book like that, you'll feel like you know the system inside and out.

coachingstrategies
An excellent book. A must read for experienced or inexperienced coaches, or just someone who would like to get a different slant on the game. I have no regrets in the purchase of this book. Very informative.

Thomas J. Nicoli
Coach
Kingston Cougars
Kingston, NH

Beyond the X's and O's
Of the numerous football guides I've read, this is the firstbook that actually went beyond the X's and O's of football. As the title says, it not only discusses the on-field game, but also preparation, team building, and the mental side of the game.

This book touches interesting topics and is probably intended for giving some more food for thought and different angles on coaching issues. It is not exactly a DIY-manual or a literal step-by-step gude for all football coaches on how to build a successful team.

While some of the chapters are a bit academic and subject to cross your personal views, this book is a recommended especially for those who are just starting their coaching career or coach youth and junior football.

A Great Coaching Reference
A book that any coach should have.It gets the wheels going in your mind allowing you to develop new schemes.Its interesting to read other famous coach's ideas on topics like the Double Wing, Passing from your own endzone, and using the 50 front. ... Read more

Product Description
Don't feel left out in the roar of the crowd.

Football is the most popular sport in America today. It's also the most complicated, especially to those who watch their loved ones hibernate in football heaven from September to February. Here's the book that levels the playing field for novices, giving them a simple, clear, and comprehensive guide worthy of a Lombardi Trophy. Finally, get in the game with:

•Basic rules and objectives

•Player position, strategies, formations, and plays

•The business of football

•Differences between high school, college, and pro football

•Fantasy football ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Learning Football
This book is excellent!I purchased it at my wife's request so that she could learn the game and watch with me - she's one great wife! ... Read more